The Lightness of being

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The Lightness of Being

“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 fulfilment.  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 (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 Brahmanism, I certainly will. My only sorrow is that there’s no Brahmanism really left to destroy in this place- except you.”

-UR Ananthamurthy, Samskara (Kannada writer 1932-2014)

Life is a conundrum and many philosophers and thinkers have written and shared their insights about its unravelling. The above writers have explored whether a human being should take the path of ‘weight’ or ‘lightness’ in their novels.

In a world where the sacred and the profane exist together, we are lost in a maze of big questions such as whether God exists, which religion to follow and  ramifications of our choices in our understanding of virtue and sin. We revel in segregation, compartmentalizing ourselves on the basis of religion, border, colour, language and caste.  The alienation does not end here. There are widening gulfs tearing the hedonists from the pious within communities and families, too.  This rivalry has left many perplexed.  After all, who is the man of God – one who is good but indulges his senses or the one who prays religiously and has no hedonistic desires? The former is wild and nomadic. He loves partying, drinking and gambling. He doesn’t consider having a string of mistresses as an immoral act. On the contrary, the more religious man is celibate and a crown jewel of Vedic knowledge. He considers it vile to give into his senses. For him, it’s all about mind over matter. Which one would you rather be, or to put it concisely, what would you choose - ‘weight’ or ‘lightness’?

The epitaph on Kazantzakis’ tomb illumines the path of freedom - "I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free." Kazantzakis’ works, especially ‘Zorba the Greek’, are full of joy. The book is a hymn to life and love that is personified in the character sketch of Zorba, epitome of the pulsating life force. It urges you to stop reading words and go jump into the stream of life and live it king size. An excerpt from the book reads, one must be “wrapping oneself in an atmosphere of daily sights, sounds and smells – wild sage, savoury mint and thyme.”

Zorba, the wonderful Macedonian man lives each day as if it is his last, completely involved in what he is doing, be it making love or working the lignite mines. When he cannot express his 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 was 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 in the story is a foil to Zorba. He is a writer wrestling in his lair with his writings on Buddha, trying to comprehend the world through words and mysticism.

Friedrich Nietzsche’s concepts, ‘God is Dead’ and the ‘Man as Overman’, patterns the exchange between the narrator of the novel and Alexis Zorba. In the end, it isn’t squiggly inky impressions on paper or endless ruminations and reflections, but the act of living that makes the difference. An Irresistible performance by Anthony Quinn made the lusty, life-affirming character of Zorba the Greek a popular icon.

Milan Kundera is a contemporary writer who has dwelled on similar themes. His novel, ‘The Unbearable Lightness of Being’ compares and contrasts cerebral weight with sensual lightness. The first lot are bound by duty, honour, karma and the search for truth. The others live a full life indulging their senses. Self-centeredness, detachment and enjoyment in the present mark their guiding principle in life. They are not guided by regret or the thought of an afterlife. Nonetheless, the climax does not render any type of character contented and happy with their choice.

Ananthamurthy, the doyen of brahmanical practices, initially pitches the moral superiority of Praneshacharya’s yogic existence against the degenerate living of Naranappa in his book ‘Samskara’.  Each character is principled and staunch in his armour. Praneshacharya is an ascetic who is married to an invalid girl and is regarded as the crown of Vedic knowledge. His route to salvation is open, asexual and clear. But Naranappa can see through the bigotry of the entire clan and lives life on his terms. Naranappa dies and has to be cremated by a Brahmin, but no living Brahmin wants to perform the rites for an outlawed one and stain himself. Thus 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. He accidently embraces her and thereafter 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.

he common thread in each of the books forefronts the conundrum of the yogi versus the hedonist. What do you choose – weight or lightness?  Perhaps, the wisdom that the duo rest on an even plane leads to the true lightness of being!  If this is the case, ‘Samskara’ would provide the tenet for transformation, liberation and ultimate freedom.