What to do with such people?

 

 

A highly respected, erudite and very pious and absolutely honoured friend for me was listing some possible methods by which the discussion in social media can be conducted in the most affable manner with due consideration for views in favour of the basic post and not exactly in favour of such views.

True, this can be possible among persons with some sense of fairness.

However, are the facts of the case really so objective?

My response

"All these procedural aspects are very welcome, provided the person who initiates the discussion starts with some reasonable authenticity for the facts and views.

Here, people initiate most of the threads with no care or concern for facts or authenticity and often even the first post is a just cut-and -paste from some other obscure source.

The participants are equally biased.

No one shows any respect for the alternate view.

Highly opinionated discussions alone thrive in social media.

How can you prescribe rules and conditions in such a situation?

Let me share an experience.

I quoted an old saying in Sanskrit from a celebrated text. “Even if we plant a seed of Neem in a mountain of sugar and irrigate the seed with milk, still the growing plant will have leaves and fruits of bitter taste.” (गुलपर्वतमध्यस्थं निम्बबीजं प्रतिष्टितम्।

पयोवर्षसहस्रेण निम्बः किं मधुरायते॥)

The argument was that some things could not leave their natural tendencies and tastes.

One woman was replying that Neem was a divine plant, a medicinal plant and therefore we should not insult it stating that the plant is having seeds and leaves bitter in taste.

I pointed out to her repeatedly that the issue under discussion was the natural bitterness of the plant and the discussion had nothing to do with the divine nature of Veppu or its medicinal qualities.

Even though I had explained to her the facts from all angles, still she became cross, abusive, left the discussion, and left the group too.

What to do with such people?

Memories of Narayana as the vital forces depart the body

अन्ते नारायण स्मृतिः

अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम् । यः प्रयाति स मद्भावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशयः ॥ गीता ८-५

anthe narayana smruthi

anthakaale cha maameva smaran muktwaa kalevaram ya prayaati sa madbhaavam yaati naastyatra samsayaH

Memories of Narayana as the vital forces depart the body..

this is the ideal

Gita:

If one leaves his body and during his final hours remembers Me, surely, he attains My own qualities and merge in Me, there is no reason for any doubt on this point,

So says the Blessed Lord Krishna

greatness at close quarters gets ignored

 

निकटस्थं गरीयांसमपि लोको न मन्यते ।

पवित्रामपि यन्मर्त्या न नमस्यन्ति जाह्नवीम्॥

हितोपदेशे

nikaṭasthaṃ garīyāṃsamapi loko na manyate ।

pavitrāmapi yanmartyā na namasyanti jāhnavīm॥

hitopadeśe

When something great, valuable or very important is available very near to them, people do not realize the importance of that thing, and they give scant respect or consideration for such object.

People, living on the banks of the extremely sacred river Ganga the Jahnavi, usually do not worship her.

നികടസ്ഥം ഗരീയാംസമപി ലോകോ ന മന്യതേ ।

പവിത്രാമപി യന്മര്‍ത്യാ ന നമസ്യന്തി ജാഹ്നവീം॥

ഹിതോപദേശേ

ഏറെ മഹത്വം ഉള്ളതും , വിലപിടിച്ചതും ആയ ഒരു വസ്തു തങ്ങളുടെ വളരെ അരികത്ത് എളുപ്പം കാണാനും ഉപയോഗിക്കാനും തക്കവണ്ണം ഇരിക്കുന്നുണ്ടെങ്കില്‍ ആ വസ്തുവിന്‍റെ പ്രാധാന്യവും വിലയും ഒന്നും ആളുകള്‍ മനസ്സിലാക്കുകയുമില്ല, അതുകൊണ്ടുതന്നെ ആ വസ്തുവിന് അതര്‍ഹിക്കുന്ന പരിഗണന ലഭിക്കുകയും ഇല്ല.

ജാഹ്നവിയായ, പരിപാവനയായ, ഗംഗയുടെ കരയില്‍ ജീവിക്കുന്ന ആളുകള്‍ ഗംഗയെ ഒരിക്കലും ആരാധിക്കാറില്ല.

as you become old even your body becomes a burden

 

मा तात साहसं कार्षीर्विभवैर्गर्वमागतः।

स्वगात्राण्यपि भाराय भवन्ति हि विपर्यये॥

शार्ङ्गधर पद्धति

mā tāta sāhasaṁ kārṣīrvibhavairgarvamāgataḥ|

svagātrāṇyapi bhārāya bhavanti hi viparyaye||

sharngadhara paddati

Dear child, do not try to be overly adventurous and showy. Do not try to flaunt your physical and material advantages. Do not get arrogant when resources and wealth is continuing to flow in your direction and you are accumulating a lot of wealth like fat in the body. Remember. When you get old and infirm, even your own body would become a burden for you.

speak only things, which are just and truthful

 

सभा वा न प्रवेष्टव्या वक्तव्यं वा समञ्जसम्।

अब्रुवन्विब्रुवन् वापि नरो भवति किल्बिषी॥

नारद स्मृति

sabhā vā na praveṣṭavyā vaktavyaṁ vā samañjasam|

abruvanvibruvan vāpi naro bhavati kilbiṣī||

naradasmriti

A person should not attend a public assembly without properly comprehending his functions and duties. When he speaks in an assembly, he should speak only things, which are just and truthful. If he cannot stand up and speak right things, then he should not enter an assembly at all.

A person participating in an assembly, if he fails to stand up and talk about what people expect of him or if he presents untruths, or talks improperly, then he would become a sinner.

is there any person in the universe having greater qualities than you, Krishna?

 

त्वां निर्गुणं नाम वदन्तु वेदाः

कुत्राऽपि को वा गुणवत्तरस्त्वत्।

अहो गुणं पातकितारणं तं

हरे त्वदन्यो धरते भवे कः॥

कृष्णभक्तिरसामृते॥

tvāṁ nirguṇaṁ nāma vadantu vedāḥ

kutrā'pi ko vā guṇavattarastvat|

aho guṇaṁ pātakitāraṇaṁ taṁ

hare tvadanyo dharate bhave kaḥ||

kṛṣṇabhaktirassamṛte||

Agreed, Krishna, the Vedas are calling you the Supreme one without any attributes or qualities. However, in reality is there any person in the universe having greater qualities than you, Krishna?

Indeed, your greatest guna or good quality is your capacity and eagerness to permit even the greatest sinners to sail through this difficult journey of worldly woes and provide them Moksha or emancipation. Hari, who else other than you possess that quality,? You the one without any qualities and attributes? Funny!

त्वां you निर्गुणं without qualities, without attributes नाम as, assuming, वेदा vedas वदन्तु let them say वस्तुतः actually त्वत् greater than you गुणवत्तरः possessed of supreme attributes, qualities कुत्र where कःwho वा too अस्ति is there

अहो strange, great it is  हरे oh Hari  पातकितारणं leading sinners to  protected emancipation इति  thus तं गुणं that attributed  त्वदन्यः other than you  कः who  अस्मिन् in this  भवे universe, world, world of woes   धरते  possess

the response by different persons to the same sort of experience is not same

 

Experience, is never gained by a person in absolute terms.

Each experience would be nice or galling to a person according to what training he directly or indirectly trained to or even the type of indoctrination he got.

For example, in some societies, a parent takes pride on and enjoys the painful experience suffered for the sake of an offspring.

The experience is actually painful in a physical sense, but exhilarating to the person who suffers.

This happens in self-torture, fasting, etc in religious rites and in so many social situations. Therefore the response by different persons to the same sort of experience need not be and usually will not be same.

revere these holy entities

 

गुरुं गां दैवतं तीर्थं घृतं मधु चतुष्पदं।

प्रदक्षिणं प्रकुर्वीत प्रज्ञातांश्च वनस्पतीन्॥ मनुस्मृति याज्ञवल्क्य स्मृति

guruaṁ gāṁ daivataṁ tīrthaṁ ghṛtaṁ madhu catuṣpadaṁ|

pradakṣiṇaṁ prakurvīta prajñātāṁśca vanaspatīn ||

This is an old slokam-one of the many indicating the code of conduct as per the traditions of our country.

A person who wishes the welfare of himself and all around him, should always move with utmost respect and do circumambulation (प्रदक्षिणं) when he in the presence of

1. Guru.. the preceptor

2.The Cow

3. Gods and deities ( in whatever form)

4. Hloy waters... teertham

5. Ghee ( because it is the source of health and is a primary ingredient for yajnas)

6. Honey ( reason as above)

7. The four-legged domestic animials

8. The revered trees of the forest ( may include even the herbs and other plants)

Pradakshinam is the show of ultimate reverence and of great discipline and self control in the presence of the most Venerated things.. And the inclusion of the products of nature in their pristine purity in the list of things to be respected would indicate the wisdom possessed by our ancestors.. Now we are setting up Green groups etc.. after the damage has already been done..

death comes only at appointed hour

नाकाले म्रियते जन्तुर्विद्धः शरशतैरपि।

कुशकण्टकविद्धोऽपि प्राप्तकालो न जीवति॥

घटकर्पर

nākāle mriyate janturviddhaḥ śaraśatairapi|

kuśakaṇṭakaviddho'pi prāptakālo na jīvati||

ghaṭakarpara

If the time for death has not come a fellow will not die even if he is hit by hundred arrows. However if his time for departure has come he will not survive even the hit of a tiny piece of grass.

HAPPY PONGAL

HAPPY PONGAL

Makaram or Thai dawns with Utharayanam or the start of northward journey of the Lord of Planets.. the Sun

It is the dawning of Hope.. the day is the harbinger of Hope..

and Hope alone sustains us...

Bheeshma Pitamaha waited in his bed of arrows expecting communion with the Supreme Being at this moment years ago.

May that Krishna visit all of us and fulfill our Hopes too on that day

Happy Pongal..

Happy Makar Sankranti..

I do not really know in what all names this great event is celebrated across the sub continent.

But I am sure the it is a gala occasion all over India.

So greetings to all my fellow Indians and to all those who celebrate this festival of the farmer, the festival of nature.. anywhere ..

may Krishna's sweet grace reach all of us on this occasion..

Pranms.. and Prayers

k v ananthanarayanan

each departure leave us helpless.

आयुर्धनं यौवनं च स्पर्द्धयेव परस्परम्।

सत्वरं गत्वराण्येव संसारेऽस्मिन् शरीरिणाम्॥

āyurdhanaṁ yauvanaṁ ca sparddhayeva parasparam|

ssatvaraṁ gatvarāṇyeva saṁsāre'smin śarīriṇām||

Our longevity, the money we possess and our state of being young and energetic, all these three appear to be engaged in a state of mutual competition in running away from us leaving us high and dry. This is the fate of all of us living beings.

Yes, we do not have any clue as to when we would take our last breath. The money we have can disappear soon, either spent by us, stolen, looted pilfered or what not. And no amount of make up is going to keep us young for more than a few years. All the three are eager to bid good byes to us. And each departure leave us helpless.

(From the bood Dharmopadesha Samgraha.. a Jaina Text )

ആയുര്‍ധനം യൗവനം ച സ്പര്‍ദ്ധയേവ പരസ്പരം|സത്വരം ഗത്വരാണ്യേവ സംസാരേഽസ്മിന്‍ ശരീരിണാം||

നമ്മുടെ ആയുസ്സ് അതായത് ജീവിത ദൈര്‍ഘ്യം, നമ്മുടെ സമ്പാദ്യവും സ്വത്തുക്കളും, പിന്നെ നമ്മുടെ ചെറുപ്പവും ആരോഗ്യവും. ഈ മൂന്നു കാര്യങ്ങളും നമ്മില്‍ നിന്ന് ഓടി അകലാന്‍ പരസ്പരം ഉഗ്രമായ ഒരു മത്സരം തന്നെ എപ്പോഴും നടത്തിക്കൊണ്ടിരിക്കുകയാണ് എന്ന് തോന്നുന്നു. ഓരോന്നും എത്രയും വേഗം നമ്മെ നിസ്സഹായതയില്‍ ഉപേക്ഷിച്ചു പലായനം ചെയ്യുന്ന കാര്യത്തില്‍ സദാ ജാഗരൂകരാണ്. ജീവനുള്ള എല്ലാ ആളുകളുടെയും വിധിയാണ് ഇത്.

നമ്മുടെ അവസാന ശ്വാസം ഏതു നിമിഷത്തില്‍ ആയിരിക്കും എന്ന കാര്യത്തില്‍ നമുക്ക് ഒരു ഉറപ്പും ഇല്ല. കഷ്ടപ്പെട്ട് സ്വരൂപിച്ചു വച്ചിരിക്കുന്ന പണവും സ്വത്തുവഹകളും എല്ലാം നിമിഷങ്ങള്‍ക്കകം നഷ്ടപ്പെട്ടു പോവാം. ഇത്തരം നഷ്ടങ്ങള്‍ ചിലവു മൂലമോ, കളവു മൂലമോ മറ്റുള്ളവരുടെ ഊറ്റിയെടുക്കല്‍ മൂലമോ ഒക്കെ ആവാം. പിന്നെ എത്രയൊക്കെ അലങ്കാരവും ചമയവും ചായം പൂശലും ഒക്കെ പ്രയോഗിച്ചാലും എത്ര രസായനങ്ങള്‍ സേവിച്ചാലും കൈവിരലില്‍ എണ്ണാവുന്ന വര്‍ഷങ്ങള്‍ മാത്രമേ നമ്മുടെ ചെറുപ്പം, യൌവനം എന്നിവ നിലനില്‍ക്കുകയുള്ളൂ. ചെറുപ്പം, പണം, ആയുസ്സ് ഈ മൂന്ന് പേരും നമുക്ക് സലാം നല്‍കി പെട്ടെന്ന് പിരിഞ്ഞു പോകുവാന്‍ ഓരോ നിമിഷവും കാത്തിരിക്കുകയാണ്. ഓരോന്നും വിട്ടു പിരിയുമ്പോള്‍ അത് നമ്മെ വീണ്ടും വീണ്ടും നിസ്സഹായതയുടെ കയങ്ങളിലേയ്ക്ക് വലിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് പോവുകയാണ്.

(ധര്‍മ്മോപദേശ സംഗ്രഹം എന്ന ജൈന ഗ്രന്ഥത്തില്‍ നിന്ന്)