At a Sadhguru Sannidhyan event, Sadhguru shared that wisdom knows the power of patience, while ego hastily charges toward its own ruin. Reflection, he explained, is the well where ego confronts its own shadow, mistaking it for a foe.
Article | Durgapur | December 22, 2023
Sadhguru: In a dense forest where sunlight barely filtered through, there ruled a fierce lion named Mahashakti. His roar echoed for miles, sending creatures scattering in fear. Mahashakti, confident in his power, grew arrogant, and each day he hunted indiscriminately, killing any animal that crossed his path. The animals, trapped and afraid, suffered greatly under his reign until one day they decided to unite and confront him.
Gathered together, the animals, ranging from elephants to the smallest squirrels, sent a delegation to approach the lion. They appealed to his sense of fairness: “O great Mahashakti, we cannot live peacefully while you hunt us without restraint. We fear we may soon vanish from this forest. Allow us to make a pact: each day, one of us will willingly come to you as your meal. In return, we ask that you let the others live peacefully.”
True power lies not in dominion over others but in mastery over oneself.
The lion, intrigued by the audacity of their request, agreed. “Very well,” he said, “I shall accept this arrangement. But mark my words—should any of you fail to keep this promise, I will kill twice as many of you to make up for my hunger!”
Thus, each day, a different animal sacrificed itself, venturing into Mahashakti’s den. The pact held for a time, but as fear grew, so did the animals’ desire to end this deadly cycle. It was during such a time of fear that a clever rabbit named Bodhi came forward, volunteering to be the lion’s meal. The other animals were hesitant, for Bodhi was known for his wisdom, and losing him would be a blow to the community. Yet Bodhi was resolute.
The ego thrives on validation from the world; wisdom seeks no approval but shines quietly within.
Bodhi’s Plan:
As Bodhi approached Mahashakti’s den that afternoon, he deliberately delayed his arrival. The lion, famished and impatient, roared angrily when he finally saw the rabbit’s small figure.
“Why have you taken so long?” Mahashakti growled, his eyes blazing with hunger. “You are but a small rabbit—barely a snack! And you dare to keep me waiting?”
With remarkable composure, Bodhi bowed and said, “Great Mahashakti, I am not to blame for my delay. I was chosen alongside four other rabbits to come to you. But on our way, another lion seized us, claiming he was the true king of this forest. He took the others, and I barely escaped with my life to bring you this news.”
Wisdom waits for the right moment, while ego rushes headlong into its own downfall.
The lion’s eyes narrowed in fury. “Another lion dares to challenge my rule?” he roared. “Take me to him this instant!”
Bodhi nodded, leading Mahashakti to an old well deep within the forest. As they approached, Bodhi pointed to the water and whispered, “He waits below, within this well. He is as fierce as you and will not yield.”
The lion, glaring down, saw his own reflection in the water. Mistaking it for his rival, he growled, only to see the “other lion” mimic his every move. Enraged, Mahashakti leapt into the well to attack his reflection, falling to his death.
The forest sighed with relief. The tyranny of Mahashakti had ended, and the animals were free once again. Bodhi returned, hailed as a hero, but he humbly reminded them of the lesson to be learned: wisdom prevails over brute strength.
Often, the battles we fight outside mirror the conflicts we have within.
The moral of the Story: "Intelligence is greater than force; wisdom will guide where strength fails."
Sadhguru’s Spiritual Insight:
In his discourse at the East Burdwan Ashram, Sadhguru delved deep into the essence of this story, unravelling layers beyond the simple moral. He highlighted the journey of Mahashakti, the lion, as an embodiment of unchecked ego and Bodhi, the rabbit, as the awakened self or inner wisdom.
1. The Nature of Ego as Symbolized by Mahashakti:
Sadhguru began by explaining that Mahashakti’s character reveals the nature of ego. The lion’s arrogance, his belief that he was the supreme ruler, mirrors the ego’s tendency to dominate and control everything around it. Ego, like Mahashakti, is insatiable—it consumes all it encounters in an attempt to reaffirm its own significance.
“The ego blinds us,” Sadhguru explained, “it makes us believe that strength, status, or dominance alone grants us the right to claim others as beneath us. Yet true power does not lie in dominating others but in mastering oneself.”
Mahashakti’s demand for continuous sacrifice from the animals represents how the ego thrives by feeding off external validation. Just as the lion grows hungry for constant offerings, the ego craves recognition, praise, and a sense of superiority. However, unchecked ego eventually leads to self-destruction, as it blinds us to reality, much like Mahashakti’s leap into the well.
Humility is not weakness; it is the strength of one who needs no throne.
2. Bodhi, the Rabbit – A Symbol of Wisdom and Consciousness:
Bodhi, meaning “awakened” or “enlightened,” is more than just a clever animal. Sadhguru illustrated that the rabbit represents the spiritual wisdom inherent within each of us—the voice of reason and awareness. Unlike Mahashakti, who is reactive and aggressive, Bodhi embodies patience, discernment, and humility.
“Wisdom doesn’t rush,” Sadhguru remarked. “It assesses, it understands, and it acts at the right moment. Bodhi’s delay wasn’t just a strategy to protect himself; it was the process of awakening, of revealing to Mahashakti the futility of his ego-driven ways.”
Bodhi’s use of the well is significant in a spiritual sense as well. Water has long symbolized clarity and reflection. By guiding Mahashakti to look into the well, Bodhi essentially leads him to confront his ego. But instead of seeing it for what it truly is, Mahashakti is blinded by his rage and attempts to destroy what he perceives as an external enemy.
Reflection is the well in which the ego sees its own shadow and mistakes it for an enemy.
3. Reflections on Inner Conflict and Self-Deception:
Sadhguru then shifted to a deeper insight: the lion’s mistake of attacking his own reflection represents a profound spiritual truth about self-deception. Often, the struggles we face externally mirror our internal conflicts. When Mahashakti sees his reflection, he fails to recognize himself and instead projects his anger outward, leading to his downfall.
“How often,” Sadhguru posed to the gathering, “do we attack others, seeing in them what we are unable to face within ourselves? The ego deceives us into thinking that our challenges are external when, in truth, they are reflections of our inner struggles.”
This insight is a call for self-reflection. By recognizing our own shadows, we liberate ourselves from destructive cycles of anger, jealousy, and fear. The well, therefore, becomes a symbol of introspection—a reminder that our true enemy often lies within.
When the mind is quiet, true intelligence emerges as naturally as light after darkness.
4. The Freedom in Humility:
Bodhi’s humility and intelligence, in contrast to Mahashakti’s arrogance, demonstrate the power of humility over hubris. Sadhguru emphasized that humility does not mean passivity or weakness. Rather, it signifies the understanding that true strength lies in aligning oneself with the greater flow of life, not in imposing one’s will upon it.
“Humility is freedom,” Sadhguru explained. “When we release the need to prove ourselves, to dominate others, we create space within for wisdom to arise. Bodhi knew that he could not defeat Mahashakti physically, so he sought a path aligned with nature’s laws, using the lion’s pride against him.”
Humility, he explained, allows us to view situations with clarity, unhindered by personal ambition or anger. It is only in such a state that we can see solutions that serve the greater good.
Destruction follows when we act from pride, but harmony arises when we act from awareness.
5. The Liberation of the Forest – A Return to Harmony:
Finally, Sadhguru reflected on the forest’s reaction to Mahashakti’s death. With the lion gone, balance was restored, and the animals rejoiced in freedom. This symbolizes the liberation that comes from transcending ego and embracing wisdom. When we overcome the inner lion—the ego—we restore harmony within ourselves, which naturally extends to the world around us.
Sadhguru concluded, “Just as the forest returned to peace, our inner world finds peace when we silence the voice of ego. Only then can true wisdom, like Bodhi, lead us to liberation.”
The story of “The Lion and the Clever Rabbit” thus offers a profound exploration of the struggle between ego and wisdom. Through Sadhguru’s interpretation, we come to see Mahashakti as a reflection of the ego-driven aspects within us all, and Bodhi as the inner wisdom that lies dormant until we turn inward.
This tale serves as a timeless reminder that true strength lies not in physical prowess or domination but in self-knowledge, humility, and discernment. The journey toward enlightenment is a journey from Mahashakti to Bodhi, from the insatiable roar of ego to the quiet strength of wisdom. When we let go of the need to conquer the world outside and instead conquer the world within, we become like Bodhi—fearless, wise, and free.
