The Lightness of Being

         The  Lightness of  Being

                   A meditation on Ananthamurthy’s writing and a comparative study in reflection :

 “Once more there sounded within me the terrible warning that there is only one life for all men, that there is only one life for all men, that there is no other and that all that can be enjoyed must be enjoyed here. In eternity, no other chance will be given to us.” 
― Nikos Kazantzakis, Zorba The Greek . (Greek writer and philosopher 1883-1957)

“The heaviest of burdens crushes us, we sink beneath it, it pins us to the ground. But in love poetry of every age, the woman longs to be weighed down by the man's body. The heaviest of burdens is, therefore, simultaneously an image of life's most intense fulfillment.  The heavier the burden, the closer our lives come to the earth, the more real and truthful they become. Conversely, the absolute absence of burden causes man to be lighter than air, to soar into heights, take leave of the earth and his earthly being, and become only half real, his movements as free as they are insignificant. What then shall we choose? Weight or lightness?” 
― Milan Kundera, The Unbearable Lightness of Being (Living Czech literary icon 1929)

“Quite a lusty lot, those sages. What was the name of the fellow who ravished the fisherwoman smelling of fish, right in the boat and gave her body a permanent perfume? And now, look at these poor brahmins, descended from such sages! . . . Let’s see who wins in the end—you or me. I’ll destroy brahminism, I certainly will. My only sorrow is that there’s no brahminism really left to destroy in this place—except you.”

UR Ananthamurthy, Samskara (Great Indian Kannada writer1932-2014)

Life is a conundrum and in its unravelling many philosophers and thinkers have written and shared their insights. The above three writers are famous deep thinkers whose writings have impacted the world. In these novels, they explore the common theme of what path a human being should take- “weight or lightness?”  

A world where the sacred and the profane exist together, we are lost in a maze of big questions of God, religion and its ramifications of virtue and sin. We revel in segregation, compartmentalizing ourselves on the basis of religion, borders, colour, language, caste etc.  It does not end there. There are gulfs tearing the hedonists from the pious within communities and families.  A rivalry which has left many; confused and perplexed.  Who is a man of God – one who is good but indulges his senses; is wild, nomadic, parties, drinks, gambles, has mistresses; or the one who prays religiously, has no desires, is a celibate, crown jewel of vedic knowledge. What do you choose- ‘weight or lightness”

The epitaph on Kazantzakis tomb illuminates the path of freedom - "I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free." Kazantzakis’ works are full of joy, especially Zorba the Greek. The book is a hymn to life and love, personified in the character sketch of Zorba; the epitome of pulsating life force. It urges you to stop reading words and go jump into the stream of life; and live it king size. Wrapping oneself in an atmosphere of daily sights, sounds and smells – wild sage, savory mint and thyme. The orange-blossom scent worn by Madame Hortense, silvery olive trees, fig and vines, kitchen gardens, swims in the sea, the wine drunk; dancing to strains of the santuri, friendship, sex, separation and loss.
Zorba, the wonderful Macedonian man lives each day as if it is his last, completely involved in what he is doing; making love or working the lignite mines. He dances to life, actually, authentically and practically. When he cannot express the feelings and energy in words, he dances with gay abandon to the beat of each moment. He lives in perpetual awe of everything around him. He looks at trees, the sky, flowers, women, children as if he is seeing them for the first time. He revels in the mystery of creation and considers the world his playground to frolic and indulge.  His zest for life is all inclusive. The narrator played by Alan Bates is a foil to Zorba. He is a writer wrestling in his lair with his writing of Buddha, trying to comprehend the world through words and mysticism. Friedrich Nietzsche’s ‘God is dead’ and the ‘Man as Overman’, are concepts which pattern the exchange between them. In the end, it isn’t squiggly inky impressions of words on paper, and the endless ruminations and reflections, but the act of living them which can make a difference. If ever there was a role that Anthony Quinn was born to play, it was the lusty, life-affirming character in Zorba, the Greek. The film made the book world famous.
Kazantzakis was an existentialist as much as Franz Kafka, his contemporary. But their philosophy was so very different. Whereas Kafka battled with a meaningless existence with paranoia, absurdity and madness, Kazantzakis pitched into the flow of life with a madness of sheer abandon and love. While Kafka is disturbed and depressed by the cruel universe, Kazantzakis is delighted by its mystery. He does not know if God exists or truth exists, but he has an amazing appetite for plain existence. Life is simple, devoid of Cartesian duality. Therefore, the ordinary is extraordinary for him. The Kafkaesque ideology imbues us with dread and gloom. A contemporary writer who comes to mind in the same line of thought would be Milan Kundera.

Kundera’s  ‘The Unbearable Lightness of Being’ compares and contrasts light and heavy characters. The former live a full life indulging their senses.  Self-centeredness, detachment and the present moment to be explored and lived to its hilt form their guiding principle in life. They are not guided by regret, sin, guilt or an afterlife. The latter are bound by duty, honour and truth and their karma. The ultimate climax, nonetheless, does not render any one character contented and happy with their choices.

Ananthamurthy, the doyen of brahminical  practices,  pitches moral superiority of  Praneshacharya’s yogic existence against the degenerate living  of Naranappa.  Each of them is principled and staunch in his armour. The former is an ascetic having married an invalid girl and is regarded as the crown of vedic knowledge. His route to salvation is open , bright and clear. And Naranappa can see through the bigotry of the entire clan and lives life on his terms.   ”The battle of wills continues even after death, with Naranappa  demanding death rites  across the void. Pranesacharysa meets his nemesis in Chandri – the prostitute- mistress of his rival when he embraces her and in his act of loving her, he becomes Naranappa. Thus begins  his journey of rebirth, wisdom and a questioning of what he believed to be true.  What do you choose “weight or lightness?”

The common thread in each of the books forefronts the conundrum of the yogi versus the hedonist. What do  you choose – “ weight or lightness?”  The dawn of the wisdom that the duo rest on an even plane leads to the lightness of being! Samskara becomes the tenet of transformation, liberation and ultimate freedom.