May Krishna bless us on the new year,

                                    

यच्च किञ्चित् जगत् सर्वं दृश्यते श्रूयतेऽपि वा
अन्तर्बहिश्च तत्सर्वं व्याप्य नारायणः स्थितः
yacca kiñcit jagat sarvaṁ dṛśyate śrūyate'pi vā
antarbahiśca tatsarvaṁ vyāpya nārāyaṇaḥ sthitaḥ
 യച്ച കിഞ്ചിത് ജഗത് സര്‍വം  ദൃശ്യതെ  ശ്രൂയതെപി വാ
അന്തര്‍ബഹിശ്ച  തത്സര്‍വം വ്യാപ്യ നാരായണ  സ്ഥിത
which can be,whatever is there in the whole universe  seen or heard or even beyond it  is pervaded in and out  by Narayana, my Darling Krishna,  May that nomad who traverses the time with a flute in his lip enchanting  the millions who lived in the past, those of us who are alive and those who will be born in the time-line,  bless the moment of the birth of this new year and fill our lives with light

कृष्णार्पणं
kṛṣṇārpaṇaṁ
Let this new year be dedicated to Krishna

--

frog and its well

द्वाविमौ ग्रसते भूमिः सर्पो बिलशयानिव।
अरक्षितारं राजानं  ब्राह्मणम् चाप्रवासिनं॥
विदुरनीत्यां
dvāvimau grasate bhūmiḥ sarpo bilaśayāniva|
arakṣitāraṁ rājānaṁ  brāhmaṇam cāpravāsinaṁ ||
viduranītyāṁ

A king who fails to protect his subjects and a man of knowledge who is not inclined to travel far and wide to spread his knowledge would be swallowed by the earth unceremoniously  just as a serpent  enters the hideouts of creatures like rats and gobbles them up.

The king (government which) who is not capable of protecting his(its)  people is only a liability for himself(itself) and others and goes into oblivion sooner or later.  Similarly knowledge has any virtue only if it is handed out to others all over the world.  It is not rare to see people who read a lot, learn a lot but just confine themselves to their own isolated circle.  They will also pass into oblivion.  We hear of the Koopa mandookam...the frog which thinks that the well in which it resides is the universe.  Travel is the best way to spread knowledge (of course it is also the best means to acquire knowledge)

ദ്വാമിവൌ ഗ്രസതേ ഭൂമി സര്‍പോ ബിലശയാനിവ

അരക്ഷിതാരം രാജാനം  ബ്രാഹ്മണം ച  അപ്രവാസിനം

വിദുരനീതി

--

സ്വന്തം പ്രജകളെ രക്ഷിക്കാന്‍ കഴിവില്ലാത്ത രാജാവിനേയും  ഭാരണാധികാരിയെയും ദേശങ്ങള്‍ തോറും  സഞ്ചരിച്ചു സ്വന്തം ജ്ഞാനവും അറിവും എല്ലാവര്‍ക്കും പകര്‍ന്നുകൊടുക്കാന്‍ മനസ്സില്ലാത്ത  പണ്ഡിതനേയും വലിയ ആഡംബരം ഒന്നുമില്ലാതെ ഭൂമി വിഴുങ്ങിക്കളയും..  ഒരു പാമ്പ്  മാളത്തില്‍ ഒളിച്ചിരിക്കുന്ന എലിയെപ്പോലുള്ള  ക്ഷുദ്രജീവികളെ  തിരഞ്ഞു തിരഞ്ഞുചെന്നു  ശാപ്പിടുന്നത് പോലെ.

ജനങ്ങള്‍ക്ക്‌ സംരക്ഷണം കൊടുക്കാന്‍  കെല്‍പ്പില്ലാത്ത  രാജാവും സര്‍ക്കാരും  നാട്ടിനും തങ്ങള്‍ക്കു തന്നെയും തീരാത്ത ബാധ്യതയാണ്.   അവര്‍ ഒട്ടും വൈകാതെ കാലത്തിന്റെ ചവറ്റുകുട്ടയില്‍  സ്ഥാനം നേടും.
അപ്രകാരം തന്നെ  ഒരാള്‍ക്ക്‌ അറിവുണ്ടെങ്കില്‍ അത് മറ്റുള്ളവര്‍ക്ക് പകര്‍ന്നു കൊടുക്കുന്നില്ലെങ്കില്‍ ആ അറിവ് കൊണ്ട് ആര്‍ക്കാണ് പ്രയോജനം?.
ഒരുപാടു മനുഷ്യര്‍  ധാരാളം വായിക്കുകയും പഠിക്കുകയും  വിഷയങ്ങളില്‍ അവഗാഹം നേടുകയും ഒക്കെ ചെയ്ത ശേഷം  തങ്ങളുടെ  ശുഷ്കമായ  വൃത്തങ്ങളില്‍ ഒതുങ്ങിക്കൂടാറുണ്ട്.  അവര്‍  തമസ്കരിക്കപ്പെടും എന്നതില്‍ സംശയമില്ല. 
കൂപമണ്ഡൂകങ്ങള്‍  അതായത് കിണറ്റിലെ തവളകള്‍ എന്ന് ഇതുപോലുള്ളവരെക്കുറിച്ചു   ആളുകള്‍ പറയാറുണ്ട്‌. ഇതുകൂടാതെ  ജ്ഞാനം നേടാനും  അറിവ് പ്രചരിപ്പിക്കാനും ഏറ്റവും അനുയോജ്യമായ വഴി   ദീര്‍ഘ യാത്രകള്‍ ആണ് എന്ന് പ്രത്യേകം പറയേണ്ടതില്ല.

Re: whom not to follow

My dear Avinas,the scenario and the bckground of the viduraniiti yakshaprsna etc were discussed on  earlier occasions when the epoch was first introduced.  In fact if you go back to some earlier slokas you would see it. and the whole thing is published in my blogspot  kanfusion.blogspot.com    and as and when I complete about 50 despatched I prepare a sort of  compendium and I have till now forwarded to all at least 4 volumes.
  Vidura niiti discourses occurred in Mahabharatham when  Dhritharastra the king was in absolute dilemma.  His eldest son along with his 99 brothers was doing injustice to his cousins Pandavas.. Dhristarashtra is torn between blind ( literally) love for Duryodhana which made his support him but the sense of propriety and a tormenting conscience  made him uneasy and sleepless . It was in this background that the Kings halfbrother and one of the most learned political scientists of the period vidura was summoned and asked to give his advice on what was right , what was wrong, what was expedient, what are the dos and donts for  a righteous regime etc. Viduras treatise encompasses and covers indivdulal virtues and vices and proceeds to expound the rajadharam.   In fact  the doubts on the dharmic queries are not entirely cleared by vidura  and next comes theSanal sujaatheeyam, where the great saint of name sanalsujatha is invited to render advise to Dhritaraastra.  These two treatises and Anugeetha which is a discussion between the blessed Lord and Arjuna at a later period from the war, which is a recap of the Celebrated Bhagavat Gita  and the Gita itself are considered to  be the expostulation of human wisdom and the essence of sanity and probity  passed on to generations to come.  Many works of Chanakya, Bharthruhari  Manu, ...the list is long  are all based on the incomparable framework provided by Mahabharatham.

2010/12/25 Avinash Kashyap <avi.kash@gmail.com>

Hi Uncle,

For some of these nithis, especially from the Mahabharata, it would be nice if you could include the context also. i.e. When, where and why did Vidura give this piece of wisdom. That will be an interesting piece of information.

Thanks
Avinash

2010/12/22 Ananthanarayanan Vaidyanathan <kvananthanarayanan@gmail.com>

अशिक्ष्यं शास्ति यो राजन् यश्च शून्यमुपासते।
कदर्यं भजते यश्च तमाहुर्मूढचेतसं॥
विदुरनीति  महभारते उद्योगपर्वणि प्रजागरण पर्वनि  अद्या--३३ श्लो--३८
aśikṣyaṁ śāsti yo rājan yaśca śūnyamupāsate|
kadaryaṁ bhajathe yasca tamāhurmūḍhacetasaṁ||
viduranīti  mahabhārathe udyogaparvaṇi prajāgaraṇa parvani  adyā--33 ślo--38

Vidura's another gem of advice to the King...
He is an idiot of the first order,

                                                                who

(1) tries to punish someone who does not deserve punishment,  (2) who pays obeisance to an even greater idiot,

                   (3)  who waits on the doors of a miser of the class of  shylock or scrooge,                                                 waiting for financial favours.

വിദുരനീതിയില്‍ പറയുന്നു-   ശിക്ഷാര്‍ഹാനല്ലാത്തവനെ  ശിക്ഷിക്കുന്നവരും,  മണ്ടശിരോമണികളെ ആദരിക്കുന്നവരും  പിശുക്കന്റെ  മുന്നില്‍ യാചിക്കുന്നവരും  വിഡ്ഢികളിലും വച്ചു  ഏറ്റം വിഡ്ഢികളാണ്

--

-

* 'Who hath dared to wound thee?' cried the Giant; 'tell me, that I may take

my big sword and slay him.' *

*     'Nay!' answered the child; 'but these are the wounds of Love.' *

*     'Who art thou?' said the Giant, and a strange awe fell on him, and he
knelt before the little child. *

*     And the child smiled on the Giant, and said to him, 'You let me play
once in your garden, to-day you shall come with me to my garden, which is
Paradise.' *
*     And when the children ran in that afternoon, they found the Giant
lying dead under the tree, all covered with white blossoms. *
*

from oscar wildes   selfish giant  *

--
*।श्रीकृष्णो रक्षतु।*
|śrīkṛṣṇo rakṣatu|
Have a nice and happy day
*with profound respect and warm regards*
K V Ananthanarayanan
(kanfusion)
blog   http://kanfusion.blogspot.com/
*त्यजन्तु बान्धवाः सर्वे निन्दन्तु गुरवो जनाःI*
*तदापि परमानन्दो गोविन्दो मम जीवनंII*
let all my relatives abandon me, let the great people insult me, still I am
in supreme bliss since my life  is GOVINDA alone.
Iकृष्णात् परं किमपि तत्वं अहं न जाने"I
*लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु।*
lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu|

--

।श्रीकृष्णो रक्षतु।
|śrīkṛṣṇo rakṣatu|
Have a nice and happy day
with profound respect and warm regards
K V Ananthanarayanan
(kanfusion)
blog   http://kanfusion.blogspot.com/
त्यजन्तु बान्धवाः सर्वे निन्दन्तु गुरवो जनाःI
तदापि परमानन्दो गोविन्दो मम जीवनंII
let all my relatives abandon me, let the great people insult me, still I am in supreme bliss since my life  is GOVINDA alone.
Iकृष्णात् परं किमपि तत्वं अहं न जाने"I
लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु।
lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu|

the selfish giant

The Selfish Giant

Note: Oscar Wilde intended this story to be read to children

Every afternoon, as they were coming from school, the children used to go and play in the Giant's garden.
     It was a large lovely garden, with soft green grass. Here and there over the grass stood beautiful flowers like stars, and there were twelve peach-trees that in the spring-time broke out into delicate blossoms of pink and pearl, and in the autumn bore rich fruit. The birds sat on the trees and sang so sweetly that the children used to stop their games in order to listen to them. 'How happy we are here!' they cried to each other.
     One day the Giant came back. He had been to visit his friend the Cornish ogre, and had stayed with him for seven years. After the seven years were over he had said all that he had to say, for his conversation was limited, and he determined to return to his own castle. When he arrived he saw the children playing in the garden.
     'What are you doing here?' he cried in a very gruff voice, and the children ran away.
     'My own garden is my own garden,' said the Giant; 'any one can understand that, and I will allow nobody to play in it but myself.' So he built a high wall all round it, and put up a notice-board.

TRESPASSERS
WILL BE
PROSECUTED

     He was a very selfish Giant.
     The poor children had now nowhere to play. They tried to play on the road, but the road was very dusty and full of hard stones, and they did not like it. They used to wander round the high wall when their lessons were over, and talk about the beautiful garden inside.
     'How happy we were there,' they said to each other.

<  2  >

     Then the Spring came, and all over the country there were little blossoms and little birds. Only in the garden of the Selfish Giant it was still Winter. The birds did not care to sing in it as there were no children, and the trees forgot to blossom. Once a beautiful flower put its head out from the grass, but when it saw the notice-board it was so sorry for the children that it slipped back into the ground again, and went off to sleep. The only people who were pleased were the Snow and the Frost. 'Spring has forgotten this garden,' they cried, 'so we will live here all the year round.' The Snow covered up the grass with her great white cloak, and the Frost painted all the trees silver. Then they invited the North Wind to stay with them, and he came. He was wrapped in furs, and he roared all day about the garden, and blew the chimney-pots down. 'This is a delightful spot,' he said, 'we must ask the Hail on a visit.' So the Hail came. Every day for three hours he rattled on the roof of the castle till he broke most of the slates, and then he ran round and round the garden as fast as he could go. He was dressed in grey, and his breath was like ice.
     'I cannot understand why the Spring is so late in coming,' said the Selfish Giant, as he sat at the window and looked out at his cold white garden; 'I hope there will be a change in the weather.'
     But the Spring never came, nor the Summer. The Autumn gave golden fruit to every garden, but to the Giant's garden she gave none. 'He is too selfish,' she said. So it was always Winter there, and the North Wind, and the Hail, and the Frost, and the Snow danced about through the trees.
     One morning the Giant was lying awake in bed when he heard some lovely music. It sounded so sweet to his ears that he thought it must be the King's musicians passing by. It was really only a little linnet singing outside his window, but it was so long since he had heard a bird sing in his garden that it seemed to him to be the most beautiful music in the world. Then the Hail stopped dancing over his head, and the North Wind ceased roaring, and a delicious perfume came to him through the open casement. 'I believe the Spring has come at last,' said the Giant; and he jumped out of bed and looked out.

<  3  >

     What did he see?
     He saw a most wonderful sight. Through a little hole in the wall the children had crept in, and they were sitting in the branches of the trees. In every tree that he could see there was a little child. And the trees were so glad to have the children back again that they had covered themselves with blossoms, and were waving their arms gently above the children's heads. The birds were flying about and twittering with delight, and the flowers were looking up through the green grass and laughing. It was a lovely scene, only in one corner it was still Winter. It was the farthest corner of the garden, and in it was standing a little boy. He was so small that he could not reach up to the branches of the tree, and he was wandering all round it, crying bitterly. The poor tree was still quite covered with frost and snow, and the North Wind was blowing and roaring above it. 'Climb up! little boy,' said the Tree, and it bent its branches down as low as it could; but the little boy was too tiny.
     And the Giant's heart melted as he looked out. 'How selfish I have been!' he said; 'now I know why the Spring would not come here. I will put that poor little boy on the top of the tree, and then I will knock down the wall, and my garden shall be the children's playground for ever and ever.' He was really very sorry for what he had done.
     So he crept downstairs and opened the front door quite softly, and went out into the garden. But when the children saw him they were so frightened that they all ran away, and the garden became Winter again. Only the little boy did not run, for his eyes were so full of tears that he died not see the Giant coming. And the Giant stole up behind him and took him gently in his hand, and put him up into the tree. And the tree broke at once into blossom, and the birds came and sang on it, and the little boy stretched out his two arms and flung them round the Giant's neck, and kissed him. And the other children, when they saw that the Giant was not wicked any longer, came running back, and with them came the Spring. 'It is your garden now, little children,' said the Giant, and he took a great axe and knocked down the wall. And when the people were gong to market at twelve o'clock they found the Giant playing with the children in the most beautiful garden they had ever seen.

<  4  >

     All day long they played, and in the evening they came to the Giant to bid him good-bye.
     'But where is your little companion?' he said: 'the boy I put into the tree.' The Giant loved him the best because he had kissed him.
     'We don't know,' answered the children; 'he has gone away.'
     'You must tell him to be sure and come here to-morrow,' said the Giant. But the children said that they did not know where he lived, and had never seen him before; and the Giant felt very sad.
     Every afternoon, when school was over, the children came and played with the Giant. But the little boy whom the Giant loved was never seen again. The Giant was very kind to all the children, yet he longed for his first little friend, and often spoke of him. 'How I would like to see him!' he used to say.
     Years went over, and the Giant grew very old and feeble. He could not play about any more, so he sat in a huge armchair, and watched the children at their games, and admired his garden. 'I have many beautiful flowers,' he said; 'but the children are the most beautiful flowers of all.'
     One winter morning he looked out of his window as he was dressing. He did not hate the Winter now, for he knew that it was merely the Spring asleep, and that the flowers were resting.
     Suddenly he rubbed his eyes in wonder, and looked and looked. It certainly was a marvellous sight. In the farthest corner of the garden was a tree quite covered with lovely white blossoms. Its branches were all golden, and silver fruit hung down from them, and underneath it stood the little boy he had loved.
     Downstairs ran the Giant in great joy, and out into the garden. He hastened across the grass, and came near to the child. And when he came quite close his face grew red with anger, and he said, 'Who hath dared to wound thee?' For on the palms of the child's hands were the prints of two nails, and the prints of two nails were on the little feet.

<  5  >

     'Who hath dared to wound thee?' cried the Giant; 'tell me, that I may take my big sword and slay him.'

     'Nay!' answered the child; 'but these are the wounds of Love.'

     'Who art thou?' said the Giant, and a strange awe fell on him, and he knelt before the little child.

     And the child smiled on the Giant, and said to him, 'You let me play once in your garden, to-day you shall come with me to my garden, which is Paradise.'

     And when the children ran in that afternoon, they found the Giant lying dead under the tree, all covered with white blossoms.

whom not to follow

अशिक्ष्यं शास्ति यो राजन् यश्च शून्यमुपासते।
कदर्यं भजथे यस्च तमाहुर्मूढचेतसं॥
विदुरनीत्यां  महभारते उद्योगपर्वणि प्रजागरण पर्वणि  अद्या--३३ श्लो--३८
aśikṣyaṁ śāsti yo rājan yaśca śūnyamupāsate|
kadaryaṁ bhajathe yasca tamāhurmūḍhacetasaṁ||
viduranīti  mahabhārathe udyogaparvaṇi prajāgaraṇa parvani  adyā--33 ślo--38

Vidura's another gem of advice to the King Dhritarashtra ...
He is an idiot of the first order, 

(1)who   tries to punish someone who does not deserve punishment, 
 (2) who pays obeisance to an even greater idiot, 
(3)  who waits on the doors of a miser of the class of  Shylock *or Scrooge**, waiting for financial favours.

വിദുരനീതിയില്‍ പറയുന്നു-   ശിക്ഷാര്‍ഹാനല്ലാത്തവനെ  ശിക്ഷിക്കുന്നവരും,  മണ്ടശിരോമണികളെ ആദരിക്കുന്നവരും  പിശുക്കന്റെ  മുന്നില്‍ യാചിക്കുന്നവരും  വിഡ്ഢികളിലും വച്ചു  ഏറ്റം വിഡ്ഢികളാണ്
* Shylock  is the crafty moneylender in Shakespeares drama  Merchant of Venic
** Scrooge is the hardened miser of Charles Dickens in the story  A Christmas Carol.

--

RE: [Iyer123] नष्टो मोहः स्मृतिर्लब्धा त्वत्प्रसादात् मया अच्युत

Advaitham is nothing but getting close to HIM closer to HiM, closest to HIM  and becoming HIM.

Oh, what a wonderful experience it its!


Love and regards,
sperinkulam
                                                                              " Give a handful from your plenty to those deserving"

My Website : http://perinkulams.wordpress.com/

RE: [Iyer123] नष्टो मोहः स्मृतिर्लब्धा त्वत्प्रसादात् मया अच्युत

This is ADHVITHAM founded by the great Sankracharya.

one-word answers

यक्ष उवाच
किंस्विदेकपदं धर्म्यं  किंस्विदेकपदं यशः।
किंस्विदेकपदं स्वर्ग्यं  किंस्विदेकपदं सुखं॥
युधिष्ठिर उवाच
दाक्ष्यमेकपदं धर्म्यं दानमेकपदं यशः।
सत्यमेकपदं स्वर्ग्यं शीलमेकपदं सुखं॥
श्रीमहाभारथे आरण्यपर्वणि यक्षप्रश्नात्   २९७   श्लोकानि ५०   ५१
yakṣa uvāca
kiṁsvidekapadaṁ dharmyaṁ  kiṁsvidekapadaṁ yaśaḥ|
kiṁsvidekapadaṁ svargyaṁ  kiṁsvidekapadaṁ sukhaṁ||
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca
dākṣyamekapadaṁ dharmyaṁ dānamekapadaṁ yaśaḥ|
satyamekapadaṁ svargyaṁ śīlamekapadaṁ sukhaṁ||
śrīmahābhārathe āraṇyaparvaṇi yakṣapraśnāt   297   ślokāni 50   51

The yaksha asks yudishtira.. 1. which is the first or foremost attribute of dharma.
2. which is the first and foremost path to fame?
3. Which is the first and foremost route to heaven? ;and  
4. Which is the first and foremost source of welfare?
Yudhishtira answers  1.Being liberal and not rigid is the foremost attribute of dharma. 
2. Being lavish in gifts is the path to fame.
3.Absolute honesty is the route to heaven;  and
 4. unblemished and excellent character is the source of welfare.

The questions and answers are so crisp that no one could explain it more.

--

doubly distilled idiots

संसारयति कृत्यानि सर्वत्र विचिकित्सते।
चिरं करोति क्षिप्रार्थे स मूढो भरतर्षभ॥
श्री महाभरते उद्योगपर्वणि प्रजागरण 
पर्वणि
 विदुरनीत्यां  अ ३३---श्लो ३४
saṁsārayati kṛtyāni sarvatra vicikitsate|
ciraṁ karoti kṣiprārthe sa mūḍho bharatarṣabha||
srī mahābharate udyogaparvaṇi prajāgaraṇa parvaṇi
 viduranītyāṁ  a 33---ślo 34
സംസാരയതി കൃത്യാനി സര്‍വത്ര വിചികര്ഷതെ
ചിരം കരോതി ക്ഷിപ്രാര്‍ത്തെ സ മൂഡോ ഭരതര്‍ഷഭ
വിദുരനീതി
Vidhura is addressing his elder brother and King,  Dhritaraashtra, the scion of the Bharatha race..
A person who divulges to others the details of confidential duties assigned to him, one who is doubtful and suspicious in every work and who will take years and  months to complete a work which can be  performed in a very short time,  he is called a worthless idiot.
I am all praise for  the farsightedness of Vidura in predicting the work culture of a government servant of some twenty five centuries later.  Vidura called the persons endowed with the qualities of loose tongue, unwanted suspicion and inveterate procrastination as worthless idiots.  But these are the admirable qualities we find in most of us who are in the payroll of the Government.. I do not know whether the work ethics of persons in private employment are better.

--

नष्टो मोहः स्मृतिर्लब्धा त्वत्प्रसादात् मया अच्युत

In the beginning it was a sham of sorts.  Wearing the holy ashes of pazhaniandavar, kalabham of guruvayurappan, kumkumam of mookambika and raksha prasadam from the ganapathihomam  mostly performed by myself.  May be the attempt was to impress others. I am not at all sure whether Krishna was anywhere near my heart..Just telling others that " May Krishna bless you" became a habit, even though an affected one.  But as days passed I started feeling that the black fellow--may be his colour is because of a black glue that simply sticks on you--just started like a special growth inside me.  Now a day has come when  nothing else other than that naughty boy can attract my attention for long. When I commit any perjury, I can easily quote the name of Krishna because he was the greatest thief.  If one is to be called mischievous sinner,  where else has he to go for the role model?  One may wonder whether he lived a life by example for don't dos.. But how sweet is His name, how beautiful his form must be, (no sculptor could ever reflect that beauty in stone, no one can carve or paint his form)  how  learned He is... He can be understood only by the heart.  One can only recall, नष्टो मोहः स्मृतिर्लब्धा त्वत्प्रसादात् मया अच्युत स्थितोस्मि गतसन्देहः करिष्ये वचनं तव  Nashto mohah smritirlabha twatprasaadaat mayaa achyutha... Sthitosmi gatasandehah  karishye vadanam tava... "my doubts are gone, my intellect is kindled by your Grace, Krishna, I will follow your orders"..to say this before the Lord himself, How fortunate was Arjuna..My  sham and supercilious acting is gone...Now for me Krishna is the only real business, the only reality...

--

नष्टो मोहः स्मृतिर्लब्धा त्वत्प्रसादात् मया अच्युत

In the beginning it was a sham of sorts.  Wearing the holy ashes of pazhaniandavar, kalabham of guruvayurappan, kumkumam of mookambika and raksha prasadam from the ganapathihomam  mostly performed by myself.  May be the attempt was to impress others. I am not at all sure whether Krishna was anywhere near my heart..Just telling others that " May Krishna bless you" became a habit, even though an affected one.  But as days passed I started feeling that the black fellow--may be his colour is because of a black glue that simply sticks on you--just started like a special growth inside me.  Now a day has come when  nothing else other than that naughty boy can attract my attention for long. When I commit any perjury, I can easily quote the name of Krishna because he was the greatest truth.  If one is to be called mischievous sinner,  where else has he to go for the role model?  One may wonder whether he lived a life by examples for don't dos.. But how sweet is His name, how beautiful his form must be, (no sculptor could ever reflect that beauty in stone, no one can carve or paint his form)  how  learned He is... He can only understood by the heart.  One can only recall, नष्टो मोहः स्मृतिर्लब्धा त्वत्प्रसादात् मया अच्युतस्थितोस्मि गतसन्देहः करिष्ये वचनं तव  Nashto mohah smritirlabha twatprasaadaat mayaa achyutha... Sthitosmi gatasandehah  karishye vadanam tava...to say this before the Lord himself, How fortunate was arjuna..My  sham and supercilious acting is gone...Now for me Krishna is the only real business, the only reality...

--

।श्रीकृष्णो रक्षतु।
|śrīkṛṣṇo rakṣatu|
Have a nice and happy day
with profound respect and warm regards
K V Ananthanarayanan
(kanfusion)
blog   http://kanfusion.blogspot.com/
त्यजन्तु बान्धवाः सर्वे निन्दन्तु गुरवो जनाःI
तदापि परमानन्दो गोविन्दो मम जीवनंII
let all my relatives abandon me, let the great people insult me, still I am in supreme bliss since my life  is GOVINDA alone.
Iकृष्णात् परं किमपि तत्वं अहं न जाने"I
लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु।
lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu|

if they don't have bread, let them eat cake

वासुदेव जरा कष्टं कष्टं धनविपर्ययः।
पुत्रशोकस्ततः कष्टं कष्टाद् कष्टतरं क्षुधा॥
महाभारतात्
vāsudeva jarā kaṣṭaṁ kaṣṭaṁ dhanaviparyayaḥ|
putraśokastataḥ kaṣṭaṁ kaṣṭād kaṣṭataraṁ kṣudhā||
mahābhāratāt

വാസുദേവ  ജരാ കഷ്ടം കഷ്ടം ധനവിപര്യയ:
പുത്രശോക : തത കഷ്ടം കഷ്ടാത് കഷ്ടതരം ക്ഷുധാ
മഹാഭാരതം
This is  from the coverstaion of an old man (Dhritharaasthra) with the blessed lord Krishna. 
" Advanced age is  a great difficulty.  Decline in wealth also makes one miserable. 
The loss of a son  or separation from him  is still more heartbreaking.
  But  the misery that tops all other miseries is hunger"
The pathetic truth contained herein would strike one like a thunderbolt.   One gets old and his physical and mental faculties get depleted.  In such a doddering condition usually the source of income also stops.(pensioners are slightly luckier).  This is the time when one is in need of the soothing hands of a son.  But alas,  this is the exact  time when the son grows up and becomes self-sure.. The youth can be lost in battles and other calamities or can leave one either in estrangement or in search of livelihood.
But the greatest suffering is when one is deprived of food.
Hunger was the cause of all major revolutions in human history. It was to feed the hungry that Draupadi got the boon of akshayapaatram from the sun-god.  It is for the same reason that the lord keeps everyone in his stomach.. when any food or water is offered to Daamodara the Krishna, it feeds every living being.   For the same reason the lion called Bharathi roared..த்னிமநிதனுக்கு உணவு இல்லையென்றால் உலகையே அளிததிடுவோம்    thanimanithanukku unavu illayendral ulagaye alithiduvom..

--

kill these four bedbugs

यक्ष उवाच
किं नु हित्वा प्रियो भवति किं नु हित्वा न शोचति।
किं नु हित्वाऽर्थवान् भवति किं नु हित्वा सुखी भवेत्॥
युधिष्ठिर उवाच
मानं हित्वा प्रियो भवति क्रोधम् हित्वा न शोचति।
कामं हित्वाऽर्थवान् भवति लोभम् हित्वा सुखी भवेत्॥
महभारते यक्षप्रश्ने  ५८--५९   २९७ सर्गं आरण्यकपर्वणि
yakṣa uvāca
kiṁ nu hitvā priyo bhavati kiṁ nu hitvā na śocati|
kiṁ nu hitvā'rthavān bhavati kiṁ nu hitvā sukhī bhavet||
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca
mānaṁ hitvā priyo bhavati krodham hitvā na śocati|
kāmaṁ hitvā'rthavān bhavati lobham hitvā sukhī bhavet||
mahabhārate yakṣapraśne  58--59   297 sargaṁ āraṇyakaparvaṇi

This is an interesting question-answer session between the Yaksha (who is fact is the Dharmaraaja) and yudhistira, the Dharmaputra.
The yaksha makes four queris 
1. abandoning what does one becomes the beloved of all?
2.abandoning what one is saved of all sorrows?
3. abandoning which one becomes the richest? and
4. abandoning which one becomes extremely comfortable?

The  equally wise son of that brilliant querist,  answers that:-
1.  if arrogance is abandoned, one becomes the darling of all, 
2. abstain from bouts  uncontrollable rage and one's sorrows also would be  packed off then.
3. steer clear of  lustfulness and one's wealth will remain with himself. 
and
4. put on tethers  avarice and eagerness to hoard everything for oneself and life becomes very calm and comfortable.

The questions and answers are classically lucid and no better comments can be ever made

--

a good wife holds the key

यक्ष उवाच
धर्ममर्थश्चकामश्च परस्पर विरोधिनः।
एषाम् नित्यविरुद्धानाम् कथमेकत्र सङ्गमः॥
युधिष्ठिर उवाच
यदा धर्मश्च भार्या च परस्परवशानुगौ।
तदा धर्मार्थकामानं त्रयाणामपि सङ्गमः॥
yakṣa uvāca
dharmamarthasca kāmasc paraspara virodhinaḥ|
eṣām nityviruddhānāṁ kathamekatra saṅgamaḥ||
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca
yadā dharmasca bhāryā ca parasparavaśānugau|
tadā dharmārthakāmānaṁ trayāṇāmapi saṅgamaḥ||

The above extract from the celebrated Yaksha Prasnam in Mahabharatham,   when during the sojourn in forest by the pandavas, Yudhistira got thirsty and asked  his younger brothers to fetch water, and the brothers from Sahadeva to Bhima,  went to a nearby  lake to bring water.  One by one they were challenged  by a bird to answer certain queries  and  warned them not to drink water without answering them .  All the four ignored  the bird's request and fell dead.  
Ultimately Yudhistira himself went to the lake and he realized that the bird was not an ordinary being but a Yaksha  incognito.  He respectfully started answering all the questions raised.  
The discussion has   emerged as  a worthy treatise on human  conduct.
The Yaksha is making a query..
.virtue, wealth and desire are three mutually conflicting factors in human life.
 In pursuing virtue on can face a situation where his wealth is depleted and his personal desires are challenged to their detriment too often.  

The poser here is how these three can be balanced to have a fulfilling  life.
Yudhishtira has a very sensible  answer. 

 The day to day  virtuous activities  of a man are mostly under the silent but active participation  of his wife. Besides the domestic finance cannot be managed without the genuine  support of a good wife..And for an honest man all his desires are fulfilled and enjoyed only by sharing such happiness with wife.  Thus if one man is fortunate to have  a discerning and  wise lady as his wife..there will be absolute control over the apparently conflicting interests.

Some of my friends queried as to whether there is any mention extolling the excellence of a wife in our scriptures, when I had quoted  from neetisaaram earlier,   where the danger of having bad wife was described . This is perhaps the answer to it through yaksha prasna.

--

nothing changes him

न हृष्यत्यात्मसम्माने नावमानेन तप्यते।
गाङ्गो ह्रद इवाक्षोभ्यो य पण्डित स उच्यते॥
 महाभारते उद्द्योग पर्वणि  विदुरनीत्यां  ३३   २६
na hṛṣyatyātmasammāne nāvamānena tapyate|
gāṅgo hrada ivākṣobhyo ya paṇḍita sa ucyate||
 mahābhārate uddyoga parvaṇi  viduranītyāṁ  33   26

ന ഹൃഷ്യത്യാത്മസമ്മാനെ നാവമാനേന തപ്യതെ
ഗാന്ഗോ ഹ്രദ ഇവാക്ഷോഭ്യോ യ പണ്ഡിത സ ഉച്യതേ
വിദുരനീതി
He alone is the man of true knowledge  who does not overly rejoice when accolades visit him in plenty and does not get dejected when insults are thrown at him in equal quantities.  He is like a deep lake formed in the estuaries of Ganges, which remains unaffected whether the river itself is in spate or it is facing a lean season.
Equanimity is a quality most extolled in our culture.  One can venture to draw a parallel in the Blessed Lord's decalaration in Gita..."dukheswanudwignamanaah...(2..56)  one who is not depressed by sorrows and one who is not elated at comfort,  he is called the man of stable mind and he is the sage."

--

।श्रीकृष्णो रक्षतु।
|śrīkṛṣṇo rakṣatu|
Have a nice and happy day
with profound respect and warm regards
K V Ananthanarayanan
(kanfusion)
blog   http://kanfusion.blogspot.com/
त्यजन्तु बान्धवाः सर्वे निन्दन्तु गुरवो जनाःI
तदापि परमानन्दो गोविन्दो मम जीवनंII
let all my relatives abandon me, let the great people insult me, still I am in supreme bliss since my life  is GOVINDA alone.
Iकृष्णात् परं किमपि तत्वं अहं न जाने"I
लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु।
lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu|

control begins at home

एकस्यैव हि योऽशक्तो मनसः सन्निबर्हणे।
महीं सागरपर्यन्तां स  कथं ह्यवजेष्यति॥
चाणक्यसूत्राद्
ekasyaiva hi yo'śakto manasaḥ sannibarhaṇe|
mahīṁ sāgaraparyantāṁ sa  kathaṁ hyavajeṣyati||
cāṇakyasūtrād
ഏകസ്യൈവ ഹി  യോ അശക്തോ മനസ: സന്നിബര്‍ഹണെ
മഹീം  സാഗരപര്യന്താം  സ കഥം ഹ്യവജെഷ്യതി
ചാണക്യന്‍
"सम्पातितात्मा जितात्मा भवति sampātitātmā jitātmā bhavati"  is the exact formula of Chankya.  The person who is in absolute control of himself and his inner faculties become the victor over the world.  By way of explanation,  the above  quote is given.   If a person is not able to have control over the mind is within himself , how is  he going to be capable of ruling the whole earth  which has only the oceans as her limits. 
The idea of a philosopher king  is canvassed here.  If we see our history and scriptures,  we could see that major downfalls, genocides and man-made calamities all had its source in the impulsive and immature mind of some ruler or leader or a coterie or junta of such immature persons.  It was for this reasons that proper education and discipline  were prescribed as a precondition for a person to be a king or a preceptor.  It was for the same reasons that ancient kings like Rama employed  ascetics  like Vasishta to guide and advise them in the matters of state.

--

।श्रीकृष्णो रक्षतु।
|śrīkṛṣṇo rakṣatu|
Have a nice and happy day
with profound respect and warm regards
K V Ananthanarayanan
(kanfusion)
blog   http://kanfusion.blogspot.com/
त्यजन्तु बान्धवाः सर्वे निन्दन्तु गुरवो जनाःI
तदापि परमानन्दो गोविन्दो मम जीवनंII
let all my relatives abandon me, let the great people insult me, still I am in supreme bliss since my life  is GOVINDA alone.
Iकृष्णात् परं किमपि तत्वं अहं न जाने"I
लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु।
lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu|

the happy husband

विवादशीलाम् स्वयमर्थचोरिणीं।
परानुकूलाम् पतिदोषभषिणीं॥
अग्राशनीमन्य गृहप्रवेशिनीं।
भार्यां त्यजेत् पुत्रदशप्रसूतिकां॥
नीतिसारं
vivādaśīlām svayamarthacoriṇīṁ|
parānukūlām patidoṣabhaṣiṇīṁ||
agrāśanīmanya gṛhapraveśinīṁ|
bhāryāṁ tyajet putradaśaprasūtikāṁ||
nītisāraṁ
വിവാദശീലാം സ്വയം അര്‍ത്ഥചോരിണീം
പരാനുകൂലാം പതിദോഷഭാഷിണീം
അഗ്രാശനാം അന്യ ഗൃഹപ്രവേശിനീം
ഭാര്യാം ത്യജേത് പുത്ര ദശ പ്രസൂതികാം
നീതിസാരം
One should give up his wife even if she had borne for  him ten boys, it  she is always argumentative, who is herself stealing the wealth of her own husband, who alwasy favours others and in vocal in publishing the foibles of the husband , who always eats to her hearts content, never waiting for the husband ,and who spends most of her times in gossip by visiting the homes of others.

It would be a funny coincidence that I found and quoted this sloka because 24 years ago it was on this day that I married my wife.  Though she did not give me ten sons, she gave my only son who is as good as ten.  But for minor error quotients, my wife has not indulged in any of the above happy pastimes and so our marriage progresses from strength to strength with passing time.
--

।श्रीकृष्णो रक्षतु।
|śrīkṛṣṇo rakṣatu|
Have a nice and happy day
with profound respect and warm regards
K V Ananthanarayanan
(kanfusion)
blog   http://kanfusion.blogspot.com/
त्यजन्तु बान्धवाः सर्वे निन्दन्तु गुरवो जनाःI
तदापि परमानन्दो गोविन्दो मम जीवनंII
let all my relatives abandon me, let the great people insult me, still I am in supreme bliss since my life  is GOVINDA alone.
Iकृष्णात् परं किमपि तत्वं अहं न जाने"I
लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु।
lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu|

a friend indeed

कराविव शरीरस्य नेत्रयोरिव पक्ष्मणि।
अविचार्य प्रियं कुर्यात् तन्मित्रं मित्रमुच्यते॥
चाणक्य सूत्राद्
karāviva śarīrasya netrayoriva pakṣmaṇi|
avicārya priyaṁ kuryāt tanmitraṁ mitramucyate||
cāṇakya sūtrād

He is the true friend who looks after our welfare without any hesitations or reservations, 
just like the hands go to the rescue of the body impulsively
 or the lashes protect the eyes by reflex.

It is very easy to be a friend when conditions are favourable and boasting of such friendship would yield  personal advantage. 
But when the fortunes of a person are on the decline most of the so-called  friends vanish  or excuse themselves.
However the hands do not hesitate even in spite of the possible damage to them if the body is facing some threat. 
So also the lashes do not have second thoughts  before protecting the eyeballs.

 It would be worthwhile to remember what Chanakya said elsewhere....|
"a relative worth his name  is one who keeps us company even when we are summoned by the king for some trial and punishment,
or one who is accompanying  us to the burial ground either when we are carrying the body of a very dear person, or are being  carried away to the burial ground."
the idea should apply for a  friend too

--\

rain in the ocean

अप्रगल्भस्य या विद्या कृपणस्य च यद्धनं।
यच्च बाहुबलं भीरोः व्यर्थमेतत् त्रयं भुवि॥
भोजप्रबन्धम्  बल्लालदेवस्य
apragalbhasya yā vidhyā kṛpaṇasya ca yaddhanaṁ|
yacca bāuhubalaṁ bhīroḥ vyarthametat trayṁ bhuvi||
bhojaprabandham  ballaladevasya



These three things are sheer waste in this world.  Knowledge for a person who is not capable of putting such knowledge to  appropriate use.  Wealth in the hands of a miser  and  excessive body strength possessed by a coward.
Mere knowledge which is not applied through proper action or by suitable propagation   will remain unseen and unnoticed and the scholar may live long to die in obscurity.  If someone has immense wealth and  he is always hesitant to spend even a penny,  the wealth will either get stolen or when he dies will go away to somebody and will get wasted freely.  Through heavy eating and with or without exercise one can possess immense physical strength.  But if the person is a mere coward with no strength of mind or  sense of purpose, such great power  will go completely waste.

അപ്രഗല്‍ഭസ്യ  യാ  വിദ്യാ കൃപണസ്യ ച യദ് ധനം
യച്ച ബാഹുബലം ഭീരോ: വ്യര്‍ത്ഥമേതത് ത്രയം ഭു‍വി
ഭോജപ്രബന്ധം

താഴെ പറയുന്ന മൂന്നു കാര്യങ്ങള്‍ തീരെ അപ്രസക്തങ്ങളും ഉപയോഗ ശൂന്യങ്ങളും ആണ്.  
പ്രയോജനമുള്ള കാര്യങ്ങള്‍ക്കായി ഉപയോഗിക്കാന്‍ കഴിയാത്ത  അറിവും വിദ്യാഭാസവും 
പിശുക്കന്‍റെ  കയ്യിലും നിയന്ത്രണത്തിലും ഉള്ള പണവും സ്വത്തും.

പേടിത്തൊണ്ടന്‍റെ തടിമിടുക്ക് 

പ്രവര്‍ത്തനത്തിന് ഉതകാത്ത അറിവ്, മറ്റുള്ളവര്‍ക്ക് പകര്‍ന്നു കൊടുക്കാത്ത അറിവ്,  ഒരാള്‍ക്ക് എത്രയധികം ഉണ്ടെങ്കിലും  അതെല്ലാം ആരാലും ശ്രദ്ധിക്കപ്പെടുകയില്ല.  ആ അറിവും ചുമന്നുകൊണ്ടു ആരാലും ശ്രദ്ധിക്കപ്പെടാതെ  അയാള്‍ തിരസ്കരിക്കപ്പെടും. 
പണം ധാരാളം ഉണ്ടെങ്കിലും ചില്ലിക്കാശു പോലുംസ്വയം ചിലവഴിക്കാനോ മറ്റുള്ളവര്‍ക്ക് കൊടുക്കാനോ മടിക്കുന്ന ആളുടെ  സ്വത്ത്  കൊള്ളയടിക്കപ്പെട്ടോ,  അല്ലെങ്കില്‍ അയാള്‍ മരിക്കുമ്പോള്‍  മറ്റു വല്ലവരുടെയും  കയ്യില്‍ അകപ്പെട്ടോ അശ്രദ്ധമായി നശിപ്പിക്കപ്പെടും. 

നല്ലവണ്ണം  ആഹാരം കഴിച്ചും  വ്യായാമം പരിശീലിച്ചോ അല്ലാതെയോ ഒരാള്‍ക്ക് സ്വന്തം ശരീരത്തിന്റെ  ഭാരവും ശക്തിയും എല്ലാം ഒത്തിരി  വര്‍ദ്ധിപ്പിക്കാന്‍ കഴിയും. പക്ഷെ  ആ തടിയന്  ഒരു വെല്ലുവിളിയും അഭിമുഖീകരിക്കുവാനുള്ള   മനക്കരുത്തോ   വിവേകമോ  ഇല്ലെങ്കില്‍  അയാളുടെ  വണ്ണം കൊണ്ട് എന്ത് നേടാനാണ്?

--

a mural

keep the cake and eat it too

फलं पापस्य नेच्छन्ति पापम् कुर्वन्ति यत्नतः।
फलं पुण्यस्य चेच्छन्ति पुण्यम् नेच्छन्ति मानवाः॥
चाणक्यसूत्राद्
phalaṁ pāpasya necchanti pāpam kurvanti yatnataḥ|
phalaṁ puṇyasya ceccanti puṇyam necchanti mānavāḥ||
cāṇakyasūtrād 
ഫലം പാപസ്യ  നേച് ഛന്തി പാപം കുര്‍വന്തി യത്നത:
ഫലം പുണ്യസ്യ ചേച്ഛ്ന്തി പുണ്യം നേച് ഛന്തി മാനവാ:
ചാണക്യന്‍

people commit sinful activities with great effort but they never want to face the consequence of such sins.
 They always expect the bounties of virtuous acts to be showered on them but they have no inclination to perform any virtuous action.


It is really a funny state of mind germane in all of us.   We would not hesitate to commit any sin if we can get away with it.
 But we are always expecting good fortune, blessedness  and peace ,
which are stemming from acts of virtue to visit us..
Funnier people among us also attempt to expiate their sins by visiting pilgrim centres or by handing out alms..in the hope that the sin  will disappear. 
We entertain the foolish  hope that slaughtering a cow can be compensated by free gift of leather shoes to  the so called holy men. 
 Is it not better not to eat too much and avoid problems in the tummy than to gobble up everything and getting the malady treated by a doctor?  

At the same time, if we are advised to be virtuous, the very idea will be scoffed.   

However, without being virtuous, if  we are offered  some shortcut to earn all the good results of such action, we will jump at the idea with all enthusiasm.  

We always want keep the cake to be intact and we want to eat it too.

--

Like king, like subjects. --

Like king, like subjects. -

राज्ञि धर्मिणि धर्मिष्ठाः पापे पापाः समे समाः।

राजानमनुवर्तन्ते यथा राजा तथा प्रजाः॥

॥चाणक्यसूत्राद्॥

rājñi dharmiṇi dharmiṣṭhāḥ pāpe pāpāḥ same samāḥ|

rājānamanuvartante yathā rājā tathā prajāḥ||

|chāṇakyasūtrād||

രാജ്ഞി ധര്മിണി ധര്മിഷ്ടാ: പാപേ പാപാ: സമേ സമാ:

രാജനമനുവര്‍ത്തന്തെ യഥാ രാജാ തഥാ പ്രജാ:

ചാണക്യന്‍

when the king (or the administration) is the upholder of virtue and uprightness, the subjects also will have the same qualities. 

When the administration is sinful, the country will be full with sinners. 

When the administration observes equanimity, the populace is also balanced. 

To sum up, the subjects adopt the king (or the administration) as role model for their conduct. 

Like king, like subjects.

The axiom yatha raaja thatha prajaa is often repeated... 

The source for this quote is the Master political scientist, Chanakya.

Decisions taken under the influence of anger can result only in self destruction

Decisions taken under the influence of anger can result only in self destruction

 

शिवमौपायिकं गरीयसीं फलनिष्पत्तिमदूषितायतीं।

विगणय्य नयन्ति पौरुषं विजितक्रोधरया जिगीषवः॥

भारवेः किरातार्जुनीयात् 2-35

śivamaupāyikam garīyasīṁ phalaniṣpattimadūṣitāyatīṁ|

vigaṇayya nayanti pauruṣam vijitakrodharayā jigīṣavaḥ||

bhāraveḥ kirātārjunīyāt

 

 

जिगीषवः who are desirous of success ( नृपाः rulers) विजितक्रोधरया the path in which anger is defeated गरीयसीं very thoughtful, heavy अदूषितायतीं path which is blemishless फलनिष्पत्तिं oriented at good results विगणय्य considering पौरुषं path of boldness शिवमौपायिकं strategic and yielding good result नयन्ति lead ॥

jigīṣavaḥ nṛpāḥ vijitakrodhrayā garīyasīṁ adūṣitāyatīṁ phalaniṣpattiṁ vigaṇayya pauruṣaṁ śivamaupāyikaṁ nayanti||

 

This is a very valuable quote from one of the five mahakavyaas of Sankrit, Kiraatarjuneeyam of Bharavi.The famous storyline for this sublime poetic creation is derived from the Indian Epic Mahabharatham,

 

While living in exile in forest the Pandavas. the irritating news that even after perpetrating so much injuries through deception and treachery, Duryodhana their enemy and his brothers and living in pomp and power .

Naturally, the younger brothers of the righteous king Yudhistira and the queen Draupadi and not able to conceal their anguish and . and they are raring for revenge.

But the words of wisdom come from the righteous King Dharmaputra.

He says,

Those whose aim in life is to attain success and prosperity,

the prosperity and success which are of ever lasting and strategic value ,

the prosperity and success whose value is perennial,

the prosperity and success which yield only positive benefits in great abundance,

the property and success which are earned through blemishless action

lead their heroic lives setting aside the tendency to act in thoughtless rage because such impulsive action under the influence of rage will destroy whatever advantages they already possess.

How true!

To attain and enjoy Royal eminence are really splendid. But to fulfill one's aims one has to think well before embarking on acrimonious actions. Decisions taken under the influence of anger can result only in self destruction

 

 

This is a very valuable quote from one of the five mahakavyaas of Sankrit, Kiraatarjuneeyam of Bharavi.The famous storyline for this sublime poetic creation is derived from the Indian Epic Mahabharatham,

 

ശിവം ഓപായികം ഗരീയസീം ഫലനിഷ്പത്തിം അദൂഷിതായതീം

വിഗണയ്യ നയന്തി പൌരുഷം വിജിതക്രോധരയാ ജിഗിഷവ;

കിരാതാര്‍ജുനീയം ഭാരവി

 

ഭാരവി എന്ന ധിഷണാധനനായ കവിവര്യന്‍ രചിച്ച,  സംസ്കൃത സാഹിത്യത്തിലെ പഞ്ചമഹാകാവ്യങ്ങളില്‍ ഒന്നായ കിരാതാര്‍ജുനീയത്തില്‍ നിന്നുള്ള  ഏറെ  അര്‍ത്ഥഗര്‍ഭമായ ഒരു ഉദ്ധരണി ആണിത്.
മഹാഭാരതത്തിലെ പാണ്ഡവരുടെ വനവാസത്തിന്നിടയ്ക്ക് സംഭവിക്കുന്ന കാര്യങ്ങളാണ് ഈ കാവ്യത്തിലെ പ്രതിപാദ്യ വിഷയം.
കൌരവന്മാരാല്‍  കള്ളച്ചൂതില്‍  പരാജിതരായി  രാജ്യവും സ്ഥാനമാനങ്ങളും എല്ലാം നഷ്ടപ്പെട്ടു   കാട്ടില്‍ വാസം ഉറപ്പിച്ച പാണ്ഡവന്മാരെ തേടിയെത്തുന്നത്   ഇപ്പോഴും ദുര്യോധനനും കൂട്ടരും  വളരെ ആര്‍ഭാടത്തോടും സംമൃദ്ധിയോടും  കൂടി ജീവിതം ആഘോഷിക്കുകയാണ് എന്ന വിവരമാണ്.  ജ്യേഷ്ടനും രാജാവും ആയ യുധിഷ്ടിരന്‍   ശാന്തനും  ഇരുത്തം വന്നവനും ആയ വ്യക്തിയാണ്.  അദ്ദേഹത്തിനു   വനവാസം കൊണ്ടൊന്നും വലിയ ദുഃഖം തോന്നുന്നില്ല.  പക്ഷെ  അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ നാല് അനിയന്മാരും മഹാരാണിയായ ദ്രൌപദിയും  ഏറെ അസ്വസ്ഥരാണ്.  അവര്‍ക്ക് തങ്ങളുടെ   വിഷമങ്ങളും  അസ്വാരസ്യങ്ങളും   സഹിക്കുവാനും  മറച്ചു വയ്ക്കുവാനും കഴിയുന്നില്ല.

അവര്‍ക്ക്  ഏതു വിധേനയും നഷ്ടപ്പെട്ട  ജീവിത സൌഖ്യം പെട്ടെന്ന് വീണ്ടെടുക്കണം എന്ന ആകാംക്ഷ്യയാണ്.  ഉടന്‍ ദുര്യോധനന്‍റെ ചതിക്ക് പ്രതികാരം ചെയ്യണം എന്ന കാര്യത്തില്‍ അവര്‍ ഒറ്റക്കെട്ടായി നില്‍ക്കുകയാണ്.

തിടുക്കപ്പെട്ടും  ധര്‍മ്മത്തില്‍ നിന്നും വ്യതിചലിച്ചും  ഒരു കാര്യവും ചെയ്യാന്‍ ഒരുങ്ങി പുറപ്പെടരുതെന്നു   ധര്‍മ്മപുത്രന്‍ അനിയന്മാരെയും ദ്രൗപതിയെയും ഓര്‍മ്മപ്പെടുത്തുന്ന അവസരത്തില്‍   അദ്ദേഹം പറയുന്ന വാക്കുകളായി  ഈ ശ്ലോകം കിരാതാര്‍ജുനീയത്തില്‍ പ്രത്യക്ഷപ്പെടുന്നു.

 

ധര്‍മ്മപുത്രന്‍ പറയുന്നു.

ജീവിതത്തില്‍ നന്മയും പുരോഗതിയും  സമൃദ്ധിയും കൈവരിക്കുവാന്‍ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നവര്‍,  അത്തരം  നേട്ടങ്ങള്‍  എന്നും നിലനില്‍ക്കുന്നവ ആവണമെന്ന്  ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നവര്‍,  അത്തരം മഹത്തായ നേട്ടങ്ങള്‍ നയപരവും എന്നും  കൈവിട്ടുപോകാത്തവയും ആണെന്ന് ഉറപ്പു വരുത്തുവാന്‍ ശ്രമിക്കുന്നവര്‍,   അത്തരം നേട്ടങ്ങള്‍  ഉന്നതങ്ങളും  അഭിമാനകരങ്ങളും ആയ മാര്‍ഗ്ഗങ്ങളിലൂടെയും  ഏറ്റവും അധികം   നല്ല ഫലങ്ങള്‍   നല്‍കുന്നവയും ആകണം എന്ന് നിശ്ചയിച്ചു ഉറപ്പിച്ചവര്‍, 

തങ്ങളുടെ ജീവിതചര്യ  ക്രമപ്പെടുത്തുന്നത്   തിടുക്കത്തിലും ആലോചിക്കാതെയും    കാര്യങ്ങള്‍ ചെയ്യുവാനുള്ള  പ്രവണത ഉപേക്ഷിച്ചും   ക്രോധത്തിനും  അസഹിഷ്ണുതയ്ക്കും  ഒരിക്കലും  വശംവദരാവാതെയും ആയിരിക്കും. എന്തെന്നാല്‍  ക്രോധവും അസഹിഷ്ണുതയും  നിറഞ്ഞ മനസ്സോടെ മുന്നോട്ടു പോകുന്നവര്‍  ഒരിക്കലും ജീവിതവിജയം കണ്ടെത്തില്ല. മാത്രമല്ല  കോപത്താല്‍ സ്വയം മറന്നു ചെയ്യുന്ന കാര്യങ്ങള്‍    ഒരാള്‍ക്ക്  ആ സമയം കൈമുതലായുള്ള നേട്ടങ്ങള്‍ പോലും ഇല്ലാതാക്കും.

എത്ര വലിയ സത്യമാണ്.

 

പദവിയും  സുഖസൌകര്യങ്ങളും നേടുന്നതും   രാജകീയ പ്രൌഡി തേടുന്നതും എല്ലാം നല്ലത് തന്നെ. പക്ഷെ  അതിന്നായി  യുദ്ധത്തിനും ആക്രമണത്തിനും ഒക്കെ ഇറങ്ങിപ്പുറപ്പെടുന്നതിനു മുമ്പ്  ഏറെ ചിന്തിക്കുകയും  യുക്തങ്ങളായ    പദ്ധതികള്‍ ആവിഷ്കരിക്കുകയും വേണം.  പെട്ടെന്നുള്ള ക്രോധം മൂലം  ഒന്നും ആലോചിക്കാതെ തിടുക്കപ്പെട്ടു ചെയ്യുന്ന കാര്യങ്ങള്‍    സ്വന്തം വിനാശത്തിന് വഴി ഒരുക്കിയേയ്ക്കും.  . 

inept counsel destroys all

एकं विषरसो हन्ति शस्त्रेणैकश्च वध्यते।
सराष्ट्रं सप्रजंहन्ति राजानं मन्त्रविस्रवः॥
विदुरनीतिः
ekaṁ viṣaraso hanti śastreṇaikaśca vadhyate|
sarāṣtraṁ saprajam hanti rājānaṁ mantravisravaḥ||
viduranītiḥ

ഏകം വിഷരസം ഹന്തി ശസ്ത്രേണ ഏകശ്ച വധ്യതെ
സരാഷ്ട്രം സപ്രജം ഹന്തി രാജാനം മന്ത്രവിസ്റവ:
വിദുരനീതി
a potion mixed with poison can kill a man (god, it should not be socrates everytime)  or a single arrow can be the cause of death for one person (again hopefully it is not always  abhimanyu)  but  bad counsel by ministers kills the king along with his nation and all his subjects.

Behind the ruin of every great person there would be a posse of advisers and yes men.  History has proved this beyond an iota of doubt.  But can you find an establishment without nasty advisors  be it a council of ministers for the state  to the headquarters officers or secretaries  for the administrative
heads in  lower but powerful hierarchy?.. The advisors will eat up the boss, the subordinate setup and in the process perish themselves.

--

Re: Experience has no substitute even in assembly

I have missed out a NOT  as suggested by Padma..Thank you.  My apologies to all the learned recipients. Please forgive me for this lapse, though very serious it is. 

On Sun, Nov 28, 2010 at 8:28 AM, Padma Ramachandran <padma.ramachandran@gmail.com> wrote:

An assembly for administration is inadequate if it is   not        represented by scholars wizened by age and experience.

i think you have missed out on  "NOT"

2010/11/28 Ananthanarayanan Vaidyanathan <kvananthanarayanan@gmail.com>

न सा सभा यत्र न सन्ति वृद्धाः
न ते वृद्धाः ये च न वदन्ति धर्मं।
नासौ धर्मो न यत्र सत्यमस्ति
न तद् सत्यं यच्छलेनाभ्युपेतं॥
चाणक्यसूत्राणि
na sā sabhā yatra na vṛddhāḥ
na te vṛddhāḥ ye ca na vadanti dharmaṁ|
nāsau dharmo na yatra satyamasti
na tad satyaṁ yacchalenābhyupetaṁ||
cāṇakyasūtrāṇi
ന സാ സഭാ യത്ര ന വൃദ്ധാ:
ന തേ വൃദ്ധാ: യെ ച ന വദന്തി ധര്‍മ്മം
ന അസവ്‌ ധര്‍മോ ന യത്ര സത്യമസ്തി
ന തദ്‌ സത്യം യത് ച്ഹലേന അഭ്യുപേതം
ചാണക്യന്‍

An assembly for administration is inadequate if it is not represented by scholars wizened by age and experience.   The elders who do not expound virtue cannot be treated as wise and grown up.   It is not to be treated as virtue if it is not  buttressed by truth.  And truth cannot be a  contraption with external brilliance  with contents  ridden by deception...meaning half-truths and ad-hoc truths are not to be given the status  of pure truth.

The political astuteness of the Master stands out here.  Human beings, however brilliant they are intellectually, however erudite they are, they can reach the apex of brilliance of thought and discretion onlly as they attain ripe age.  Experience has no substitute.   Consider the ages of our Presidents, Prime Ministers, Judges of the apex court and so on.  May be the exceptions are Shankara or Jesus.. But they are godheads with no age.
  Mere greying of hair does not make one an old gentleman.  We have seen many gerontocracies  in autocratic juntas. And politicians with nothing to their credit other  than the donkey years reaching the legislative fora are also not rare.   But the master prescribes advanced age only because with advancing age the knowledge and sense of virtue and detachment will get ripened. 
 And whatever may be the virtue of an action if that action is not based on truth, then it cannot be a virtue.  
And most important,  the truth mentioned here should be absolute and not what was propagated by Rasputins and Goebbels as also many of their contemporary avatars. 
--

--
Padma Ramachandran


The people who make a  difference in our lives are not the ones with the most credentials,the most money,or the most awards - They are the ones who care for you. Only those who care make a difference. To make a difference to others, care for them.

--

।श्रीकृष्णो रक्षतु।
|śrīkṛṣṇo rakṣatu|
Have a nice and happy day
with profound respect and warm regards
K V Ananthanarayanan
(kanfusion)
blog   http://kanfusion.blogspot.com/
त्यजन्तु बान्धवाः सर्वे निन्दन्तु गुरवो जनाःI
तदापि परमानन्दो गोविन्दो मम जीवनंII
let all my relatives abandon me, let the great people insult me, still I am in supreme bliss since my life  is GOVINDA alone.
Iकृष्णात् परं किमपि तत्वं अहं न जाने"I
लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु।
lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu|

Experience has no substitute even in assembly

न सा सभा यत्र न सन्ति वृद्धाः

न ते वृद्धाः ये च न वदन्ति धर्मं

नासौ धर्मो न यत्र सत्यमस्ति

न तद् सत्यं यच्छलेनाभ्युपेतं॥

चाणक्यसूत्राणि

na sā sabhā yatra na vṛddhāḥ

na te vṛddhāḥ ye ca na vadanti dharmaṁ|

nāsau dharmo na yatra satyamasti

na tad satyaṁ yacchalenābhyupetaṁ||

cāṇakyasūtrāṇi

An assembly for legislation or adjudication is inadequate if it is not represented by scholars wizened by age and experience.

The elders who do not expound virtue cannot be treated as wise and grown up.

It is not to be treated as virtue if it is not buttressed by truth.

And truth cannot be a contraption with external brilliance with contents ridden by deception...meaning half-truths and ad-hoc truths are not to be given the status of pure truth.

The political astuteness of the Master Chanakya stands out here.

Human beings, however brilliant they are intellectually, however erudite they are, they can reach the apex of brilliance of thought and discretion only as they attain ripe age. Experience has no substitute.

Consider the ages of our Presidents, Prime Ministers, Judges of the apex court and so on. May be the exceptions are Shankara or Jesus..

But they are godheads with no age.

Mere graying of hair does not make one an old gentleman.

We have seen many gerontocracies in autocratic juntas.

And politicians with nothing to their credit other than the donkey years reaching the legislative fora are also not rare.

But the master prescribes advanced age only because with advancing age the knowledge and sense of virtue and detachment will get ripened.

And whatever may be the virtue of an action if that action is not based on truth, then it cannot be a virtue.

And most important, the truth mentioned here should be absolute and not what was propagated by Rasputins and Goebbels as also many of their contemporary avatars.

ന സാ സഭാ യത്ര ന വൃദ്ധാ:

ന തേ വൃദ്ധാ: യേ ച ന വദന്തി ധര്‍മ്മം 

ന അസൌ ധര്‍മോ ന യത്ര സത്യമസ്തി 

ന തദ്‌ സത്യം യത്ച്ഛലേന അഭ്യുപേതം 

ചാണക്യന്‍ 

വയസുകൊണ്ടും ജ്ഞാനം കൊണ്ടും മുതിര്‍ന്നവരുടെ സാന്നിദ്ധ്യം ഇല്ലാത്ത ഒരു സഭ സഭ തന്നേയല്ല

ധര്‍മ്മവും ന്യായവും പറയാത്തവരെ വൃദ്ധര്‍ എന്ന് വിളിക്കുന്നതില്‍ അര്‍ത്ഥമില്ല 

സത്യസന്ധമായത് അല്ലാത്തതൊന്നും ധര്‍മ്മമാവില്ല 

പൊള്ളത്തരങ്ങളും കാപട്യവും കൊണ്ട് താങ്ങിനിര്‍ത്തുന്നതൊന്നും സത്യമാവില്ല

നിയമനിര്‍മ്മാണത്തിനും നിയമ പാലനത്തിനും ഉള്ള സഭകളില്‍ അറിവും പ്രവര്‍ത്തനപരിചയവും ഉള്ള മുതിര്‍ന്ന അംഗങ്ങള്‍ ഇല്ലെങ്കില്‍ ആ സഭ ഒരിക്കലും നല്ലവണ്ണം പ്രവര്‍ത്തിക്കില്ല. പക്വത ജീവിതത്തില്‍ കൈവന്നവരാണ് യഥാര്‍ത്ഥത്തില്‍ വൃദ്ധര്‍. സത്യത്തില്‍ ഉറച്ചുനിന്നുകൊണ്ടു പറയുന്ന അഭിപ്രായങ്ങള്‍ മാത്രമേ ധര്‍മ്മമാവുകയുള്ളൂ. ചതിയും വളച്ചൊടിച്ച വാക്കുകളും കൊണ്ടുള്ള പ്രയോഗങ്ങള്‍ ഒരിക്കലും സത്യം ആവുകയില്ല. കാര്യം നേടാന്‍ വേണ്ടിയുള്ള അര്‍ദ്ധസത്യങ്ങള്‍ ഒരിക്കലും സത്യങ്ങള്‍ ആവില്ല.

ചാണക്യന്‍റെ ധിഷണ ഇവിടെ അതിന്‍റെ പൂര്‍ണ്ണതയില്‍ പ്രകടമാവുന്നു

എത്ര അറിവും ബുദ്ധിയും ഉള്ള വ്യക്തികളാണ് എങ്കിലും അവര്‍ എത്രയധികം വിദ്യാഭ്യാസം നേടിയവര്‍ ആണെങ്കിലും അവരുടെ കഴിവുകളുടെ പൂര്‍ണ്ണത .. അത് ചിന്താഗതിയില്‍ ആയാലും, വിവേകത്തില്‍ ആയാലും ശരി, അവര്‍ പ്രായവും പക്വതയും വന്നു വര്‍ഷങ്ങളുടെ പരിചയ സമ്പത്ത് നേടിയ ശേഷം മാത്രമായിരിക്കും.. അവര്‍ക്ക് നേടാന്‍ കഴിയുന്നത്.

പ്രായത്തിനും അതിന്റെ പക്വതയ്ക്കും പകരം വയ്ക്കാന്‍ വേറൊന്നും ഇല്ല. 

ഏതു രാഷ്ട്രത്തിന്‍റെയും തലപ്പത്തിരിക്കുന്ന രാഷ്ട്രപതി, പ്രധാനമന്ത്രി, മുഖ്യ ന്യായാധിപന്മാര്‍ എന്നിവരൊക്കെ സാധാരണ ഗതിയില്‍ വയസ്സില്‍ മുതിര്ന്നവരായിരിക്കും. ഒരു ശങ്കരനോ യേശുവോ ഉണ്ടെങ്കില്‍ അത് പ്രത്യേക ദൈവിക ശക്തി കൊണ്ട് മാത്രം. അത് ഒരു‍ സാധാരണ നിയമം അല്ല. 

പക്ഷ തലയില്‍ നര വരുന്നത് മാത്രമല്ല പക്വതയുടെ അളവുകോല്‍ എന്നതും ഇവിടെ ഓര്‍ക്കണം. 

ചില അവസരങ്ങളില്‍ ചില രാജ്യങ്ങളില്‍ ഒരു കഴിവും ഇല്ലാതെ അധികാരത്തില്‍ കടിച്ചു തൂങ്ങുന്ന വൃദ്ധന്മാരെ കാണാന്‍ കഴിയും. അതല്ല ഇവിടെ ഉദ്ദേശിച്ചത്. 

ഇവിടെ ചാണക്യന്‍ മുതിര്‍ന്ന വയസ്സുള്ളവരുടെ ആവശ്യം അടിവരയിട്ടു പറയുന്നത് ആ വ്യക്തികള്‍ അത്രയും വര്ഷം ജീവിച്ചു നേടിയെടുക്കുന്ന പരിചയം സമൂഹത്തിനു വേണ്ടി ഉപയോഗിക്കാന്‍ കഴിയും എന്ന ഒരേ കാരണം കൊണ്ടാണ്. 

വയസ്സ് കൂടുമ്പോള്‍ നല്ല മനുഷ്യരില്‍ നീതിബോധവും വിരക്തിയും വര്‍ദ്ധിക്കും എന്നത് ഒരു സത്യമല്ലേ? 

സത്യസന്ധമല്ലാത്ത ഒന്നും എത്ര ആകര്‍ഷകമായി ആദ്യം തോന്നിയാലും യഥാര്‍ത്ഥത്തില്‍ നന്മ കൊണ്ടുവരില്ല.

ഇവിടെ സത്യം എന്ന വാക്കുകൊണ്ട് സൂചിപ്പിക്കുന്നത് ഒരു വിധത്തിലുള്ള വഞ്ചനയും ഭംഗിവാക്കും കലരാത്ത യാഥാര്‍ഥ്യത്തെ മാത്രമാണ്. ചരിത്രത്തില്‍ പലേ വ്യക്തികളും സത്യമെന്ന പേരില്‍ മറ്റുള്ളവരെ തെറ്റിദ്ധരിപ്പിച്ചു താല്‍ക്കാലികമായ വിജയങ്ങളെ നേടിയ കഥകള്‍ ധാരാളം കാണാം. രാസ്പുട്ടിനും ഗിബ്ബല്സും എല്ലാം ഇതിനു ഉദാഹരണങ്ങളാണ്...