“My son,” replied the mother, “I don’t know. In my youth when I went about a great deal as a maidservant I conceived you. I do not know who is your father. I am Jabala and you are Satyakam, so call yourself Satyakam Jabal.”

Then the boy went to Gautama, a great seer of those days, and asked to be accepted as a student. “Of what family are you, my dear?” inquired the sage.

Satyakam replied, “I asked my mother what my family name was, and she answered, ‘I don’t know. In my youth when I went about a great deal as a maidservant I conceived you. I do not know who is your father. I am Jabala and you are Satyakam, so call yourself Satyakam Jabal.’ Sir, I am therefore Satyakam Jabal.”

The sage then said to him, “None but a true brahmin, a true seeker of truth, would have spoken thus. You have not swerved from the truth, my dear. I will teach you that supreme knowledge.”

Osho – Yoga: The Alpha and the Omega

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Just to frighten the other dogs he started barking, but the moment he barked the other dogs also barked — because they were pure reflections. Then he became more frightened. To frighten the other dogs he started knocking against the walls. The other dogs also jumped into him, bumped into him. In the morning the dog was found dead.

But the moment the dog died, all the dogs died. The palace was empty. There was only one dog and millions of reflections.

This is the standpoint of Patanjali: that there is only one reality, millions of reflections of it. You are separate from me as a reflection, I am separate from you as a reflection, but if we move towards the real, the separation will be gone — we will be one.

Osho – “Yoga: The Alpha and the Omega”

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“Fetch me from a fruit of the nyagrodh tree,” asked the father, the great sage Uddalak, to his son.

“Here is one, sir,” said Svetaketu.

“Break it.”

“It is broken, sir.”

“What do you see there?”

“These seeds, almost infinitesimal.” “Break one of them.”

“It is broken, sir.”

“What do you see?”

“Nothing, sir. Absolutely nothing.”

The father said, “My son, that subtle essence which you do not perceive there, of that very essence this great nyagrodh tree exists. Believe it, my son, that there is the subtle essence in that all things have existence. That is the truth. That is the self. And that, Svetaketu, that art thou — tatvamasi, Svetaketu.”

The nyagrodh tree, a big tree. The father asks for a fruit; Svetaketu brings it. Fruit is vaikhari — the thing has flowered, fruition has happened. Fruit is the most peripheral thing, absolutely manifested. The father says, “Break it.” Svetaketu breaks it — millions of seeds. The father says, “Choose one seed. Break it also.” He breaks that seed also. Now there is nothing in hand. Now inside the seed there is nothing. Uddalak says, “Out of this nothingness comes the seed. Out of the seed comes the tree. Out of the tree comes the fruit. But the basis is nothingness, the silence, the space, the formless, the unmanifest, the beyond, the transcendental.”

Osho: Yoga – Alpha and the Omega

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And Vivekananda was still immature; he was not a perfect sannyasin yet. Had he been a perfect sannyasin, then there was indifference — no problem — but he was not indifferent yet. He has not gone that deep into Patanjali even. He was a young man, and a very suppressive one who was suppressing his sex and everything. When he saw the prostitutes, he simply locked his room and would not come out of it.

The Maharaja came and he asked his forgiveness. He said, ‘We don’t know. We have never received any sannyasin. We always receive kings, so we know the ways. So we are sorry, but now it will be too much insulting, because this is the greatest prostitute in the country — and very costly. And we have paid, and to say her to move and go will be insulting to her, and if you don’t come she will feel very much hurt. So come out.”

But Vivekananda was afraid to come out; that’s why I say he was still immature, still not a seasoned sannyasin. Still indifference is not there — a condemnation: “A prostitute?” — he was very angry, and he said, “No” Then the prostitute started singing without him, and she sang a song of a saint. The song is very beautiful. The song says that “I know that I am not worthy of you, but you could have been a little more compassionate. I am dirt on the road; that I know. But you need not be so antagonistic to me.

I am nobody — ignorant, a sinner. But you are a saint — why are you afraid of me?”

It is said Vivekananda heard from his room. The prostitute was weeping and singing, and he felt — he felt the whole situation of what he is doing. It is immature, childish.

Why he is afraid? Fear exists only if you are attracted. You will be afraid of women if you are attracted of women. If you are not attracted, the fear disappears. What is the fear? An indifference comes without any antagonism.

He opened the door: he couldn’t contain himself, he was defeated by the prostitute. The prostitute became victorious; he had to come out. He came and he sat, and he wrote in his diary that “A new revelation has been given to me by the divine. I was afraid… must be some lust within me. That’s why I was afraid. But the woman defeated me completely, and I have never seen such a pure soul. The tears were so innocent and the singing and the dancing were so holy that I would have missed. And sitting near her, for the first time I became aware that it is not a question who is there outside; it is a question what is.”

That night he wrote in his diary that ‘Now I can even sleep with that woman in the bed and there will be no fear.” He transcended. That prostitute helped him to transcend.

This is a miracle. Ramakrishna couldn’t help and a prostitute helped him. So nobody knows from where the help will come. Nobody knows what is evil and what is good.

Who can decide? Mind is impotent and helpless. So don’t take any attitude: that is the meaning of being indifferent.

Osho – “Yoga : The Alpha and the Omega”

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There once lived a saint so good that the angels came from heaven to see how a man could be so godly. This saint went about his daily life diffusing virtue as the stars diffuse light and the flowers scent, without being aware of it. His day could be summed up by two words — he gave, he forgave — yet these words never passed his lips. They were expressed in his ready smile, his kindness, forbearance, and charity.

The angels said to God, “Lord, grant him the gift of miracles.”

God replied, “Ask what it is that he wishes.”

They said to the saint, “Would you like the touch of your hands to heal the sick?”

“No,” answered the saint. “I would rather God do that.”

“Would you like to convert guilty souls and bring back wandering hearts to the right path?”

“No, that is the angels’ mission. It is not for me to convert.”

“Would you like to become a model of patience, attracting men by the luster of your virtues, and thus glorifying God?”

“No,” replied the saint. “If men should be attracted to me, they would become estranged from God.” “What is it that you desire, then?” asked the angels.

“What can I wish for?” asked the saint smiling. “That God gives me his grace; with that would I not have everything?”

The angels said, “You must ask for a miracle, or one will be forced upon you.”

“Very well,” said the saint. “That I may do a great deal of good without ever knowing it.”

The angels were perplexed. They took counsel and resolved upon the following plan: every time the saint’s shadow fell behind him or to either side, so that he could not see it, it would have the power to cure disease, soothe pain, and comfort sorrow.

When the saint walked along, his shadow, thrown on the ground on either side or behind him, made arid paths green, caused withered plants to bloom, gave clear water to dried-up brooks, fresh color to pale children, and joy to unhappy men and women.

The saint simply went about his daily life diffusing virtue as the stars diffuse light and the flowers scent, without being aware of it. The people, respecting his humility, followed him silently, never speaking to him about his miracles. Soon they even forgot his name, and called him “The Holy Shadow.”

This is the ultimate: one has to become the holy shadow, just a shadow of God. This is the greatest revolution that can happen to a human being: the transfer of the center. You are no longer your own center; God becomes your center. You live like his shadow. You are not powerful, because you don’t have any center to be powerful. You are not virtuous; you don’t have any center to be virtuous. You are not even religious; you don’t have any center to be religious. You are simply not, a tremendous emptiness, with no barriers and blocks, so the divine can flow through you unhindered, uninterpreted, untouched — so the divine can flow through you as he is, not as you would like him to be. He does not pass through your center — there is none. The center is lost.

This is the meaning of this sutra: that finally you have to sacrifice your center so you cannot think in terms of the ego again, you cannot utter “I,” to annihilate yourself utterly, to erase yourself utterly. Nothing belongs to you; on the contrary, you belong to God. You become a holy shadow.

As told by Osho in Yoga the Alpha and Omega Vol-9

What Is the Spiritual Moral / Message of The Holy Shadow Story?

The parable of “The Holy Shadow” speaks not of grandeur or ostentatious displays of power, but of a saint whose humility and selflessness were so profound that the very angels sought to understand his godliness.

This Sufi story draws us into the life of a saint, a being of such innate goodness that his every action, word, and gesture echoed the divine without his conscious knowledge. His existence was a symphony of selfless giving and unreserved forgiveness. He didn't speak of these virtues; they were woven into the fabric of his being, radiating from his ready smile, his boundless kindness, forbearance, and charity.

This spiritual story illuminates the ultimate transformation – the relinquishment of self to become a mere shadow of the Divine. It encapsulates the essence of a revolutionary shift – the transference of the center from oneself to the divine source.

Becoming the “holy shadow” symbolizes the pinnacle of spiritual evolution. It entails surrendering one's egoic center entirely, allowing the divine to reign as the focal point. In this state, one is bereft of personal power, virtue, or religious identity. Instead, there exists an awe-inspiring emptiness, an absence of barriers or confines through which the divine can flow unencumbered.

The sutra encapsulated within this tale guides us to sacrifice the self-centered ego, eradicating the notion of ‘I' entirely. It implores us to surrender to the will of the Divine, realizing that nothing belongs to us; rather, we belong to the Divine. This transformation signifies not just a mere shift in perspective but an utter annihilation of the self, paving the way for a divine flow unrestricted by personal desires or interpretations.

The essence of this spiritual anecdote lies not in the ostensible miracles or deeds but in the profound message it encapsulates. It beckons us to contemplate the profound shift from self-centered existence to becoming a vessel for divine radiance. It calls upon us to dissolve our individual centers so that the divine essence can permeate our being without hindrance, allowing us to embody the sacred as the holy shadow.

In essence, this timeless tale inspires us to transcend the limitations of the ego, relinquish our sense of self-importance, and embrace the sublime beauty of becoming a vessel for the divine presence to manifest its grace through us, unadulterated and unfiltered.

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He reached to the cave. Inside it, he was very happy: crystal clear the water was there; he had never seen such a water. And he was going to drink the water… suddenly a crow who was sitting in the cave said, “Stop! Don’t do it. I have done and I am suffering.”

Alexander looked at the crow and said, “What are you saying? You have drunk, and what is the suffering?” He said, “Now I cannot die and I want to die. Everything is finished. I have known everything that life can give. I have known love and I have grown out of it. And I have known success; I was a king of crows, and now I am fed up, and I have known everything that can be known. And everybody I knew has died; they have gone back to rest, and I cannot rest. I have tried all efforts to commit suicide, but everything fails. I cannot die because I have drunk from this condemned cave. It is better that nobody knows about it. Before you drink, you meditate on my condition — and then you can drink.”

It is said Alexander for the first time thought about it, and came back without drinking from that cave and that stream.

Life will be simply unbearable if there is no death. Love will be unbearable if there is no opposite to it. If you cannot separate from your beloved it will be unbearable; the whole thing will become so monotonous, it will create boredom. Life exists with the opposites — that’s why it is so interesting.

Osho – “Yoga : The Alpha and the Omega”

If you liked this story, you'll love this! We've compiled a list of the top spiritual stories that our readers love. You can read them here.

What Is the Spiritual Moral / Meaning of Osho's “Alexander The Great's Quest For Immortality” Story?

This parable illuminates the transient nature of human desires and pursuits. Alexander's quest for immortality symbolizes the universal longing for permanence and transcendence. However, the cautionary tale reveals the folly of unchecked ambition, portraying the emptiness that might await even the loftiest aspirations.

It serves as a poignant reminder that the relentless pursuit of external acquisitions or immortality often leads to disillusionment, for true fulfillment lies beyond material conquests or eternal longevity. Thus, the story underscores the spiritual significance of embracing impermanence and seeking fulfillment within the present moment rather than in endless pursuits of immortality.

Furthermore, the narrative speaks to the inherent human tendency to overlook the lessons of experience. Alexander's hastiness reflects the human proclivity for impulsive actions driven by desires. His rush to achieve immortality without pausing to inquire about the consequences encapsulates the heedlessness that often accompanies human pursuits. This impulsive nature and the disregard for lessons from others' experiences highlight the importance of mindful contemplation and learning from others' wisdom in navigating life's choices. It echoes the spiritual significance of discernment and the necessity of contemplation before embarking on life-altering decisions.

Moreover, the tale unveils the perils of unexamined existence and the trap of an unending cycle of worldly experiences. The crow's lament about the burdens of immortality unveils the burdensome weight of endless experiences, love, success, and the subsequent weariness that can accompany unending life. This existential weariness mirrors the spiritual lesson that an unexamined life, marked by relentless pursuit without reflection, can lead to a state of perpetual restlessness and discontentment. Hence, the narrative subtly emphasizes the significance of introspection, seeking meaning beyond worldly pursuits, and the futility of unending experiences devoid of inner depth and purpose.

Additionally, the story accentuates the value of wisdom gleaned from others' experiences. The crow's earnest warning serves as a cautionary tale for Alexander, prompting him to contemplate the pitfalls of blind ambition. It highlights the significance of learning from others' experiences, acknowledging their wisdom, and internalizing their insights to navigate life's complexities. This element emphasizes the spiritual importance of humility in seeking guidance and wisdom from diverse sources, fostering a deeper understanding of life's intricacies beyond individual experiences.

Furthermore, the narrative underscores the significance of consciousness and contemplation in making mindful choices. Alexander's newfound reflection after encountering the crow signifies the power of consciousness in reevaluating one's pursuits. It underscores the importance of reflective consciousness in discerning the true nature of desires and their potential consequences. This reflection serves as a catalyst for Alexander's reevaluation, demonstrating the transformative potential of conscious awareness in guiding one's actions towards spiritual growth and discernment.

In conclusion, this story is a cautionary tale illuminating the transient nature of desires, the pitfalls of unexamined pursuits, and the significance of contemplation and wisdom in guiding life's choices. It underscores the spiritual importance of embracing impermanence, seeking inner fulfillment, learning from experiences, and cultivating conscious awareness in navigating life's journey towards deeper understanding and spiritual growth.

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