A Great Riddle

Do babies understand the self ? they know not.

Perils of the world and fears, out of their sight.

Our smiles make them laugh, they chase sounds,

They cry but know no tears, and far from all turmoil.

Then the world intrudes into the psyche's pores,

Words overpower the mind and wakes up senses.

A wonderful feeling dawns, sense of the Self takes over,

Thoughts ambush hard and a veil cloaks the eyes.

The self turns our shadow, though we forget her often,

Her charms make us mad, we follow her till the end.

In a web, we get caught never to return again

Much wealth put together, we know not this play.

To believe blind is horrific, to discard away more awful,

Who knows keeps silent, ignorance appears as a blessing !

To see with free mind is bliss, to move on a real courage,

Loftier to put at rest the question, what in fact is the Self.