The lightning and thunder heralded the arrival of the monsoons. The scattered showers soon took the form of a downpour. A whiff of fragrance rose from the moistened earth, a blessing from the quenched mother to the heavens. The worried faces of farmers suddenly lit up. The cries of little children who came out to enjoy the rain truly represented the spontaneous joy being experienced all around.

In such an atmosphere Bindu was born. Hurtling through miles of space by an incomprehensible attraction - she came to rest in the arms of the thirsty mother. Bindu's loneliness and insecurity dissolved in the warmth of the mother's loving embrace. Soon joined by hundreds of companions, Bindu got immersed in the festivities. Even the mother joined in the playful atmosphere! The joy seemed everlasting.

The sun then made its appearance from behind the clouds rendering Bindu with an aura that she proudly displayed to all her friends. However, the sunshine soon took a very fierce form. Bindu experienced a severe pain penetrating her that rendered her numb and helpless. She looked around for solace, but found misery all around. Some of her friends were even disappearing. Bindu could not explain what was going on. She tried to cling on to friends and then to the mother, but to no avail. Bindu then cried out aloud, 'Can't somebody help me? Can't somebody tell me what is going on? Why this misery and suffering? What have I done to deserve all this?'

'Bindu, my dear, leave everything and let go,' spoke a sweet, comforting voice. It instructed, 'Don't try hanging on to companions, just let go.' Bindu looked around and found that the voice was coming from the nearby well. Bindu thought, 'Who is this? Why is it telling me to let go?' The voice, as if reading Bindu's thoughts, spoke again, 'I am Nada. I have gone through what you are experiencing and have learnt to transcend this misery. Listen, and follow my advice. Good alone will come of it. Many doubted my advice and are still undergoing this misery. I can only indicate the way, but it is for you to see for yourself.' Bindu, thinking that there was very little else she could do, said, 'Oh Nada, then tell me what I should do to get myself out of this misery.' Nada instructed, 'Just forget about everything - friends, mother earth, the pain, and relax completely. Just let go of everything.' 

The words suddenly felt just right inside Bindu. She slowly relaxed and let go. Her pain eased and she felt calm. 'Bindu, what you just accomplished was half the job. Now look up carefully and concentrate on Prakasha, the sun's ray. Do not be afraid! You will be carried away from mother earth. Keep your attention on my sound. Nothing will be able to harm you then.' Bindu then heard a deep sound, which was like nothing she had ever heard, emanating from Nada. Focussing her attention on this sound, she looked up at Prakasha and found herself becoming weightless. She was floating in the air and felt carefree. Nothing seemed to bother her, and unlike the others around, who were being tossed around, she felt tranquil and serene.

The mellifluous sound of Nada brought Bindu an experience of joy beyond any she had experienced before. She must have stayed in this state for long, as her companions left, came back, and new ones came and left. She was a spectator to this entire process of flux.

Then one day there was severe thunder and lightning. Bindu felt the sound of Nada had suddenly increased in intensity and her entire being started to pulsate in its rhythm. She was being sucked through space by this sound. The sound grew louder and in its climax, Bindu felt her individuality melt away. She looked around and found herself in an ocean of nectar - she was in the midst of Nada. 'Welcome to this abode of joy, my dear Bindu. Fulfill all your desires. I want you to feel contented and happy.' Bindu moved around in this whole new world. Curiosity made her explore depths that she could never have dreamt of. The pleasure which she experienced made every pore of hers vibrate in joy.

Even before she had an opportunity to get used to this state, she suddenly found herself being pulled up. She felt scared. She cried out aloud, 'Nada, help me. I don't know what is happening.' Nada spoke, 'These are five messengers who have come to take you.' 'But I don't want to leave, Nada. Please help me,' said Bindu in desperation. 'You should then give yourself up completely in me. Just forget that you are different from me. Merge in my sound,' instructed Nada. 

Bindu with full faith in Nada's words followed his instructions. All of a sudden, she found herself existing everywhere - at the depths as well as at the surface, at the center as well as the periphery. She felt scared by this experience. But Nada reassured her. 'Don't be scared. What you experience is me. Merge in me and be one with me,' said Nada.  Bindu then dissolved herself completely. This time the voice spoke, 'I play in the depths. I transform myself at the surface and reach out in the air. I come back again. I am in the pot and outside of it as well. I am all alone, yet all in all.' This was the voice of Nada-Bindu.

Then came the voice from the ocean, 'I am Prathama Nada. The time has come, my dear Nada-Bindu, for you to understand the source of existence. I am the source of all, and manifest myself in various forms. I am at the peak of the Meru (Mountain), I come down as life-giving nectar in the river and the ocean and I quench the thirst of life. I exist in all and nothing exists without me.' Hearing this Nada-Bindu spoke, 'Prathama Nada, then are we part of you? If so, why do we hear you as different?'  'You are me and I am you. We are inseparable. However, only an experience of true reality will make you comprehend this fact,' said Prathama Nada. 

'Then please tell me how to make this reality comprehensible,' said Nada-Bindu. Prathama Nada replied, 'Tune yourself to my sound. Experience it as vibrating in all of existence. Let go of yourself and merge in it.' Following the advice, Nada'Bindu then understood the truth of existence. The joy was truly unbounded. But soon Nada-Bindu came out of that state and said, 'Prathama Nada, thy glory is unimaginable and thou art the essence of existence.  I have now understood the true purpose of life. Please grant me the freedom to experience this state at will.  But I would prefer not to merge in you. I would like to share this happiness with other thirsty forms of life.'

Wherever life realizes itself, and of its own free will chooses to bind itself for spreading joy, life's true celebratory purpose is fulfilled.

Bindu = Droplet. Nada = Sound. Prakasha = Light. Prathama Nada = Primordial Sound.