that a true friend, will not do anything which could not be forgiven

It is very difficult to get a friend in this world..

we have to coin the word friend-in-law for many of our so-called friends, especially with the spate of friendship in social-media..

But still I do hope that a true friend, if there is one, will not do anything which could not be forgiven..

If a situation has arisen where the question of forgiving comes, the friendship must have lost its sense and content.

Forgiving of course comes for inadvertent and innocent offences.. and if a friend is really considerate, then normally such situations may not arise..

But innocent damages do occur...like Dasaratha killing the only son of a blind ascetic couple and incurring their curse..

More than the story, the purpose behind the story should be the concern

 

Ultimately, the purpose of any literature, religious or secular, should be that its contents should give messages for the welfare and wellbeing of all and at the same time, the narration should be pleasing and lucid.

More than the story, the purpose behind the story should be the concern.

That way Mahabharatham, in whatever form or version it has been has served its purpose quite well.

The questions as to whether Vyasa or whoever said or wrote it did so facing east or west, whether it was written with a tusk, whether a character had leprosy or another character was blind, whether five fellows had one wife and such trivialities are just trivialities.

How miserable Lord Shiva is..!

 

एका भार्या समररसिका निम्नगा च द्वितीया

पुत्रोऽप्येको द्विरदवदनो षण्मुखश्च द्वितीयः ।

नन्दी भृङ्गी च कपिवदनो वाहनं पुङ्गवेशः

स्मारं स्मारं स्वगृहचरितं भस्मदेहो महेशः ॥

चाटुचणक

ekā bhāryā samararasikā nimnagā ca dvitīyā

putro'pyeko dviradavadano ṣaṇmukhaśca dvitīyaḥ ।

nandī bhṛṅgī ca kapivadano vāhanaṃ puṅgaveśaḥ

smāraṃ smāraṃ svagṛhacaritaṃ bhasmadeho maheśaḥ ॥

How miserable Lord Shiva is..!

One of His wives is Durga, ever engaged in fighting and killing Demons. She is an inveterate fighter.

Second wife is River Ganga, and by Her very nature she flows along low places, keeping company with lowly fellows.

One son is having the funny face of an elephant-Ganesa.

The other son Skanda is having six faces where normally an attractive person should have only one.

Therefore, both the sons are intolerably ugly.

His vehicle is the old doddery Vrushhabha (Bull) by name Nandi. His chief protocol officer Bhringee who has the face of a monkey.

So what can he have in His house to feel happy or proud about?

Therefore, Lord Shankara decided to run away to a burial ground where he is residing permanently. His body smeared with ashes collected from the funeral pyres.

we mix things with lies, more lies and utter lies

 

We lack originality. Not that many things we claim as created by us could be original. We copy, adopt, adapt, alter, mutilate, mix, join and so on. In addition, often we join square and round edges together and produce funny results.

Of course, originality is a quality given by some higher power and that power does not deem it fit to distribute that endowment evenly among us all.

However, to be honest is a very simple activity.

Normally if we accept things as they are, we are just being honest. However, we mix things with lies, more lies and utter lies and in the process, even a semblance of good in what we have taken for processing gets lost.

Moreover, when contaminated with lies even the good things become completely toxic.

I am at a loss.  I am aghast.

more on fiction than facts

Literature thrives more on fiction than facts.. Even the best of writers stress more on the immediate effect of the words.. There is an alankaram called Apahnuti in Sanskrit.. The real facts are substituted by imaginery symbols.. One of the definitions for pure apahnuti.. नायं सुधांशु किं तर्हि व्योमगंगा सरोरुहं.. a poet says looking at the moon.. " this is not the moon, but it is a lotus blooming in the celestial Ganga river." This in no way means the moon has become a lotus flower.(Appayya Deekshita has cited this in Kuvalayanandam).

It is only poetic licence..

. In absolute terms, we cannot attribute luck and lack of it to either Vishnu or Shiva.. As Kalidasasa said.. AkinchanaH san prabhavaH sa sampadaam... Lord Shiva stands like a destitute but He is the source of all the wealth of the universe..

But this sloka has to be viewed from the homily statement.. often luck is more decisive in life than our other qualities.. Many rulers politicians and ministers never deserved to be in those positions but for their luck.. And we, who suffer them are really unlucky..

do not presume that you are superior to others

 

न विस्मयेत तपसा वदेदिष्ट्वा च नानृतम्।

नार्तोऽप्यपवदेद्विप्रान् न दत्वा परिकीर्तयेत्॥

मनुस्मृत्यां

na vismayeta tapasā vadediṣṭvā ca nānṛtam|

nārto'pyapavadedviprān na datvā parikīrtayet||

manusmriti

Do not get arrogant and careless and get the illusion that you are superior merely because you have been observing penance.

Do not tell lies or distort facts on the presumed position of strength that you have performed many superior rites like yajnas.

Do not venture to insult learned persons even if you are in a rundown condition physically or mentally. You should not take your misery as a licence to behave rudely with respectable persons.

In addition, never announce loudly or brag about the charitable activities conducted by you or the valuable gifts given by you.

Charity is a big business

 

If you want to help anyone just do it directly and silently. Never ever, try to channel your contribution through others including the government. If you make an open contribution, you may get some coverage, some accolades and some tax concession even. However, if your intention is to help the deserving one then be sure that even a small percentage of what you give is not going to reach the real target if you adopt roundabout methods. This is true with government or any trust or committee. Avoid intermediaries and touts. Charity is a big business

One can just be proud of what he is

 

To be frank, we have no control whatsoever on our physical features.

The mind however is a funny contrivance and it can make things even worse by giving its own skewed inputs.

One can just be proud of what he is.

No particular event in life including marriage or acceptance by others is ultimate virtue of anything.

Dame luck is a very bad mistress. If we run after her, she will taunt us. Just tell her I do not care and she will start running after us.

Moreover, for a person who has gone through many challenges in life and has succeeded fairly well, that experience must be so reassuring.

Just think of this. Who is normal?

Everyone has his own mental problems.

The fundamental attribute of any human being appears to be the fact that he is mentally odd in some way.

Some are egoistic, some are garrulous, some are narcissists, and some are timid, and so on.

Moreover, usually there is some place in society for all, including the mental cases and the fundamentals.

Of course, when things are not exactly in our control, prayer to God, in whatever form will be of use and solace.

Nevertheless, jyothisham, mantrikam, and paurohityam are just supporting or reinforcing professions and the professionals just earn their living out of their jobs.

Sure, they are not the agents or representatives of God.