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Sunday, May 20, 2012

There is always the need to expect the unexpected

त्रैलोक्यनाथो रामोऽस्ति वसिष्ठो ब्रह्मपुत्रकः।
तेन राज्याभिषेके तु मुहूर्त्तं कथितोऽभवत्॥२०॥
तन्मुहूर्त्तेन रामोऽपि वनं नीतोऽवनीम् विना॥
सीतापहारोऽप्यभवद्विरिञ्चिवचनं वृथा॥२१॥
॥बल्लालदेवस्य भोजप्रबन्धात्॥
trailokyanātho rāmo'sti vasiṣṭho brahmaputrakaḥ|
tena rājyābhiṣeke tu muhūrttaṁ kathito'bhavat||20||
tanmuhūrttena rāmo'pi vanaṁ nīto'vanīm vinā||
sītāpahāro'pyabhavadviriñcivacanaṁ vṛthā||21||
||ballāladevasya bhojaprabandhāt||

An interesting situation cited in the celebrated Bhojaprabandham. It is very difficult to explain the inscrutable vagaries of fate.
"Rama is the master of the three worlds and the godhead Himself, and Sage Vaishta is the son of Brahmadeva. The said Vasishta fixed the auspicious time for the coronation of Rama.  But at the same muhoorta (auspicious time), Rama had to leave for forest and during Rama's sojourn in forest, the unhappy incident of abduction of Sita by Ravana happened.  So even the words of the son of  Brahma can go wrong"

This situation can be viewed from two angles.
 Firstly,  A wise person may be embarking on a project after meticulous planning.  The implementation of the plan may entrusted to the most appropriate persons.  Still the plans may go haywire for no conceivable reason.  Vasishta is a great sage, and the son of Brahmadeva himself.  Brahmadeva is the creator of the three worlds, and the judgment of His son and the author of great Dharmasaastra should carry a lot of weight.  Vasishta fixed the time-slot for the coronation of Rama, and the latter is Himself the controller of the whole world. Still that coronation did not take place, and Rama went to forest and had his share of misery. So even the most well made plans could be visited with failure.


The second aspect is to consider whether fixing of auspicious time for any function is of much use.  One has to ponder as to whether the happenings in the world are in one's control.  Maybe the working of the world is programmed by a more powerful force.  Even if it happens that the son of Brahma himself has expected great things to happen at an appointed time, if the exalted will of the Master is otherwise, nothing can change the course of fate.

The idea should not be construed as supporting absolute fatalism..People who tend to place too much of faith in fate, somehow go slack in their planning. This attitude is unwelcome.  The only warning is that even foolproof planning need not result in complete success. There is always the need to expect the unexpected.

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