A Comprehensive Philosophical, Psychological, and Scientific Analysis of Rajender Krishan’s 'Reality'

Introduction

In the landscape of contemporary English poetry, Rajender Krishan’s 'Reality' stands out as a distinctive, revolutionary philosophical manifesto. Traditionally, both in classical literature and orthodox spiritual discourses, concepts like "peace," "tranquility," or "absolute stillness" have been glorified as the ultimate human ideals. However, the poet boldly challenges this deeply entrenched conventional conditioning through a radically refreshing, scientifically grounded perspective. To Rajender Krishan, life is not defined by static quietude but by perpetual motion—a rhythmic, involuntary "commotion" driven by the universal cadence of inhalation and exhalation. This profound poem seeks to break open the rigid definitions of human existence and revitalize our understanding of what it truly means to be alive.

Before diving into the multifaceted analytical critique, let us re-examine the original poem in its raw, unfiltered, and deeply evocative form:

Reality
By Rajender Krishan

We are alive
only
when the Life within
is in motion
by the unrecited
universal mantra
of inhalation and exhalation
occurring without volition
causing commotion.

I wonder why
we are coerced to learn
and deceive ourselves
with talks
about achieving
the most unscientific
and absurd concept
called peace
which is but
another name of death.

It is time to unlearn
and live by accepting
and celebrating
the Reality of Life.

1. Motion Versus Stillness: The Relativity of Philosophical Paradoxes

When we scan the grand history of global philosophy, we find that intellectuals have generally chosen two contrasting paths to explain the core nature of existence. The first is the path of Constant Motion, and the second is the path of Absolute Stillness.

The ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus famously proclaimed, "Panta Rhei"—everything flows, and nothing stands still. He argued that change is the only permanent reality in the universe. He famously remarked that one cannot step into the same river twice, for the waters are continuously moving and renewing. Rajender Krishan’s poetic vision perfectly aligns with this Heraclitean doctrine. The internal process of respiration within us is an uninterrupted, flowing river. The moment this flow ceases, life ends.

Conversely, orthodox Eastern traditions—such as classical Advaita Vedanta and institutionalized Buddhism—alongside Western schools like Stoicism, have historically exalted the absolute stillness of the mind as the highest spiritual state. Sage Patanjali defined Yoga as "Yogash Chitta Vritti Nirodhah", meaning the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind. Why then does the poet categorize this widely accepted pursuit of peace as "unscientific" and "absurd"?

The answer lies in the danger of passive stagnation. All too often, the societal projection of absolute peace degenerates into psychological inertia, inaction, and systemic escapism. It leads to accept,  every thing is okey. This is a dangeous inner sense in "peace" or "chitha vrithi nirodhaka" as it leads to detachment. 

For Rajender Krishan, genuine vitality does not mean fleeing from the messy theater of responsibilities; rather, it demands that we continuously respond, engage, and pulsate, just like our breath.

The towering German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche launched a similar brutal critique against traditional concepts of peace, viewing them as life-denying constructs born out of fear. Nietzsche fiercely advocated for the "Affirmation of Life" (Amor Fati). He argued that human beings should not retreat into quietism out of fear of suffering and existential friction; instead, they must welcome life’s chaotic struggles as essential catalysts for growth. The concluding stanza of Reality strongly echoes this Nietzschean roar. The poet issues a passionate clarion call to reject artificial illusions, accept the raw fact of existence, and transform the turbulent reality of life into a vibrant celebration.

2. Modern Psychological Commotion: The Buddhist Anatomy of Dukh and Equanimity

To appreciate the depth of the poet's critique through a contemporary lens, we must synthesize modern cognitive psychology with the core tenets of early Buddhist psychology.

Neuroscientific research reveals that an average modern human brain processes over 60,000 thoughts and emotional impulses per day. This ceaseless cognitive traffic constitutes our profound internal commotion. Crucially, psychological data shows that the vast majority of these 60,000 thoughts are repetitive, largely consisting of regrets about the unalterable past or anxieties regarding an unpredictable future. This chronic mental friction subjects the modern individual to unprecedented levels of existential stress.

This is precisely where Gautama Buddha’s diagnosis of 'Dukh' (suffering) and desire becomes relevant. In true Buddhist psychology, liberation from suffering does not imply the literal halting of biological life or physical expression; it refers to freedom from our neurotic attachment to this chaotic mental traffic.

Unfortunately, institutionalized conditioning has warped the concept of 'peace,' making it synonymous with turning a blind eye to problems or retreating into passive numbness. Genuine philosophical peace, however, is Equanimity (Sthitaprajnata). True equanimity means maintaining a state of deep, conscious awareness—resembling the effortless quietude of deep sleep—while actively navigating the waking world. It is the rare capacity to act as a detached witness to the 60,000 passing thoughts, remaining unswayed by the polarities of pleasure and pain.

When Rajender Krishan asserts that peace is "but another name of death," he is not attacking this vibrant state of equanimity. Rather, his critique is directed squarely at the artificial, commercially packaged, and chemically induced versions of peace that promote complacency and emotional suppression. The poet’s underlying intention is profoundly positive: as long as the breath moves, the human spirit must remain dynamic, creative, and resilient, refusing to succumb to the living death of psychological stagnation.

3. Acharya Nagarjuna and Jean-Paul Sartre: The Living Truth of Being

The structural layers of reality are further enriched when viewed through the lens of the Indian Buddhist master Acharya Nagarjuna’s Shunyavada (Philosophy of the Void) and the French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre’s Existentialism.

In his seminal text, the Mulamadhyamakakarika, Nagarjuna presented a revolutionary postulation: "Na samsarasya nirvanat kincid asti visesanam." There is absolutely no distinction between the mundane world of cyclic existence (Samsara) and liberation (Nirvana). Nirvana is not a static heaven hidden away from the turbulence of the world; it is the accurate, unclouded understanding of this very turbulence. Rajender Krishan operates on a similar wavelength by identifying the physical reality of breath, with all its chaotic movement, as the absolute truth of life. Mirroring Nagarjuna’s principle of radical relativity, the poet rejects peace when it is commodified as an otherworldly, abstract void, choosing instead to celebrate the tangible, immediate commotion of the respiratory cycle.

From another angle, Jean-Paul Sartre’s foundational existential axiom—"Existence precedes essence"—finds a perfect home in this poem. Sartre argued that human beings are not born with a pre-designed, fixed nature or destiny. We are thrown into existence first, and we must continuously construct our identity through our conscious actions and choices. Sartre viewed human consciousness as a dynamic void (Nothingness) that is perpetually projecting itself forward, hungry for action. The moment a human being tries to freeze this movement, attempting to settle into the static solidity of a mere object—like a rock—they fall into what Sartre famously labeled "Bad Faith" (Mauvaise Foi), or self-deception.

The poet’s second stanza captures this exact existential trap:

"I wonder why / we are coerced to learn / and deceive ourselves..."

While our breath is naturally moving and our neural pathways are constantly firing, we desperately try to cage ourselves within an artificial, static construct called 'peace.' Rajender Krishan exposes this pursuit as a profound act of self-deception that violates our intrinsic biological design. With sharp, affirmative logic, he proves that true authenticity lies in embracing our inherent dynamism.

4. Jiddu Krishnamurti and Bertrand Russell: The Act of Unlearning and Scientific Rationalism

The final stanza of the poem offers an invaluable roadmap for contemporary humanity: "It is time to unlearn..." This specific choice of words immediately evokes the radical philosophy of Jiddu Krishnamurti, one of the twentieth century's most profound independent thinkers.

Krishnamurti maintained that the root cause of human psychological misery is our intensive socio-cultural Conditioning. From childhood, society aggressively programs our minds with rigid ideologies, religious dogmas, and moralistic templates. We mistake these borrowed concepts for reality, thereby completely losing touch with the living present. Krishnamurti passionately urged humanity to seek "Freedom from the Known"—the total deconstruction of accumulated psychological knowledge.

Rajender Krishan taps directly into this transformative current. He insists that it is time to 'unlearn' the mechanical, inherited definitions of peace imposed upon us by external structures. Only when we discard these artificial conditioning layers can we truly experience the raw, natural rhythm of the universal mantra operating within us. Leaving behind the ghosts of the past and the anxieties of the future, entering the present moment is the ultimate realization of being.

This poetic assertion is strongly reinforced by the scientific rationalism of the British philosopher and Nobel laureate Bertrand Russell. Throughout his writings, particularly in The Conquest of Happiness, Russell argued that authentic fulfillment cannot be achieved through passive, insular contemplation. Instead, it is born from an active, outward-looking engagement with the objective world.

When Rajender Krishan dismisses peace as the "most unscientific and absurd concept," he is standing firmly on the bedrock of modern empirical science. According to contemporary physics, absolute stillness is an impossibility within the observable universe. Not a single atom is static. Electrons are constantly orbiting atomic nuclei at dizzying speeds, generating immense localized commotion. On a macro scale, stars, planets, and entire galaxies are in a state of perpetual, high-velocity expansion.

Since the fundamental law of the cosmos is dynamic motion, any human desire for absolute, unchanging stillness is fundamentally unscientific. In thermodynamics, absolute stillness occurs only at Absolute Zero (-273.15°C), a theoretical state where all molecular motion completely freezes. In biological terms, that state is nothing other than death. Therefore, the poet’s equation of absolute peace with death is an unassailable scientific fact.

5. Perspectives from the Global Knowledge : Daoism, Quantum Physics, and Literature

To fully map the universal resonance of reality, we must expand our horizons beyond individual thinkers and explore diverse global intellectual systems.

A) The Daoist Current: Lao Tzu’s Principle of Wu Wei

The ancient Chinese philosophy of Daoism provides an illuminating framework for this poem. The legendary sage Lao Tzu formulated the core concept of "Wu Wei", which is frequently mistranslated as inaction, but actually signifies Effortless Action. It means flowing seamlessly with the natural current of the universe without imposing artificial ego-driven resistance.

Consider the poet’s observation:

"...occurring without volition / causing commotion."

Respiration is not a task we perform through sheer force of will; it is nature itself breathing through us, functioning as an unrecited cosmic hymn. Daoism teaches that when we drop societal fabrications and stop trying to aggressively manufactured 'peace' through forced, unnatural practices, we return to the Dao (The Way). Rajender Krishan’s call to celebrate life is a poetic modern manifestation of aligning oneself with this effortless cosmic flow.

B) Quantum Field Theory and the Cosmic Dance

In the realm of modern subatomic physics, Quantum Field Theory has revealed that what we perceive as empty space is actually a boiling cauldron of subatomic activity, characterized by spontaneous particle creation and annihilation known as Quantum Fluctuations. In his iconic book The Tao of Physics, physicist Fritjof Capra brilliantly synchronized these discoveries with the cosmic dance of Lord Shiva (the Ananda Tandava).

Absolute stasis is a physical illusion. A rock resting on the ground appears entirely still to the naked eye, yet within its boundaries, billions of subatomic particles are moving at near light-speed, maintaining a state of organized commotion. Rajender Krishan beautifully scales this subatomic reality up to the human organism. Our internal life is real only because it is in perpetual motion. From the standpoint of quantum mechanics, the traditional societal dream of a static, unmoving peace is an evolutionary dead end.

C) Dostoevskian Self-Deception and Psychological Truth

The psychological depth of the poem also shares common ground with the legendary Russian novelist and existentialist Fyodor Dostoevsky. In his profound work Notes from Underground, Dostoevsky meticulously exposed the human tendency to embrace comforting illusions rather than confront raw, uncomfortable realities.

The poet asks with poignant wonder:

"I wonder why / we are coerced to learn / and deceive ourselves..."

Modern society has commercialized an artificial, sanitized version of peace. Rather than teaching individuals how to bravely navigate their natural anxieties, tumultuous emotions, and creative conflicts, society administers a psychological sedative in the guise of 'mindfulness' or 'inner peace.' Rajender Krishan forcefully tears away this collective mask, asserting that true psychological courage consists of accepting our internal commotion as it is, rather than escaping into a comfortable, living grave.

D) Henry David Thoreau and the Philosophy of Wildness

The celebrated American transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau, in his masterpiece Walden, famously wrote about his desire to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and "to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life." Thoreau recognized that true vitality is found in the uncontained, wild currents of nature, not in domesticated conformity. Rajender Krishan shares this transcendental thirst. He rejects the neatly manicured, artificial quietude of social convention, urging us to find divinity in the untamed, breathing movement of our own bodies.

6. Evolutionary Biology and the Neurobiological Landscape

When analyzed through the hard sciences of physiology and neurology, reality reveals an incredibly sophisticated undercurrent. From a biological standpoint, the living organism survives by maintaining Homeostasis. Crucially, homeostasis is not a frozen, static state; it is a highly dynamic equilibrium achieved through constant internal adjustment and movement. It can be compared to a person riding a bicycle: to remain upright and stable, the rider must continuously pedal and adjust their balance. The moment they stop moving, the bicycle collapses. Life, in its essence, is this exact process of dynamic balancing.

A) The Science of Heart Rate Variability (HRV)

In contemporary clinical medicine, a perfectly healthy heart does not beat with the rigid, mechanical precision of a metronome. There are micro-variations in the time intervals between consecutive heartbeats. This physiological phenomenon is known as Heart Rate Variability (HRV). A high HRV indicates a highly adaptable, resilient autonomic nervous system capable of responding efficiently to environmental stressors.

In contrast, a low or completely rigid HRV is a dangerous clinical indicator of cardiovascular distress, systemic exhaustion, or impending mortality. Thus, health and vitality are defined by an inherent, measurable internal commotion. The heart must maintain its dynamic variation to keep the organism viable. The poet's insights mirror this biological fact: our inner life is truly authentic only when it is characterized by motion and functional commotion.

B) Brain Entropy and Neurodynamics

From a neurological perspective, cutting-edge brain-imaging studies indicate that high levels of cognitive flexibility, creativity, and intelligence correlate directly with Brain Entropy—the degree of unpredictable, complex neural configurations across different regions of the brain. A healthy brain is a highly active, constantly shifting matrix of neural firings.

If this neural commotion drops to absolute zero, the clinical diagnosis is Brain Death. When Rajender Krishan states that absolute peace is simply another name for death, his poetic intuition aligns flawlessly with clinical neurology. Absolute quietude in the brain is not enlightenment; it is the cessation of consciousness.

7. The Socio-Cultural Critique: Striking at 'Toxic Positivity'

In our contemporary hyper-industrialized society, a highly manipulative phenomenon known as Toxic Positivity has taken root. Across corporate environments and digital spaces, individuals are bombarded with the demand to suppress genuine negative emotions—such as grief, anger, or existential confusion—in favor of maintaining a performative, cheerful, and peaceful exterior. Commercialized wellness spaces frequently exploit this conditioning, selling mass-marketed tranquility that encourages people to suppress their natural responses to systemic injustices and personal pain.

Rajender Krishan’s Reality acts as a powerful intellectual hammer that shatters this fragile veneer:

"We are coerced to learn / and deceive ourselves / with talks / about achieving / the most unscientific / and absurd concept / called peace..."

Forcing oneself to look serene while suppressing natural human emotions is deeply damaging to the psyche. It forces the individual into a state of bad faith and robs them of their biological authenticity. True mental well-being does not require us to camouflage our internal struggles; it demands that we honor them. To weep when sorrow strikes, to react when injustice occurs, and to feel the rapid acceleration of the breath during moments of intense creativity—this is what it means to be vibrantly alive. So called peace and Chitha vrithi nirodhaka has a gender sense of male, patriarchy .  Mother cannot detach her senses fro her child. Mother's nature is attachment. It is universal true law.

8. The Esoteric Dimension: The Unrecited Universal Mantra

In the opening movement of the poem, Rajender Krishan introduces a mesmerizing concept:

"the unrecited universal mantra of inhalation and exhalation."

This phrase bridges modern poetry with ancient esoteric yogic sciences. In the classical texts of Indian philosophy, this involuntary respiratory process is revered as the Ajapa Gayatri or the Soham mantra. Every time an organism inhales, the subtle sound Sah (meaning 'That' or the Cosmic Source) is produced; every time it exhales, the sound Ham (meaning 'I') is released. Unconsciously, every living being repeats this Soham mantra ("I am That") approximately 21,600 times a day without any deliberate vocalization (unrecited).

This is a profoundly positive, unifying vision. While the poet strongly rejects institutionalized dogmas and commercialized spiritual jargon, he deeply respects the organic, self-sustaining intelligence of nature. We do not have to consciously force our lungs to breathe; the universe performs this mantra through us without volition. The very commotion generated by this automatic process is the dance of life itself. Loving this inherent commotion is the ultimate form of spiritual alignment.

Conclusion: The Great Celebration of Living

Ultimately, Rajender Krishan’s 'Reality' is not a cynical rejection of human happiness; rather, it is a magnificent, life-affirming declaration of independence. It builds an enduring bridge between existentialism, advanced neurobiology, quantum mechanics, and secular spirituality.

The poem reminds us that true liberation does not mean escaping the 60,000 thoughts that pass through our minds or fleeing from the inevitable struggles of the world. Instead, it means diving headfirst into the river of existence. It means observing our breathing with steady equanimity, staying active across life's unpredictable waves, and refusing to surrender to a premature emotional grave.

Let us courageously unlearn the artificial, life-denying concepts of peace that have been imposed upon us. Let us step out onto the stage of the world and welcome our natural internal commotion. To stay creative, to breathe deeply, and to embrace the moving reality of life as a grand, ongoing celebration is the ultimate truth of our existence. Rajender Krishan’s visionary work stands as a timeless, brilliant guide for the modern human spirit.