EPIC PERSPECTIVE - DEMONETISATION

Demonetisation– is not only the hot topic of discussion for an entire subcontinent but also a process demanding immediate responsive action.

From political opportunists to social reformists, from spiritual activists to economical analysts – everyone is either hustling to save their cash and/or debating fiercely against or for the move.

Was it the right decision?

The Epics Mahabharata and Ramayana never give a one sided perspective of any situation. They ordain that any decision has positives and negatives. Additionally, sometimes one is compelled to act despite the decision being positive or negative; there is no choice.

Why?

It is disruptive. For instance, Sri Krishna did not want the war, but the Kauravas impelled Sri Krishna to decide in favour of a war.

Did the war benefit the Pandavas?

They certainly knew the consequences were not black or white. It caused the death of Duryodhana, but it also took Abhimanyu’s life. Gandhari lost all of her sons, and Draupadi also lost her sons, brothers and father. Additionally, subsequent to the war, Pandava’s were acquainted to the fact that Karna was their older brother. 

The decision makers personally did not gain much profit. Yet, there was no other option than to destabilise the destabilisers. The malicious Kurus had stabilised the evil forces as if they were undefeatable. Reforming was only possible with immediate disruption, and what a disruption it was! It took many, many years to stabilise the country.

As an entire civilisation becomes habituated to living a life of avoiding, positive decisions, corruption piles up like an enormous mountain of garbage. Status quo can exist for some time; however, everyone knows that someone has to do something at one point. There is no other option than to create expansive discomfort for some time or even a long time. Moreover, destroying the bad is just one part of the progressive equation, but building the good is a greater challenge; that is the part which challenges our old die hard habits. Therefore, when we see something from the point of view of an old habit, any change appears to be unwarranted, illogical and unlimitedly inconvenient. It is vital to see any decision from the epic perspective, because they are ever fresh and relevant in their approach to life at all times; may it be dealing with demons, the divine or even demonetisation.

GITA’S PERSPECTIVE: SAGE WITHIN; KING WITHOUT

Today is Gita Jayanti, the day when Sri Krishna spoke to a painfully afflicted Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.  The concepts that can be churned from the oceanic wisdom of the Gita are very much needed in our present world condition. Below are some essential principals we can derive from this divine conversation between the Lord and Arjuna.

Gita is about vyavaharasastra (how to live practically) with adhytama (spirituality) in that vyavahara (practicality).  Therefore, Sri Krishna does not condemn any work, including the work of a warrior who may be on the verge of a surgical strike. Terrorists know only how to kill, but warriors know how to save lives. As we have seen, armies are always deployed to rescue people from dangerous situations. A soldier experiences utility in destroying or building and saving or striking.

Gita teaches us to see divinity everywhere.  Arjuna was trying to find peace beyond war, because that is how he understood life.  However, he failed to recognize that war is a constant. There is always an unavoidable external war for dharmik governance, and similarly, an internal war of conflicting tribulations within oneself. Action engages one externally and thinking of God engages one internally.

Gita teaches us to renounce things internally (anasakti) rather than renouncing things in themselves (tyaga). Tyaga is superfluous and artificial, because we have the body, which is the greatest cause of attachment. Therefore, Sri Krishna teaches us that the body can cause bondage or it can be the medium to take us beyond bondage.  It is the tool for Karma yoga (divinity with action). 

Gita does not impose or oblige us to follow any dogma, rather it inspires with dynamic logical concepts to take responsibility of our own growth and progress.
Gita empowers us to become the master of our situations; the commander against fighting our limitations with the support and wisdom given by Guru and the blessings which constantly flow from within through the presence of Paramatma - who is the silent witness to our activities.  Paramatma does not fight for us, but He guides from within; just like Sri Krishna and Arjuna. Sri Krishna did not fight for him; however, He did observe the fighting and confer continuous guidance.

Gita is not a book of law; Gita is a seed bank of the most potential seeds of the external principals of life. Every individual according to who they are, have to take the right seeds and cultivate them.  Providing the seeds is Gita’s job and Krishna’s kindness. Yet, planting, growing and harvesting is the responsibility of the living entities.  While Gita’s principles are eternal and universal, the application is very personal and contextual. 

Gita teaches to be in complete harmony amongst all kinds of so called conflicts. In fact, Sri Krishna begins his teaching by making it very clear to Arjuna, that even He does not interfere into the affairs of the Material nature, but He could teach him to transcend the conflict rather than artificially escape the conflict.
Gita’s final opinion is declared via the mouth of a chariot driver, Sanjay. As Sanjay narrates the entire happenings of the battlefield to the blind king and most important stake holder of the war, Dhristarasthra, he says, “Wherever there is Sri Krishna (the visionary) and Arjuna (the doer), there is certainly victory, prosperity, morality, determination and peace.”

This is the Yoga of success; when Jiva cooperates with God to be eternally successful.  This is the real yoga of life.  Let us invite Sri Krishna to be driver of our thoughts and intelligence. And let us act based on that direction.  This is the best way to experience Gita.

Jai Gita Jayanti!

ACTION OR VISION?

 ACTION OR VISION?

"Action without vision is one tragedy and vision without action is second tragedy. Action without vision is destructive and vision without action is only day dreaming."
Human beings look for that miracle for success.  But life cannot be led expecting miracles. Life is about strategically preparing so that a miracle is experienced. Actions which are coupled with vision have greater chances of success than actions without a vision .
When the right strategy and lots of sacrifice makes a vision a reality of experience.
Vision is important but vision that is coupled with strategies for success and is created wisely has a greater chances of success.
When Yudhsthira envisioned having the great Rajasuya sacrifice it sounded amazing  but when Sri Krishna told him what it involved:  waging a war against those who opposed it, striking the powerful Jarasandha, Yudhsthira was not very encouraged and he told Sri Krishna that the yagya may not be good idea.
They are often heard saying " after all everything is temporary, why struggle for something which is flitting?" Or they think that since it's a great idea some how or other it will be successful. But millions of good ideas have gone  down the drain because either they were  not started, either they were given up in the middle or they had the wrong strategy of execution.
It was a journey of complete circle:  a vision,  a plan for action, executing the plan and adjusting according to the prevailing situation and then they experienced the results. The Rajasuya yagya was executed after lots of anxiety and sacrifice of resources and human life . Without  this magnitude of investment nothing  would have been reality. 

Haphazard actions with lots good wishes have failed and will fail because they lack the complete cycle.  Those who follow the complete cycle experience  satisfaction irrespective of whether they succeed or fail .

Sri Krishna gave the vision to Arjuna but to make it a reality Arjuna worked strategically.
People do want great realities but when they experience the realities  of execution, the challenges and  sacrifices involved in the  manifestation of their reality, they back out with escapist philosophical ideas.
Sri Krishna had a systematic plan for Yudhisthira's Rajasuya yagya.
In this world there are thousands of ideas and good intentions for progress, but unless we follow the eternal principle execution our plans and visions remain in the obscure domain. 

GITA AND GOD

God is one of "the" phenomena that is understood, but many times inappropriately.
God is misunderstood because of the  unrealistic expectations from him and the active denial of bitter experiences in life. Some do understand, but communicate hazily to the general mass.
Therefore God remains in ever green suspense! Even those who claim to know him are amused by the diverse understandings  that people have about Him(God).

Gita presents her unique understanding of God:  He is "Him" as the energetic but " she" as an energy. (Purusha and Prkriti). They are not at war with each other  for domination. One is the controller and the other is controlled. Controller because of His position and power. But as a sensitive person, He is controlled by His Energies. Love dominates the dominator.  Love,kindness, compassion, grace, magnanimity, refine-ness and benevolence are synonymous to his energy.
Energy is feminine, and the energetic is masculine.  He is Purusha but His substance is Shakti.  God without his energy is no God logically, practically and in reality.

Sri Krishna, fully displayed this concept in the Gita as a philosophical truth and as action in the Srimad Bhagavatam.

He displayed His  power, He proved His position, He logically explained Himself  as Ishwara. Thus He remains one without a second. The lord of all -- the manifested and the unmanifested cosmos.

As a loved person by His devotees.
He is amused at how devotee's love Him. He desires to reciprocate the same love, but to love one, one has to have love!  He becomes dominated by those who love him because of their power to love is much more than His ability to reciprocate( He repeatedly expresses this in the Srimad-Bhagavatam). His devotees become His energies and he is constantly defeated by them in loving sports: by the Gopis cowherd friends, mother Yashoda and Nanda Maharaja, etc. " Energy dominates the energetic,"

Similarly for general devotees and sensitive human beings, it is easy to experience and explain the power of God. Where is that power coming from and how the power, the powerful energy, the energetic, the loved, love, kindness,  the object of kindness, the beautiful, beauty, the source of beauty bhaktas Bhagavan and bhakti operate?

The Bhagavata and  the Gita teaches the "anyonya asraya," principle. Interdependence principle. Interdependence of Bhagavan and His energy; the spiritual and material are his energies.
Who is greater the energetic or energy, Radha or Krishna; Laxmi or Narayana; Sita or Rama?
It has an easy answer but no one will ever answer because not answering is the real answer which goes beyond the information and gives boundless experience of such a beautiful concept. This is the contribution of sanatana dharma.

THE TRIMURTI PRINCIPLE

The recent attack on army soldiers in Uri, and the retaliation by the Indian army soldiers helps us  to reflect on certain lessons to be understood from our great Epics. 

One of the main topic in the epics is   building a society and establishing governance. To make this happen, there is no other way other than following the "Trimurti principle."  
What is this " Trimurti principle?"
This is the principle of creative energy , maintenance energy and the destructive energy working in their stipulated time zone.
It is easy to understand creation and maintenance but it is difficult to assimilate how destruction is an important principle for governance.   Governance involves, some times  consciously destroying something which is causing obstruction, for eg:- dilapidated buildings where people reside in that condition, then for their safety the government brings bulldozers and brings the building down(after evacuation) so that a new building can eventually be made.
Similarly when a civilisation takes for granted the other civilisation's tolerant behaviour or a tolerant civilisation only focuses on positive building rather than punishing those who are miscreants the oppressors seldom change.
To change them they need to be evacuated from the unsuitable dwelling place( body).
This is exactly how the  Shiva tattvas  work.
This is the destructive aspect of the Trimurti principle.
Sri Krishna teaches us the lessons  of harmonising the three and using the destructive energy with great restraint and reluctance but never avoiding to destroy when there is a need.

TOUGH TIMES AND TOUGH DECISIONS

The Epics teach us with clarity and conviction that suffering is a part of life just as happiness is.
It is the mind and intellect that gives  different analysis in defining suffering.
Many life coaches have suggested different skills in teaching us how to handle suffering.
Seldom do these life coaches speak of taking tough decisions in life at the cost of hurting oneself.
Arjuna is the best example of a person who had to take the tough decision of fighting his own grand father who he loved more than his own life. 

The choice was between feeling good about the relationship or taking a decision on behalf of dharma and causing physical harm to Bhisma and emotional harm to himself.

It is easier to be harsh when some one is angry but it is difficult to take tough decisions when dealing with loved ones. Many soldiers leave their beloved to go to battle causing huge pain.   So Arjuna was in great dilemma, in fact moving towards giving up everything in favor of feeling good in relationship with his grand father. But Sri Krishna, logically proposed the hard choice for the sake of dharma he had to make. Arjuna accepted, but without giving up his love but resolved to fight for dharma.

In Ramayana we see Sri Rama,it was an ordeal to abandon mother Sita. It was not out of choice rather it was the surrounding that pushed him in chosing what he did. No husband is as respectful and loving to Sita as Sri Rama was but he had to take the tough decision. He loved her but he was forced to make a tough decision for the higher principle as the King.

Tough decisions are harder than tough times, because tough times come on their own and the other the tough decision has to be taken by the individual.  

Does it make sense? 

KRSNA AND OTHERS PART 2

God's definition is interesting for he is defined by the imagination of some, innovation of others, intellectual logical rigour of a few,  and most define God based on an imposed legacy coming through generations. 

But what is He? 

What is the real and the substantial? 

Before we get into the details, let us see how the over all explanation of the above experiences can be summed up in defining God.

God is powerful, God is a supreme autocrat, He is jealous and wants your undivided attention, in other words can't stand some one not loving him exclusively. He is force but without form. He is mass energy without figure. God is time, God is death, God is love, God is destructive.

Creation is supreme beyond the so called fighting of the higher beings who are superior to men.

He is the dominator and is beyond any one dominating for any reason including love. He is nameless, colourless, loveless, hence imagining Him in a form is blasphemy.

Dharma has defined God in its own unique way through the various writings of sages. He is unique and different, diverse and uniform.

The underlying principle of God in the Vedas is that he is one with his energy.

He is localised as a person but as his energy he is every where .

He is the dominator and is powerful but he can be dominated by love.

He is beyond the realm of sensory experience but at the same time one can experience him here in this sensual world through the senses by the power of his grace.

He is abstract and hence can be seen in the Upanishad and he is specific with name, form, pastimes in the Puranas and both are complementary to each other.

All the devas are his limbs, worshiping them does not hurt him, does not make him jealous because they are Him as his  energy and they are the extended limbs of Himself.

Seeing Him in the sky, mountains, rivers and in amazing human attributes is applauded. For God this itself is perfection, hence  the Gita extols, " one who sees me in everything and everything in me is never lost to me and I am never lost to them."

Therefore if some do not worship him directly, he does not condemn them rather he encourages them to see him in good action. He is willing to step aside if that hurts but He says do not step aside from doing good to others, He says even that is seen by himself as serving Him.

He does not mind you worshipping him in his energy as devatas, devis, shaktis, energies, he does not spite at them or spit fire at them nor  does he send deadly storms at them.

If you fail in doing any of the above, his creation which functions as an independent operator gives opportunities by sending us  to many species of life. He never condems anyone for ever in one specie or in hell forever. The so called punishment from our perspective is nothing but compassionate reformation from his perspective.

He is eager that we have him in our life but not at the cost of taking away our freedom as freedom is the only thing that gives us the choice of loving.

He is sensitive to our needs, hence through the process of destiny fulfils our needs in different lives.

The Upanishads define him by  his attributes but without a name.

The Puranas define him by name and attributes through the  many fold stories of incarnation as Sri Krishna, Sri Rama, Narsimha. God the unattainable moves  easily with ordinary folks playing and frolicking. He is there in the hearts of all entities as paramarma.  See him, feel him and eventually love him and  by that conquer him. Being his dominating beloved, affectionate mother, father and beating him in wrestling matches boasting about one's own strength and feeling superior to him in friendly interaction. This unique concept of God is not only the contribution of the Vedas but also the experiences of sages and Gurus.  Joining that legacy needs no membership , the only qualification needed is to be willing to walk that journey.

Choice is ours and that is his greatest gift.

KRISHNA AND OTHERS PART 1

"Why  do you worship Krishna, why not others?" A boy asked this question to a Sri Krishna worshiper.
The aspiring devotee answered as follows :
" People worship based on their liking, some like cricket heroes, others like footballers, still others like political heroes. Those who are interested in philosophy worship Buddha, Socrates. And many  others who want special favours worship kings and Gods...."
But all of them are attracted to particular traits of these personalities. Buddha for non violence;
Jesus for compassion;
Shiva for power of destruction and meditational power;
Mahavir for his power of tapas; Socrates for his idealistic wisdom; Gandhi for non violence and simplicity;
Warriors like Arjuna for their valour; Sportsmen for their excellent performance on the field ;
Young people get attracted to each for romance ;
But Krishna? "
Sri Krishna, does not have any of the above qualities as resolutions so he exhibits none of these qualities permanently for the sake of showing.  Krishna's greatness is that he is not bound by any of these qualities.
Sometimes these qualities when over stressed cause pain and violence and become weaknesses .
For example the non violence propagator can be exploited by a violent party who knows that the opposing party is bound by that quality.
Some who are bound by truth experience contrary results as they impose their values with stubbornness on others .
Hence all qualities have a flip side at times ,even if they are good qualities. Hence Sri Krishna as Nirguna having no qualities and more precisely he is not bound by any qualities.
He can display all the qualities in abundance when they are needed for the cause of dharma.
He is kind to his friends, but to Kamsa he is cruelty personified, but is he cruel?
He is full of joy when he is with his friends, joking and frolicking but is he only joking and merry making?
He also spoke the immortal Gita, which is very sobering and illuminating.
Is he speaking only immortal philosophy?
Is he not strategizing to kill the demoniac kurus and their allies?
So in which qualities can one catch him?
and at the same time which qualities do we not see in him?
He is like an expert mother who takes care of many children and who knows what and which quality needs to  exhibited to different children at different times  and acts accordingly.   Krishna is mother supreme and uses qualities that help to elevate all.  Therefore he is the emporium of all qualities and is not bound by them.
Hence he never becomes redundant and his relevance becomes more and more prominent over time.
Sri Krishna as the name suggests remains ever attractive in spite of the time factor which has  the power to make every one an event in history,
If Sri Krishna can hold  the time factor on  sway then what to speak of others?   Hence we adore him, worship him and learn life lessons from him.
We eventually learn the lesson of freedom from him the lesson to achieve the greatest of all achievements--- mukti.

RIGHT PERSPECTIVE

We aspire for the right surrounding in life but if it is unavailable then it is better to have the right perspective  in any surrounding.

Arjuna was overwhelmed By the external surrounding of his life where he was to kill his relatives as a part if his duty He developed intense indifference towards his duty. 

He wanted to escape from doing his duty by taking  the shelter of philosophy.
Many would consider Arjuna's decision to not fight as noble and elevating for the soul.This decision of not fighting is similar to Buddha 's decision of walking away from life to seek enlightenment in lifelessness.
Right perspective gives rise to right inner surrounding where outer surrounding is missing.
In fact the entire war was fought to create a coherent outer surrounding. To usurp the adharmik Duryodhana and re instate the dharmik Yudhsthira was the purpose of kurukshetra .
One may question as to why would Sri Krishna ask Arjuna to develop an inner surrounding while he was trying  avoid war and why would Sri Krishna insist on war?  
Life in this world is about trying to create a balance between a better inner perspective  and the right outer surrounding .
Dharma is coherent both inside and outside. It's a fantasy for most people to live happy internally in the face of conflicting externals or have great externals at the cost of a turmoil within.
The Gita is a book of giving a right perspective so that one can work for the right surrounding.

Sri Krishna being sensitive to life's reality reasoned with Arjuna to deal with whatever surrounding he had in his situation with the right perspective.

The clash between practical people and the idealist is the clash of extremes. But Sri Krishna who is very pragmatic does not allow one without the other, his philosophy is to build a bridge between the two ---inner perspective and an outer surrounding

Good perspective can give rise to good surrounding and good surrounding can give rise to good perspective. We want both for good legacy but in an emergency it is better to have a good perspective over good surroundings. Because that good perspective will help us to struggle in establishing good surroundings.

Eventually Arjuna agreed to fight on behalf of Sri Krishna having the right perspective so that he could create the right surroundings.

NOT FACT, NOT FICTION, BUT IMPACT

Since ages people have raised questions and some have even concluded that " Ramayana and Mahabharata are fiction hence do not have relevance in our life."

But the faithful have said and challenged the faithless by assertively stating "that these scriptures are true and factual. ". 

The Ramayana and Mahabharata are not only events of the past. Events are also facts and the relevant question is what is the impact of these facts. 
Facts without impact are nothing but  fiction for the present. Chronological events without impact have occurred and forgotten over generations.

But the great Ramayana and Mahabharata are beyond fiction and these facts have created impact since time  immemorial because  they not only deal with the past, they deal with life. Since life exists in all time zones,  these great literatures stand the test of time and go on creating impact for one and all.

They are heart churning , intellect stirring, mind absorbing and senses stunning. These literatures have created revolution in the society  by building it and not breaking it. When the Rama Lila and the stories of the Pandavas are enacted all over Bharata in festivals no one questions whether they are facts or fiction.
The literatures are soaked with impact. The atheist and theist both cry, laugh and are completely absorbed.    

A great justice once remarked , " my dad divided our property, my brother  received wealth and I received education, confidence and the Ramayana." 
The followers of Ramayana do not bother too much to prove the events of the past they  just go on experiencing, Sri Rama and His fascinating stories. They become  a part of the essence of those stories .

Choice is ours---  Fact, Fiction or Impact? 

THE INTRUDER

An intruder is one who disturbs  stability and has an unsettling impact. In other words he unsettles everything. The intruder can intrude a civilisation, society, family or oneself. The intruder can be a person, race or an exclusive belief system which targets people to accept the intruder belief system and eliminates those who do not accept.

Human existence from a long time has faced this problem. Earleir there were demoniac kings who tormented their opponents by imposing their power. These kings were religious people and fortunately they never used religion for domination.The Rakshas or Asuras were clear in their logic. It was power over everything and every one.
Many were consciously atheistic but they never fought to establish their belief system on others so much.  They predominantly fought to conquer. Ravana, Kamsa, Hiranyakashipu and others are typical examples of such Asuras.

The modern world has created greater trouble than the demoniac kings with regards to conflict caused by exclusive belief systems.
Person centric faith frozen in time and unwilling to be relevant takes over the offensive mind set and uses any means to convince. Tempting, terrorising, tormenting terminating the civilisation of others , forcefully establishing their civilisation and writing a false history of their brutality.

Faith without dharma will remain a dominant problem of this modern age.Dharmik scriptures compare dharma to a man and Shraddha to a woman and their marriage gives birth to auspiciousness. Faith without dharma will always create unlimited violence. Hence dharma is the universal law beyond any particular belief system.
Dharma is like water having the power to quench our thirst.
Fire being hot.
The sun always rising from the east. Dharma is beyond any belief system and does not constrain itself to certain people, religion, caste or nations.

Watch out and act accordingly to stop the menace of religions without dharma. Reject that which causes violence and seeks support in the name of god and the godly.

Killing is killing for faith or faithlessness.
Srikrishna was willing to give space to the demoniac Duryodhana as long as he did not intrude. But the exclusivist does not want any one want to survive other than their own belief.  Does it make sense?

SECULAR VENA AND THE RISHIS

The story of King Vena is depicted in many places in our Dharmik shastras. Srimad Bhagavatam too illustrates this story and sends powerful message for all class of people.
King Anga had a son who was nastier compared to Duryodhana. His play was to brutally abuse his friends during his childhood. King tried to inform but in vain. Hence eventually gave up his efforts plus his kingdom to live a life recluse. Meanwhile the kingdom without the King became anarchical, hence the helpless minister were forced to choose Vena as the next King.  He was ruffian but he had the power to stop smaller crminals.   The kingdom was relatively peaceful.  But eventually King Vena officially started harassing with unlimited resources available to him.      The affected citizens had no clue what do with him. Seeing the situation of the kingdom the saintly Rishis,who are only interested in disseminating knowledge had to interfere in reprimanding the King. But he questioned their credibility and declared himself better than God and hence he was above the law. 
This is typical of so called atheist, secular or person centric governance.  They want to be bigger than god's law in the name of making things equal to all, they put themselves above everyone else.   The Rishis had the choice of not interfering into the affairs of state thinking it to be mundane or getting temporarily involved for  removing an brutal ruler.  They chose the later and terminated him to establish better governance in the future. Certainly they did not become politically active themselves rather they activated the system of getting better ruler.   The Rishis taught the lessons of actively taking part in changing the rotten but never actively administrating themselves.   Rishis were deep in their thoughts but wide in their reach in regards to affect the society.
Rishi, Rakshak or Yaksha. What do we want.  Rishis are deeply spiritual but consciously aware of people's suffering the spiritual and the material-- they take action when there is need, like with Vena.  Rakshakas are those who live at other's cost.  Brutal and pervert.
Yakshas live for themselves without bothering for the pain of others. They may not consciously cause pain to others but their unconscious unawareness of others pain is their sin. 
Think and choose.

LIFE FOR EXAM OR EXAM FOR LIFE

Suicide and depression are escalating along with the number of young children gearing up for competitive exams. Dying or living dead before the exam because of the fear of facing or fearing to face the outcome of the exam is becoming common.

Where is the education system leading our young minds?
Preparing them for life or preparing life for so many exams and in turn being the cause of depression and premature  death ?

Real education was planned in such a way that every person was geared to deal with life and grow by facing life as it came.
The Pandavas are the epitome of leading such a life.
The Mahabharata does not mention them sitting and studying rather  it mentions how they prepared themselves to face the challenges of life.
During their exile in the forest they handled the difficulties of physical challenge and the mental trauma of being thrown from their own kingdom by the evil kurus.They grew with conviction, cooperation, competence and the art of handling conflict with courage.The forest was an education centre for life. It was not an exam hall but there were tests all over the forest.This experience was their real wealth.

Unfortunately modern education is preparing one for exams and grades, but real education prepares one for life. Hence our reflection has to be what do we want exam or life?  The Pandavas or  the synthetic Kauravas?

SMALL BUT SIGNIFICANT

Dasaratha, the father of Sri Rama was known for his valour. He got the name Dashratha  because he travelled in ten directions fighting on behalf of the gods. 
But he lost his life in being negligent.
He was the target of a small but significant conspiracy conspired by his own wife .
Sri Rama was chosen for coronation by Dasarath and all precautions for the smooth ceremony of the  coronation were taken .
Dashratha was careful  that even Bharata was out of town.
At one point Dashratha told Sri Rama, that it was that good Bharata was not in Ayodhya. He said that even though Bharata  was good , nothing could be predicted. It was obvious that Bharata had to be present for the coronation but Dasaratha was fearful and kept him away from Ayodhya.
He  consciously kept Janaka and Kaikieyi's brothers away from this function too, even though he invited kings and dignitaries beyond the kingdom of these personalities. Dasaratha had promised Kaikeyi's father at the time of his marriage that Bharata would be coronated as king and hence he feared that Janaka  and Kaikeyi 's brothers would object and demand that Dasaratha coronate Bharata as the prince.
All was set to accomplish the coronation but Dasaratha had not expected that an ordinary maid like Manthara could turn the story around and be an instrument in changing the mind of the innocent Kaikeyi .
She forced Dasaratha to send Sri Rama to the forest and place Bharata as the future king.
This incident was sudden and completely unexpected which eventually took the life of Dasaratha.
Guarding against bigger problems is most important but what about the smaller problems that we neglect ?   They have the power to unsettle entire civilisations.
Hence Sri krsna warns in the Gita that even a small hole in the boat can ravage everything, similarly even one of our senses neglected can cause havoc.When a civilisation takes care of bigger problems but fails to recognise the Mantharas within and without they lose their land and identity.
Does it make sense?

LOSE ONE BUT ADD ONE MORE

Vishwamitra is a unique personality who by the power of his determination and by the approval of Vasishta changed his role from being a fierce Kshatriya King to fiery sage.  Interestingly to gain something he had to lose something. This is a principle of life.  He lost his kingship and became a sage.

Vishwamitra did great tapa to be promoted to being a sage, but he was tempted by Menaka. He got distracted and through her the great Shakuntla was born, whose character has been poeticised by Kalidas.  Vishwamitra muni got some unexpected things  as he was swept away by the power of passion.

When Rambha came to distract him, he was determined not be distracted. He was able to tolerate lust but in tolerating lust he lost to anger and cursed the nymph. He conquered lust, but anger the brother of lust conquered Him.

Similarly in life we see,  one may  conquer poverty but may be conquered by arrogance and sensuality. One may conquer lack of education and be a skilful professional but in doing so he or she may lose the simplicity of appreciating relationships of a family.

This is the nature of the dual world, we lose to gain. Losses and gains are a part of this dual world. Loss and gain without the foundation of dharma are unsustainable. They cannot cooperate with one other. But dharma as a sustainer has the power to harmonise.

DEATH OF LIFE?

How can life experience death when death and life are opposite of each other?
Is it not that one lives life then enters into the domain of death for a short period and again repeats the journey of life in the next birth?
So death of life is it not a misnomer?

There is a difference between living a life which is meaningful and creating a legacy for the future generation versus  existing which is nothing but burdening the surroundings where we exist.

People who exist without purpose are dead from the beginning of their life.
They have nothing to contribute but pain and misery to oneself and their surroundings. 

People who live a life of gross self destructive paths end up doing nothing constructive to any one.

In the Mahabharata we read the story of Karna, Ashwathama and a few others. They chose a path of destruction caring for none and causing colossal  confusion and conflict.  
Sri Krishna met with Karna after the  peace talk with Duryodhana failed as Sri Krishna wanted Karna to live a meaningful life by choosing  a dharmik course. He suggested to him to give up the path of adharma by giving up his friendship with Duryodhana as there would be no fight if he gave up the friendship.
Sri Krishna also offered to Karna to be the King of Hastinapura since he was the eldest of all the pandavas.
Karna did not budge and he stuck to his guns.He chose to fight for Duryodhana knowing very well that he would be finished in the war along with entire Kuru clan.  He predicted his destruction in his talk to Sri Krishna.
Karna chose willingly and consciously to die for adharma  rather than trying to fight and live for dharma.
In Ramayana Maricha also chose the same path of self destruction in the service of Ravana. He chose to die for Ravana rather than living or dying for Rama.

Choosing our path is important.
Whether we are  living or existing?  Are we dieing for legacy or living a valueless life?

EVERYONE GROWS

The beauty of dharma is that it is progressive and not stagnant.
Death may seem to be the end of everything for those who are ill informed about the wheel of life. Death is a small journey in the big picture of the life cycle.
What about hell? Hell is surely scary but it is not an eternal damnation.
Hell is a place of reformation. It's not a destination but a diversion for some time so that the living being can come back to the main avenue of life and live a life of dharma.
Therefore when we read the Mahabharata and other such dharmik literatures we observe that even the so called asuras, demons and rakshashas had the facility to undo their sins if not in their current life then in their next life unlike in the abhrhamic culture where the sinful are eternally damned to hell. In the vedic tradition the evil after being eliminated by the power of lord Narayana progress towards a better facility to take tangible action towards perfection. 
The infamous Dhrithrasthra who was highly attached to position, infatuated in his relationship with his children and always playing the victim to gain sympathy was a sure candidate for a hellish destination.
It was Vidura who inspired  Dhritrashtra through a strong dose of verbal medicine and pushed him to take the decision of active detachment so that he could grow in life.
The consistent efforts of Vidura to change the king were eventually successful in inspiring Dhrithrasthra to take the decision of peacefully walking out of the palace as he genuinely developed detachment towards everything around him. He became sober at the time death. 
Everything has to move in the direction of the destination .The rest is nothing but a complex journey which is painful and sometimes pleasurable but the destination is where we want to reach.

MY FREEDOM KILLS YOU

The fresh incident of a young man jamming his car over three people and taking two of their life is a typical action of attitude rather than an accident. When seen from the Mahabharata perspective the haughty, Duryodhana had inculcated the arrogance of " who cares, I am a son from the royal family." He did not hesitate to wage a war and be responsible for the death of millions of people, plus all of his brothers. The cause for this was not the war but limitless arrogance and ego.
Similarly the Delhi incident is not accident but an attitude which is becoming the culture of many of our youth today. It kills, it makes one desensitised and we citizen question only the laws of governance but not the laws of the value system within our family. No systems, no governance neither legalities can alone bring efficiency of actions in all spheres of life. It is values and character alone which our surroundings gives will benefit us in doing things rightly and of course the right things.
Wealth and influence has the power to bring us down or take us up. The young man rather than taking the responsibility for the crime and doing something tangible by being a sensitive human being and doing welfare work for the under privilege, will spend his father's money to free himself from the legal problem (most probably hire a very efficient lawyer) and hope to drive back on the streets of Delhi to celebrate his legal victory. (we hope he is not so insensitive).
Where does the crime begin to happen, in action or in attitude? The Dharmik scriptures answer, it begins in the attitude of I don't care for the world but I care for my carnal pleasure at the cost of other people's life.
Hence accident is detail which will keep happening , but a sensitive human being stands up, learns his lessons and reverses his life cycle by being responsible and changing his course of action. We certainly pray for the departed but raise an alarm against all those who wish to continue with the attitude of "who cares." These accidents will continue to happen if we do not change our attitude.

SUPERFICIAL OR SUBSTANTIAL

Dhruva is a short name but it has a long history and an impact of  eternity behind it. Dhruva was slandered by his step mother and neglected by his father simply for trying to fulfil a common childhood need--to sit on the lap of his father along with his step brother.
When Dhruva expressed his desire to sit on his father 's lap his step mother  "Suruchi" meaning one who is after tasteful things, told Dhruva harshly to take birth in his next life if he desired to sit on her husband's lap.

Basically she told Dhruva to die.  Dhruva mortified, pained and breathing heavily approached his mother. Suniti meaning one with auspicious morality or ethics seeing Dhruva's predicament and her own helpless condition of not being able to fulfil her sons wish asked  Dhruva to not be angry with those who caused him pain for they would face their consequences. She did not force Dhruva to be loyal to her husband and his father who was neglectful.
As a son he had full freedom to choose his path.
She empowered him, even though she was bound by her own cultural loyalty of wife hood. Dhruva took the words of his mother seriously. He travelled to distant lands and worshiped Vishnu to get something which was priceless and valuable and beyond the reach of most extraordinary men.
He got what he wanted by the grace of Narayana,the great Narada, and his own mother who was representing substance; Suniti.

Suruchi represents superficiality of a human being and Suniti represents substance of a human being.  Suruchi's disturb, destabilise and destroy inner satisfaction.
They represent small mindedness, sensuality and happiness which is derived by causing pain to others.
But Suniti directs Dhruva to see happiness in seeking divinity and fighting the odds but not with the intention of destroying the opponent but by growing beyond the opponent  intellectually spiritually and as a byproduct growing materially too.

Superficiality has caused and is still causing pain to Dhruvas of the modern world and unfortunately rather than getting Suniti to guide them they find more Suruchi's who are asking the Dhruvas to compete, destroy and destabilise.
They die but never give up their small world of sensuality. But if someone gets Suniti then their direction of life changes and they grow beyond sensuality.

What are we looking substance or superficiality?

VOW NOT BROKEN

The reasons for Sri Krishna rushing to attack Bhisma were that with his fierce warfare  he was causing havoc in the Pandav army and more importantly Arjuna's repeated reluctancy to strike his grand father.  Sri krishna's decision to attack Bhisma and to kill him brings us to the debate about his promise.

Many question the reason as to why would krishna break his promise which he made before the battle about not raising weapons and not actively fighting?
It's a relevant question and needs to be answered by remembering Sri Krshna's original promise in fact his eternal promise and his eternal occupation.   
All the devatas along with mother Bhumi approached Brahma about the troubles caused by the demons disguised as rulers, Brahma in turn approached Sri Krishna who promised to appear in this world to set things right.  Krishna appeared and started to establish dharma, by eliminating the demons or eliminating their rebellion.

Bhisma was not a demon in fact he was one of the most ardent devotee of Sri Krishna but Bhishma had chosen to fight on behalf of the Kaurvas, who were the last remaining burdens on earth.
Sri Krishna had a choice to break his eternal wow or his temporary vow. 

Which vow would we ask Him to follow the real or the apparent? 

The superficial people challenge him for breaking the apparent but the substantial people eulogise him for keeping his eternal promise.

What are we looking for the substance or the shadow?
What kind of questions are we raising the integral ones or the isolated ones? Therefore the very Bhisma seeing Sri Krishna strike at him dropped every thing, all his weapons and requested Sri Krishna to release him from his superficial commitment and allow him to follow the real commitment of being an instrument in the hands of God rather than in the hands of Duryodhana.
Therefore Bhishma who was eventually struck by Arjuna kept on remembering Sri Krishna rushing at him during the battle at the time of death and he wanted this event to stay forever in his very existence. 
Why so?
Because Bhisma knew Sri Krishna's eternal vow of liberating the bound and liberating the affected and tormented.
For this Sri Krishna the lord of all life chose to protect his original vow and not his temperory vow.

CLASH OF CIVILIZATION

The Ramayana shows us an artificial Lanka, a natural Kishkinda and a cultural Ayodhya and many other civilizations in between.

Lanka was very organized with man made systems and resources stolen from everywhere.
Within Lanka was the dictatorial Ravana. He while breaking all the laws himself expected complete subordination from his subjects.
This subordination was driven by fear and laws were imposed by brutal force. Hence there was an unnatural orderliness.

In Kishkindha Vali was powerful but not as brutal as Ravana. The vanaras  had the same habit as their king Vali. The subjects of kishkindha were  powerful and sensual but not brutal . Of course with the exception of Hanumana and Jambhavanta. They were untouched by such culture.

Ayodhya was a land of culture, the citizens and the royalty were responsible for each other.
Rules here were followed by inspiration not by imposition.
The legal system was in existence but it was more of a moral system which was self inspired. 
None of the people wanted Sri Rama to go to the forest, but he chose to go respecting his father's promise to Kaikeyi.
Sri Rama did not want Sita to go the forest, but she insisted on going with him. Laxmana was not even asked to go to the forest and he  had no moral or legal obligation to go to the forest.. On the contrary Laxmana convinced Sri Rama by quoting  what Sri Rama  had said at the time of his own coronation that Laxmana would enjoy the prosperity with Sri Rama and now Laxmana chose the path  to go along with Sri Ram as Sri Rama's grace. 

Bharata was legally the future king, but he tried his best to bring back Sri Rama and when he failed he chose to install the wooden shoes of Sri Rama on the throne and performed similar austerities as Sri Rama was performing in the forest.
He chose this out of his own free will.

We can settle wherever we want to.
In the legal system of Lanka, the Vanara system of Kishkindha with a free life and legal binding and  less moral binding or we can chose to live in Ayodhya with self inspired rules. What  do we want?

FORGOTTEN HEROINE-----URMILA

In modern times the human mind tries to uncover what the authors of an epic may have over looked. Urmila is one of the unsung heroines of the Ramayana. She has been completely overlooked by Valmiki and many have accused the writer of doing injustice to Urmila and other ladies.

It is important to understand the foundational principle from the characters of Ramayana and the compiler himself rather than trying to be sympathetic to some one and spoil the taste of Ramayana.
For eg:- whilst cooking all the hard labor of the farmer who grows the different ingredients used in making the delicacy is not seen .Most of the times the host is glorified  rather than the cook so what to speak of the harvester, the farmer.
The farmer remains unnoticed all his life producing what he is meant to produce.The theme of the Ramayana is  that some characters are noticed and others remain unnoticed but both perform unlimited sacrifice.
This is the core theme of the Ramayana, Urmila remains unnoticed but never makes an issue.
Why? Because she is happy serving, being in service is her pleasure and recognition is immaterial .

Valmiki muni is a sensitive author and entertwines different characters according to the mood and plot of the story.
The underlying principle of the Ramayana is that sacrifice is sacrifice it is made with or without  recognition.
Like the farmer is not even remembered while enjoying the high quality food.
Do we ever think of them while eating?
Do we ever glorify them for producing good quality?
Seldom, is it not?
But without them food is not there.

Life moves on with so many sacrifices which are completely unnoticed but the sacrifice is sacrifice. A person with substance does not sacrifice with the intentions of being recognized. If he is glorified he feels dirty. For them sacrifice is a great privilege, and recognition is nothing but a by product.

Let us not tamper with the sensitive Valmiki and silent Urmila who did everything to make their sacrifice since time and immemorial.
A perspective other than this one is not the substance of Ramayana. It is a hollow and shallow imagination of the selfish and small mindedness of non-Ramayana. 

COMPASSION AND QUALIFICATION

Do we need to be compassionate only if we have resources?  The Ramayana sometimes may indicate this to us.
Sugriva was extremely hesitant in accepting Vibhishana as their ally, fearing that he might harm Sri Rama and Laxmana. Sugriva  was arguing and warning Sri Rama of the dangerous consequences.
Sri Rama was unmoved and made it clear to every one saying " I can trample the entire world what to speak of Vibhishana, with one of my little finger."
No one could dare abuse Sri Rama's kind heartedness, if they tried then he was competent enough.
Sri Rama had the ability, courage and unlimited power to take the risk of being compassionate to Vibhshana without fearing about the consequences.
Sri Rama had practicality in his compassion. Similarly Sri Krishna had compassion in his practicality too.
When Sri Krishna came as peace maker and the attempt failed the fate was sealed and war broke out.
Sri Krishna advised Karna to join the  Pandavas till Bhisma was living.  Since Bhisma and Karna had decided not to fight simultaneously till one of them was alive .
Sri Krishna was hoping to use Karna for breaking the confidence of the Kuravas, and at the same giving an opportunity to Karna to render some tangible service to dharma.
Karna declined the golden opportunity.
Whether one is qualified like Sri Rama to be compassionate to Vibhishana or Sri Krishna being practical towards Karna the foundational principle is the same.
It is an integral part of life rather than conflicting. Ordinarily our compassion is abused and attacked and our practicality lacks the  trace of humanness.
But the great Sri Rama and Sri Krishna  teach us eternal life lessons .
Are we learning?

HANUMANA THE LIFE GIVER

When Meghanath, the son of Ravana attacked the army of Sri Rama with the weapon of Brahmastra the  monkey army was reduced by one sixth. Some of the monkey chieftains survived even though attacked by this weapon. When Vibhishana, regained consciousness, he asked Jambhavana are you alright?  Jambhavana responded by raising a question whether Hanumana was living are not? 
Vibhishana was surprised  and asked Jambhavana, why was he not asking about Sri Rama or Laxmana's safety?  Jambhavana answered ,
" if Hanumana is alive then every one can be revived, but if Hanumana is gone we have no hope. "
Jambhavana's confidence in Hanumana is fascinating. One who was equally powerful in the past but currently was reduced to being less powerful had no regrets about being less powerful. He had the heart to find  some one who was better than him. Even in his unconscious conscious stage, Jambhavana was discerning about whose living will bring life .

Eventually Hanumana went to the north and brought the medicinal herb to revive one and all, but it was Jambhavana whose confidence in Hanumana played a key role in Hanumana  getting the medicinal  herb.

The victory of Sri Rama over Ravana is the story  of many  stalwarts pushing the potential warrior to take the lions of credit to benefit Sri Rama while they remained in the background seeing them perform the Herculean  task.
Certainly we celebrate Hanumana's glory, but we are silently also grateful to Jambhavana in steering Hanumana by reminding and boosting him about his valour.

Jai Hanumana and Jai Jambhavana.

YUDHISTHIRA ANSWERS

Yaksha asked, "what is asceticism and what is true restraint? 
What constitutes forgiveness and what is shame? "

Yudhisthira said "staying within the boundaries of one s own svadharma is true asceticism;
the restraints of the mind is real control,
forgiveness consists of enduring enmity and
shame in withdrawing from all unworthy acts. "

Yudhisthira's answer is brilliant, especially with regards to svadharma. In essence what is svadharma? Svadharma is the force of our psycho- physical nature.
Sri krishna says in the Gita it is better to perform one's own duty imperfectly rather than perform another's duty perfectly. It is tempting  to do something which gives money rather than doing that which makes one happy and responsible.
Modern civilisation has geared us to be successful and avoid failure. In reality life is to be qualified by a man of character.  In  the Mahabharata this was the battle between Duryodhana and Yudhsthira. Duryodhana wanted to be successful and Yudhsthira wanted to be qualified.
Success requires position, power and prosperity of matter. But qualification looks for responsibility,  character and values. Therefore the other three restrain. forgiveness and shame are  unknown, non experienced concepts for someone who is looking for successful. But for those who are looking for qualification their life is  governed by shame, forgiveness and restrain. Since Yudhsthira was practicing these it was not difficult for him to answer the questions raised by his father who had disguised as  the un-embodied  Yaksha. 

We can only answer questions if we have experienced the answer. If we have not then we need coaching classes. To experience the answer or to write the answer without  understanding , the choice is ours.

To be a student like Duryodhana without experiencing  the answer or to be a student like Yudhisthira living the answer , it's our choice.

YUDHISTHIRA'S INTEGRAL ANSWER

The questions raised by Yaksha, the disguised the father of Yudhisthira are intriguing and Yudhisthira's answers are deeply integrated.
Yaksha asked, " What is the most  laudable thing?
What is the most valuable of all his possessions? 
What is the best of all gains? 
And what is the best of all kinds of happiness?"
Yudhisthira answered; " the most laudable thing is skill,
the best of all possessions is knowledge,
the best of all gain is health
and contentment is the best of all kinds of happiness. "
Basically the questions cover  many facets to life.  For some one who is not mature and not having an integral approach to life would give contradictory answers , but Yudhisthira's answer was fully integrated and there was no contradiction in the answer
We need skill, but not at the cost of knowledge and health. One may have knowledge and health but what about contentment?
One cannot say a poor man is content. Either he is lying or he is lazy or he is a useless bum.
If none of the above  then he could be a highly evolved self realized yogi.  Now none of these category of people  are relevant to ordinary folks, the bums are a burden , liars are socially and morally corrupt, the lazy ones  are demotivating and the yogi is fascinating but cannot be emulated.  So Yudhisthira's answer is relevant  for the most of the people who are active in this world doing their duties and trying to harmonize skill, health, wisdom and happiness.  If they are successful they are yogis in their own  might .
Yoga is the science of integrating from ordinary to divine,  connecting  human to  God and  harmonizing the practical and the ideal.  
For the ordinary people these were apparently different questions but for some one like Yudhisthira who saw things in harmony it was easy to see harmony in the questions and what to speak of the answer.
Hence Yudhsthira's approach is the real and practical  approach to life as compared to the yogis who are lost in  their own bliss.

NEUTRALITY IS DEATH

There was one person who was rejected by both the parties  in the battle of Kurukshetra --Rukmi, the brother of Rukmini.
He approached the Pandavas first. He boasted about his power as if he was  going to finish all the Kurus but the Pandavas were not impressed.They conveyed to him that they did not need his services .
Rukmi in an upset frame of mind approached Duryodhana.
The fearless and boastful Duryodhana was not impressed with Rukmi. Once again Rukmi was rejected and he was  forced to be a neutral party.
Balarama, the Lord of the Yadus, had sympathy for Duryodhana and he too avoided the war .He did not wish to upset his dear brother Sri Krishna by being on the side of Duryodhana and hence he went on a pilgrimage.
On the last day of the battle when the final onslaught between Bhima and Duryodhana was about to start the great Yadava Balarama appeared.
He was about to witness a battle amongst two of his students who had turned into enemies for life.
They were on the verge of deciding their own fate and the future of Hastinapura.
Bhima was strong and powerful , Duryodhana was skilful and fierce.  Bhima struck Duryodhana below the belt and broke the rule of mace fighting.
Balarama was furious and was about to strike, Sri Krishna hastily  intervened reminding Balarama of his resolve to be neutral.
Sri Balarama was forced to take sides and this is life. 
People say they are neutral and hence speak indecisive language which indicates that their loyalty and conviction is on neither side .
However in certain situations their inner feeling manifests and they take sides.
Sri Krishna had made it clear that he would not fight but he would chose or be on the side of dharma.
In fact he  had given the choice to Arjuna to choose between him and his army. Arjuna was happy chosing Krishna and Duryodhana was happy with the army. 
Therefore taking sides is important.
in fact life challenges us to take decisions.
Neutrality also makes us take sides eventually and at times back fires because it is abrupt.
Making a conscious choice of taking sides and sticking for life with that choice is reality.
Whose side are we on ?
Certainly on the side of dharma and those who represent it. 

QUALIFICATION OR RECOMMENDATION

When the  Pandavas completed their 12 years of exile and one year of incognito they were discussing the future course of action .

The assembled members after deep deliberation decided to send a very qualified person in the assembly of the kurus on behalf of Pandavas, to get back their kingdom. Draupada maharaja found a person who could fit the qualification to deal with the Kurus in an effective manner.   Mahabharata describes the person who is actually qualified to handle the challenging situations.

"Drupada said, 'Of all the beings those who are endowed with life are superior. Of all living beings those who are endowed with intelligence are superior. Of the intelligent creatures men are superior.
Of the men the twice-born( those who have duly imitated based on their qualification )  are superior.
Of the twice-born, students of the Veda(not simply bookish but over all knowledge of dharma ) are superior.
Of students of the Veda those of cultured understanding are superior.
Of cultured men practical persons are superior.
And finally, of practical men those knowing the Supreme Being are superior.
You, it seems to me, are at the very top of those that are of cultured understanding.

Qualification is not inherited automatically but one has to earn it by one's own endeavour and God's grace. Goodness is not a noun it is a verb. In Sanskrita it is called  'kriya pada.'  It is action centric and not appointment centric.  It's not a position it's a journey while fighting with one's limitations. 
Draupada did not choose him primarily because he was recommended by some friendly relatives rather the Brahmana had proved his qualification by constantly upgrading his skills values and character. 
Choosing is not appointing it is empowering the person to walk the journey  in life of leadership.
Does it make sense?

RELIGION, RACE AND SPIRITUALITY

When we study the history of humans in this world, we find that three  components have always existed. One is religion, the other is race and the third is spirituality.
Religion is superficial in one sense as people can convert, reconvert and and can give up their connections to join religion. Most of the time it takes strategy, imposition and bribing to make people religious.

With regards to race and natural identity, it is deeper than religious identity.  Europe became a christian country but their racial identity remains unchanged.. The Germans  have trouble with the English and the English with the French. One continent, one currency one religion but racism keeps them apart from each other. Racism supersedes their religion.Their white body too can't unite them. Racism gives a strong identity. A frenchman was narrating an incident about how most of the young French have stopped attending church only the old are visiting and with lack of clergy the church in France  once had to call an African priest to conduct the sermons.The power of  racism in the old French was so high that they decided to quit the church rather than the race.

Race has connection to ego, religion has connection to belief. Belief can be challenged and race can be covered artificially but to give up is almost impossible as long as one is not evolved spiritually. Till then race will keep sticking  out its face all the time.

How is spirituality different from religion and race?
Spirituality is the journey of the living entity beyond the identity of body and belief. It's the constitutional nature of a living being to be eternally existing, blissful and full of knowledge or wisdom. It transcends everything, while using race and religion but never gets entangled in the superficialities of it. The Dharmik scriptures give a universal definition of God saying that "God is one from whom everything emanate and is  full within himself. He is the master of everything. " We do not serve him out of any imposition  rather we serve him because it is benficial to us .

Hence spirituality and healthy identity with scientific rituals need to be harmonised according to our  situations and implemented so that our eternal identity is established.

PROPAGANDA RIGHT OR WRONG?

It is said  that when a lie is spoken repeatedly for a long time loudly it takes the conviction of truth in the heart of those who listen to it.
This is called propaganda. Those who make such propaganda are not interested in debating their conviction with others specially with those who have contrary views. They are happy in getting gullible and simple folks to their clan.

This was the sad story even in the Ramayana when mother Sita was sent  to  the forest. She had proved her purity not because she was asked  to but because she wanted to show her purity when she met Sri Rama the first time after the kidnapping by Ravana. This was done in the presence of the citizens of Lanka and the soldiers of Sugriva.

The citizens of Ayodhya, had heard the entire story from many people. The exploits of Sri Rama became their  enlightenment and entertainment. Affection for the life and soul of Sri Rama and his counterpart Sita increased manifold upon hearing these stories. Unfortunately the propaganda of doubting her purity was spreading, how and why no one knew.  The propoganda was completely false but it made a great impact on the citizens of Ayodhaya. They were questioning the integrity of Sita and Sri Rama, even though they loved and respected them .
The questioning became the talk of the town!!
This became the turning point of the Ramayana. Sri Rama was forced to take the decision of sending  mother Sita out of Ayodhaya to the ashrama of Valmiki muni. Unfortunately the citizens did not connect the danger dots which were clashing with each other, the love for Sita Rama ,their talks of her purity and the consequent ouster of Sita from Ayodhya.
Their freedom of speech took the very life away from Ayodhya.

Similarly in this world we do not realize the power of propaganda, which happens just because it is fun, or has an element of creating unnecessary controversy to create unrest or with the intention of breaking the civilization for the sake of creating a rift.

Hence the sin of propaganda has no alternative but to find and speak the truth as strongly as possible, as loudly as possible ,and as articulately as possible. 
Sri Valmiki maharshi taught both the sons of Sri Sita and Rama, the ultimate truth of the beautiful poetry of Sri Sita Rama’s life.This melted the hearts of the citizens and of Sri Rama who had never questioned the character of Sita. But it was  too late and Sita had ended her journey.

The interesting thing is that propaganda is disastrous, causes pain and never gives fulfillment.  Some elements in India are creating  propaganda to break this land, but look around the broken parts of Bharat like Pakistan and Bangladesh. Everyone is suffering immensely.  Division causes pain to everyone, because it is artificial, but diversity in spite of its challenges is beautiful.
Do we want diversity or do we want division caused by the venom of hate.
Stand for diversity and fight against division.
This is the foundational principle of bharatiya culture.

GOD JEALOUS?

The world  comprises of multifaceted people, thinking, feeling, communicating, acting and translating their experiences in their own unique way.This reality is  difficult to change. Any amount of force, imposition or legalisation to create uniformity will only bring division and conflict.

The Dharmik scriptures repeatedly display this, not as a divisive force but as a diverse force. Variety is nature's speciality, where in men of wisdom are able to harmonise this variety seamlessly .

In the Gita, Sri Krishna talks to Arjuna describing the multifarious worshippers, who they worship and their destination.
Unlike the abhramic culture which condemns anything that is not   confirming to its ideology.    What the Bhagvad Gita says is accomdating.  Krishna is not an autocratic God.

We see that in diversity Krishna can unite and coexist with less or little conflict and violence.
Sri Krishna wants people to be connected with dharma either directly or indirectly. Directly  by worshiping him and seeing him in everything that people do. Indirectly by worshiping devas or his energy  and moving and evolving in life.
The Vedas do not describe the supreme Brahman as being a jealous lover. He is supreme and he lovingly accepts the position of being limited to experience our relationship and gives experience of allowing relationship to all.

The supreme God gives supreme independence to his Jiva to choose and grow harmoniously and no one has the right to take this independence away.

Does it makes sense?  If yes then use the independence  rather than abusing it. When we use our independence  in this manner we experience the power of being supremely independent even whilst handling diverse individuals who are worshipping the Brahman who has offered us this greatest gift.

KURUKSHETRA EXISTS !

Kurukshetra the town is a reality which can be experienced by all of us. But Kurukshetra the battle field of Mahabharata, how can we believe, feel or experience?

Kurukshetra of Mahabharata is an eternal reality .Our experiences of life lead us to make an attempt to understand the freshness in the dilemma experienced by Arjuna.
The over all structure of Mahabharata is the representation of a continuum of conflict in the heart of a sincere Dharmik person.
The conflict always being to fight the war or to do away with it ?
In fighting one may become a stimulus to causing pain to one's dear and near one's like grand father Bhisma and Drona. In not fighting one may cause perpetual violence to the civilization for a long time .
This confusion of Dharmik Arjuna is the central theme of the Gita and many Dharmik characters of Mahabharata. The conflict being  in the process to be used to eliminate the non dharmik characters.

The  non dharmik have no conflict. They have clarity of what action to perform and why to perform.
They are selfish and want success at any cost.They know the rules of the game.The Dharmik person has clarity in what he wants but he experirnces conflict in how to achieve what he wants.
He wants dharma to flourish but he is cornered in regards to how to achieve it. This is an eternal dilemma for the good people.

The good people  struggle to deal with the bad, fearing that  they may end up being bad themselves. They also know that if they don't deal with the bad people then more destruction and suffering will prevail.
Therefore Sri Krishna teaches them the art being good without becoming nasty and using diplomatic strategies to eliminate the bad.

This process causes a continuum of struggle of inner reflection and self analysis in the life of Dharmik people like the Pandavas. Eventually dharma prevails in their life with the  help of Sri Krishna.

Such Kurukshetra is an eternal reality for all of us. Why not learn the art of fighting the war from Kurukshetra ?The war between the physical  emotional and the intellectual conflict.
Does this not make Kurukshetra real for you and me forever?

BUILDING OR BREAKING

Breaking requires brutality without limits. Building or bringing people requires real valour, not the valour of sword but the valour of a large heart, deep thoughts, sharp intellect, fierce actions and the disposition of an innocent child. One may question whether such a combination exists in humanity?

The seeker of the ideal looks for these kind of people to worship, adore and emulate. They are folks of the swan club, the swan which is known for extracting milk from water.

The Ramayana consistently depicts this ideal amidst brutality.
Bharata had kingship on his platter offered  by the father, agreed by Sri Rama and conceived by Kaikeyi on the instigation of evil Manthara but he strived for the ideal and united all afflicted parties as one family. Ayodhya was united to bring back Sri Rama to their kingdom. 
Sri Hanumana had the choice to serve King Vali or the homeless Sugriva. He knew very well that Sugriva had little chance to reclaim the kingdom from Vali. In such a situation Hanumana did not desert Sugriva. He eventually united him with Sri Rama his family and citizens. 
What was Hanumanji's gain?  Complete satisfaction.

Jatayu tried to unite Sri Rama and Sita while instructing Ravana to have coherent thoughts and actions which were harmonious with the laws of nature .Jatayu failed in his life and success was out of his reach but satisfaction of doing the right thing? That became his reward for eternity.  He is ever glorified in the pages of Ramayana.

When citizens of Lanka experienced disaster caused by Sri Rama's army, they did not blame Sri Rama, but  blamed the cruel and insensitive  Surphankha for their ordeal. She was brutal in breaking for the satusfsction of her ego.

Similarly there are forces in this world who organise their life in ways to break families, societies and nations.  They may get success, but what about happiness?

Therefore it is pertinent to have the right vision .

DIVINITY IN DIVERSITY

The human mind experiences confusion in variety, but one who is elevated sees variety as the power of divinity manifesting every where. 
Sri Krishna in  the Bhagavad Gita says, "one who sees me in everything and everything in me, is never lost to me nor am I lost to him."

Seeing Brahman everywhere is not an artificial imposition on the mind or some  brain washed intelligence rather it is an experience of eternal and fundamental principles.  Therefore sanatana dharma and the laws of nature are synonymous. It is said that dharma is not man made.
It is experienced by sensitive human beings by the process of Yoga. 

The great Pandavas could not give up dharma, because dharma was every where for them to experience and perceive. Their conviction in dharma was internal and not based on the influence of an external bombardment by a teacher.
Teachers are great benedictions but not those teachers who teach  specific exams.They are tutors, they prepare us for exams.
Teachers facilitate and empower us to experience and translate experiences of life into wisdom and help create an ability to handle diverse experiences, thrive in them rather than being thwarted by them, to grow and to translate the confusing and conflicting diversity .

Duryodhana was leading a great life and was blind to the realities of life. He never expected his relatives to ever challenge him.
His mother was affectionate to him and his father was infatuated by him. His brothers were submissive and idolised him.The Pandavas came and shattered his world. He could not handle the different and non confirming experiences.This diverse relation incapacitated him .He wanted to destroy the Pandavas. 

The dharmik Pandavas were trained to be masters in handling diversity .   Duryodhana tried to destroy the Pandavas in many ways.

Duryodhana denied diversity and chose to be a part of the deadly and brutal colossal death of large people. Uniformity in brutal death. Pandavas continued experiencing diversity as they did from the beginning of their childhood till their final destination.

BRUTALITY IN REFINENESS

It is easy to suspect criminals and addicts and guard oneself from their assault. Media sometimes creates a more brutal picture about them and makes them appear as more cruel  than they are. Maybe this is needed for the safety of  the public .
But what about the under cover brutal intellectuals, academicians , modernists and even the so called religious clergies and priests who design a clear plan to eliminate  an entire civilisation?

Ravana when he came as a sadhu to kidnap Sita was able to convince Sita about his genuineness, purity , innocence  and kindness. Ravana kidnapped Sita but was unable to convert her. The modern and young generation are easy, vulnerable, and utterly unaware of realities of life and are getting converted to Ravana's culture. They are accepting their kidnappers as reformers.

Putana the child killer demoness sent by Kamsa to kill Sri Krishna could cheat the Gopis in handing over Sri Krishna to her. Sri Krishna an ever alert baby sucked her life and poison instead. Unfortunately the modern Putana's are in the guise of educational institutes, research centres and non Government organisations. They are feeding the poison of rebellion against the deep culture of Dharmik tradition.The innocent mothers and the ignorant kids are drinking this poison and getting slaughtered of their values and ethics which are rooted in dharma.
Refined crooks have skills, abilities and resources to make people discard their culture and confidence.
We need Sri Krishna, his knowledge and strategy to deal with these refined crooks.    
When Yudhisthira took over as the King, a trusted aide of Duryodhana came to Yudhsthira and assaulted him verbally by slandering him for being responsible for  the war. His goal was to spread ill feeling about Yudhsthira amongst the citizens so that peace could not prevail.
However alert citizens headed by honest and loyal educationalists destroyed his argument and his existence.

The alertness and awareness inculcated  by the knowledge of scripture and Dharmik tradition is the only way in which a selfless life can prevail .

INTENTION, ACTION AND IMPACT

People ask between intention action and impact which is most crucial?   The simple and straight answer would be impact, since impact is the deciding factor.  But when we delve a little deeper we realize that the above answer  of "impact " is superficial and isolated.

The integral answer would be to harmonize the three. Good intention without right actions leads to perpetual confusion. Right action without right intentions are  mechanistic and there is no human sensitivity. Great impact without intent and right actions leads to short lived celebrations.It is like watching a movie that gives a great impact, but what intent is there and what actions were involved in impact is the real question.

When Bhisma decided to fight on behalf of the  kurus he had the great intention of being true to his vows, but his actions were anti-dharma and anti God. There was a conflict between intent and action.
When Karna decided to perform charity relentlessly, his action of charity was laudable, but what was his intention?
To eliminate Arjuna by the blessing received by such charity.
Duryodhana's victory during gambling match was impacting the kuru Kula.  There was  prosperity for the Kauravas, but their action and intentions were shady and brutal.  Another example is of Yudhsthira's lamentation after the war .The war was fought with good intentions and most of the time with right actions and  the impact was a Dharmik kingdom, but the colossal human loss  due to war caused perpetual pain to Yudhsthira maharaja.

Therefore dharma says try to  harmonise the three -intentions, actions and impact to the maximum degree possible .That is sanatana dharma. It may be difficult at times to be harmonious then certain rare compromises are suggested.  Those comprmises are apadha dharma, meaning emergency decisions.But apada dharma is not sanatana dharma.   when emergency become everyday dharma, then it is adharma.  Hence Balance and harmony becomes our responsibility.

MOVING AWAY

A civilization flourishes and suddenly it becomes uninhabited. Why does this happen and who causes it?

While Sri Rama and Laxmana were accompanying the great sage Vishwamitra muni to chastise the intruding  demons in the Yagna of the sages they crossed many places.  Vishwamitra muni told them about the history of the places that they crossed .He talked of Angamalaja a place where  Indra was purified by  the devatas and where Tataka was living. Such a famous place had now become uninhabited. 
The flourishing city of Mathura after Jarasandh's attack was deserted by the Yadavas.
Ayodhya was given up by Lava and Kusha and Kushasthali was made into a flourishing metropolis.
In due course Kushasthali was forgotten until Sri Krishna refurbished the city and named it Dwaraka. As time passed Dwaraka was inundated to the extent that people question it's existence today.
Even in medival history we hear about the great town of Hampi the capital of Vijayanagar which today has become a  historic place of ruins.
Shivaji's Raigad is reduced to a tourist spot.
Britain, who conquered almost the entire world has shrinking number of original Brits staying in London what an irony? 

This is a pattern of life creating something substantial so that eventually it remains in some obscure pages of history. The beauty and reality is that for the legacy to continue one has to keep doing what our ancestors have done knowing well enough that all creation has a limited life span but has a continuum of legacy. So the great Dharmik people create in a way as if what they create is going to exist eternally and simultaneously have the mental detachment after creation.
In living and leaving is an amazing harmony of life.
One gives meaning and the other gives feeling of non attachment.  Living gives legacy and leaving gives non attachment.

REASONS AND DECISION

When we decide to do something with certain reasons we  feel "we have taken the right decision for the right reasons." However at a later date we realise that there is a big gap between the right reason and the right decision.

To illustrate this we can study the examples of Arjuna and Hanumana.   Arjuna had great reasons for not fighting the battle, but not fighting was not a choice during the Kurukshetra conflict. Arjuna reasoned with Sri Krishna that fighting will create lossof life and how could he fight against those who were worship-able like Bhisma and Drona.
He reasoned that the ancestors would not beoffered due final rites which they deserved, womenfolk would be neglected and would be prone to exploitation and family traditions would be destroyed.
Sri Krishna did not object to his reasoning but questioned the decision of not fighting. 

Sri Hanumana on other hand made the amazing decision of accepting Vibhishana under Sri Rama's shelter.   But Hanumana's reasons for accepting Vibhishana were unacceptable to Sri Rama.  Hanumana reasoned that Vibhishana had no fault and he suggested that Vibhishan had come to take shelter of Sri Rama on hearing that Sri Rama was giving the kingdom to Sugriva by eliminating Vali. Sri Rama objected to Hanumana's reasons but was glad that Hanumana was wanting that Sri Rama accept Vibhishana.   Vibhishana s shortcoming was that he  had served Ravana for long and that he was Ravana 's brother.

Arjuna's reasons were worthy but his decision?
Hanumana's decision was wonderful but his reasons?
It is important to minimise the gap between the right reasons and the right decision so that there is a long lasting effect.
Right reason and a good decision is a great legacy maker.

COW AND WAR

It is strange that we seldom learn from history and hence history  repeats its  patterns. Only the names of the characters and place of action changes.  It is true that one can never create a pure world and  such a world does not exist. The world  infact is full of duality.  Good will certainly bring the bad, if not today then tomorrow it will certainly come.

Once the great king,  Kartiviryarjuna  become arrogant, and puffed up, by the daily activities of ruling the kingdom and every body obeying him. One day he went to hunt in the forest. Being very thirsty, he visited the Ashrama ofJamdagneya Rishi. The king was expecting some comfort for his exhaustion but not great  luxury. 
The king was intrigued when he  was welcomed  with great opulence. 
He wondered how such an ordinary bramin could provide such an opulent treat?  What was the mystery?  Instead of simply appreciating, he wanted  to know the source of the host’s ability to entertain.

He heard from the inmates of the Ashrama that the  source of opulence  was the great Kamadhenu cow(wish fulfilling cow). The  king was determined  to have this cow for himself.    Jamdagney refused  to part with the cow saying, that “it is like asking me to give my pious credits to you , it needs to be earned by personal endevour. "

The king was in  no mood to listen, he became  violent and  dragged the cow by his military power .The cow did not budge, the King beheaded the sage, and carried his blood dripping head in front of the cow.  The cow started walking towards the sage as if following her loving guardian.

This  henious act of King Kartiviryarjuna was the turning point of his life .
Jamdagneya's son, Parashurama, the warrior brahamana, dismantled and destroyed the king by wiping out his kingdom .He fought till Aryavrata was freed from such demoniac kings.

There are many such episodes narrated in our dharmik traditions. These incidents indicate that a cow based prosperity has to be earned with grace and affection towards them. When force and brutality  is used there is bound to be violence and bloodshed .

VOICE OF THE DEAD

Voice of the dead creates fear in our minds as we assume that the voice belongs to a ghost. This voice of the dead is a symbolic connotation.
It refers to studying  the history of the dead to learn something substantial.  Vidura spoke to Dhritharasthra when Duryodhana was born. He was wise enough to see death in future if this new born baby was allowed to live by the blind King in the future.The history of the dead kuru kula was probably reminding him of taking the right decision at the right moment.
King Bharata who was the ancestor of king Dhritharasthra was a dharmik ruler and hence for the sake of his citizens had renounced his useless and wasteful children, and  instead chose an outsider for the post of King.
“The dead spoke without speaking.”

When Gandhari saw her dead children  on the battlefield of Kurukshetra,  she did not learn her lesson. Her anger and pain made her curse rather than warn the other living members of the royal order.  She cursed Sri Krishna, that His family would die in a fratricidal war. She believed that her peace was in making pieces of  the royal family by their war.  The dead caused her to create more death in the future.

Yudhisthira on hearing from Arjuna the departure of the Yadavas from this world, including Sri Krishna and Balarama, was mortified. He was ready to move out of this world.  Disappearance of the lord made him lose all ties with this world, and made him contemplate on moving towards the ultimate destination.The departed spoke to him and he decided to move. He saw the death of all his family members as he moved, but he did not stop.
A dog was the only one who followed.

Indra came to take him to a higher realm, Yudhisthira denied and said that he would not go without the dog.
Indra was amused he asked  “ you have given up your family why not this this dog?”

Yudhisthira said, “ I gave up on my family  because they are dead and they cannot go along with me. This dog has been loyal and I shall not give up on him".  The dead Pandavas inspired Yudhishitra not to waste and to move on.

Eventually they were all united beyond birth and death in transcendence. Every one has a voice, including the dead.
Do we hear them?
Its our choice to hear the dead deaf or the dead living, does it make sense?

DIFFERENT SHASTRAS AND DIFFERENT ROLES

World, life and leaving have different perspectives  at different points in time in our  life and for aiding our vision Vyasadeva compiled a range of literatures. They are interconnected, harmonious and non- conflicting.  Conflict exists for those who see them from an exclusivist view point.

For observing the realities of the world, we have the Upnishadas, which are  secular, abstract, non descriptive and principle centric. It is important that our observations about cosmic law.
be based on them .

The Mahabharata and the Ramayana give the vision of how to live in the world.  They are not only descriptive but are depictive. Mahabharata talks of an active world and therefore it always remains contemporary. Like some one said, “immortals always are contemporary.” We can see the Duryodhanas, Dushashanas, Shakunis and the confused Karnas in our lives even today.

Ramayana teaches us about leadership and it's lone battle . It teaches us that if one is honest and hard working the fulfillment is immense. It talks of Rama  who as a leader had to forsake all relationships for his duty and the kingdom. 

Bhagavatam talks about deflecting from this world, seeing everything as futile and going towards the non-existent. The only reality being that of intense affection for the soul of our soul the supreme lord, who enchanted every one by his sweet pastimes in Vrindavana.

While living in this world most people live the life of a householder. If one is able to balance the three aspects of life namely the world , living and leaving then at the right time one becomes completely detached form this world while being fully active in one’s sva dharama.

The Pandavas are a typical example of such behavior. They had upanishadic observation, an epic like involvement in the world and puranic like detachment.  Hence when it was time for them to move away form this world, they did it in a very beautiful way