Sadhguru says that a mask may win admiration, but only truth earns respect. The colours we paint ourselves with fade, but who we truly are remains.
Article | Hyderabad | July 08, 2004
Sadhguru: In a dense forest filled with life and mystery, there lived a jackal named Chandarva. Like most jackals, he survived by scavenging and searching for food wherever he could find it. But Chandarva was different—he had a clever mind and knew how to use it to his advantage. However, one fateful day, his quest for food led him into the heart of a nearby village.
Driven by hunger, Chandarva found himself wandering into a town under the cover of night, hoping to find scraps near the houses. But before he could gather anything, a group of dogs sensed his presence and chased him relentlessly. In his desperation to escape, Chandarva darted through alleyways until he stumbled into a large tub of blue dye that was left by a washerman. The dye coated his fur, turning him an unusual, striking shade of blue.
When he emerged from the tub, he looked entirely different—a creature no one had ever seen before. Astonished by his new appearance, he walked back into the forest as dawn broke. Animals of all kinds—the deer, the birds, the foxes—were in awe of him. Not knowing who he was, they thought he was a divine being and bowed before him in reverence.
Pretending to be more than we are blinds us to the value of our true selves.
Realizing the power he now wielded, Chandarva quickly seized the opportunity. With his newfound authority, he declared, "I have been sent by the gods to rule over you." The animals accepted his words, obeying his commands and treating him as a king. They provided him with the finest foods and treated him with respect and fear.
As time passed, Chandarva grew comfortable with his life as the ruler of the forest, basking in the luxury and adoration bestowed upon him. However, deep down, he felt isolated. To maintain his disguise, he avoided mingling with other jackals and stayed distant from his old friends. Despite his elevated status, a sense of emptiness grew within him.
One day, as he was overseeing the forest from his place of honour, a distant howl of a jackal reached his ears. Instinctively, Chandarva’s heart responded, and he began howling back. In that moment, the animals around him realized the truth: he was not a divine creature, but an ordinary jackal who had fooled them with his appearance. Enraged at his deception, they drove him out of the forest, leaving him to wander alone.
Seeking power through deception is like building a throne on sand—it will not stand.
Moral of the Story
The story of the Blue Jackal reminds us that deceiving others through false appearances cannot lead to true fulfilment or lasting respect. Pretending to be something we are not only brings temporary gains and, in the end, leads to loneliness and downfall when the truth is revealed.
True belonging arises from authenticity, not the guise of greatness.
Spiritual Interpretation by Sadhguru
In a Sadhguru Sannidhyan event, Sadhguru shared his profound insights on the story of the Blue Jackal. He explained, “In our journey of life, we often fall into the trap of pretending to be something we’re not, wearing masks that reflect the image we believe others desire. But these masks distance us from our true essence and, ultimately, from a state of peace."
Sadhguru further explained that the jackal’s actions symbolize how the ego, driven by the desire for respect and superiority, can lead us to adopt false identities. However, this path is inherently unsatisfying. Chandarva’s loneliness as a “king” highlights the emptiness that arises when we live out of alignment with our true selves. The isolation he felt was not because others saw him as superior, but because he could not connect with anyone authentically.
“True fulfilment,” Sadhguru explained, “comes when we let go of the need to appear special and embrace our unique essence without pretension. When we recognize the divine essence within us, there’s no need to play a role for others’ approval. In that moment, we realize we are one with all, needing neither titles nor disguises.”
The story of the Blue Jackal encourages us to examine where we might be wearing our own “blue dye”—where we are creating a false image out of fear or insecurity. Sadhguru’s insight emphasizes that spiritual growth is about peeling away these layers, finding comfort in our true nature, and embracing our inner authenticity. Only then can we experience a deeper sense of unity and peace within ourselves and the world around us.
