Mangoes: Sweet and Sour
Posted on Oct 23, 2020 by Swami Vijay (Lawrence Vijay Girard) (Senior Trainer (Life Skills))
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When I traveled to India with Swami Kriyananda in 1977 I ate my first mango. Swamiji introduced me to many good things in life, of which the mango is certainly up there on the scale of things that I enjoy. I knew I loved mangoes right away...love at first bite!
In the spiritual life we are not supposed to overreact to pleasure and pain, pleasant and unpleasant. Sri Krishna teaches that the yogi should seek to be "even minded and cheerful" in all circumstances. But I must admit, over the years I sought to eat more sweet mangoes and avoid the sour ones. When I purchased mangoes I was invested in them being sweet and juicy. If they were not, I felt the pain of a spurned lover.
When living in America one can't find good mangoes very often. I was disappointed so many times that I stopped even looking for mangoes. If I did see some at the store I would remember past disappointments and walk on by without giving them a chance. I gradually accepted that mango bliss was not my lot in life.
In 2005 I moved to India in order to help Swamiji develop Ananda India. I was excited to once again be serving in his aura and living in India. I arrived in March at the beginning of a multi day international program that Swamiji presented at the Bristol Hotel in Gurgaon. Listening to Swamiji share the Divine Truths of our path in India was thrilling to my soul. I didn't think that life could get any better, but it did!
At that time, the main ashram was in DLF Phase 1, Gurgaon. While my room was in a nearby home, we all ate meals at the ashram. So I didn't do any shopping for food. There was often a bowl of fruit in the dining area and one day after a couple of months I was surprised to greet an old lover that I had almost forgotten. Mango season had started!
Like many new or rekindled things in life, at first it was all good. That was a great year for mangoes. They were big, sweet and wonderful. It hadn't taken me long to totally forget about sour or tasteless mangoes. I had instantly bought into mango perfection. I was once again completely and hopelessly in love. Nothing in life will ever go wrong again. And then...Wham!
I had taken to buying mangoes by the many kilos. I was fully committed. One day I drove into the depths of old Gurgaon and chose the latest batch carefully. When I got home I was hot and tired, I wanted to embrace my beloved mangoes. Then I thought, "Let them cool in the fridge. It will be worth the wait." So I did what a yogi should do, I did the right thing, I washed and meditated.
Finally the sacred moment arrived. I chose three of the most ripe mangoes and sat down to commune with them. The first mango was sweet... oh so sweet... it was heavenly. The second mango was completely sour, I had to spit it out. It reminded me of all those previous mango disappointments. My mango devotion wavered. Could I face another mango disappointment? Did I even want to? Is it worth it?
As I reached for the third mango I could hear Swamiji in my mind, he was sharing Master's words, "What comes of itself, let it come."
I mentally accepted this inner inspiration and took a bite. At first it was sweet, a delight, but then I discovered near the pit a counterpoint of sour. It made me smile. The duality of God's Lila.