SERENE SHEPHERD

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Suddenly, I woke up by the loud barking of a dog and mixed sounds of animals. I was shocked to see myself still alive lying next to my rucksack in a green majestic valley surrounded by hundreds of sheep’s in all directions.

A dangerous black shepherd dog (Gaddi dog) is barking in an extremely defensive manner trying to keep the herd away from me. I felt extreme pain and realized that my right leg was fractured.

Suddenly, I heard a melodious sound of flute and the entire herd started moving towards this sound and the dog immediately stopped barking. At a distance, I could see a white horse and a tall dark man sitting on it who was playing his flute. Slowly, he started moving towards me and finally came next to me.

Whoever you are, my dear, you should thank my dog for saving your life.  You were about to drown in that river but he rescued you safely out of the deadly current.

With a sad heart, I looked at the dog but remained quiet. I was completely shocked by the fact that I was still alive.

In a painful voice, I asked, what is your name?

It is not the right time for introductions. Let’s go.

He   picked me up effortlessly and placed me on the back of his horse. After a few minutes, we reached a stone shelter where a woman was sitting next to a bonfire with a small baby lamb in her lap. After placing me in a comfortable lying position, he instructed something in his native Pahari dialect to this woman.

She instantly started making something and, in few seconds, prepared a paste which she wrapped tightly around my injured leg like a plaster made up of dry leaves. Within a few minutes, my pain disappeared completely.

She offered me a cup of warm milk with some dry fruits. Her beautiful whole-hearted smile was lightening her wrinkled dark face in a very mesmerizing manner. Without even knowing my name and identity, I was overwhelmed at such care and hospitality.

I was not able to suppress my eagerness to know them. So, I finally asked, could you now please tell me your name?

Yes, my name is Shambhu Nath and she is my wife Kali Devi. She can hear and understand everything accurately but cannot speak. In her childhood, she lost her speech after unintentionally eating a wild poisonous black berry.

My extended family includes the one who saved your life, my brave dog, Hachhi, my loyal horse Rustam and my loving herd. We are simple nomadic Himalayan shepherds and are currently residing in this beautiful valley till the end of summer.

Now tell me, who are you and what happened to you?

My name is Sahaj Sharma and my parents died in a car accident few months back. This tragedy was so unbearable to me that I tried committing suicide in the river Beas, but unfortunately your dog saved me.

After a peculiar pause, he said, Life and death are not in our control but I can correlate with your situation, my dear friend. We had two sons, Ishwar Nath and Raghav Nath, but they are no more.

What happened to them?

At the age of 23, our elder son Ishwar died in a snow avalanche. Our younger son Raghav died of snake bite at the age of 21.

Loss of my old parents is such a huge blow for me that it prompted me to commit suicide. However, I cannot even imagine your pain and agony after the loss of your young children.

Anyways, let us not look back, Sahaj, especially when we cannot do anything about it. Let’s celebrate what we have instead of looking at what we don’t.

Shambhu Nath picked up his one-stringed musical instrument (Ektara) and started playing melodious tunes accompanied by a deep song in his strong husky male voice.

Just like the paste of Kali Devi cured my leg, in the same manner, this song on life and death healed my heart instantly.

In such a short span, the captivating personality of Shambhu Nath had positively influenced me and I became curious to know more about him. Might be he is the one who could answer my burning questions.

Which religion do you follow?

I follow no religion, neither Hindu nor Mohammedan nor Christian nor Buddhist. I am a simple shepherd. Music is my religion and singing is my worship. For this valley, this sky and my herd, I am just a simple human being who loves them madly and they love me back unconditionally.

Where is your hometown?

I live in a no man’s land: I stay on the mountain trails. I have no house, no abode. Nature is my only abode, and the whole sky is my shelter.

What is your philosophy of life?

I don’t know how to read or write. I have no philosophy – nothing whatsoever. I follow nothing except my heart and herd.

All concepts and philosophies are very small to define life. Everything is already as it should be. You just need to have a silent mind and open heart to enjoy the beauty of life.

What is your way of life?

Keep Flowing, Keep Changing and Keep Moving.

I am just like the flow of this river. A river flows with complete surrender towards life and stays fresh throughout life and finally reaches ocean without any guidance, whereas the rigidity of the pond results in a stinking lifestyle with lifelong self-created misery.

So, my friend, live life like a river, not a pond.

What do I need to practice to be like you?

Nothing.

When an artist makes a statue out of wood, he does not add something extra to it; instead, he takes away all the unnecessary things which are an obstacle for the statue to unfold in reality.

Same is the case with you. You don’t need to add more concepts and philosophies. On the contrary, if you can, just drop all your existing concepts immediately. This will enable you to straightaway see the reality as it is.

Hmmm…

Enough questions for tonight. Let’s not get lost in the jungle of words.

You sleep in this stone shelter next to the fire and Hachhi will take care of you. I and my wife will sleep in the nearby stone shelter; so, if you need anything, I am just a call away.

Ok…Good night.

That night, after a very long time, I slept like a small baby in the arms of Mother Nature. Somehow, my heart confirmed to me that this guy was the answer to all my questions.

Every day, we used to celebrate life through music and songs. Shambhu Nath would carry me on the back of Rustam and we would camp at various diverse locations like dense forests, lake shores, green valleys, high cliff sides, rock shelters, etc.

One afternoon while camping in the forest, a mountain leopard suddenly jumped on a rock in front of our camp and I got scared to death.

This was the most dangerous encounter of my life so far.

The leopard looked straight at me and I started looking down and whispered Shambhu Nath to do the same, as big cats don’t like eye to eye contact. However, he not only looked directly into the eyes of the leopard but started playing his musical instrument as if death for him was a joke.

The leopard came very close to us but surprisingly jumped over our camp and vanished into the forest like a ghost.

After a deep sigh of relief, I immediately questioned Shambhu Nath what if this leopard had attacked and killed us.

He can attack and eat our body, but he cannot kill us. Our existence is infinite, far beyond the reach of this body and mind.

What is my existence beyond mind and body?

I will not say what is light but I will show you how to attain insight. I don’t have anything to preach to you. On the contrary, I will take away all your existing knowledge and will dissolve your current mindset through music, since this mindset is the only obstacle between you and reality.

Our body and mind are wonderful gifts of life. Don’t you think we should respect and protect them from unnecessary risk?

Yes, we should definitely protect our mind and body to its fullest, but without any attachment with it. Otherwise, slave will become the master and master, the slave.

You are really a weird man.

I know.

Regularly listening to the fascinating words of Shambhu Nath through his songs and stories became my biggest obsession and within a month, I was able to walk on my own.

Out of gratitude for saving my life, I started helping them in all day-to-day activities like chopping wood, carrying water, managing the herd, feeding Hachhi and Rustam, etc.

Within a week, I got accustomed in riding Rustam and started managing the entire herd with Hachhi. Every day after sunrise, I left the rock shelter with the herd and come back after sunset. Each morning, Kali packs my lunch which includes milk, cheese and dry fruits.

Rustam and Hachhi have become my best friends. The more I knew them, the more I fell in love with them. I felt unconditional love and warmth in their presence.

I got so much in tune with my new shepherd lifestyle that I felt as if I was a born shepherd living this life for a very long time.

Within a month, all my connections with the outside modern world completely vanished from my mind. Now I was not at all depressed about my past and was, rather, completely at peace with my present. Each moment is enough for me. Each sunrise gives me a new birth and I die with every sunset.

I wanted to repay Shambhu Nath for saving my life. So, during the dinner, I asked him, do you have any particular desire in life?

Life has given me everything and I cannot ask for more. With Kali and my herd, each day is a new celebration. I don’t have any desires left anymore.

Hmmm…you are one of the rarest individuals I have ever met with the innocence of a child in your heart and bravery of a warrior in your eyes! I am so glad to meet you.

Same here Sahaj – In such a short span of time, you have deeply touched our heart. I am surprised to see that even Rustam, Hachhi and entire herd have accepted you in their life.

Before meeting you people, I used to miss my parents, but now I don’t miss them anymore. The void of inner emptiness is filled. I am not lonely and lost anymore.

Good to hear that Sahaj. Let’s go to sleep now. Good night!

Good night Shambhu!

That whole night, I kept on pondering about the simple and quiet lifestyle of Shambhu and Kali. According to me, contentment and love in their hearts made them the richest couple across the globe.

They never go down from the Himalayan Mountains to the nearby towns/cities. In their hidden world, they travel on various routes across north Indian Himalayan ranges leading to beautiful valleys and passes as per the requirement of their herd.

Their oblivion of external modern world had given them a profound innocence which is simply amazing. Fortunately, my attempt to commit suicide afforded me a chance to meet them; otherwise, I would have completely missed their existence.

Suddenly, I heard Hachhi barking in a very aggressive manner and I came out of the rock shelter. We saw a snow leopard from a distance carrying a dead sheep in its mouth trying to escape stealthily butt Hachhi had disturbed its plan.

First time, I realized the power of a shepherd dog. He ferociously chased the leopard in a very brave manner and on two occasions the leopard almost lost its prey. However, finally, it managed to escape with its meal in the darkness of forest.

The entire herd got scared and visually disturbed by this sudden attack and I was surprised to see how Hachhi calmed them down by circling the herd several times. He stayed awake with the herd the whole night. He only slept in the morning when I took complete charge of the herd. I realized a new fact that animals are more in tune with life than men are.

Shambhu told me another brave story about Hachhi. He said Kali and I were crossing a forest near Pin Parvati valley and suddenly we encountered a black bear.

The moment he saw us, he charged at us with full speed and aggression. I was almost about to get attacked, when Hachhi jumped on this bear and started fighting. The size of this bear was almost thrice of that of Hachhi. But Hachhi showed extraordinary courage against this bear and put up a great fight.

This fight gave me a chance to prepare a fire torch which scared this bear and eventually he ran away. Hachhi’s face was fully covered with blood after this fight. He managed to save our life but took three months to recover from his injuries. Shambhu also showed me the scars of bear paw on his body.

I hugged Hachhi and gave him the respect which he always deserved. Hachhi is more than a dog to me. After this incident, I moved from my rock shelter and started sleeping with Hachhi.

Every day, Hachhi wakes me up, Rustam carries me to new valleys and everything is getting achieved naturally without any leader and leadership. My silence naturally started communicating with the herd. Earlier, I used to lead the herd; now the herd leads me.

One night after dinner, I informed Shambhu Nath that the grass in current valley was not sufficient for the entire herd. So, he suggested me to go to the meadows of Chandratal Lake and come back after a few weeks.

But I don’t know the way.

Follow Hachhi as he knows the way.

I am not feeling well, so I will stay back with Kali in this valley till you comeback.

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