714. Love at First Sight – I

This phenomenon was immortalised by Shakespeare by his line, ‘whoever loved that loved not at first sight'. Lovers are fond of telling each other how that love appeared on seeing the other person. The truth behind this statement is of eternal value; every human heart longs for that and flatters itself that in its case it was love at first sight. Love, if successful, leads to life, which as a rule has a self-affirmation of hard realities of basic necessities, psychological co-existence and, on occasions, mental approval. Love does not survive these demands. It moves down to life. But the heart and its deeper recesses yearn for its ideal that blossomed at first sight. I propose to explain the realities behind this phenomenon in a few articles, not in scientific jargon or yogic parlance, but in the language we all use in our lives, before the deeper Truth that lies behind is laid bare for the fuller appreciation of the reader.

It is true that Love reveals at first sight. It is equally true that it invariably fulfils itself when it is not one-sided. The ways of such fulfilment are varied, varying according to the characters of the lovers and the social psychological context in which it comes to the surface. We know it was fulfilled in Romeo and Juliet in death, but we want to live and enjoy that love in life. We know many such versions and we too have our own experience. In order to know it all to our satisfaction, the biological truths in it, the psychological factors involved, the role played by society, and the choices before individuals must be examined. What we call Mind is our surface mind. Mind exists in our depths. This love resides in us in the very depths, in its foundation.  It does not get released at the sight of ordinary mortals capable of attraction, who need a spouse or an affectionate companion. Nor does it respond to charm that is otherwise irresistible.

Man's mind can be divided into surface and depth. Even the surface can further be divided into higher and lower. The depth too can be divided into two - the shallow and the deep. This love, called the sacred yearning of the heart capable of eternal Romance resides in the deepest parts of the depth. When two such people meet it rises as a SPARK of lightening and creates an indelible impression at its origin. It is undying. It is powerful enough to move the social forces as it directs. Therefore, it always fulfils itself. Its perception is all-embracing. In a big assemblage of people, this feeling in one person knows instinctively the presence of the other and they come face to face. Its power of fulfilment ends there. At some level, it invariably completes itself, rather consummates itself, as in Romeo and Juliet. (contd.)