force of arms v force of penance...

force of arms v force of penance...

धिग्बलम् क्षत्रियबलम् ब्रह्मतेजोबलम् बलम्।

एकेन ब्रह्मदण्डेन सर्वास्त्राणि हतानि मे॥५६-२२

॥श्रीमद्वाल्मीकिरामायणे बालकाण्डे॥

dhigbalam kṣatriyabalam brahmatejobalam balam|

ekena brahmadaṇḍena sarvāstrāṇi hatāni me||56-22

||śrīmadvālmīkirāmāyaṇe bālakāṇḍe||

Rama and Lakshmana are led through a forest by Sage Visvamitra on their way to the place where Visvamitra is conducting a yajana and it is the duty of the princes to protect the sacrifice and to ensure its proper conduct.

They were covering huge distances by foot, and the sage, with a view to keep the boys cheerful was telling them many stories and anecdotes..

This way balakandam in Valmikiramayanam covers many stories including Vishamitras own metamorphosis into a very staunch ascetic from a very ambtious and valorous king.. Visvamitra also recounts many stories,like the birth of the river Ganga, the glory of Uma, the birth of Skanda, and so on..Thus Ramayanam assumes encyclopaedic dimensions at places.

Coming to the sloka quoted above, it comes in the autobiographic narrative of Vishvamitra Himself 

..

Kaushika, Gadheya or Vishvamtira was, in his formative years, a very ambitious and powerful king..

Once in the course of a royal hunt, getting tired and hungry in the recesses of forests, the king and his retinue entered the hermitage of the first among sages, Bhagavan Vasishta.

The hermitage and environs bore a very frugal and poverty ridden look..

But the sage received the king heartily and with all royal honour and entertained him and his soldiers and attendants with all comforts for say and also fed them with food items befitting the royal status of the guest..

The king was puzzled at first, but on subtle observation, came to know that the divine wish yielding cow (Kamadhenu.. called Surabhi and later her daughter Nandini), reared in the precincts of the hermitage was providing all the materials for such heavenly life on earth..

The king was impressed, but then avariciousness took hold of him..

He asked the sage Vasishta to hand over the Divine Cow to him because as the king he alone was entitled such precious treasures.. 

When Vasishta declined to comply and hand over the cow, the king decided to use force to abduct the cow.. 

He started attacking the hermitage will all weapons and missiles possessed by him and his huge army,

Sage Vasishta simply continued with his daily rituals and meditations but placed the Brahmadanda.. the bamboo staff carried by the ascetic as a sign of his exalted state of life.. in front of him, and as the king attacked, all the weapons and the strength of the soldiers were all devoured by the extreme power of penance present in that single bamboo stick

Standing disarmed and humbled in front of the Sage, Visvamitra admits the futility of his armed strength in the presence of the power of mind accumulated through penance and austerities.

" Fie upon the strength of the arms and ammunition possessed by me as a warrior, the real strength is the strength arising out of the divine power gained through penance.. With a single stick called brahmadanda, the whole array of my arms and ammunition are annihilated.."

Shallow thinking on our part may tempt us to imply that this was a fight between a brahmin and a kshatriya.. We have to remember that a brahmana could wield weapons and kshatriya could gain spiritual power through mental conditioning.. and caste or creed has nothing to do with the supreme knowledge.

The legend goes on to describe further that Visvamitra gave up his royal office and took to pencance, austerities and deep studies and became a very great stage, perhaps one of the most important sages of India, who had the fortune to be the discoverer of the one and the only one Gayatri Mantram..

Duty first.....

नृशंसमनृशंसंवा प्रजारक्षणकारणात्।

पातकम् वा सदोषं वा कर्तव्यं रक्षतां सदा॥ 

राज्यभारनियुक्तानामेष धर्मः सनातनः। २५--१८

श्रीमद्वाल्मीकिरामायणे बालकाण्डे 

nṛśaṁsamanṛśaṁsam vā prajārakṣaṇakāraṇāt|

pātakam vā sadoṣam vā kartavyam rakṣatām sadā||

rājyabhāraniyuktānāmeṣa dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ| 25--18 

śrīmadvālmīkirāmāyaṇe bālakāṇḍe 

Ostensibly to protect a Yajna or fire sacrifice being conducted by him, sage Visvaamitra takes the boys Rama and Lakshmana with him to the forest.. 

Various stories and anecdotes are explained to the boys during their sojourn with the sage.. 

In the first lap of their journey into the forest by foot, they enter the forest called Taatakaavanam, where the fierce demoness Tataka was residing.. She was a nightmare to all living beings in the forest as also the inhabitants of the human settlements around the forest.. 

She was extremely cruel and killed and destroyed others without any scruples, but she had terrible strength which could not be matched by others around in any sort of combat.. 

The sage, in the company of Princes Rama and Lakshmana comes face to face with the demoness, and, as usual the massive lady starts her threats and abuses, now directed at the sage and the princes.. 

Vishvamitra without any hesitation instructs Rama to send an arrow at her and finish her off.. 

Rama knows that the task is very easy for him.. But He is in a dilemma because He was facing a woman in combat, and killing a woman was abhorrent for a warrior.. 

Then Visvamitra reminds Rama of His duties as an enforcer of law, a representative of the King who is duty bound to protect his own subject.. 

The above sloka in Valmikiramayanam, Balakandam, comes as an advise and strict instruction by sage Visvamitra to Rama 

" When a duty is cast on a King or his representative in the interest of protection of the Subjects of the Kingdom, such person is bound to act irrespective of the fact whether that act is virtuous or contemptible, whether it is a grave sin in public eye, or whether it is likely to attract a lot of criticism. 

This is the eternal Dharma or rule of conduct for a king who is interested and dutybound to protect the subjects dependent on him' 

Rama followed the instruction and slayed Tatakaa.. and the rest in legend. 

Vishvamitra's advice would sound Machiavellian, but when the defence and protection of the State and the citizens are concerned, all other scruples should be relegated to the background.. 

I think this happens in realpolitik ..irrespective of political systems, and time-frames in history..

dignity while serving others...

dignity while serving others.....

अवज्ञया न दातव्यो कस्यचिल्लीलयापि वा।अवज्ञया कृतं हन्न्याद्दातारं नात्र  संशयः॥
१३-३३ श्रीमद् वाल्मीकि रामायणे बालकाण्डे

avajñayā na dātavyo kasyacillīlayāpi vā|

avajñayā kṛtam hannyāddātāram nātra samśayaḥ||13-33

śrīmad vālmīki rāmāyaṇe bālakāṇḍe

In the first Kandam of Ramayanam.. the Balakaandam, Dasharatha the king of Ayodhya is planning to conduct a Yajna for begetting children.. The preparations are on.. The main minister and aide of the king, Sumantra, is running around meeting the sages, while personally monitoring the effective conduct of the yajna..

As the news of the gala function spreads, people of all classes and status are thronging the capital city..
Arrangement for the stay and the creature comforts of all guest are being arranged under Royal patronage..
As is quite common in the activities of government servant, Sumantra is shrewd in anticipating brash, authoritative and patronizing attitude on the part of the government servants..
He presents the  report of his activities to the great Sage and preceptor Vasishta..
When informed about the preparations for the yajna, 

Sage Vasishta  is issuing strict instruction to his own men:

" The services rendered and gifts given to the honoured guests should not be with disrespectful and derisive attitude.. Nor should there be any lightheartedness or jocular attitude on the part of the employees of the king.

Service rendered and gifts given with derision and lack of respect would kill or annihilate the person who makes the gift.. There is absolutely no doubt about it. "

(the Sanskrit verse quoted above says this)

Here the services are rendered on behalf of the King and the slip on the part of the servants of the state would cause damage to the king himself

A Prime Minister to a king in India, maybe more that five millenniums ago was so dedicated and so conscious of his duties to the State..

Sumantra had to ride the chariot which took away Rama Sita and Lakshmana to the forest later on..the saddest duty he would have performed in his life..

He was also present as the Prime Minister on the occasion of the Coronation of Rama as the Emperor of Ayodhya years later..

the sixteen names of Ganapati

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢

श्री गणपति षोडशनामस्तोत्रम्

सुमुखश्चैकदन्तश्च कपिलो गजकर्ण्णकः।

लम्बोदरस्च विकटो विघ्नराजो विनायकः॥

धूमकेतुर्ग्गणाध्यक्षो फालचन्द्रो गजाननः।

वक्रतुण्डः शूर्प्पकर्णो हेरम्बः स्कन्दपूर्वजः॥

षोडशैतानि नामानि यः पठेत् शृणुयादपि।

विद्यारंभे विवाहे च प्रवेशे निर्ग्गमे तथा।

संग्रामे सर्व्वकार्येषु विघ्नस्तस्य न जायते॥

śrī gaṇapati ṣoḍaśanāmastotram

sumukhaścaikadantaśca kapilo gajakarṇṇakaḥ|

lambodarasca vikaṭo vighnarājo vināyakaḥ||

dhūmaketurggaṇādhyakṣo phālacandro gajānanaḥ|

vakratuṇḍaḥ śūrppakarṇo herambaḥ skandapūrvajaḥ||

ṣoḍaśaitāni nāmāni yaḥ paṭhet śṛṇuyādapi|

ശ്രീ ഗണപതി ഷോഡശനാമസ്തോത്രം

സുമുഖശ്ചൈകദന്തശ്ച കപിലോ ഗജകര്‍ണ്ണകഃ।

ലംബോദരസ്ച വികടോ വിഘ്നരാജോ വിനായകഃ॥

ധൂമകേതുര്‍ഗ്ഗണാധ്യക്ഷോ ഫാലചന്ദ്രോ ഗജാനനഃ।

വക്രതുണ്ഡഃ ശൂര്പ്പകര്‍ണ്ണോ ഹേരംബഃ സ്കന്ദപൂര്‍വജഃ॥

ഷോഡശൈതാനി നാമാനി യഃ പഠേത് ശൃണുയാദപി।

വിദ്യാരംഭേ വിവാഹേ ച പ്രവേശേ നിര്‍ഗ്ഗമേ തഥാ।

സംഗ്രാമേ സര്‍വ്വകാര്യേഷു വിഘ്നസ്തസ്യ ന ജായതേ॥

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢

𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐮𝐤𝐡𝐚.. 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞

𝐄𝐤𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚…. 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐮𝐬𝐤 (𝐮𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐭𝐮𝐬𝐤𝐬, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐮𝐬𝐤𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞, 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐛𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐦)

𝐊𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐚.. 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐫

𝐆𝐚𝐣𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐤𝐚.. 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭

𝐋𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐚… 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐡𝐮𝐠𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐲

𝐕𝐢𝐤𝐚𝐭𝐚… 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐬

𝐕𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐚𝐣𝐚.. 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐬.. 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐞

𝐕𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐤𝐚.. 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

𝐃𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐮… 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐦𝐨𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐠.. 𝐮𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐦𝐨𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐩.. 𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞, 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲, 𝐝𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐮 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭.. 𝐇𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭..

𝐆𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐚𝐝𝐡𝐲𝐚𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐇… 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐠𝐨𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐨𝐝𝐬, 𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐯𝐚..𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢 𝐠𝐨𝐝𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐧𝐮 𝐢𝐬 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐤𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐚.. 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐧𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐚.

𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐇 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝

𝐆𝐚𝐣𝐚𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭

𝐕𝐚𝐤𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚.. 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐤

𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐧𝐚.. 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐚𝐬 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐚 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐰

𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐡𝐚.. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐢, 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬,, 𝐭𝐡𝐞

𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐡𝐚 𝐕𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐤𝐚 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐍𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐥.. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐚 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩.

𝐒𝐤𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐣𝐚… 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐤𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚 𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐚.. ( 𝐈𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡, 𝐆𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐲𝐚..)

𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐦, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐢 ( 𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 ) 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫

𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐢𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬, 𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐜𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐞, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐞, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞, 𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥, 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐦, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐝𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐬.. 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐦..

work hard and with humility..

यथा खनन् खनित्रेण नरो वार्यधिगच्छति।

तथा गुरुगतां विद्यां शुश्रूषुरधिगच्छति॥

yathā khanan khanitreṇa naro vāryadhigacchati|

tathā gurugatāṁ vidyāṁ śuśrūṣuradhigacchati||

യഥാ ഖനന്‍ ഖനിത്രേണ നാരോ വാര്യധിഗച്ഛതി

തഥാ ഗുരുഗതാം വിദ്യാം ശുശ്രൂഷുരധിഗച്ഛതി

( a subhaashitam)

A man finds water in a well by digging the earth using a spade with persistence, a disciple digs out the knowledge inherent in his teacher by unfailing and solicitous service to the Guru..

Groundwater is present almost everywhere on the surface of the earth ..But one can obtain water for use only if he digs a well.. Similarly, one may have a guru or preceptor who may be a veritable reservoir of knowledge.. but it is the duty of the disciple to gain as much knowledge as possible from the teacher, by persuading him to impart such knowledge through persistent service and unfailing faithfulness to the guru..

That is the Indian tradition.. Now we talk of right to education,, and of taking teachers to task for the unruly behaviour and lack of inclination on the part of the children.. What a U turn..

analysis of words in the sloka

नरः a man

यथा in what way

खनित्रेण with a space, pick axe, hoe

खनन् by digging

वारि water

अधिगच्छति finds, obtains, discovers

तथा in the same way

शिष्यः the student

गुरुगतां that is inherent in the teacher

विद्यां knowledge

शुश्रूषुः eager to serve with tenacity and obedience

अधिगच्छति. discovers, obtains..

യഥാ ഖനന്‍ ഖനിത്രേണ നാരോ വാര്യധിഗച്ഛതി

തഥാ ഗുരുഗതാം വിദ്യാം ശുശ്രൂഷുരധിഗച്ഛതി

മനുസ്മൃതി

തൂമ്പായും മണ്‍വെട്ടിയും എല്ലാം ഇടവിടാതെ ഉപയോഗിച്ചു രാവും പകലും അധ്വാനിച്ചു ഭൂമി കുഴിച്ച ശേഷം മാത്രമാണ് കിണറു രൂപപ്പെടുകളും നമുക്ക് വേണ്ടത്ര ജലം ലഭിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നത്.

അതെ വിധം തന്നെയാണ് ഉന്നതനായ ഗുരുവില്‍ എന്നും ആഴത്തില്‍ ഒളിഞ്ഞു കിടക്കുന്ന അറിവും ജ്ഞാനവും ഒരു ശിഷ്യന്‍ നേടിയെടുക്കണം എങ്കില്‍ അയാള്‍ ഗുരുവിനെ നിരന്തരമായി ഏറെ ശ്രദ്ധയോടും ബഹുമാനത്തോടും കൂടി സേവിച്ചാല്‍ മാത്രമേ അത് സാധിക്കുകയുള്ളൂ.

ഭൂഗര്‍ഭ ജലം ഭൂമിയുടെ മിക്കവാറും എല്ലാ ഭാഗത്തും ലഭ്യമാണ്.

പക്ഷെ ഒരാള്‍ക്ക് ആ ജലം തനിക്ക് ഉപയോഗിക്കാനായി നേടിയെടുക്കണം എങ്കില്‍ അയാള്‍ കിണറു കുഴിക്കുക തെന്നെ വേണം,

അതുപോലെ നമ്മുടെ ഗുരുനാഥന്‍ അറിവിന്‍റെയും ജ്ഞാനത്തിന്‍റെയും ഒരു കലവറ തന്നെ ആയിരിക്കാം. പക്ഷെ ആ ഗുരുവില്‍ നിന്ന് നമുക്ക് കിട്ടാവുന്നത്രയും അറിവ് നേടിയെടുക്കുക എന്നത് ശിഷ്യരായ നമ്മുടെ മാത്രം കര്‍ത്തവ്യവും കടമയും ആണ്. അതിനായി നാം ഗുരുവിന്‍റെ കാല്‍ക്കല്‍ ഏറെ ശ്രദ്ധയോടും ഭക്തിയോടും നിരന്തരമായ സേവനം അനുഷ്ടിക്കേണം. നമ്മുടെ സേവനത്തില്‍ സന്തോഷിച്ചു ഗുരു നമുക്കായി അവിടുത്തെ അറിവിന്‍റെ ഭണ്ഡാരം തുറന്നു വയ്ക്കും.

ഇതാണ് നമ്മുടെ ഭാരതീയ പൈതൃകം അനുശാസിക്കുന്നത്

ഇക്കാലത്ത് നാം വിദ്യാഭ്യാസം ലഭിക്കുക എന്നത് ഒരു അവകാശം ആണെന്നൊക്കെ ഉറക്കെ പ്രഖ്യാപിക്കുന്നുണ്ട്. രാഷ്ട്രീയ നേതൃത്വവും അങ്ങിനെയൊക്ക ആണ് പറയുന്നത്.

പലപ്പോഴും കുട്ടികളുടെ മടിയും അനുസരണക്കുറവും വിദ്യാഭ്യാസത്തില്‍ ഉള്ള അശ്രദ്ധയും എല്ലാം പഠിപ്പിക്കുന്ന അദ്ധ്യാപകന്‍റെ പിടിപ്പു കേട് ആണെന്ന് വ്യാഖ്യാനിച്ചു ഗുരുവിനെ ബാലിയാടാക്കാനുള്ള ശ്രമങ്ങള്‍ വരെ ഇക്കാലത്ത് നമുക്ക് കാണാന്‍ കഴിയുന്നു.

എന്തൊരു വിരോധാഭാസം ?

death is just a change of state..

Actually there is no end to anyone or anything ..

Death is just a change of state, at the most..

Just like birth, it is an enigma..

The person who is born as a son or daughter, was there with the father and mother for eternity.. in parents, grand parents.. and going back to the first living cell created by God..

But the parents and others get elated at the new arrival..

Celebration is okay but it is only symbolic..

And

while leaving the body, the person just distributes himself and continues in all those who are dear to him.. as sweet memories..

There is no end..

And it is just that he departs to another world.. and we many not be able to contact him--

for there are no cellphones, telegrams or post offices. connecting us there.

But then, he will be there, patiently waiting for others to join them.

.

Death is not real..

So the grief is also just symbolic.. 

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

For someone asking for the evidence for the above statement:---

 Regarding birth, no explanation is necessary.. 

You will know about death.. if you have really faced the departure of someone who meant everything to you and for whom you meant everything.. in such cases, you cannot just live in this world if you do not have the expectation that the separation is not final...

You think and decide.. 

Nothing wrong in accepting what is believed by elders as true.. and there is  nothing  wrong in disagreeing too.. 

Belief by instinct is far better than belief by adherence to Shruti..

Anyway, shrutis believe that the son is just a rebirth of his father... 

आत्मा वै पुत्र नामासि.. 

if that is so , the parent does not die if he leaves behind an offspring.. and life continues through shared DNAs.. 

But all this is attempted reasoning.. 

Instinct says life is just a continuum.. 

Again Gita says so in so many places.. 

na jaayate mriyate vaa kadaachit, .. 

vaasaamsi jeernaani...

 dehee nityam avadhyaH ayam.. etc.. 

 But I stated what is above from the emotional standpoint..

 and without emotions,, 

I mean the sublime emotions.. 

our existence is of little worth.. 

I am not prepared to seek evidence for this, 

and 

I do not feel any evidence is necessary for this belief..

Uma, Shankara, Kalidasa and the Environment day..

Today is the Environment Day..

Was just thinking how the Divine Couple Uma and Maheshwara Loved the trees growing in the forests abutting their holy abode, is described by Kaalidasa in the second canto of Raghuvamshamahaakaavyam..

King Dileepa, to fulfil a vow, is serving the Divine Cow Nandini, the daughter of Surabhi the Kamadhenu..
Nandini belongs to the hermitage of sage Vasishta, the preceptor of the Solar Dynasty and therefore of Dileepa..

Every morning Dileepa would take the cow out to forest to graze..

One day,when the king was just immersed devouring the beauty of the Himalayan Flora and Fauna through his eyes, an elephant fell upon the cow with murderous intent..
Dileepa took out his arrow to slay the beast and protect Nandini..

But, as if held under a spell, the king could not move his hands.. and could not use his weapon..
He stood paralyzed.

Then the lion spoke to the king..

The lion first introduced himself as the servant of Lord Shiva named Kumbhodhara.. going around the forest in the disguise of a lion.
He was deputed to protect the trees and the plants of the forest from attack of wild animals..

Further he says,

"अमुं पुरः पश्यति देवदारुं पुत्रीकृतोऽसौ ऋषभ्ध्वजेन।
यो कुम्भस्तननिःसृतानां स्कन्दस्य मातुः पयसां रसज्ञः॥२--३६
कण्डूयमानेन कटं कदाचित् वनद्विपेन्नोन्मथिता त्वगस्य।
अथैनमद्रेस्तनया शुशोच सेनान्यमालीढमिवासुरास्त्रैः॥२-३७
रघुवंशे द्वितेयसर्गे कालिदासः॥
amuṁ puraḥ paśyati devadāruṁ putrīkṛto'sau ṛṣabhdhvajena|
yo kumbhastananiḥsṛtānāṁ skandasya mātuḥ payasāṁ rasajñaḥ||2--36
kaṇḍūyamānena kaṭaṁ kadācit vanadvipennonmathitā tvagasya|
athainamadrestanayā śuśoca senānyamālīḍhamivāsurāstraiḥ ||2-37
raghuvaṁśe dviteeyasarge kālidāsaḥ||

Oh, the Devadaaru tree which you see in front of you is loved by that Lord Maheshwara who has a bull as insignia in his flagstaff.. the Lords affection for the tree is as if it is His own son.. And Uma who is the Mother of Skanda and the whole universe too, has nourished this tree with water fetched by Herself in pots made of gold.. as if she is feeding the tree with milk flowing from her own breasts..

And one day, a wild elephant, feeling itchy all over the body, just barged into the forest and rubbed his back on the barks of the tree, causing damage to the skin of the tree. When, Uma, who saw the damage to the tree as she came to water it, She could not contain her grief and cried aloud as if she was suffering the grief on seeing the injuries in the beautiful body of Her own son Skanda the Supreme Commander of the Gods. . those wounds inflicted by the demons during his successful battle with them..."

Of course, it was only a test to Dileepa to prove his loyalty tho the cow.. and the danger to the cow was removed later..

But the episode in the great Kavyam reveals how the poet and the people in general including the Divinity valued the upkeep of environment..

The mother of the universe Uma is nurturing a tree, and is crying when she sees that a part of its bark is damaged.. The Lord of Lords, Shankara loves a tree as if it is the His own son..

That is why
She is called the Prakriti, and He is called the Pashupati..

What greater tribute can one pay to nature?

Tiger for Lunch....an Indian Tale

Tiger for Lunch....an Indian Tale

A lady, it is alleged, quarreled with her husband, and was proceeding to her father's house with her two children in tandem..

The travel from one village to another involved negotiation of a route involving a fairly dense forest, which, as in all tales is infested with ferocious animals like lions and tigers and cronies like jackals..

Though quarrelsome, the lady must have been very observant and shrewd.. 

As she was entering the forest area, she saw a fairly big tiger coming their way..

And she realized to her trepidation that she could not avoid a personal interview with the tiger, and the encounter would result in her becoming the lunch for the animal. 

She was not prepared for that.. 

She thought out a plan.. 

Putting a false but almost convincingly brave face, she started a conversation with her children, all the time pretending that she had noticed nothing amiss..

"Children, I have been travelling in these jungles quite often, and I have always found that food for us is never scarce.. We get very fat and huge tigers in large numbers, and we can always stave away our hunger by eating at least a couple of tigers at anytime.. Here a plenty of them are at hand."

While talking so, she was also putting an ogling, toothy face (perhaps the memory of her husband helped in that), and the confident tone in which she declared the menu for her lunch and her appearance must have had their impact on the tiger and he really believed that if he was around, he would be eaten up by this lady sooner or later..

He thought that running away making as little noise as possible was the best way of escape, and was very quick in that swift movement..

On his bolting path, he met a jackal.. The latter enquired about the reason for the very fast and frightened retreat of the tiger, and was informed of the appearance of the lady tiger-eater..

The jackal laughed his head off, and replied." A human lady eating a tiger? Impossible.. True, she may eat her husband, but she cannot do that with you"

The tiger was not convinced..Then the jackal offered to clear up the issue by visiting the lady in person, and asked to tiger to keep company with him..The tiger was terribly afraid..

But after some management talk, it was decided that the jackal would tie himself atop the tiger, and they would face the lady together..

So the two animals marched towards the lady and her children, the jackal tied and seated atop the tiger..

The lady saw the two approaching, even from a distance.. 

Resourcefulness did not take leave of her.

.She shouted aloud.." You lazy and cunning Jackal.. You could manage to bring only a single puny tiger for my food? Don't you remember that I wanted at least three big tigers, and we had even talked about the price.. 

Now I will have to be satisfied with one small tiger .. It is really bad.. I shall make you the pickle for my lunch as I eat thing wretched tiger."

Hearing this, the tiger was terrified beyond all levels, and turned back and ran, ever forgetting that his friend was atop.. He ran helter skelter and was oblivious to the agonized cries of the jackal, which was tied fast on the tiger..

The tiger hit a low lying tree in his path, and that broke the skull of the fox who left for the abode of death...

No one knows, the lady would have eaten the tiger too, if she had to.

The false witness and the silent witness

The false witness and the silent witness

न स्यात् कूटसाक्षी॥५५०॥

॥चाणक्यसूत्रे॥ 

na syāt kūṭasākṣī||550||

|hāṇakyasūtre||

The great Statesman and lawgiver, Chanakya in his Sootram or aphorism 550, declares that 

one should never give false evidence… |

That is, one should never declare as right and genuine something which he has not seen or felt or witnessed to be true and correct.. Moreover, one should never depose depose as genuine anything which he know s is not genuine, before any authority or forum .

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

On this issue, Sage Yaajnavalkya in his smritis goes a step further..

न ददाति हि यः साक्ष्यं जानन्नपि नराधमः।

स कूटसाक्षिणाम् पापैः तुल्यो दण्डेन चैव हि॥

॥याज्ञवल्क्यस्मृतौ॥

na dadāti hi yaḥ sākṣyaṁ jānannapi narādhamaḥ|

sa kūṭasākṣiṇām pāpaiḥ tulyo daṇḍena caiva hi||

||yājñavalkyasmṛtau||

A person who declines or refrains from giving evidence before a forum, even while knowing the facts of an issue, is a mean human being equal to a false witness. He should suffer the same sins as a false witness and the state should also mete out identical punishmes to him as if he were a perjurer or a false witness.

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

Mahabharatham ( Bhagavan Vyaasa) goes one more step further.

यश्च कार्यार्थतत्त्वज्ञो जानन्नपि न भाषते।

सोऽपि तेनैव पापेन लिप्यते नात्र सम्शयः॥

॥महाभारते॥

yaśca kāryārthatattvajño jānannapi na bhāṣate|

so'pi tenaiva pāpena lipyate nātra samśayaḥ||

|ṁahābhārate||

One who is aware of the facts of a case, and is also well versed in law and customs, and simply keeps quiet or declines to intervene with the correct facts and law when it comes for consideration in the appropriate forum, also becomes tarnished and he too partakes in sins to the same extent as the perpetrators of the sinful action..