The Seeker of Nothing: A fable on owing your life - Kabir Munjal

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• The story is set on a ship called Ned-Har that is sailing towards the city of Corcusia during a stormy night.

• The main characters are the captain (first-person narrator) and his brother Andahar, who is the ship’s recluse cabin-dwelling first mate.

• Andahar is depressed and drinks heavily in his messy cabin. The captain tries to get him to go ashore in Corcusia for a change of scenery.

• The captain is in pain from an old leg injury. His assistant Ulgar brings herbs to apply but the captain refuses them, lost in thought about reaching Corcusia.

• The captain has an anxious pit in his stomach, hoping something will work out in Corcusia but fearing disappointment. His leg pain keeps him awake pondering this.

• The story sets up intrigue around what the captain is hoping will change or be resolved when they reach Corcusia the next day.

The passage is told from the perspective of Andahar, who was asked by his brother Ned-Har to deliver an extremely valuable golden box to the King of Templetron. Andahar is reluctant to help his brother and thinks Ned-Har does not understand him.

As Andahar walks through the port city gates on his journey, he observes the crowds and activity with disdain. He notices slaves being mistreated and merchants taking advantage of corrupt officials. This awakens anger in him but he controls himself for Ned-Har’s sake.

At the city gate, Andahar has a tense interaction with an officious guard who questions his origins. Andahar refuses to provide details and is suspicious of everyone. He is let into the city after paying a toll.

Andahar finds the crowded marketplace overwhelming with its smells, sounds and disorder. He proceeds on his unwilling journey to complete the task for Ned-Har, though he remains indifferent to his brother’s goals and desires only solitude.

The narrator enters a busy, chaotic market street lined with shops. The atmosphere is loud and congested as merchants advertise their wares. The narrator passes various shops selling items like scarves, jewelry, lamps, etc. where haggling and storytelling is constant.

Feeling overwhelmed by the crowds, the narrator wanders down a dirty alleyway past beggars and rats. Guided by a drunken man, the narrator finds a street with curtained building entrances and encounters a brothel worker. Continuing on, the narrator enters a run-down tavern looking for alcohol.

Inside, the tavern keeper silently serves ale as more drunks arrive. A confrontation ensues when a slave trader gets on a table and brags about corrupt legal practices, only to be challenged by the narrator about slave trading. Accusations of theft are then made, with the watchmen intervening to resolve the situation.

• The story depicts a scene at a tavern where a slave monger is verbally and physically assaulted by the crowd for unknown reasons.

• The narrator, who witnessed the incident, is offered a room to stay for the night. He struggles to make his way up the creaky staircase due to intoxication.

• In his small, dingy room, he has a nightmare about a fire destroying houses and his lover Narcia dying. He wakes up distraught.

• The story then switches to a boy named Elar who is physically abused by his merchant master for dropping goods. He is defended by a stranger named Andahar.

• Andahar offers to take Elar into his service instead of letting him continue suffering under the merchant. He sends Elar to his brother Ned-Har’s ship with a message.

• The story perspective then shifts to Ned-Har, sitting in his cabin on the ship, deep in thought about his brother Andahar. It’s revealed Andahar lived reclusively on the ship for 7 years in despair until recently leaving the ship. Ned-Har recalls past attempts to help Andahar heal from some trauma.

So in summary, it depicts two interconnected stories - one of a abused servant boy helped by a kind stranger, and the backstory of that stranger’s own mental anguish that he has now apparently moved past after 7 years.

The narrator attended an enchanting evening of music and dance that temporarily lifted his spirit. Upon returning to his chambers, he received a late night visit from Mishra-ji, who managed the Royal House of Artefacts. Mishra-ji insisted he had an important matter to discuss and suggested he could help solve the narrator’s problems if he proved his faith by agreeing to accompany Mishra-ji. Confused but intrigued, the narrator decided to go with him.

They embarked on a difficult two-day jungle trek, arriving at a dense bamboo forest. There, the narrator passed three tests posed by a mysterious voice and encountered a youthful yet wise sage and his cat. The sage revealed intimate details of the narrator’s life and gifted him a jeweled box, instructing him to send his brother to the Mountains of Templetron.

Back in the present, the narrator is visited by a scrawny orphan boy named Elar from Corcusia. Elar claims to have been sent by Master Andahar to serve the narrator, though Ulgar is skeptical. Elar relates his sad backstory of losing his parents and enduring abuse. The narrator feels sympathetic while pondering the significance of Elar’s arrival and mention of the box and mountains.

The boy Elar is reporting to the man about what happened that morning. The man tells Elar to return to serve Andahar, though not to tell him the message came from the man.

Elar rushes off to find Andahar but is sent back. He finds the man in the town square, which is bustling with a busy fair. The man asks various vendors for directions to the Mountains of Templetron but is met with rude refusals and insults.

A watchman confronts the man but they argue. At the town fountain, a musician agrees to provide directions in exchange for coin. He points to distant green hills, saying that’s the closest thing to mountains.

Elar catches up to the man, reporting his failed attempts to deliver the message and find new work. The man is frustrated by Elar’s talkative nature. He tells Elar he must stay out of the way and remain silent if joining the journey, but Elar continues chatting as they walk on.

Elar is a servant travelling with his new master, Andahar. Andahar seems despondent and uncommunicative. Elar is chatty and excitable, constantly asking questions that Andahar ignores.

They arrive in the village of Stonegis seeking Edgar Fligroin, a man who has written about the legendary Mountains of Templetron. Elar struggles to find Fligroin as the village is empty for a local fair. He eventually finds a farmer who directs him to an inn where Fligroin drinks.

At the inn, Elar excitedly approaches Fligroin to ask for help, but Fligroin is unfriendly and appears drunk. Andahar decides to leave, frustrating Elar who was hoping Fligroin could provide directions. The excerpt ends with Elar attempting to engage Fligroin despite the man’s evident disinterest.

In summary, it introduces Elar and Andahar’s quest, establishes Elar’s chatty character contrasted with Andahar’s silence, and sees them fail to get useful information from the drunken Fligroin at the inn in Stonegis village.

Elar and his master are seeking help from Mr. Fligroin to find the Mountains of Templetron. Elar manages to convince Fligroin to guide them by offering gold. They go to Fligroin’s hut. However, Fligroin drugs them, trying to steal their gold and a mysterious box the master carries.

The master wakes up and attacks Fligroin in a rage. Elar stops him from killing Fligroin. Fligroin claims he was going to steal their things but stopped when he saw the symbol on the box, intriguing him. The master does not believe Fligroin’s story.

Fligroin persists in asking about the box and if they have a key for it. The master is distrustful but Elar thinks Fligroin is telling the truth, as Fligroin made no attempt to escape with their valuables while they were unconscious if he had really meant to rob them. The story creates intrigue around the mysterious box and what Fligroin knows about its symbol.

Fligroin insists that the protagonist look closely at the mysterious glowing box he is carrying. Fligroin recognizes the symbol on the box and knows it is extremely valuable. He begs to know what is inside.

The protagonist refuses to open the box, as it was entrusted to him by his brother to deliver to the King. Fligroin then tells the story of how he met a great sage years ago who had supernatural powers. Fligroin became the sage’s disciple but grew arrogant as he learned magic. He rebelled against the sage’s teachings and wasted his gifts.

Now Fligroin regrets abandoning the sage and has been searching for him for years. He tells the protagonist the legend of the Mountains of Templetron, where the sage attained enlightenment. According to the legend, one who reaches the mountains can have any wish granted.

Fligroin instructs the protagonist to travel through the cursed Forest of Santia and bathe in a lake at midnight to find the way to the mountains. However, Elar warns that the forest is extremely dangerous and no one returns from it alive. Still, Fligroin insists the protagonist must go through darkness to find the light.

Elar and his master Fligroin enter the mysterious Forest of Santia at night. The forest floor and trees are illuminated by tiny glowing creatures. Fligroin warns Elar not to touch anything that glows, as even the slightest touch could be deadly poisonous.

As they make their way through the forest, Elar is frightened by snakes attacking each other and other glowing animals. They come upon huge rocky formations to take shelter for the day. When night falls again, they continue on but encounter a giant lizard that attacks Fligroin and bites his leg deeply. Elar throws rocks to distract the lizard while Fligroin fights it off.

Injured, Fligroin leads Elar through a narrow passage between glowing rocks. They hear singing in the distance and emerge from the dense forest at Lake Fonlius, a large body of shimmering turquoise water. Elar is awe struck by the mysterious sights in the Forest of Santia.

The story follows a man called “Master” and his servant Elar as they journey through a mysterious and challenging landscape.

At a dark lake at night, they encounter singing mermaids who try to lure them into the water. Master enters the lake and is dragged under. Elar waits on the shore in a trance-like state. When Master emerges, he and Elar find themselves lost in a vast desert.

Master struggles to recall what happened in the lake. His memory is foggy but he believes the mermaids transformed and a giant magical snake interrogated him, testing him for his quest. His injured leg has now mysteriously healed.

As they slowly cross the burning hot desert with little shade or shelter, Elar supports the weakened Master. In the distance, they hear other travellers approaching and hope they may offer aid. The story sets up a surreal and dangerous journey, with mystical magical elements that tested and transported the characters to their new challenging environment.

The passage describes a caravan that comes across two travelers in need - Elar and the narrator. Elar pleads for help and offers to pay them in gold. The caravan leader agrees to let them ride along out of kindness.

The narrator falls asleep on the camel as they ride. He then has a vision of a desolate volcanic landscape where he encounters a cloaked figure. The figure claims this is a realm of punishment and shows the narrator scenes from his past - the loss of his parents, brother’s injury, and betrayal by the king.

The figure offers the narrator a chance to regain his old life if he kills an evil man. The narrator agrees and follows the figure to a cave, where he finds Edgar Fligroin. The narrator realizes Edgar is not actually evil and refuses to kill him. The cloaked figure was manipulating him and stabs the narrator.

As he dies, the narrator hears a voice that has lived at the bottom of a lake for centuries, protecting the realm from mankind’s hunger. The vision depicts a psychological journey of trauma, manipulation and realization.

The narrator wakes up in an unfamiliar place after having a strange dream about choosing good over evil. He is being cared for by a desert community in modest mud brick huts. His servant Elar has washed his dirty clothes but in the process lost an important golden key the narrator had been keeping. After searching frantically, the narrator finds the key hidden in his clothes, realizing it must have gotten there magically.

Elar attends a unusual communal bathing ritual with the other men, made uncomfortable by their nudity and stares. He urges the narrator not to participate. At mealtime in the shared courtyard, the narrator begins to understand and appreciate the community’s customs, food and celebration-like atmosphere, though he and Elar remain outsiders observing their ways. The key seems to represent passing some kind of test or choice, and moving forward on a journey, but the meaning remains unclear.

Ter, a member of the traveling group, seems unhappy and looks at the narrator strangely as he eagerly eats their food. The next day, the caravan leader invites the group to stay in their village. When the leader has to leave, he introduces them to the elder, who may be able to read the mysterious book the narrator possesses. That evening, the leader takes the narrator and his servant Elar to meet the elder at sunset. They travel to the elder’s house, located atop a dune with views of an oasis and landscape. Two beds and stools are arranged outside where they will meet the elder, as the skies turn colorful hues at dusk. Elar seems excited by the opportunity to learn more about the mysterious book.

The elder meets with the caravan leader and the narrator to discuss a mysterious glowing book. The elder shares the first secret from the book - that life is a journey where we have the power of choice. This confuses the narrator.

That night, the narrator’s thoughts are plagued by doubts and what-ifs related to past tragic events. The next day, while working, the narrator gets lost in brooding and hurts their hands lifting stones.

The caravan leader invites the narrator and Elar to his lavish home for sweetmeats. However, his wife is upset that the dessert did not turn out well. Elar insists on helping and mixes a new batch, gaining begrudging cooperation from the nervous wife. The situation defuses some of the tensions at the home.

The elder’s cryptic message about choice and power leaves the narrator questioning their past decisions and possibilities, unable to fully understand the meaning. They continue to grapple with these thoughts.

• Elar helps an elderly caravan leader’s family by creating a delicious pudding. The caravan leader’s wife and daughter are impressed and shower Elar with praise.

• They all gather in the main hall to enjoy the pudding. The caravan leader’s wife engages Elar in a long conversation about food and cooking.

• The caravan leader grows bored of their conversation and starts telling tales from his travels, which are unexciting. Elar also shares stories from his time with the merchant.

• When Elar exaggerates the story of how Andahar rescued him, the others break into an unnecessary emotional smile.

• The caravan leader asks Andahar to share stories of his battles, but Andahar declines, saying he cannot discuss such things in front of the little girl.

• The caravan leader jokes that his daily “battles” involve coming home to his wife. They all laugh, though the caravan leader’s wife still appears to be smiling, not understanding the translation.

• The light-hearted visit continues into the night, with most conversation between Elar and the caravan leader’s wife, translated by the leader. Andahar observes it makes him think of what could have been.

• Andahar has been interacting with a wise elder through a caravan leader who translates.

• The elder previously said that choice is one of our greatest gifts, but Andahar feels he has had no choices during hardship.

• The elder responds that choosing suffering over healing is still a choice. Andahar gets angry, saying the elder doesn’t know his suffering.

• The elder says if Andahar could accept his situation, he may find choice. Andahar remains bitter and says he doesn’t deserve choice due to his past actions.

• Fellow traveler Elar has a question - the elder explains they are all on a journey of evolution with lessons to learn to achieve oneness.

• Andahar asks what is the best path or choice. The elder says there is no single best, it depends on the life one wishes to live - of fulfillment, goodness, or joyous union for example.

• Andahar remains troubled, feeling the elder’s words do not help his inner conflict over past choices and perceived lack of control over his situation and suffering. The discussion is leaving Andahar more tormented.

• The elder is reading secrets of the universe from a sacred book to Elar and Andahar. The secrets so far have discussed choice, freedom, and peace.

• Andahar struggles to see how everything that happens can be perfect, given the suffering in the world. The elder explains that their understanding is limited and things may appear imperfect now but will make sense with continued spiritual growth.

• Elar reflects on how past difficulties, though painful at the time, ultimately led him to a better place. He sees life as putting together a puzzle that gradually makes sense.

• The elder then reads the secret on redemption. He explains that pain is inevitable but suffering is optional, as it is a product of perspective. Changing one’s perspective through spiritual awareness can protect against suffering and guide one to redemption.

• Andahar wonders how suffering can possibly be avoided given how pervasive it seems. The elder responds that developing the right perspective through choice is the key to overcoming suffering, though it is not easy.

In summary, the elder is using secrets from a sacred text to teach Elar and Andahar about spiritual concepts like choice, purpose, perfection and overcoming suffering through perspective and continued spiritual growth. Andahar is struggling with some concepts but finding Elar’s perspective insightful.

• The elder is explaining the concept of healing from emotional pain and trauma. He says we must accept and feel our emotions rather than resisting or denying them, in order to start healing.

• Surrendering to the painful emotions and asking for help from the universe allows the natural healing process to begin. Sharing one’s pain with others can also provide relief.

• Trying to change thoughts or perspectives too soon without acceptance is a form of denial that prevents real healing. One must first genuinely accept the problem before seeking solutions.

• The second part of the secret talks about not neglecting inner wounds like broken bones or physical injuries. Leaving emotional wounds untreated will deprive one of joy, giving life no value.

• The sixth secret discusses having only one true enemy - pride. One must fight the internal battle against pride, not external battles. Destroying pride allows experiencing a treasure beyond comprehension.

• Duty and responsibilities should still be fulfilled, but the true journey is inward. By conquering pride little by little, one glimpses an inner place of peace, strength and love. Many paths like nature, creativity or relationships can lead to this inner realm.

• The Master tells Elar about his traumatic past, which has been the source of his anger and trauma.

• He was once the king’s best warrior in the kingdom. He fell in love with a woman named Narcia, who had healing powers.

• Narcia was the niece and apprentice of a respected physician, who discovered she had unique healing abilities. But they kept this a secret, knowing magic was seen as something to be destroyed.

• There was a prophecy that the powerful king’s rule would end when “magic makes his blindness destroy.” The king feared magic and worked to eliminate it from the kingdom.

• Narcia’s presence brought love and healing. But when the princess fell ill, Narcia and the physician tried curing her with herbal remedies. However, the illness kept returning.

• The king accused Narcia of witchcraft. Both Narcia and the princess were sentenced to death by burning at the stake. The Master was forced to watch Narcia burn, which deeply traumatized him.

• This revealed the source of the Master’s scars, anger and why he was traveling away from the mountains - to escape the trauma of his past and the king who took everything from him.

• The princess of the kingdom fell ill with a mysterious skin disease that made her progressively uglier. Rumors spread that she was being punished for past deeds.

• In her desperation, the princess attempted suicide by poisoning herself but survived, though the poison further damaged her skin. She was confined to her bed in great pain.

• Narcia broke her promise not to use magic and healed the princess over 21 days. A feast was held to celebrate the princess’s miraculous recovery.

• However, the king grew suspicious of how the princess recovered so quickly. Lords hinted that Narcia was a powerful witch who had cast a spell on the princess and would seize the throne.

• On the day Narcia and Andahar were to announce their wedding, the king’s guards arrested them and burned them at the stake. Rolanha, who had been invited to the ceremony, helped bring Narcia and Andahar to their deaths.

• Andahar was distraught with grief over Narcia’s death. Rolanha, Renolph, and Ned-Har helped Andahar escape execution. Rolanha and Renolph stayed behind to distract the guards while the others fled.

• After the executions, the king lost his mind with guilt and hanged himself. Andahar has been consumed by grief and guilt ever since, wishing to die to reunite with Narcia.

• The narrator is adapting well to village life and has become skilled at cooking the local cuisine. He enjoys experimenting with new flavors and has become popular for improving dishes and teaching cooking techniques.

• The elder gives the women instructions which allows the narrator to begin cooking and gain their trust. He gains understanding of their tastes and is permitted to fully participate in cooking meals.

• His meat pies and saffron rice dessert are especially loved. The women challenge him to create new dishes using indigenous plants from the desert, which he succeeds in doing.

• The narrator finds joy and purpose in bringing smiles through food. He has become a hero in the village for his cooking skills and teaching others. His secret is sharing love through food.

• The story mentions a “Master” who was injured and is now regaining strength. The narrator awaits embarking on a journey with Master to battle a dragon, though is unsure when they will leave. The narrator finds happiness in his new life but also looks forward to continuing their journey.

• The passage discusses how focusing too much on future goals, desires and destinations takes us away from experiencing life fully in the present moment. This disconnects us from our innate potential and ability to experience wonder.

• Sexual experiences are used as an example - being fully present in the act brings more intimacy, connection and joy than just focusing on climax or the end result.

• This applies to other experiences as well - doing what helps us be present allows life’s lessons to unfold naturally.

• Elar and the caravan leader learn from an elder, who reminds them to trust that staying present will reveal what they need to know for their journey when the time is right.

• The protagonist grows impatient waiting for guidance on his own next steps. In meditating intensely, he has a transcendent visionary experience at an oasis that transports him to a magical garden.

• There he meets a sage who helps him realize the Mountains of Templetron he sought were within him all along - he had already defeated his inner doubts without realizing it.

• The dragon representing doubt was the greatest test, preventing him from finding his potential within. By sinking fully into presence at the oasis, he experienced peace beyond questions.

So in summary, it advocates staying present rather than focused on the future, as this allows life’s wisdom to unfold and helps access one’s inner gifts and power.

The dialogue is between Andahar and a wise sage. Andahar expresses great pain, guilt and loneliness over the death of his friend Narcia. The sage consoles him and explains that Narcia’s death was not his fault and was meant to trigger his spiritual journey.

The sage advises Andahar to forgive himself and let go of self-blame. He encourages Andahar to embrace the inner child within and show it compassion. Through tears, Andahar realizes the sage is right and declares he is ready to forgive himself. He feels the burdens lifting from his shoulders.

The sage says all problems exist to help with inner healing and awakening. Narcia’s death allowed Andahar to access inner beauty and take his spiritual journey. Andahar expresses gratitude for Narcia and understands the meaning and purpose of her role in his life. He feels whole and at peace.

In the next scene, Andahar bids farewell to his friend Elar as he prepares to embark on a new journey. Elar insists on accompanying Andahar, having learned from his own vision quest that true happiness lies in their friendship, not material desires. The two friends ride off together on camels into the desert, excited for their next adventure.