The upside down Mahanta

What does ‘Mahanta’ mean?’ asked the young son to his father.

‘Mahanta means Maha anta, the great end. He is the head of a monastery’ explained the father.

‘Why a head is called the end?’ persisted the son

‘Because the head is at the end of the body. The other end having the legs is not as big as the head end. So the head is called maha anta’ the father patiently explained.

‘I think the two feet together are bigger than the head. So the feet end should really be called the mahanta’ argued the son.

‘No. The head bulges and is a single whole’ said the father.

‘The legs support the head. So the legs are greater than the head’ said the son.

‘The head directs the legs. The head also supports the legs when the head is down during shirasasana’ pointed out the father.

‘The head cannot walk without the legs. It cannot support the legs and hop and jump and go places’ argued the son.

‘All right, let’s settle at ‘each is great in its own place’.

‘Yes. But what’s happening in there?’ asked the son.

The bearded resident philosopher was doing shirasasan. His mouth was chiding the wildly swinging legs, ‘why are you not moving on?’ while the legs were fuming within ‘why the head is not changing, why it is sticking to the earth?’

‘Oh, no, that is nothing, he was having some fun’ said the father, ‘but I think that was enough. Let us say the proper word and bring his upside up and downside down’

‘Jai Bhagavat Sangha. Sangham Saranam Gachami’ all chanted in unison.

Date : 14 November 2008
Mother’s Old Math, Belur Math
(Nilambar Mukherjee’s Gardern House)