Exploring the Vedantic Echoes in Waiting for Godot.
A Conversation with Prof.Thirthankar Chakraborty on Beckett and Indian Philosophy.
Podcast: Exploring the Vedantic Echoes in Waiting for Godot.
I had the great pleasure of hosting Prof. Thirthankar Chakraborty on my podcast. Thirthankar is an assistant professor at the Indian Institute of Technology Mandi and a scholar of comparative and world literature. He is the co-editor of the book Samuel Beckett as World Literature, which examines Beckett’s global presence and circulation, particularly the translation, adaptation, appropriation and cultural reciprocation of his oeuvre.
My other guest was Craig Warren. Craig is a teacher of Vedanta philosophy and conducts online study courses at the Vedanta Institute in Cape Town. He is also a former student of the Vedanta Academy and a disciple of Swami Parthasarathy. Additionally, he facilitates meditation and wellness retreats, such as the Vedanta Retreat at Phakalane Retreat.
I invited Thirthankar and Craig to talk about one of Beckett’s most famous plays, Waiting for Godot, and its relation to Vedanta. We discussed how Beckett’s play, which depicts two tramps waiting endlessly for a mysterious figure named Godot, resonates with the concepts of Vedanta, such as Maya, the power of illusion that creates the appearance of duality and multiplicity; Brahman, the supreme reality that underlies all phenomena; and Atman, the true self that is identical with Brahman.
Thirthankar shared with me his insights on how Beckett’s play can be read as a critique of the Western metaphysical tradition that seeks to find meaning and purpose in a world that is essentially meaningless and absurd. He also explained how Beckett’s use of language, silence, and repetition reflects his awareness of the limitations and paradoxes of human communication and expression. He suggested that Beckett’s play invites us to question our assumptions and expectations and to embrace the uncertainty and ambiguity of existence.
We also discussed the triple nature of Vladimir and Estragon as embodied in the characters.
Thirthankar elaborated on how Vladimir and Estragon represent the Sattvic (questioning), Rajasic (angry and impatient while waiting for Godot), and Tamasic (passive resignation to waiting for the illusion, the nothingness, something that will never arrive) natures according to Vedantic philosophy's concept of the three gunas or fundamental qualities.
Their constant questioning reflects a Sattvic tendency to inquire into the truth. As they wait, their fluctuating moods of anger, boredom, despair, and hope demonstrate a Rajasic impulse arising from unfulfilled desires. Their inability to leave reveals the Tamasic quality of inertia, darkness, and delusion.
The play illuminates the idea that all manifestations of consciousness contain varying proportions of the three gunas through the differing dispositions of Vladimir and Estragon. The Godot they await could symbolize a state beyond the trappings of the gunas. Trapped in ignorance, the characters represent the human condition - lost in misapprehensions of reality. Thus Beckett’s dramatization of waiting reflects Vedantic insights about existential angst and transcendence.
I hope you enjoy this conversation with Thirthankar Chakraborty, and we invite you to share your thoughts and comments with us. If you want to learn more about Beckett and world literature, you can check out Thirthankar’s book and his publications. You can also visit his Google Scholar Page for more information about his research and teaching. Thank you for listening, and stay tuned for more episodes of the Vedanta substack.
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