I woke up in a sweat at 1.30 am. I realised I was hysterically kicking in my sleep, as if freeing myself from the vice-like grip on my feet of three to four people. I  got up startled and was relieved to see no one at the foot of my bed. Rubbing my eyes, I made my way in the dark to the kitchen and had a glass of water to soothen my frayed nerves. It was a weird feeling. Dreams can cause palpitations. My heart was still pounding.

I hobbled along to the drawing room and plonked myself on the sofa. I knew it was not possible to fall asleep again, being gripped with this trepidation and angst that although virtual, had affected me in real life. I closed my eyes and tried to recapitulate the nightmare that had scared the wits out of me. 

It then slowly came back as I was perhaps re-entering the domain of somnolence. Initially it was a blur, but then it became clearer, as though I was clearing the windshield off the smoky vapour.

Dr Deepak Ranade

I could see myself sprawled face down on the ground, struggling and lunging forwards, trying to free myself from three to four people who were holding my ankles and pulling me backwards. I was ranting and raving, using every ounce of energy to free myself from my captors. My efforts were all in vain. I was seemingly powerless against these henchmen, who were in no mood to relent. They were dragging me backwards mercilessly, with impunity and arrogance. 

I was trying to dig my claws into the muddy surface in an attempt to anchor myself. But it was of no avail. My eyes were covered in mud, obscuring my vision and, anyways I could not muster any  courage to look down at my abductors. I was trying my utmost to keep calm, and with one hand, I tried to clear my eyes. And then, far ahead, I could see a beautiful glowing bright incandescence that was beckoning me.

I was being pulled away from this brilliant divine luminescence by these powerful aggressors. Somewhere, in the direction of the light, I hear a very deep and comforting baritone, imploring me to escape from this torrid incarceration. The voice is soothing and reassuring and I shout out towards that voice for help, almost begging for assistance. But there is no respite.

I finally give up. I let myself slide backwards. The surrender decreases the pain. 

I shout out to these toughies to be a bit more gentle. They too are convinced of my compliance and slightly ease the grip on my ankles. After truce has been established, I lie down for a while and my subjugators too take a break.  I notice, they are masked, and rather heavily built. I assure them, that I will no longer resist their efforts to drag me backwards, but plead with them to unmask and identify themselves. They reluctantly agree and in a few moments, unmask themselves.

There are three of them. As soon as the masks are off, I am stunned to see them.

All are my identical clones. I’m shocked by what I see. I gather my wits and then ask them their names. The first two identify themselves as “Could Have Been Deepak” and “Should Have Been Deepak”. The third refuses to tell me his name. I plead with him till he finally relents. He tells me, ‘I’m ‘Hate Deepak’. I hate you and will never forgive you for all that you have done to yourself and others.”

I’m speechless and shell-shocked to discover the identity of these desperadoes. I can’t contain my curiosity about the identity of that benevolent voice that was beckoning me. I shout out loudly towards that voice: “Who are you and what is that brilliant light that you are leading me to?” in the hope of getting an answer. 

After a few minutes, I am rewarded with an answer in the same comforting baritone. “My name is ‘Can Be Deepak’. And the brilliant light that you see is the Supreme Divinity that also lies at your centre but you are unaware of this.”

Pune-based, Dr Deepak Ranade is a consultant neurosurgeon with a great desire to unravel the mysteries of the universe. He is also the author of ‘The Inner Universe’, a collection of his spiritual writings published in the Speaking Tree. 

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