A Robber Meets Yoda.
Who Is Your Purpose?
Have you ever pondered not just what, but who is your purpose in life? For whom do you undertake your endeavors, carry burdens, incur debts, make sacrifices, compromises, and relish joys?
Today, I share an ancient true story of a man named Angulimal, whose name means, one who wears a garland of fingers.
Once upon a time, a man lived near the edge of the forest in a hut with his parents, wife, and children. Despite trying various ways to earn a living, none resulted in enough to feed his whole family.
He then resorted to robbing people who were forced to travel through the thick forest. Over time, he started to revel in the act. He would cut off the fingers of his victims, weaving them into a garland to wear around his neck.
His infamy spread far and wide, and he became the dreaded robber, Angulimal. No one knew his real name anymore. The fingers told their own tale. He relished the infamy and sported his garland with pride.
One day, he waited on a tree branch for a new victim. A sage was passing by. He dropped to the ground, showed him his fearsome profile, and called out, “Halt!”
The sage stopped. Angulimal asked him to give him everything he had. The sage agreed without fear but sought to ask Angulimal a question.
Angulimal was surprised, first, that this person was not afraid of him, and second, no one thus far had shown the courage to stay and talk to him. So he agreed to the condition.
The sage said, “You are a fearsome robber. I can see that you have amassed a lot of wealth this way.”
Angulimal beamed.
“For whom are you robbing people and committing this sin?” the sage asked.
Puzzled, Angulimal replied, “Why, for my family of course, if I don’t earn, they will starve. I tried many honest ways, and none worked out for me. So I have become a robber.”
“Since you know robbing is wrong, and that you will be punished for robbing and killing people, will they partake in this sin of yours and the punishment?”
Without hesitation, Angulimal replied, “Of course, they will, they love me very much.”
“Are you sure?” The sage asked again.
“Of course, I am sure. There is no doubt at all. They will support me in everything.”
“If that is the case,” the sage said, “Why don’t you go home and ask them?”
Angulimal laughed fearsomely. “You are tricking me. If I go, you will run away.”
The sage replied calmly, “You can tie me to this tree, and then go and ask. I give you my word, I will not go anywhere.”
Intrigued by this offer and wanting to prove to the sage what a wonderful family he had, Angulimal tied him to the tree with a rope encircling the sage’s body and rushed home.
First, he went to his wife and asked, “Dearest, I rob and kill people to feed our family. This is sinful, and I shall be punished. Will you, as my partner in marriage, sworn to stand by me, partake of this punishment?”
The wife replied, ‘Why should I? It is your duty as a husband to provide for me and our children. How you do it is your responsibility. I did not commit any sin, nor ask you to rob others, so why should I pay for it?”
He was disappointed. But then cheering, he went to his parents, surely they would not let him down.
His elderly parents heard him, and said, “As our son, you must provide for us in our old age. You did not rob others by asking us. We never knew how you brought food home. We would never have asked you to rob and kill others. So we cannot take part in your sin or accept punishment with you.”
Likewise, he asked his teenage children and even his children declined to be part of his punishment.
In a flash, the scales fell from his eyes.
Angulimal realized then that he was all alone in the world and that no one would partake of his punishment with him. He lamented, “What a fool I have been!”
Frightened, he ran back to the sage, untied him, and fell at his feet, lengthwise, begging pardon.
Sobbing profusely, scared of the sins he had committed without thinking, he sought to make amends and begged the sage to tell him how he could redeem himself.
The sage then calmed him down and shared a simple one-word ‘mantra,’ in the form of one of the many names of God - Rama - to repeat continuously and begin meditating. The sage assured him that would, in time, wipe away all his sins, and he would be freed from the consequences of his actions.
The sage showed him how to meditate, and then went away, promising to return one day.
When Angulimal tried to repeat the word, he could not speak the word - Rama - due to the burden of his actions. He could only say ‘Mara,’ but he began immediately to repeat the name without thought of any discomfort. After a few days, he gave up food, then water, then all thought of food or water.
Eons passed, yet he meditated without a break, speaking the name ‘Mara,’ continuously. Anthills grew around him, and he became fully submerged inside the anthill living only on air.
The Gods became frightened at the power of his austerity and what havoc that may wreak on Earth. They rushed to the sage and asked him to intervene.
The sage returned to the site of Angulimal ‘s meditation where he had left him long ago, and broke the anthill that had formed around Angulimal. Tapping him on the shoulder, he said: ‘Arise O Valmiki! You are free!’
Angulimal, now bearded with long flowing hair, heard the melodic voice of the sage and slowly opened his eyes.
The sage smiled at him and assured him that he had been redeemed of his past sins and was reborn with immense spiritual power due to his fierce meditation ( ‘tapas’).
Henceforth, the sage prophesized, he would be called, ‘Valmiki,’ - one born of the anthill - and become a powerful sage.
Valmiki bowed down to the sage and received his future direction. He then set up an ashram in the forest and began to teach the scriptures.
In time, Valmiki became a core part of the story of the Preserver-God’s incarnation, Rama — a name he could not initially chant.
He sheltered Rama’s wife, the Queen, when she needed a home, adopting her as his daughter. The Queen delivered twins at his ashram.
Valmiki educated them and taught them the ways of the warrior. He also authored the first story of Rama and taught it to the twins. Eventually, he helped reunite them as a family.
In doing so, Valmiki finally met Rama, the God, whose name redeemed him and bestowed on him, everlasting spiritual powers.
Suggested Takeaways
For whom do you toil? Is your toil honest?
If you are dishonest for the sake of others, are you aware that the consequences are yours alone, not theirs? Be aware of evil deeds done in the name of others.
Love may be fickle, understand that you may be alone in your time of need.
We are all on a lonely journey of spiritual discovery, do not neglect it.
Anyone can be redeemed. The path to redemption may be difficult for some, but it is still possible if you desire it.
When the time is right, the right teacher appears to help you.
Sometimes, just a simple lesson is enough to reveal the truth.
If you are sincere in your quest for redemption and put in the work, you can become spiritually powerful and perhaps even meet God!
Irrespective, your deeds have consequences, so choose wisely!
Do you have any takeaways you would like to share?