अप्राप्तकालं वचनं बृहस्पतिरपि ब्रुवन्।

अप्राप्तकालं वचनं बृहस्पतिरपि ब्रुवन्।

लभते बुद्ध्यवज्ञानमवमानं च भारत॥

महभारते उध्योगपर्वणि ३९-२

aprāptakālaṁ vacanaṁ bṛhaspatirapi bruvan |

labhate buddhyavajñānamavamānaṁ ca bhārata||

mahabhārate udhyogaparvaṇi 39-2

The above quote is from Viduraneeti of Mahabharatham

The King Dhritarashtra is blind, and blinder with his unfair bias towards his son Duryodhana.. And because of this bias he has abandoned all proprieties, and had permitted the unfair usurping of the rightful kingdom of Dharmaputra by Duryodhana..

No option is left with Dharmaputra but to was a war and gain back the kingdom.. However in a bid for peaceful settlement of the issue , the exiled king sends the great Statesman and a mutual relative Lord Krishna as an emissary to the court of Duryodhana..

Dhritarashtra knows that justice is on the side of his nephew Dharmapurta,, but he is not able to act in any way prejudicial to the interests of his son Duryodhana.

The blind king knows that if the peace talks initiated by Krishna fail the war and the consequent defeat of Duryodhana are writ large on the walls.

But Dhritarashtra also knows that Krishna who is visiting Hastinapura would not be welcomed, but the Lord may even face insult.. And that was a dangerous game..

Disturbed and frightened to the bones, Dhritarashtra is stressed and sleepless. He summons his younger brother, the great Minister and Statesman, the wise Vidura for some advice and solace.

The astute minister discussed statescraft with the King and the elder brother..

In the course of discussions, many aspects covering good administration and right lifestyle management are covered..

The slokam quoted above too appears in that discussion.

-----------------

Meaning

================

Oh, King, the scion of the Bharatha race, If something is spoken, some idea or opinion is given, not at the right time and the correct occasion, even if it is Lord Brihaspati who is making that point, would be riduculed that he is ignorant and redundant and in general would face insult in public

============

Brihaspati, the preceptor of the Devas is considered to be the repository of all knowledge and wisdom.. Normally his words would never go wrong.. Still when he gives an opinion in the wrong forum, he may face ridicule..

Ultimately, the proper time, space, and occasion matters more than anything else..

--------------------

word analysis.

भारत O scion of Bharatha races, (King Dhritarashtra)

बृहस्पतिः अपि even Brihaspati

अप्राप्तकालं when appropriate time or occasion has not come वचनम् ब्रुवन् uttering words, opinions

बुद्ध्यवज्ञानं charge of ignorance

अवमानं insult

च लभते too face, too incur, too get..

From the Prime Ministers Man Ki baath

From the Prime Ministers Man Ki baath

एवं एवं विकारोऽपि तरुणाः साध्यते सुखं

evam evam vikaaropi tarunaaH saadhyate sukham

Even at the time of these difficulties, the youth (should keep) are keeping themselves happy and fit

another connected quote

आरोग्यं परमं भाग्यं स्वास्थ्यं सर्वार्थ साधनम्

Aarogyam paramam bhaagyam svaasthyam sarvaartha saadhanam

Robust health is the greatest fortune, and a body without disease is the achiever of all that is great.

What is conveyed at first sight alone affects the reader.

Even the most efficiently crafted work of art can convey unintended messages.

When we create something our intention may be one thing and the impact on others who view appreciate and criticize need not be the same.

Even a casual remark can carry different message at different circumstances.

The duty of the artist is to take care of the mood of the audience and their contemporary state of mind

Even the curse of Valmiki on the hunter who killed the male Krauncha bird..the curse that led to adikavyam was such an instance.

The reader does not think about the state of mind of the artist.

What is conveyed at first sight alone affects the reader.

In law mens rea and culpability are relevant. But not much in art

यथेष्टं भुङ्क्ष्व मा भैषी अन्ते गोरसजं पिब

यथेष्टं भुङ्क्ष्व मा भैषी अन्ते गोरसजं पिब

yadeshtam bhunkshwa maa bhaishee ante gorasajam piba .. there is a saying..

meaning

" eat what ever you want, do not fear, just drink buttermilk at the end.. so that you will be safe with your tummy

this is followed by another interesting sentence to finish the couplet..

यथेष्टं चर मा भैषी अन्ते नारायणं स्मर..

yadeshtam chara maa bhaishee, ante Narayanam smara... Meaning

"do whatever you want, do not fear, but just remember Narayana in the end..'

my lessons were learned the hardest way.

I learnt the hard way from life. and from my career.

To be honest and straighforward and interpreting law and facts objectively is a great challenge in the life of a taxman..

Others do not like it.

Every boss, colleague and subordinate too would like only sugarcoated words.. whether really useful or not in the long run..

I have worked with many nasty bossess, and many of them have been very cross and constantly abusive, but I would not budge..

Often, after the boss tells me all that he wants I would explain to him how I have acted and written in a way that would save me, him and the department too..

In almost all cases, I have been able to convince even the worst bosses and colleagues..

Of course, when I do not toe their line they do not like me.. And they will spare no oppotunity to humiliate me..

But then they knew, I was not selfish, and their safety was ensured by me, and except as a consequence of long distance transfers for the bosses, their promotions and such unavoidable circumstances, no boss had ever tried to change me from the seat under him..

His dislike if any would remain only for the first one or two days when I join him, because I would show no sign of submission..

Maybe he would be irritated by my quixotic ways and would show open dislike, but such dislike was very mild.

However, they would never leave me, though they would never love me too..

So my lessons were learned the hardest way..

i am not an artist if I drew donkey and it emerged as monkey

What I wanted to stress is that only what is perceived by the audience would sustain the work.of art.. and writing too is just an art. In fact even if an artist had intended some effect but the creation evoked a different effect in the audience and succeeded too, only the perception of the audience would survive.

Art, like a child, belongs to the mother or the creator only till it is delivered from the womb.

On delivery the whole universe adopts it if is great or it dies out or is still-born if it is not upto the mark.

Art is a wide-spectrum term.

When done with passion even a the job of you and me as taxmen can be a work of art.

Often we tend to.think that singing drawing and such activities alone are art.

Anything that pours out of our hearts giving happiness to the source and the target too is an art.

I know writing too is a sublime art.

That apart, if I drew a picture which I had intended to be a donkey and if it is praised by all around as a monkey then I too have to accept it as monkey.

Insistence that I meant a donkey would portray me in the eyes of others as a donkey. ( Maybe I am neither a donkey or monkey and sure, not an artist if I drew donkey and it emerged as monkey)

There are no ism, socialism, communism or liberalism,, no democracy or aristocracy.. when death stares us on our faces.

Remember the story of a running bus on whose roof a high tension electric cable without insulation just broke and fell..

There were many passengers and they faced the danger of sure electrocution.The bus had insulation by way of its rubber tyres and hence, the passengers inside the bus were safe from getting electrocuted at least till there was no contact with the earth.

The conducter of the bus knew about it and he requested the passengers not to move, and asked them to stay put in their seats until the power supply was cut off.

Everyone obeyed..

But one old fellow got irritated, and became abusive, and finally, without listening to the warning shouts from all, walked out of the bus..

The moment the old dude touched the ground the high power circuit got closed.. and all in the bus, and the old dude too got severe shock, severe burns and died too

This is the situation we face in the epoch of corona too

We are asked to insulate ourselves at our own homes because danger is looming large over our heads

And even if everyone is careful, if some idiot is careless and is raring in himself to disobey, then he can kill all others too

We have to immobilize such fellows, even if that would mean use of force, sticks, stone or even weapons..

There are no ism, socialism, communism or liberalism,, no democracy or aristocracy.. when death stares us on our faces.

धनानि ह्याशु नश्यन्ति कीर्तिस्तिष्ठति शाश्वती

धनसञ्चयनाद्राजन् यशः सञ्चयनं वरम्।

 धनानि ह्याशु नश्यन्ति कीर्तिस्तिष्ठति शाश्वती॥

 इन्धिस्चे स्प्रुचे ७५५५ बहुदर्शने

dhanasañcayanādrājan yaśaḥ sañcayanaṁ varam| 

dhanāni hyāśu naśyanti kīrtistiṣṭhati śāśvatī|| 

indhisce spruce 7555 bahudarśane

Compared to the activities in accumulating money at any cost, it is more advisable to ensure that one accumulates his name, fame and goodwill during his active life. The accumulation of money can be shattered in a moment, but the good name earned continues for ever and ever.

Change without abrupt or jarring effects appears to be the law of nature..

Change without abrupt or jarring effects appears to be the law of nature..

Just see

the qualities of water-ice combine near ice temperature we cannot say when ice or water transforms to the other state,

the triple point where ice, water, and steam all exist together, etc appear to underline this phenomenon of nature or God..

One Vasishta or Bharadwaja would have lived the brahmin life staying in a house of leaves or house of logs wearing dress made of barks of trees..

from there life evolved,

the dress code changed,

the food habits changed, gradually and unobtrusively..

today we may not see even an 80 year old mama(uncle) who is not used to wear trousers,

and everything upto poonal and inner garments have changed shape and content (we use even nylon poonal (holy thread) now)..

But when the change was subtle and not exactly switching over to something without letting go the earlier things completely and managing to integrate the past,present and future in some way, there was no problem..

Now sudden changes do occur and too soon..

So we are obsessively self- conscious..

I am a mad collector of old things and I was just going through a Reader's Digest Magazine published some fifty years ago..

The advertisement, the typesetting, the texture of paper, and each and every segment has undergone a sea change..

Still one could relate that RD with the RD for march 2019.

We talk about changing the alakum pidiyum of a knife...changing the blade and handle..

A knife has only a blade and a handle.. if these two are changed, there is another knife..

But if we change the handle today and change the blade say, after a few months, we will be having a feel that we have only made some repair to the knife and somehow the old knife is still there..

This is for the subtle change.

न तेन वृद्धो भवति येनास्य पलितं शिरः

न तेन वृद्धो भवति येनास्य पलितं शिरः। 

यो वै युवाप्यधीयानस्तं देवाः स्थविरं विदुः। 

इन्द् स्प्रुचे १३८२ हितोपदेशे

na tena vṛddho bhavati yenāsya palitaṁ śiraḥ| 

yo vai yuvāpyadhīyānastaṁ devāḥ sthaviraṁ viduḥ|

 ind spruce 1382 hitopadeśe

A person does not become elderly and would deserve to be addressed senior citizen merely because his hairs have turned snow white with age.

Even gods and men of class would consider a young person who has acquired knowledge and is mature in his outlook is considered old enough and senior enough.

Learn from errors, learn through errors

The maturity and growth of a person must be reckoned from the number of

errors in judgement,

errors in thought

and

errors in action

he committed..

But then there is a rider to this statement..

He must have realized that he had erred at each step,

and

he must have in turn,

attempted on each occassion to correct himself

and to learn a lesson from such error.

If he is just assuming that with each error committed,

his capacity to commit more is enhanced,

and

that his experience and efficiency in committing erros to perfection is reinforced,

then his doom too is ensured..

We need not stumble and fall on our path just for the joy of it,

but we are sure to stumble because we cannot start a journey after ensuring that all safeguards have been taken.

However, with each misplaced step if we can get some ideas about the roadblocks and vicissitudes we have to face in the long journey of life,

then that is indeed the best lesson for our lives..

This idea applies to families, groups, societies, communities and nations too..

pranams

kva

Are ancient dharmasastras relevant today?

Someone says that dharmasastras or ancient texts are very valid as he could infer from the limited understanding of such texts

Such opinions either in support or in dissent should come after deep study and not from peripheral browsing of the voluminous material inherited by us

Sure, the observations can be relevant only if they come after some in depth study.

Confessing that the study is limited and then drawing conclusions on major issues in dharmasastras does not help anyone.

It can only cause prejudice and even bias

First of all it should be understood that the dharmasastras were created or they evolved in a social and cultural background different from what is obtaining at present.

There are many noble and perhaps not so noble ideas espoused by dharmasastras.

It is better to understand that such ideas are often tested with reference to present day social values and priorities without appreciating that the background has changed a lot.

No one need be apologetic about it..

And it is not necessary to justify all the past ideas through laboured interpretations and interpolations.

Time changes everything. We have to accept that

And whatever is good and nice even by the present majority social norms..as could be found in dharmasastras could be followed.

The rest can be either set aside or winked at with indulgence.

Of course if the purpose of justifying the old is to stir up nostalgia which can be converted to a vote bank..that is understandable..That is just a political game..

I saw a question by someone in a group.. can anyone prove the existence of God..?

I saw a question by someone in a group.. can anyone prove the existence of God..?

My response there... I reproduce below for my friends..

"I have proved His existence to me. to myself..

He has proved His existence to me.

That happens all the time. That has happened always.

Why should and why need I prove God's existence to every busybody and any Tom Dick or Harry or a fellow who raises the issue like this in a forum here?.

We ..me and God both have too many better and worthwhile duties to perform.

The question raised is just athika prasangam"( silly and preposterous)

musings 274

To be happy is the aim of life..we assert..Agreed.

But then what is happiness.?

Human mind is a very odd customer.

Even when the best is happening or the best is obtained the happiness is for a few seconds or minutes.

Then the mind yearns for different things and manages to revert back to unhappiness with a capital U.

From unhappiness to material happiness is a nice journey.. but the journey must not end there.

It is only a temporary rendezvous.

The mind has to be trained to remain calm and unaffected external stimuli.

The entire lifestyle philosophy of janna bhakthi karma yoga.. all are devised to attain that state of mental stability and if the mind can remain happy in that stage of stable equilibrium then that is the real happiness.

Easier said than done

May the nation enjoy welfare like cool morning breeze

May the nation enjoy welfare like cool morning breeze

शीते वाते पुनन्निवेत्याह। क्षेमो वै राष्ट्रस्य शीतो वातः।क्षेममेवावरुन्धे॥

कृष्णयजुर्वेदीय तैत्तिरीय ब्राह्मणे ३-९-७-२

śīte vāte punannivetyāha| kṣemo vai rāṣṭrasya śīto vātaḥkṣemamevāvarundhe||

kṛṣṇayajurvedīya taittirīya brāhmaṇe 3-9-7-2

This is a fine Imagery.. of an Asheervaatham.. found in taittireeya brahmanam

Partially boiled paddy grains are spread in the threshing ground..

It is the morning.. the yajamana, the cultivator, wakes up in the early morning when cool breeze is wafting around, and is threshing the grain and gaining the food material after removing the husk..

His happiness is two fold.. the cool breeze and the winning of the grains..

The state of welfare for the Nation or yajamana is equal to the happiness of enjoying the cool breeze and winning the grains in abundance..

May such happiness visit the Yajamana and the Nation too..

( This is the meaning of the mantra.. as per Sayana Bhashyam..)

ശീതേ വാതേ പുനന്നിവേത്യാഹ। ക്ഷേമോ വൈ രാഷ്ട്രസ്യ ശീതോ വാതഃ।ക്ഷേമമേവാവരുന്ധേ॥

കൃഷ്ണയജുര്‍വ്വേദീയ തൈത്തിരീയ ബ്രാഹ്മണേ ൩-൯-൭-൨

യജുര്‍വ്വേദത്തിലെ ഒരു ആശീര്‍വ്വാദ മന്ത്രം.

പുഴുങ്ങി ഉണക്കാനിട്ടിരിക്കുന്ന നെല്ല് കര്‍ഷകന്റെ മുറ്റത്ത് ധാരാളം നിരത്തിയിട്ടിരിക്കുന്നു. പ്രഭാതമായി. യജമാനനായ കൃഷിക്കാരന്‍ പ്രഭാതത്തിലെ കുളിര്‍ കാറ്റ് ഏറ്റുകൊണ്ട് ഉറക്കത്തില്‍ നിന്ന് ഉണരുന്നു. അയാള്‍ അറപ്പുരയില് നെല്ല് കുത്തി അരി എടുക്കുവാനുള്ള പ്രവര്‍ത്തനം രാവിലെത്തന്നെ ആരംഭിക്കുകയാണ്

അയാളുടെ ആനന്ദം രണ്ടിരട്ടിയാണ്..

പ്രഭാതത്തിലെ കുളിര്‍കാറ്റിന്റെ തഴുകല്‍.. അതെ സമയം ഭക്ഷ്യ ധാന്യം പത്തായത്തെ നിറയ്ക്കുന്നു എന്ന തിരിച്ചറിവ്..

വര്ഷം മുഴുവന്‍ സമൃദ്ധിയോടെ ജീവിക്കാം എന്ന പ്രതീക്ഷ.

രാഷ്ട്രത്തെ മുഴുവന്‍ കുളിര്‍ കാറ്റ് ആനന്ദിപ്പിക്കുന്നു. പത്തായം നിറയുന്ന ധാന്യം രാഷ്ട്രത്തെയും കര്‍ഷകനേയും ഒരുപോലെ സന്തുഷ്ടനാക്കുന്നു.

ഇവിടെ വേദം എല്ലാവര്ക്കും അത് പോലുള്ള ഇണയറ്റ ആനന്ദം എപ്പോഴും ഉണ്ടായിരിക്കട്ടെ എന്നാണ് ആശീര്‍വാദം നല്‍കുന്നത.

( പരിഭാഷ സായന ഭാഷ്യത്തെ അവലംബിച്ച്)

प्रत्युपस्थितकालस्य सुखस्य परिवर्जनम्

प्रत्युपस्थितकालस्य सुखस्य परिवर्जनम्।

अनागतसुखाशा च नैव बुद्धिमतां नयः।

महाभारते शान्तिपर्वणि॥१४०-३६

pratyupasthitakālasya sukhasya parivarjanam|

anāgatasukhāśā ca naiva buddhimatāṁ nayaḥ|

mahābhārate śāntiparvaṇi||140-36

A quote from Mahabharatham.. the epic of India.

===============

It cannot be the policy of wise and prudent men

to

give up reasonable comforts which are immediately available on hand

and just yearning and dreaming for great comforts that have not come by but might happen at an uncertain future date..

=============

प्रत्युपस्थित कालस्य which are ripe and present very near in time सुखस्य comforts

परिवर्जनम् abandoning, ignoring, showing negligence

अनागत सुखाशा desire, expectation, yearning for comforts which are not anyway near, which might come only on some future date

च बुद्धिमतां नयः न एव are not at all the policies of intelligent people.

नागणस्याग्रतो गच्छेत्सिद्धे कार्ये समं फलम्

नागणस्याग्रतो गच्छेत्सिद्धे कार्ये समं फलम्।

यदि कार्यविपत्तिः स्यान्मुखरस्तत्र हन्यते॥

हितोपदेशे॥

nāgaṇasyāgrato gacchetsiddhe kārye samaṁ phalam|

yadi kāryavipattiḥ syānmukharastatra hanyate||

hitopadeśe||

A very pragmatic advice we get from HItopadesham

==============

One should never try to occupy the lead or be in the forefront of any group.

If the activities of the group yield favourable results, the credit will be claimed and shared equally by all in the group.

( The one who stood in the first row is not getting any special benefit)

However if the desired objects of the group get thwarted and the activities go haywire, the person in the forefront will have to take the brunt of the attack and could become a victim too.

============

Analysis of words

नरः a man

गणस्य अग्रतो in the lead of a group

न गच्छेत् should not go, should not occupy

कार्ये सिद्धे if the purpose is served

समं फलं the benefit is same (for the one in the front or the one in the back.. no special benefit for the one who led)

यदि if

कार्यविपत्तिः setback or failure to the objective

स्यात् happens

तत्र then and there

मुखरः हन्यते the one who led is just finished off..

Durga Parameshvari Stotram, Sringeri Achaarya Sri Sri Sri Mahasannidhaanam

This was posted during Kovid.. Corona.. But the mercy of the Mother is to be sought all the time

श्री सद्गुरु चरणारविन्दाभ्यां नमः

अधुना सर्वत्र जगति प्रसरतः जनानां प्राणापायकरस्य कोरोणा नामकस्य निवारणार्थं शृङ्गेरि जगत्गुरु विरचित श्री दुर्गापरमेश्वरी स्तोत्र पारायणं करिष्ये॥

शृङ्गेरि जगत्गुरु विरचितं

॥श्री दुर्गापरमेश्वरी स्तोत्रम्॥

एतावन्तं समयं सर्वापद्भ्योपि रक्षणं कृत्वा।

देशस्य परमिदानीं ताटस्थ्यं वहसि दुर्गाम्ब॥१

अपराधा बहुशाः खलु पुत्राणां प्रतिपदं भवत्येव।

को वा सहते लोके सर्वांस्तान्मातरं विहायैकाम्॥२

मा भज मा भज दुर्गे ताटस्थ्यं पुत्रेषु दीनेषु।

के वा गृह्णन्ति सुतान् मात्रा त्यक्तान् वदाम्बिके लोके॥३

इतः परं वा जगदम्ब जातु देशस्य रोगप्रमुखापदोऽस्य।

न स्युस्तथा कुर्वचलां कृपां इत्यभ्यर्थनां सफलीकुरुष्व॥४

पापहीनजनतावन दक्षा सन्ति निर्जरवरा न कियन्तः।

पापपूर्णजनरक्षणदक्षां त्वां विना परां न विलोके॥५

ശ്രീ സദ്ഗുരു ചരണാരവിന്ദാഭ്യാം നമഃ

അധുനാ സര്‍വ്വത്ര ജഗതി പ്രസരതഃ ജനാനാം പ്രാണാപായകരസ്യ കോരോണാ നാമകസ്യ നിവാരണാര്‍ത്ഥം ശൃങ്ഗേരി ജഗത്ഗുരു വിരചിത

ശ്രീ ദുര്‍ഗ്ഗാപരമേശ്വരീ സ്തോത്ര പാരായണം കരിഷ്യേ॥

ശൃങ്ഗേരി ജഗത്ഗുരു വിരചിതം

॥ശ്രീ ദുര്‍ഗ്ഗാപരമേശ്വരീ സ്തോത്രം॥

ഏതാവന്തം സമയം സര്‍വ്വാപദ്ഭ്യോപി രക്ഷണം കൃത്വാ।

ദേശസ്യ പരമിദാനീം താടസ്ഥ്യം വഹസി ദുര്‍ഗ്ഗാംബ॥൧

അപരാധാ ബഹുശാഃ ഖലു പുത്രാണാം പ്രതിപദം ഭവത്യേവ।

കോ വാ സഹതേ ലോകേ സര്‍വ്വാംസ്താന്മാതരം വിഹായൈകാം॥൨

മാ ഭജ മാ ഭജ ദുര്‍ഗേ താടസ്ഥ്യം പുത്രേഷു ദീനേഷു।

കേ വാ ഗൃഹ്ണന്തി സുതാന്‍ മാത്രാ ത്യക്താന്‍ വദാംബികേ ലോകേ॥൩

ഇതഃ പരം വാ ജഗദംബ ജാതു ദേശസ്യ രോഗപ്രമുഖാപദോഽസ്യ।

ന സ്യുസ്തഥാ കുര്‍വ്വചലാം കൃപാം ഇത്യഭ്യര്‍ത്ഥനാം സഫലീകുരുഷ്വ॥൪

പാപഹീനജനതാവന ദക്ഷാ സന്തി നിര്‍ജരവരാ ന കിയന്തഃ।

പാപപൂര്‍ണ്ണജനരക്ഷണദക്ഷാം ത്വാം വിനാ പരാം ന വിലോകേ॥൫

śrī sadguru caraṇāravindābhyāṁ namaḥ

adhunā sarvatra jagati prasarataḥ janānāṁ prāṇāpāyakarasya koroṇā nāmakasya nivāraṇārthaṁ śṛṅgeri jagatguru viracita śrī durgāparameśvarī stotra pārāyaṇaṁ kariṣye||

śṛṅgeri jagatguru viracitaṁ

||śrī durgāparameśvarī stotram||

etāvantaṁ samayaṁ sarvāpadbhyopi rakṣaṇaṁ kṛtvā|

deśasya paramidānīṁ tāṭasthyaṁ vahasi durgāmba||1

aparādhā bahuśāḥ khalu putrāṇāṁ pratipadaṁ bhavatyeva|

ko vā sahate loke sarvāṁstānmātaraṁ vihāyaikām||2

mā bhaja mā bhaja durge tāṭasthyaṁ putreṣu dīneṣu|

ke vā gṛhṇanti sutān mātrā tyaktān vadāmbike loke||3

itaḥ paraṁ vā jagadamba jātu deśasya rogapramukhāpado'sya|

na syustathā kurvacalāṁ kṛpāṁ ityabhyarthanāṁ saphalīkuruṣva||4

pāpahīnajanatāvana dakṣā santi nirjaravarā na kiyantaḥ|

pāpapūrṇajanarakṣaṇadakṣāṁ tvāṁ vinā parāṁ na viloke||5

Pranams at the lotus feet of the Sadguru

In the wake of the epidemic named corona spreading everywhere in the world and causing damage and loss to the lives of people, I am reciting the hymn durgaparameshvari stotram composed by the Jagatguru of Shringeri. This recital is to ward off the effects of that killer epidemic.

Shree Durgaparameshvari Stotram written by the Jagatguru of Shringeri

Mother Durga, at this juncture may you be pleased to protect us from all dangers by putting a stop or controlling the supreme threat to this country or region 1

Mother, serious mistakes and transgressions to righteousness are committed by your sons at every step.. I do admit. But who, other than you, moher would tolerate and condone such errors and offer protecaion to us? 2

Mother Durga, please do not, please do not, impose more difficulties and sufferings on your children who are already in misery. Tell me mother, who in this world will hold in their hands the children who are abandoned by their mothers 3

My humble entreaty to your Divine Grace Mother Durga that from now on, and in future too, no maladies or dangers should visit this country .. may you apply your unwaveringly merciful mind and protect us and grant my request. 4

There are many gods who are very eager and efficient too, in protecting people who are devoid of sins or accumulated karma.

But apart from You, Mother Durga, there is no other Divine Being in the three worlds who could protect people who are mired neck deep in sins and the effects of evil Karma.. 5

विनाशनम् श्रियः

असत्यता निष्ठुरताकृतज्ञता भयं प्रमादोऽलसता विषादिता।

वृथाभिमानो ह्यतिदीर्घसूत्रिता तथाङ्गनाक्षादि विनाशनम् श्रियः॥

इन्द् स्प्रुचे७५० २७५ कामान्धकीय नीतिसार

asatyatā niṣṭhuratākṛtajñatā bhayaṁ pramādo'lasatā viṣāditā|

vṛthābhimāno hyatidīrghasūtritā tathāṅganākṣādi vināśanam śriyaḥ||

ind spruce750 275 kāmāndhakīya nītisāra

According to Kaamaandhakeeya Neeti a celebrated treatise on right and proper living, the following flaws and setbacks found in a person can cause serious damage and destruction to his prosperity, wealth and welfare.

The issues listed are

1. Lack of truthfulness

2. Extreme cruelty

3. Absence of gratitude

4. Habit of being afraid or apprehensive of anyting and everyting

5. Lack of mental orientation and proper thinking

6. Laziness

7. Tendency to be morose and depressed

8. Misplaced sense of self importance and arrogance

9. Tendency to procrastinate or to find excuse for delaying actions

10. Wayward romantic activities and tendency to gamble.

यदि नात्मनि पुत्रेषु न चेत्पुत्रेषु नप्तृषु

 

यदि नात्मनि पुत्रेषु न चेत्पुत्रेषु नप्तृषु।

न हि पापं कृतं कर्म सद्यः फलति गौरिव॥

इन्दिश्चे स्प्रूचे 5219 महाभारते

yadi nātmani putreṣu na cetputreṣu naptṛṣu|

na hi pāpaṁ kṛtaṁ karma sadyaḥ phalati gauriva||

indiśce sprūce 5219 mahābhārate

If the consequences of the sins committed by you do not visit you immediately, that need not give sense of relief. The retribution will come later to your children, and even to your grandchildren or great grandchildre.. similar to the land which is sown with seeds.. it may not yield crops immediately, but the seed with germinate and the plant would grow and give yield in due course.

परोपकारिणः सेव्याः निर्धना अपि ते जनाः

सर्वसहा ये ऋजवः प्रतिज्ञानार्थपालकाः।

परोपकारिणः सेव्याः निर्धना अपि ते जनाः॥

सुभाषितरत्नभाण्डागारे ॥

sarvasahā ye ṛjavaḥ pratijñānārthapālakāḥ|

paropakāriṇaḥ sevyāḥ nirdhanā api te janāḥ||

subhāṣitaratnabhanḍāgare||

A very matter of fact subhashitam from the treasury of great sayings in Sanskrit..

The company of people with the following qualities should be cultivated,, even if such people are not having any money or status

1. Those who are prepared to tolerate and understand

2. Those who are honest and straightforward

3. Those who would stick on to the promises given by them.. both in words and in spirit

4. Those who are basically inclined to help others

The subhashitam is too straightforward.. We know the contents instinctively.. But most often we cultivate only the rich and influential.. that is human nature..

ഉറങ്ങുന്നവനെ ഉണര്‍ത്തി അത്താഴം ഇല്ലെന്നു പറയുന്നത് പോലെ. Listen to me, There is no supply of food this night

A hungry man was on a visit to a place where it was announced that free food would be supplied..

He waited outside for long..

No food was forthcoming..

Evening came..

Night came too

Burning with hunger, and yet bone- tired, finally he just lied down on some fress space outside and somehow managed to fall asleep.

Some smart volunteer from the sponsors of free food finally announced that there would be no food supply that night

The smart volunteer did not stop there.

He saw the poor hungry man sleeping

He was excessively conscious of the call of his duties

He woke up the hungry man and announced

Listen to me, There is no supply of food this night

ഉറങ്ങുന്നവനെ ഉണര്‍ത്തി അത്താഴം ഇല്ലെന്നു പറയുന്നത് പോലെ.

I find a long line of friends and well wishers of that genre.

I could not find any exception..

I am really sorry to say that..

People can at least permit people to be unhappy all by themselves.

musings 273

Someone was making a very vocal comment that some religious places relatable to faiths other than Hinduism supply free food and materials to the devotees whereas some Hindu temples charge fees from the devotees even for having a darshan.

The comment is completely misplaced and unacceptable .. Such comments are made just as an attempt at show off on the part of the neo liberal Hindu.

My reply

"It is just silly and arrogant to say that public places and bodies are collecting fees or donations.. the institutions, and people dependent on such institutions have to be either maintained or have to survive..

It is just a false notion that one part of the society should earn and provide and some sets of louts who want everything free should be maintained.

Such mindset is defective, and shameful.

No one insists that you should visit a temple..

Even Hinduism does not make any such major prescription.. Even prayer at home would suffice if you have no money.

And the ethos of Hinduism always prescribe that you should never visit a temple without some offerings and presents for the deity

To mix up religion and philanthropy and using high sounding platitutudes to beat the religion is just silly and not acceptable."

यौवनं धनसंपत्तिः प्रभुत्वं अविवेकिता

यौवनं धनसंपत्तिः प्रभुत्वं अविवेकिता।

एकैकमप्यनर्थाय किमु यत्र चतुष्टयम्॥

हितोपदेशे॥

yauvanaṁ dhanasaṁpattiḥ prabhutvaṁ avivekitā|

ekaikamapyanarthāya kimu yatra catuṣṭayam||

hitopadeśe||

---------------

A quote from the classic Hitopadesham of Narayana Suri

===========

Young age,

affluence, possessing of immense wealth,

postion of authority

and

indiscretion, impulsiveness, as a trait,

each of these states in life can bring disastrous results even individually... (taken one at a time)

What could be the condition

if all these four things are present in a person at the same time?

================

Maturity happens only with age.. A young person, however brilliant and learned he is, would lack experience especially when it comes to taking very serious decisions.. It is for this reason perhaps that some minimum age is prescribed for marriage etc.. A minimum age is prescribed as a qualification for holding high offices of the State too..

When one is rich, he can get almost everything done according to his whims and fancies.. There would be people thronging around him taking his orders and carrying them out.. So a rich man would be unaware of the stark realities of life.. To learn life, is nothing but to learn poverty..

When a person lands up in a position of authority, he is given pripority in many matters of importance.. His words are obeyed. He can make things happen through his writs or orders.. And when in power, he tends to forget what really can happen to people who are not powerful.. just through his words and actions

And people who are neither young, nor rich and not in power, can still be idiotically indiscreet.. They would act without thoughts about the consequences and land themselves and people around them too in troubles..

And if there is a grand symphony of combination of all the above four qualities, we can just think of the disastrous results.

Of course people with all the three advantages who can also check impultiveness can really achieve a lot..

=============

Analysis.

यौवनं, youth adolescenc

धनसंपत्तिः richness, affluence

प्रभुत्वं positons of authority

अविवेकिता propensity to be indiscreet, impulsiveness

एते एकैकं अपि these, even taken one at a time

अनर्थाय are harbingers of disaster.

यत्र where

चतुष्टयं the combination of the four

अस्ति किमु are present.. then what ?

Pranams

k v ananthanarayanan

musings 272

There is a view that one who is stressed can find relief by letting out the accumulated emotions through talk or some other apparently soothing means.

Once in a while that can work..

But definitely there conflicting views about letting emotions go out of control.

True, in some extraordinary circumstance even the rigid scriptures give some permission to openly disply happiness or even grief..

If a lot of water is stored in a reservoir, some sluice valves are allowed to let out a small percentage of water to maintain the balance of pressure on the structure of the walls of the reservoir..

But if the sluices are opened completely the entire water will flow out in great force perhaps damaging the walls for ever..

So it is a matter of checks and balances..

Life is an art in this balancing..

Nothing is entirely right nor anything is entirely wrong..

In extreme cold a couple of spoonfuls of brandy may help.. but if the number of spoonfuls increase, the results can be disastrous..

The defect is not only in the brandy, but in the quantity too..

Talk can be good or bad according to the way we deliver the talk, the language we use and the emotions we control or betray...

Each situation is to be considered on its own merits.

मनस्येकं वचस्येकं कर्मण्येकं महात्मनाम्

It is very easy to speak on something, and write about it. All one needs is a keyboard, a glib tongue, and some literary skill..

But to practice what one things, at least to a little extent is almost an impossibility.

मनस्येकं वचस्येकं कर्मण्येकं महात्मनाम्। मनस्यन्यत् वचस्यन्यत् कर्मण्यन्यत् दुरात्मनाम्॥

manasyekam vachasyekam karmanyekam mahaatmanaam

manasyanyath, vachasyanyath karmanyanyat duraatmanaam.

A good man talks only about what he genuinely thinks and feels. He would act only in synch with what he speaks.

However, people like me who are not really so good, think one way, talk in another way and act in yet another weird way.. No connection or correlation among thoughts, words and action..

True, we cannot blurt out about all that we process in our mind

And it is impossible to do all things that we talk of

But we can do well to limit our verbal jugglery to the barest minimum

That should be the hallmark of a mature person..

പറയുവാനും എഴുതുവാനും എളുപ്പമാണ്.

ഒരു കീബോര്‍ഡും അല്പം ഭാഷാജ്ഞാനവും മാത്രം മതി. പക്ഷെ പറയുന്നത് കുറച്ചെങ്കിലും പ്രാവര്‍ത്തികമാക്കാന്‍ കഴിഞ്ഞെങ്കില്‍ !

മനസ്യേകം വചസ്യേകം കര്‍മണ്യേകം മഹാത്മനാം മനസ്യന്യത് വചസ്യന്യത് കര്‍മ്മണി അന്യത് ദുരാത്മനാം

നല്ല മനുഷ്യന്‍ ചിന്തിക്കുന്നത് തന്നെ പുറത്ത് പറയുന്നു. പറയുന്ന കാര്യം മാത്രം ചെയ്യുന്നു.

എന്നെപ്പോലെ അത്ര നല്ലവരല്ലാത്ത മനുഷ്യര്‍ മനസ്സിനെ വഞ്ചിച്ചു കൊണ്ട് വാചകമാടിക്കുന്നു. പ്രവൃത്തിക്കും വാക്കുകള്‍ക്കും തമ്മില്‍ പുലബന്ധം പോലുമില്ല.

ശരിയാണ്. ഉള്ളില്‍ ഉള്ളതെല്ലാം പറഞ്ഞു നടക്കാന്‍ പറ്റില്ല.

പറഞ്ഞതെല്ലാം ചെയ്യാനും ആര്‍ക്കും സാധ്യമല്ല.

പക്ഷെ വാക്കുകള്‍ കൊണ്ടുള്ള കസര്‍ത്ത് കഴിവതും ഒഴിവാക്കുന്നതല്ലേ ഇരുത്തം വന്നവന്റെ ലക്ഷണം. ?

musings 272

The one and only way to prove our love to our parents is to remain for ever such a loving parent to our children.

.Parenting is a one way traffic.

The parents can shape us but we can do virtually nothing for them.

So our traditions see the parents in the offspring.

The grandchildren inherit the names and in many traditions even the wealth of the grandparents.

We just are the trustees or custodians to our parents' wealth.

We can perhaps indulge in luxury using the wealth left by grandparents.

But what is left by our parents and most of what is earned by us too rightfully belong to the children.

Religions and isms may differ and show dissent on any issue. But there is no dispute over the grandparent-self-grandchild combo

musings 271

Faith can strenghthen the mind, and the stronger the mind, the stronger the immunity of the body to counter external assaults from anything including germs and viruses..

That way prayer can play a very positive role..

Regarding prayers and their effectiveness, there is no substantial evidence either way..

No one can say for sure whether a prayer has been answered or whether a prayer has been rejected in toto.

But is it necessary that we should seek evidence for everything before we practice ?

Our assumptions like that in social media that what we write or speak are accepted by others with respect is indeed a false notion most of the time..

Even our best fans may agree with us only once out of hundred times..

But then we assume that we are heroes, and our dicta are taken as gospels..

If we can stretch our faith to that extent even in social media transactions, why should we not have faith in God?

two situations in Mahabharatham.

I am reminded of two situations in Mahabharatham.

The people of Gandhara wanted to wreak vengeance on the Kurus beacuse their princess Gandhaari was forcibly married to the blind Dhritarashtra of Kuru race.

The rebelling prices of Gandhara, hundred in number,were captured and confined to a black cell.

Survival was a challenge for them.

So ninety nine of them gave up their lives and bodies to nourish the hundredth one would so that the survivor could live in and fulfil the mission of vengeance.

The survivor Shakuni, playing with dice made of the borns of his dead siblings plotted the downfall of the Kuru race.

Secondly, in Mahabharatha war ,many heroes fell, many of them half dead and half living. No one on either of the fighting side really cared for their peaceful death. Even the grandsire Bheeshma was only half dead when he fell. He had to wait patiently on a cot of arrows till death arrived.

The hale and healthy survive but no one really bothers about those who are on the throes of death.

History is the witness

अप्रधानः प्रधानः स्यात्सेवते यदि पार्थिवम्

अप्रधानः प्रधानः स्यात्सेवते यदि पार्थिवम्।

प्रधानोऽप्यप्राधानः स्याद्यदि सेवाविवर्जितः॥

१७२ इन्द् स्प्रुचे पञ्चतन्त्रे

apradhānaḥ pradhānaḥ syātsevate yadi pārthivam|

pradhāno'pyaprādhānaḥ syādyadi sevāavivarjitaḥ||172 ind spru pañcatantre

When a person is employed in the service of the king or the State, he would become very important, very respected and very much noticed even if he is a person of average importance and capacity. However, once a person is divested of his services under the state, he becomes a big zero, even if he was a shining star during his service days.

a message, a reminder four years ago...when Kovid peaked

Come whatever may we have to live

We have to live with love

with care and concern for all.

No time for petty bickerings

The worth of our lives is in

how we live

how we love,

how we take care of one another

Ups and downs in life are but natural.

Day is followed by night and again a bright day will come

But let us be upright in our character

Let us be upfront in our bid to survive

United in spirit

United to face challenges

Let us caress one another with mind and spirit

But to break the chain of malady let us be apart physically

Krishna bless

सर्वबाधाप्रशमनं त्रैलोक्यस्याखिलेश्वरि

रोगानशेषानपहंसि तुष्टा रुष्टा तु कामान् सकलानभीष्टान्।

त्वामाश्रितानां न विपन्नराणां त्वामाश्रिताह्यश्रयतां प्रयान्ति॥

रक्षांसि यत्रोग्रविषाश्च नागाः यत्रारयो दस्युबलानि यत्र।

दावानलो यत्र तथाऽब्दिमध्ये तत्र स्थिता त्वं परिपासि विश्वम्॥

सर्वबाधाप्रशमनं त्रैलोक्यस्याखिलेश्वरि

एवमेव त्वया कार्यं अस्मद्वैरि विनाशनम्॥

rogānaśeṣānapahaṁsi tuṣṭā ruṣṭā tu kāmān sakalānabhīṣṭān|

tvāmāśritānāṁ na vipannarāṇāṁ tvāmāśritāhyaśrayatāṁ prayānti||

rakṣāṁsi yatrograviṣāśca nāgāḥ yatrārayo dasyubalāni yatra|

dāvānalo yatra tathā'bdimadhye tatra sthitā tvaṁ paripāsi viśvam||

sarvabādhāpraśamanaṁ trailokyasyākhileśvari

evameva tvayā kāryaṁ asmadvairi vināśanam||

രോഗാനശേഷാനപഹംസി തുഷ്ടാ രുഷ്ടാ തു കാമാന്‍ സകലാനഭീഷ്ടാന്‍|

ത്വാമാശ്രിതാനാം ന വിപന്നരാണാം ത്വാമാശ്രിതാഹ്യശ്രയതാം പ്രയാന്തി||

രക്ഷാംസി യത്രോഗ്രവിഷാശ്ച നാഗാഃ യത്രാരയോ ദസ്യുബലാനി യത്ര|

ദാവാനലോ യത്ര തഥാഽബ്ദിമധ്യേ തത്ര സ്ഥിതാ ത്വം പരിപാസി വിശ്വം||

സര്‍വ്വ ബാധാപ്രശമനം ത്രൈലോക്യസ്യാഖിലേശ്വരി

ഏവമേവ ത്വയാ കാര്യം അസ്മദ്വൈരി വിനാശനം||

ரோகாநஶேஷாநபஹம்ஸி துஷ்டா ருஷ்டா து காமான்‍ ஸகலாநபீஷ்டான்‍|

த்வாமாஶ்ரிதாநாம் ந விபந்நராணாம் த்வாமாஶ்ரிதாஹ்யஶ்ரயதாம் ப்ரயாந்தி||

ரக்ஷாம்ஸி யத்ரோக்ரவிஷாஶ்ச நாகா: யத்ராரயோ தஸ்யுபலானி யத்ர|

தாவாநலோ யத்ர ததாഽப்திமத்யே தத்ர ஸ்திதா த்வம் பரிபாஸி விஶ்வம்||

ஸர்‍வ்வ பாதாப்ரஶமனம் த்ரைலோக்யஸ்யாகிலேஶ்வரி

ஏவமேவ த்வயா கார்யம் அஸ்மத்வைரி விநாஶனம்||

Mother Durga, when your Grace is pleased all diseases are removed with a derisive smile of yours. When your grace is extremely pleased you grant all the desires of your devotees. For men who take refuge under the protection of the lotus feet of your divine grace there can be no dangers or accidents for them. For the servants of your divine grace all others their servants.

Mother Durga you manifest in places which are occupied by demons, snakes of intense venom, enemies of your devotees, alien enemies who intrude, and standing there in all your glory, you protect the universe

Mother Durga It is the duty of your Divine grace, you the queen and suzerain of the three worlds, to remove all the evil possessions and spells caused by devils and demons and also such evil actions by fellow human beings that pull me down and therefore l pray with a devout heart that your Divine Grace may be pleased to annihilate and uproot all my enemies

covid and penance

Every great or divine personage in the Hindu pantheon attained its exalted stage through penance and solitary life and severe austerity marked the peak of this penance. It was even recorded that natural forces and even gods got unsettled when the intense energy generated by such presence interfered with their supreme authority. The divine beings were forced to grant boons to those who performed penance.

And in other faiths,The Prophet, The Buddha The Mahavira, Jesus .. all got enlightenment as a result of solitary penance over long periods.

Now perhaps we are prescribed such penance en maasse.

Even Uma and Shankara did solitary penance to wed each other.. that is.. even..the supreme powers Shiva and Shakthi could unite only through penance..and the integral part of penance is a cut off from all others for some time.. a sort of quarantine.

Now it would seem that Kovid made us all tapsvins.

Maybe we would be blessed with boons at the consummation of this penance. Hopefully

मन्त्रिभिर्धार्यते राज्यं सुस्तम्भैरिव मन्दिरम्

 

अन्तः सारैरकुटिलैर्निश्च्छिद्रै सुपरीक्षितैः।

मन्त्रिभिर्धार्यते राज्यं सुस्तम्भैरिव मन्दिरम्॥

पञ्चतन्त्रे इन्दिश्चे स्प्रूचे १२२

antaḥ sārairakuṭilairniścchidrai suparīkṣitaiḥ|

mantribhirdhāryate rājyaṁ sustambhairiva mandiram||

pañcatantre indiśce sprūce 122

Like hefty pillars which have solid girth and are unbending, with no cracks of fissure insided, whose strenght is tested by expert builders hold great and monumental buildings solidly in place the country is maintained in safety and security by ministers who are unbending, who work in univon, who have great skill and intellect and who have been tested for efficiency through various situations.

Nature-read God- loves symmetry..

Nature-read God- loves symmetry..

He could have easily managed with repeated prototypes at random.

But He loves symmetry in any dimension. And a little asymmetry added..gives the stereo effect...

The world would have been a dreary place without

Shiva and shakthi

Ida and Pingala

Prakriti and Purushsa...

And of course

our

two eyes

two ears

two hands

two feet

and

so many twos

. He created poetry in His products.

Or His products were sheer poetry.

The word Kavi was used to name Him alone

And then lesser poets too usurped that title.

कविं कवीनां उपमश्रवस्तमम्

Kavim kaveenaam upamashravastamam

as the Vedic prayer goes...

Finish off the enemy with surgical precision.

 

न तत्तरेद्यस्य पारमुत्तरेन्न्नतद्धरेद्यत्पुनराहरेत्परः। नतद्खनेद्यस्य न मूलमुद्धरेन्न तं हन्न्याद्यस्य शिरो न पातयेत्॥महाभारते इन्दिश्चे स्प्र्रुचे ३२५२ २३७२

na tattaredyasya pāramuttarennnataddharedyatpunarāhatyetparaḥ| natadkhanedyasya na mūlamuddharenna taṁ hannyādyasya śiro na pātayet|ṁahābhārate indiśce sprruce 3252 2372

A very practical and sensible advice from Mahabharatham.. When you embark on a mission, ensure that you complete it thoroughly and completely. Leave behind no uncertainties, no more small jobs yet to be completed. If you cannot start a project with some definite result in sight, it is better not to start it at alI.

While crossing a stream or riven by ferry, you must make sure that there is every chance to reach the other bank, the destination. Do not start the journey if you are not sure about the destination and the safety there.

In wars, and in adventurous expeditions, the attacking or prospecting team would use force and capture valuables from some other persons, maybe enemies or adversaries, who are in possession of some treasures. If the final success in the fight or expedition is not complete, the adversaries might fight back once again and re-capture the booty. The advice here is that one should try to take possession of the treasures only after ensuring that the opposite party will not have strenght to recapture it.

The earth contains so many hidden materials. Some deposits might represent treasure. Some maaterials underneath the surface of earth might bring in dangers and calamities if you try to dig them out. Therefore, if you are on a mining expedition and are starting to dig, do dig in places where you can be sure that you can go down upto the bottom of the deposit, to the root of the mineral deposit and could take out all that you can. If you leave the digging in the middle, there can be trouble.*

And finally, when an enemy is struck down in war, the victor should ensure that the subjugation is complete and final. One can ensure that the enemy soldier is defeated and killed if the head of the enemy is pushed to ground and cut off. The real fighter should not leave the enemy half-dead and half-alive. Finish him off, take off his head.. That is the advise.

Actually the above slokam occurs during a discussion about Raja Dharma.. Politics among nations. The discussion is by way of advise from Bheehsma to Yudhistira.

kva

The golden advice is that nothing should be left to chance, in the matter of State. All possible caution should be exercised before starting an operation. One has to be ruthless against enemies. Interests of own state alone matters. Finish off the enemy with surgical precision.

यस्य whose पारं other bank उत्तरेत् navigate to तत् that न तरेत् should not be attempted to ferry यद् परः which the enemy पुनः again आहरेत् capture back तत् that न हरेत् should not be attempted to be captured. यस्य मूलं whose root न उद्धरेत् not picked up completely तद् that न खनेत् should not be dug यस्य whose शिरो head न पातयेत् cannot be removed and brought to ground तं न हन्यात् you should not attempt to kill.

दानान्न दुष्करं तात पृथिव्यां अस्ति किञ्चन

 

दानान्न दुष्करं तात पृथिव्यां अस्ति किञ्चन। अर्थे च महती तृष्णा स च दुःखेन लभ्यते॥ ब्रह्मधर्म

dānānna duṣkaraṁ tāta pṛthivyāṁ asti kiñcana| arthe ca mahatī tṛṣṇā sa ca duḥkhena labhyate|| brahmadharma

Dear one, there is nothing in life that is more tough to do than voluntarily part with money or giving gift. Every one is attached too much to his money and he remembers the suffering he had to undergo in earning such money.

विशिष्ठकुलजातोपि यः खलः खल एव स

 

चन्दनादपि संभूतो दहत्येव हुताशनः। 

 विशिष्ठकुलजातोपि यः खलः खल एव स॥ 

 सुभाषितार्णवे  इन्दिस्च स्प्रूच २२४१

candanādapi saṁbhūto dahatyeva hutāśanaḥ| viśiṣṭhakulajātopi yaḥ khalaḥ khala eva sa|| subhāṣitārnave

A fire kindled with sandal logs too would burn and inundate every material seen around. If a fellow is of evil mind, he will do evil alone. His birth in an exalted clan would not change his innate cruely.

musings 270

Freedom and liberty are not to be understood as freedom to behave and act in such a way that can be harmful to oneself and for others..

No one is free either to act in a way that would harm himself or others..

Suicide and homicide are both crimes..

This is the right time for intropspection.

Exposure to too much of the so called liberal values, especially in media including social media, has somehow lulled many of us into a state of mind where we presume that for publicity and popularity, we can tell or do almost anything..

And that we can get away from the consequences by some lame apology or show of regret, if we tend to overdo things.

In fact, our liberty is protected only by the discipline and restraint we impose on ourselves , and everything depends on the goodwill and sense of tolerance exhibited by all around us..

The exalted or misplaced sense individual liberty would vanish the moment a few people around us retaliate.

Unbridled liberty can be claimed only by a raving lunatic, or a person livin in a savage society. And in cases of lunatics , the people around such people would ensure that such liberty is not exhibited for long periods..

And sure, we are not a savage society .

Liberty is a gift to us by the socieity, by the state, and very coveted and sacred covenant.

It is like an extremely brittle crystal urn handed over to us..

If we juggle with it and if it falls off our hands, it will be shattered..

And in turn that can shatter us and cause damage to others around us too.

The real liberty is the liberty to show kindness, compassion and solidarity with all people around us..

Our liberty lies in our love, care and concern for our fellow living beings.

Let us be liberal that way in these testing moments..

Let us not test the patience of others, nature, and the authorities who are striving without any let up to ensure our safety and well being even against heavy odds.

Krishna bless.

Of course I would get only what I deserve

क्षान्तं न क्षमया गृहोचितसुखं त्यक्तं न सन्तोषतः

सोढा दुःसहशीतवाततपनक्लेशा न तप्तं तपः।

ध्यातं वित्तमहर्निशं न पुनर्विष्णोः पदं शाश्वतं

तत्तर्कर्म कृतं यदेव मुनिभिस्तैस्तैः फलैर्वञ्चितम्॥

शिल्हणकृते शान्तिशतके

kṣāntaṁ na kṣamayā gṛhocitasukhaṁ tyaktaṁ na santośataḥ

soḍhā duḥsahaśītavātatapanakleśā na taptaṁ tapaḥ|

dhyātaṁ vittamaharniśaṁ na punarviṣṇoḥ padaṁ śāśvataṁ

tattarkarma kṛtaṁ yadeva munibhistaistaiḥ phalairvañcitam||śilhaṇakṛte śāntiśatake

Patience, abandoning cozy domestic life, tolerating the misery from cold wind and hot fire, one ended meditation on some object… These are all the observances undertaken by Sages in their bid to realize the Supreme one.

The patience of the sage is out of great character, they abandoned their households happily because they had attained renunciation. They did penance on the face of biting cold and scorching fire, to realize the ultimate one. And their one ended meditation was directed ever towards the Lotus Feet of Lord Vishnu.

True, they realized what they sought too. They realized the ultimate.

I too kept patience and forbearance because I was weak and I had not capacity to retaliate. I left my household not happily but because I was simply thrown out. I had to suffer cold and heat not because I was doing penance but because I had no shelter. And my one ended meditation was not on Lord Vishnu but just on the ways and means to earn money somehow or other.

Therefore, even though I too followed the activities of the sages and saints I was denied the benefits of such life. Of course I would get only what I deserve.