Don't Let Your Freedom Be Trammelled By Any Force

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam

31 May 2023

"Heaven sent down a decree

Declaring that every man is free "

John Dryden

"Uneasy is the head that wears a crown."

William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 2

"Tere Oonche Mahal Mein Nahin Mera Guzara

Mujhe Yaad Aa Raha Hai Woh Chhota-Sa Shikara "

Rafi, Film: Jab-Jab Phool Khile (1965)

Lyrics: Anand Bakshi

Music: Kalyanji-Anandji

"Forget safety. Live where you fear to live. Destroy your reputation. Be notorious. "

Jalaluddin Rumi

The Emperor of China sent ambassadors to a hermit living in the northern mountains. They were to invite him to become Prime Minister of the Kingdom.

After many days of travel, the ambassadors arrived. The hermitage was empty! But nearby in the middle of a river was a half-naked man, seated on a rock, fishing with a line. Could this be the man the Emperor thought so highly of? Inquiries at the village proved it was. So they returned to the riverbank and, as respectfully as they could, attempted to attract the fisherman’s attention.

The hermit waded through the river and stood before the messengers barefoot, arms akimbo.

“What’s it you want?”

“Honoured sir, His Majesty the Emperor of China, having heard of your wisdom and your holiness, has sent us with these gifts. He invites you to accept the post of Prime Minister of the Realm.”

“Prime Minister of the realm?”

“Yes, respected Sir.”

“Me?”

“Yes, respected Sir.”

“Is His Majesty out of his mind?” said the hermit as he roared with uncontrollable laughter to the discomfiture of the ambassadors.

When he was able to control himself, the hermit said, “ Tell me-is it true that mounted over the main altar of the Emperor’s chapel is a stuffed turtle whose shell is encrusted with sparkling diamonds?”

It is, venerable sir.”

Now take this turtle here, wagging his tail in the muck. Do you think this little fellow would change places with the turtle in the palace?”

“No, he would not.”

“Then go, tell the Emperor that neither would I. For, no one can be alive on a pedestal.

You can’t bind a free spirit. Marcus Aurelius, 121 Ad-180 Ad, the philosopher-emperor (a very rare combination indeed! He was last of the five good Roman emperors and was one of the greatest Stoic philosophers of Rome), said, “Like a hawk, which requires the unlimited sky to fly and soar high, a truly enlightened person needs the boundless space to exercise his wisdom and freedom.” You cannot pigeon-hole a free man as he has no desire to be associated with anything and no fear to be restricted by anyone and any force. Only a free man is fearless, but is there anyone free?

“My god died young. Theolatry I find degrading, and its premises unsound. No free man needs a god; but was I free?”(Vladimir Nobokov, “Pale Fire”).

To be free is to be enlightened and evolved. The first step to spirituality is to be free of all prejudices and preconceptions. Freedom from all beliefs is the attainment of the highest and the most sublime objective.      

British philosopher and rationalist John Locke’s Tabula Rasa (mind like a clean slate) is the desirable state to realize the ultimate. We're all born free but everywhere, we're in chains. We need to break all fetters to be free in spirit, body and mind. In fact, human spirit is indomitable but we have disabused it to be under duress and incarcerated. We have devalued, defiled and degraded it.

The French existentialist Jean Paul Sartre aptly said, ' Man is condemned to be free.' Look at his apposite choice of word: 'Condemned' to be free, not just 'destined' to be free. To be free is our collective and ineluctable fate, not just individual one. Freedom is a comprehensive notion. It doesn't come in parts. A free man is free in all aspects and respects.

In short, freedom unshackles and emancipates you to soar high like a kite in the firmament of life. A truly free man is free from country, colour, continent, creed, caste, culture, class, civilization, contour and competition. In other words, a truly emancipated individual is free from all coarseness and competes only with himself/herself. Nothing can fetter that person. Exercise it to the hilt and celebrate your unbounded freedom, which's your inalienable birth right. Don't let it be trammelled by any force and surge ahead on the path of life alone with the help of none because if you tie two birds together, they'll not be able to fly, even though they now have four wings! 

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A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian.

 

URL:   https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/freedom-trammelled-force/d/129889

 

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