What is the greatest love letter in history?
Would it be a letter from Frida Kahlo to Diego Riviera? Would it be Beethoven’s letter to his “Immortal Beloved”? Or would it be a letter from Romeo to Juliet, or from Juliet to Romeo?
I’ve read many of these letters myself. They were pale, untrue, and insipid. They do not compare to the greatest love letter of all time.
In fact, I discovered this love letter many many years ago, at the age of ten. I didn’t know what it was back then. I couldn’t understand it. It was in a language I didn’t fully understand, and the English translation confused me. Then I read another translation, then another, then another. Each was filled with contradictions and inconsistencies. Frustrated, I gave up after about fifteen tries with different English translations. Based on all these translations, I even wrote off the original as an absurd, useless piece of writing. But I must admit, was still intrigued by it.
Then, one day, I did get yet another translation. I had already made up my mind this would be another waste of my time. With low expectations, I read that one. I still didn’t understand it, but it seemed to make more sense than ever before. Then I read it again, and again, and again. I read that translation hundreds of times.
Now, after about 30 years of reading over and over again, I am convinced. Yes, this is the greatest love letter of all time. No, I haven’t fully understood everything yet. Or rather, it is so deep that many, many lifetimes of reading won’t be enough to fully plumb it’s depths. Yes, it’s that great.
What makes a love letter great? Well, it should be poetic, of course. It should be true, in the sense that the writer really meant what they wrote. And not just true in a fleeting moment of passion, but true forever. It should not be full of “sweet nothings” but it must be full of substance. After all, is love not eternal?
What is that love that changes with the seasons? What is love that fades with time? What is that love that ends with aging bodies and death? What is that love that does not endure?
What is great about this love letter? Is it that it is poetic, loving, and has endured millions and millions of years?
Anyone who reads this love letter, and understands it, falls head over heels in love. And that love causes them to rise, rise, rise above everything that is impermanent. This is a love that inspires countless sacrifices in millions. This is a love that is so great, that when someone associates with the smitten, they become smitten themselves. Indeed, this love is so contagious that no one can resist its clarion call, unless they dull themselves to it.
What is this love, and why is it so amazing?
Think about this… A lover separates from the beloved, and spends lifetime after lifetime separated, angry, envious, upset, sad. Millions of lifetimes… But the Beloved continues to love, continues to live in the heart of the lover. The lover goes through ups and downs. Sometimes the circumstances are fortunate, sometimes unfortunate. Sometimes the lover is happy, sometimes not. Sometimes the lover is angry, sometimes calm. But the beloved stays put. Continues to whisper loving guidance, with full freedom to the lover, to love the beloved or or leave the beloved.
In this love letter, the beloved discloses all.
- This is who you are, my dear lover
- You are inseparable from me, a part-and-parcel of myself
- You are indestructible, just like me, why do you feer?
- You dreamt that you can be happy without me, but are you happy?
- This is where you are now, living your dream, or is it a nightmare now?
- This is the nature of the world you inhabit, do you see as it is?
- Oh, how you are hopelessly entangled in the consequences of your actions!
- One action leads to a million reactions, and each reaction leaves behind a seed!
- Lost in the forest of your actions and reactions, you have forgotten yourself
- This is time, eternal time, absolute and relative, but how you are trapped!
- This is who I am, your best friend and well-wisher
- I am opulent in every respect, beauty, wealth, knowledge, fame, power, but I am renounced too!
- I am all-powerful, but never force myself upon you
- I know that you are unhappy and dissatisfied
- I know you feel empty and lost, tired and confused
- But you are a spark of my splendor!
- I can get you out of that mess in less than a moment, easy, will you come back?
- The love and joy you seek there can only be found with me, do you not see?
- This is where you can be, with me here is my world, also yours
- If you come back to me, you will have no troubles, no anxiety, no lamentation
- Let go of your false pride, dear lover, it has come between us, I forgive you
- You envied me, and you acted against me, but did it bring you any joy?
- But here is what I have done for you since time immemorial…
- This is what I will do for you forevermore
- I care for you, more than you can ever imagine, can you see?
- I hate to see you suffer, your suffering pains me!
- Will you come back my dear part-and-parcel?
- This is how you can come back, if you want to, will you turn to me?
- I will show you the way, every step of your way, here, follow me!
- I love you, even though I don’t need you, for I am self-satisfied
- No one can make you feel as good as I can, can you see?
- I am here, always available, should you ever care to turn my way
- I will forgive, forget, and arrange for your return, fear not
- But only if you want to come back, or else not.
- All will be forgiven and it will be as if you never left
- Love me or leave me, the choice is yours
- But I shall love you for ever no matter what, for you are mine and I am yours
This is a tiny fragment of the essence of that love letter, of course, I can’t do it full justice.
Why don’t you read it for yourself?
Will you read the best love letter of all time? It’s called the Bhagavad Gita, the Song of God. Let me know if you want a copy!If you have already read the Bhagavad Gita As It Is and want to help others get the same blessing. Will you help end all suffering for all?
Freedom through Genuine Spiritual Progress 