सब जन्म मुझी से पाते हैं। फिर लौट मुझी में आते हैं।

This write-up is a celebration of a great soul, one with whom I never spoke.

A few days earlier, I had gone to sleep saying charansparsh, not to him directly, but to the messenger who would convey it while he slept. That night I dreamt of him. I saw myself standing at his feet while he lay on his bed, for true knowledge is absorbed only at the feet of those who embody it.

Dreams aren't of exact nature however the themes are certain. I'll take the liberty of a writer in describing my dream. In that dream I spoke. O nyaymoorti. I come from the Nyay school of Indian philosophy. Like Nachiket, I wished to ask questions I cannot yet comprehend. Please tell me your judgement on the nature of vows. Bhishm did not break his vow of celibacy even when Amba declared she would end her life. He did not flinch, and her life ended. Arjun took a similar vow when he saw Draupadi and Yudhthir together. During his vanvaasa, the naga princess fell in love with him and said she would end her life. Arjun broke his vow and married her. O nyaymoorti, what is justice, what is nyay, and must nyay always be absolute? Can it exist in shades of grey?

I rarely remember dreams, yet this one remained. Destiny did not grant me the chance to speak to him. The universe summoned him back, leaving me without the opportunity to ask what my heart carried.

After his soul had returned to Krishna, I stood outside his house. She took me inside to show his library. I removed my footwear and entered. Wo manzar zindagi bhar yaad rahega. Thousands of books, white shelves, immaculate order. A study table. A black chair. She told me that he would often say he needed more books. Yet there stood a universe of knowledge, extending far beyond law. I could almost see the outline of the towering mind shaped by that ocean of wisdom. I had just one word in me "WOW". I told her she would carry his legacy. In my mind I said to her, now I know who shaped you, and why you yourself stand so tall.

She asked if I wished to see him. I said that was why I had come. I went upstairs, looked at his feet, couldn't touch his feet and then I left.

I remember the words of Ramdhari Singh Dinkar

सब जन्म मुझी से पाते हैं। फिर लौट मुझी में आते हैं।

Which is inspired from the following verse of Gita

सर्वभूतानि कौन्तेय प्रकृतिं यान्ति मामिकाम

कल्पक्षये पुनस्तानि कल्पादौ विसृजाम्यहम

At the end of time all beings return to Him, and from Him they rise again.

Maybe later in life when she has read all those books; I will ask her the same question . My question will take some more time to be answered I guess.