It is May 24, 2007, 08:00 pm in Tübingen (Germany):

The 53 graduates of the Leibniz-College are curious: Unusual visit for the evening’s event: One of the students invited Madhukar for the scientific colloquium.

A lot of bustle going on in the vestibule. In the seating corner exciting discussions about the newest movies, the best movies, favorite movies. The motto here is living and working together under one roof. Very busy ones quickly have a meal before the event starts. Other ones help to put tables and chairs in the right place. Until just now people were still dancing in the room, now it gets rebuild and some fresh air comes in.

Dressed in short trousers, T-shirt and cap, an imposing Gentleman enters the rooms of the college, together with his attendant, and makes jokes about football. The students are not ready yet for the message of Madhukar: Everything starts 15 minutes later here – the academic quarter hour.

„What kind of equipment does he need of which we have here for speakers? A high desk? The screen? The overhead projector? A stool? Flipchart?“ The assistant smiles: „The best is an armchair and a glass of water.“

With a fable he starts his speech. With the fable of the lion raised up together with donkeys by a launderer in India. With the fable of the lion who believes to be a donkey.

Just as incidentally Madhukar slides off his shoes and sits comfortably in the armchair in cross-legged position. It is not traditional Satsang today, otherwise he would not have started with speaking but with silence. Still a short explanation what Advaita means and that he actually has no message at all.

He tells of the Indian Sage Sri Ramana Maharshi, who, after years of keeping silent, answers the question of a searcher by writing with a stick into the sand: „Because everyone wants to be happy”.

Then he invites the group to be together in silence. Also here not the usual „Om“-sound as the closure of the short phase of silence, but a clear audible word. Then he reads out of his new book Einssein.

The questions of the students do not stop. What does he have to say regarding morale. Whether he can describe his path. What he actually had planned to say today if the students would not have had so many questions. What he has to say about the suffering there is in this world. What does an awoken one do all day. Why he is using quantum physics and brain researching to describe experiences.

„I see that your interest is growing. I have to continue traveling tonight. Two of your questions I still can answer.“ Said, done – and after resounding applause Madhukar is leaving again. The daily routine turns back to the students: catching up on the missed meal, meeting the sweetheart in the stairway, compliments while passing each other: „Somehow you look very good today.“

The students of the Leibniz-College are used to look beyond one’s own nose. It is written on the flags each year to offer insights in many academic subjects to approximately 50 students as an entrance in scientific work. Working interdisciplinary, broadly based spectrum of knowledge, flexibility and willingness for dialogs are some of the mottos of this university-near institution, which is unique in Germany.


Author: Shivani