ON LOOKING BACK

“Time and Tide waits for no man”! Time swallows up the entire universe says a poet! “Kalo jagag bhaksahkaha”! The great Krita, Treta, and Dwapara yugas have vanished an we are in this dirty Kaliyuga eking out our mortal material existence! Civilizations and cultures are buried in the womb of earth! The age of maharshis, saints,and yogis who made our country great are no more!  Phenomenal changes have occurred in society both good and bad! Science and technology has reached the sky and has gone into the space beyond! Nature too

has changed beyond recognition! But human nature has not yet changed! He is the the same bundle of emotions and passions, a victim of the six inveterate inner adversaries, the 'arihadvargas’! He is unable to control his anger and desire! He is covetous. He is too much attached to his own people and things! He is not without pride and arrogance! Above all he does not love others; he hates them! He has become narrow minded and the center of egoism! Morals and ethics are things of the past, no more relevant today! With all these traits man calls himself civilized!  He is blown off by superficialities and misses the essence of existence!

The old order changes yielding place to new! Year 2017 is gone! New year 2018 has dawned!  This is a regular sequence. Is the new year going to be better? We do not know the future! Was the past year good? Different opinions are aired by people. People who sacrificed their lives for the country are no more! We have politicians who care more for themselves than the nation!  Politics has become a good business indulged in by the rich! Our Legislatures and Parliament have more crorepatis and lakhiers than the common man! The ordinary citizen has absolutely no chance to stand and win elections! Votes are purchased and the winner gloats over his victory! Power, position, and authority are misused and abused for selfish purposes! And yet we call ourselves a democratic nation! The basic tenets of democracy are violated according to convenience!

The poor have become poorer! Many villages have no proper roads and electricity and other infrastructure! Successive governments have failed in alleviating the distress of the farmers and the common man! Seventy years after Independence, the life of the citizen has not changed much! Different political parties governed the country and India made great strides in development and economy! But year 2017 gave rise to a few scams that shook the entire nation like the 2G Scam and Coalgate scam and others! These scams indicate the corruption of the mind of the people in authority who unashamedly want to derive personal benefits much against the principles of democracy!The country witnessed border violations by Pakistan our unfriendly neighbor! Many incidents of violence occurred in different parts of the nation! Pakistan continues to bleed India through its terrorists while India bears it with phenomenal patience, occasionally giving a befitting reply!

Hydra headed corruption has taken a deep root in India and though every government has been saying it will root it out, corruption is increasing! First step in arresting corruption and tainted Black money has been taken by the present Modi  government through Demonetization shaking the whole hoarders out of their complacency! Much money was traced and the source of money for terrorism was cut! Though an initial shock, it was accepted by the people at large! This was followed by GST, a tax reform replacing various other taxes! It will take time to settle down! Our Prime Minister visited many foreign countries and established very good rapport with countries like America, China, Russia and France and Britain! India as a growing economy is greatly respected than in the previous years!

Let us not ponder over the past! Let us look at the future! Let the new year usher in a new era of peace, plenty and prosperity for the people! Corruption should come down though it may not be totally wiped out! Farmers and the man in the street should be happy.  Food, clothing and shelter, the basic amenities should be provided by the government Properly! Unemployment should come down! Prices of essential commodities should be controlled! Politicians should do their duties with responsibility and accountability! Forgery, fraud, violence, abduction, murder and rape should disappear! Man should look within himself and do what his inner voice instructs! Morality and ethics should be given importance and strictly followed! Women must be respecte and treated properly! Let us hope the year 2018 shall make all these and many more good things possible and make life easy and worth living for the common man!!!

VAIKUNTA EKADASI

The King of all Ekadasis coming in a calendar year is the Vakunta Ekadasi every year! The Sukla paksha Ekadasi during the Dhanurmasa coinciding with the Tamil month Margazhi is called Vaikunta Ekadasi. This Ekadasi is specially important to Vaishnavites and elaborate arrangements are made to celebrate it in all the Vaishnavite temples in South India! Lakhs of people throng to Sri Venkateswara Temple at Tirupati and the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in SriRangam in Tamil Nadu! It is staunchly believed by all devotees that the Vaikunta dwara-- the gate of Lord’s  inner sanctum is opened on this day! This Ekadasi is also called “ Mukkoti Ekadasi” and people who observe fast and pass through through the” Vaikunta Dwaram” in every temple, specially arranged, are assured of a place in Swarga or heaven! ‘Parana’ means breaking the fast! It is done usually on the morning of the next day after sunrise within the Dwadasi hours. Generally Ekadasi is a day for fasting and observed by the Saivites and particularly by the Vaishnavites and Madhwas. The belief of passing through the Vaikunta Dwara, opened once in a year on this day, makes Vaikunta Ekadasi very significant and special! Large crowds wait throughout the previous night to gain entry into the gate first to get salvation or moksha!

Ekadasi is not without its legend! King Rukmangada was an ardent devotee Lord Vishnu. His wife was Sandhyavali.The king ruled the country righteously and treated his subjects as his own children! His kingdom was a picture of peace, plenty and prosperity! King Rukmangada was blessed with a son, Dharmangada. The devotion of the king for Lord Vishnu became almost obsessive and he followed the Ekadasi fasting as a religious regimen! In his passion for the Ekadasi Vrata, he ordered that all citizens in his kingdom should follow the Vrata without fail! In their love and regard for the king and his exemplary bhakthi, the people obeyed the order of the king and days rolled on in this fashion for several years! The Devas became jealous of king Rukmangada and his people! “How can the king and his people accumulate so much of punya' by performing the Ekadasi Vrata?”, they thought! They wanted to test the king if his devotion to the Lord is genuine or not. Will he stick to perform the Vrata under the most difficult conditions?

A Divine damsel of bewitching beauty, Mohini was sent to king Rukmangada with the avowed purpose of diverting his attention from the Ekadasi Vrata. “ Beauty provoketh thieves sooner than gold” Who has not fallen a victim to the guiles and gestures of exceptionally beautiful women?  Was it not the case with the great sage Viswamitra? She came with all her glamour! There was love at first sight! The king was head over heels in love with her forgetting his dear queen Sandhyavali! He wanted to marry her. But she would not accept his hand easily! After dodging him for many days, she laid down certain conditions for marrying the king. She said that the king should fulfil every one of her wishes. He  should not refuse any of her desires. If he were to reject any of her wishes she would leave him and return to her place! In his love and lust for her, king Rukmangada accepted her conditions and days passed on smoothly for some time! Queen Sandhyavali was shocked at the conduct of her own husband. Mohini was eagerly awaiting an opportunity for striking!

The chance came to her presently! Ekadasi came and the king became very busy with arrangements for the Vrata. He was about to fast and sit in prayer and meditation as usual. Mohini’s moment had come and she insisted that he should not follow the Ekadasi Vrata! She wanted to spend time with him! The king was  shocked and surprised at this curious wish of his paramour! He tried to dissuade her in insisting but in vain . He wasn't ready to give up the Ekadasi Vrata nor was he prepared to lose Mohini, his darling damsel! He was in dilemma. But his devotion to the Lord won and he said he would do anything to satisfy Mohini except giving up the Ekadasi Vrata! Now there was another option for Mohini! Her object was to create a situation where the king should be in a very tight corner! She thought for a while and quickly replied. She wanted the king to kill his son Dharmangada if she is to stay with him!

King Rukmangada had to pay a very heavy price for his love for this lady! However he had no choice! He could not waver about his devotion to the Lord and the Ekadasi Vrata! He told the matter to his dear queen Sandhyavali and his son Dharmangada! The queen broke into inconsolable tears! Dharmangada remained calm and composed! It was his duty to obey the king, his father! Without any hesitation, he asked his father to behead him for the sake of saving the Ekadasi Vrata which was a regular event all the years! He made himself ready for the sacrifice! Mohini was a silent witness to all these scenes before her! At last the king picked up courage. His body quivered and the hands trembled and he felt very weak at the thought of beheading his own dear child!

There was suspense all around! People were aghast at what was going to happen--the king killing his own son! Dharmangada sat down bending his head and expecting the sword to come down upon him at any moment! Rukmangada took the sword in his trembling hand to bring it down on the bent neck of his son! And at that very moment the miracle happened! Lord Vishnu appeared before king Rukmangada and complimented him on his faith and devotion! He revealed that all that had happened was a test for his devotion and that the king had come out unscathed from the crucial experience! Dharmangada was crowned as the King and both the king and his queen Sandhyavali  went to heaven by the grace of Lord Vishnu! Though  legendary, the story underlines the significance of fasting on the Ekadasi day! The day is very dear to  Lord Vishnu and those who fast on the day and meditate on the Lord are sure to get salvation! Fasting for two days in a month is sure to keep the person sound in body and mind!! Why not we follow this and keep ourselves fit?

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JANAMEJAYA'S REVENGE

Sage Saunaka wanted to know how the great king Parikshit died. Sage Sutha narrates the story as recalled by the ministers of king Janamejaya, the son of Parikshit! Parikshit was a king who ruled the country righteously. He considered his subjects as his own children. There were none who disliked or hated him. He was dear to Lord Krishna. He was the son of Abhimanyu and Uttara. Despite all his noble qualities Parikshit had an obsession for hunting! On one occasion he chased a deer and wounded it. It disappeared into the dense forest but the king went after it. There he saw a sage and enquired if he saw the deer. The sage, Samika, did not reply as he observed the vow of silence! Tired and hungry, king Parikshit  grew angry and lifting a dead snake nearby with the end of his bow, put it round the neck of the sage in meditation! sage Samika was not at all perturbed nor did he speak a word! Sage Samika’s son, Srungi, equally great and powerful, grew furious at the sight of his father wearing a dead snake around his neck! Immediately, he cursed that the person that had done this mean act shall die within seven days bitten by the snake Takshaka, the deadliest of snakes!

Information of the terrible curse was given to king Parikshit and he was advised to be cautious. The king was much distressed at the sin he committed in throwing the dead snake around the sage’s neck. In the meanwhile he made all security arrangements to avoid death by snake bite. Six days passed by. Nothing happened. On the seventh day, sage Kasyapa was on his way to see the king. Takshaka, the terrible snake spotted the sage and enquired where he was going and why. He replied that he was going to see the king who would be bitten by the snake Takshaka! He would resuscitate the king by his wonderful power and save him! Takshaka was  shell shocked! He wanted to test the sage’s prowess and with his venom reduced a huge tree into ashes! He challenged the sage to bring the tree back to life! The sage, in his turn, chanted some invocations and lo, behold, miraculously the tree came back to life in the presence of the snake! Takshaka was shocked and amazed at the incredible power of sage Kasyapa! He offered much money to the sage for which he was approaching the king and sent him away! Later Takshaka went in disguise to the well protected palace and according to the curse of Shrungi, killed Parikshit with his deadly bite!

King Janamejaya broke into profuse tears on hearing the manner of the death of his father Parikshit. His agony and anguish was indescribable! He wanted to avenge the death of his father by destroying the king of snakes,Takshaka and all the other snakes! He summoned all the sages and other wise men to instruct him on how to annihilate the entire snakes! The ritwiks told him of a yaga called “Sarpa satra” according to the Puranas and the Devas. That would satisfy his wish to destroy the snakes! Janamejaya was pleased at the words of the sages. He immediately ordered that arrangements be made for the performance of the great “sarpa satra”yaga. The sages, in their wisdom, selected a neat, calm, and comfortable place for the    performance of the yaga according to sastras. They filled it with money and grains and gave  “diksha” to king Janamejaya! But unfortunately, one among the sages, a Vasthu expert, said that the yaga was likely to be obstructed! The time and the measurements of the yagasala indicate impediments to the “sarpa satra” yaga!

The Yaga started in right earnest! The participants did their duties according to sastras. Covering themselves with black robes, with reddish eyes, chanting mantras as per the sastras, they performed homa. Through the sacrificial fire they invoked all the snakes to their dismay and terror! The invoked serpents, without any other alternative, arrived and fell into the raging fire of the “homa kunda!” Some fell jumping, some calling other snakes pathetically, a few lifting up their hoods, some more hissing, a few more entwining themselves to others! A few snakes were white, other black and a few more blue in color! There were lean snakes as well as stout ones, short and long ones continuously dropping down into the blazing fire! The unbearable stench of the burning snakes filled the air and the sound of snakes falling into the fire increased! Takshaka was terrified at the thought of his turn! He went to Indra, king of Gods and beseeched his help! Indra gave him refuge and said that he need not fear death as the creator Brahma has been approached by him! In the meanwhile Vasuki another king of snakes worried about his precious life and requested his sister to send her son Asthika to stop the yaga and save the lives of other snakes! Finally the yaga was stopped on the request an advice of famous Asthika!

“ Bharatah panchamo Vedaha”-- The Mahabharatha is called the Fifth- panchama Veda! There      is nothing in it that we do not find in the present society! All human emotions, passion, pity, compassion, jealousy, hatred, love, violence, deceit, fraud and other qualities are exhibited by various characters in the Itihasa! The spirit of revenge for the death of his father Parikshit, triggered the sarpa yaga that took the toll of many lives of snakes! Through these stories we have to learn lessons and shorn of evil qualities, lead happy and contented lives! Revenge and violence can never make man happy! Obsession for hunting cost Parikshit his dear life! Obsession for money has killed many a man and lust has brought many to their doom! Let us control our inner enemies like Kama, Krodha and others as far as possible and live happily and make others also live happily!

ATMAN--THE PERSONAL GOD

The topic in the third adhyaya of Swetaswatara Upanishad is the description of Atman as the personal God. He spreads the net and rules all the worlds by those powers. Verses 31 to 36 describe the “Atman, Soul, Self” as the personal God, as the one and and only Lord that resides within the origin of all Gods, calling it Isha or Rudra.” He is the ruler of the world and there's no second to Him! At the end of time He withdraws into himself! With His thousand heads, faces, arms and feet he brings together both the heaven and earth. The Supreme Brahman manifests in the bodies of all creatures. Realizing him, one becomes Immortal. The Purusha fills the universe, He is the Supreme; He is everything; He is smaller than the atom and bigger than the biggest! “anor aniyan mahato mahiyan.” He is formless and beyond suffering. He resides in the receptacle of the hearts of all. He is the Omnipresent Siva!

It is he that impells the minds of all to reach the purest state! He is the Ruler and the immortal

Light. It is amazing that He is of the measure of a thumb! The Kathopanishad describes the Self in a similar manner “ angushtamatrah purushontaratma sada jananam hridaye sannivishtaha”- like the Person of the size of thumb, the inner Self abides always in the hearts of men. This Virat Purusha encompasses the entire universe with his hands and feet, eyes, heads and ears. It is beyond the senses but reflects the  qualities of all the senses! All creatures have to take refuge in IT

The Upanishad compares the human body to a city with nine gates! The human body has nine openings which are very strategic and without which it cannot exist! They are the two yes, two ears, the two nostrils, the mouth, the anus and the urinary passage! The Atma or Spirit moves all over the body and takes charge of moving and unmoving objects-- ‘ the sthavara and the jangama’. He has no hands but grasps, no feet but walks, no eyes but sees well! He has no ears but hears even the smallest sound! Kenopanishad clearly defines what makes us see, think, hear, eat and carry on activities in our life! “ Srothrasya srothram manaso mano, ya vachoha vacham sa u pranasya pranaha chakshusas chakshu ratimuchya dhirah pretyasmal lokadamruta bhavanthi” “It is the ear of the ear, the mind of the mind, the speech of the speech, the breath of the breath and the eye of the eye! Hence the wise, giving up these and departing  from this world, become Immorta!l”

He Knows  whatever there is to be known! But there none who knows Him! He is thus called as Primal, the Supreme person! Kenopanishad defines the Supreme Brahman beautifully! “ That which is not seen by the eye, but that by which the eyes are made to see-- know that as Brahman and not what people worship here. That which is not heard by the ear , but that by which the ears are made to hear--- know that as Brahman, and not what people worship here.” The Self, hidden in the heart of creatures is subtler than the subtle and greater than the great! It is only through the grace of the Lord that one can see Him who is without any action and get himself released from all sorrow!

About the nature of the Brahman described in the Swetaswatara Upanishad, the Kena Upanishad says: “ The eye does not go there, speech does not go, not the mind. We do not understand how we can  instruct one about it. It is indeed other than the known, and also above the unknown. Thus have we heard from the ancients who explained it to us.” The Kathopanishad describes the Self--” The knowing Self is never born, nor does it die. It sprang from nothing and nothing sprang from it. It is unborn, eternal, everlasting and primeval. It is not slain when the body is slain. Thus the Swetaswatara Upanishad gives prominence to the the unseen and unheard Self in the body!

THE STORY OF AMRIT--DIVINE NECTAR

Sage Saunaka asks the renowned Sutha to narrate to him the story of the arrival of “amrita” or nectar and how and where it was obtained. What was the need and reason for it? What other things came out of the sea of milk as it was churned? Sage Sutha said that Meru mountain was resplendent with many golden peaks and endowed with dense jungles, rivers,fauna and flora. On one of the peaks, the Devas met in a conference and thought about “Amrit" and how to obtain it. God Vishnu, always helpful to Devas, informed creator Brahma that “Amrit" could be obtained if the Asuras and Devas together churn the ocean of milk. Amrit will come out of the churning! Devas were directed to put all herbal medicines and diamonds into the ocean and churn. But it was impossible for them to uproot the Meru for the purpose of churning. Lord Vishnu and Brahma directed the king of snakes, Adisesha to  do the job. The mighty king of snakes, Adisesha, uprooted the great Meru with all it's forests and other things and placed it in the center of the ocean! The ocean requested a share in the Amrit that was going to be obtained! Both the Asuras and Devas requested the Turtle king to be the base and support for the Meru while it was being churned! Indra fixed the Meru on the back of the Turtle with his Vajra for stability!Thus the Asuras and the Devas churned the ocean of milk with Meru and Vasuki as the rope for churning!! The asuras were at the head of the snake while the Devas were at the tail side of Vasuki at the time of churning! The churning of the ocean began in right earnest!

As the asuras handled the hood of Vasuki and put it down frequently, flames and hot air came out! Vasuki spewed terrible poison and it mixed up with the ocean! It was the most destructive poison called “Halahala”. Many Devas and Asuras were burnt! The Devas ran to the Creator and he requested Lord Siva to come to the rescue of Devas. Maheswara collected the flaming poison into a ball and gulped down his throat! Thus Lord Siva came to be called “ Nilakanta”. As the churning continued, the entire ocean was disturbed beyond measure! From the topmost peak of Meru it rained flowers on the Devas! There was a tremendous thunderous sound and many sea organisms were crushed and destroyed due to the churning of the ocean! The creatures in the underworld Pathala were annihilated! Fauna and flora on the Meru mountain were destroyed! Fire broke out due to friction and killed the elephants and lions that came out! Various kinds of essences and milk oozed out of the trees and mixed with the sea! Thus the sea became the ocean of milk due to the influence of various juices and essences of medicinal herbs!

Both the Asuras and Devas were totally exhausted on account of churning continuously. But there was no sign Amrit. The devas approached Creator Brahma once again and he requested Lord Vishnu to grant them strength! As they regained the lost strength, the Asuras and Devas churned the Meru with redoubled vigor and vitality! Halahala poison that came out first was gulped down by Lord Siva and retained in his throat! Soon after, emerged a lady, black in color, from the sea, bedecked with beautiful ornaments! She is none other than “Jyeshta Devi!  Next to emerge from the ksheera sagara was the Moon or Chandra with his cool rays and beautiful looks! Following  Chandra, emerged Sri Devi or Lakshmi dressed in spotless white! Closely following her came the white horse from the milky ocean! Then came  the precious diamond called Kausthubha! All these things including the fleet footed horse went to the side of the Devas!The Parijata, and Kamadhenu, the Cow that granted all desires came out of the ocean!

Later came out of the ocean, the heavy bodied elephant Airavata with four tusks!  The divine damsels called “Apsarasa”emerged later! Kamadhenu, Kalpavriksha Kaustubha Stone, and the “Apsarasas” left for the sky and reached the side of the Devas!  Then, finally, to the delight and excitement of all, emerged from the ocean a beautiful form of Deva by name “ Dhanvantari”  carrying a  white vessel-- kamandalu full of Amrita- Divine nectar that gifted immortality to those who drank it! It was an amazing and incredible sight! Having seen this unbelievable sight, the Asuras were overwhelmed with joy and yelled loudly claiming that Amrita was for them! It was here that the story took a sudden turn favoring the Devas!

It was all the Maya of Lord Narayana! He took the form of a bewitching beautiful damsel and stood before the Asuras to ensnare them! Both the Devas and the Asuras were astonished at the Divine beauty of the woman who stood before them! Instantly they were drawn to her ethereal beauty! In their love and passion for her hand, they lost their head and handed over the kamandalu with Amrit to her! It was a well laid out plan by the Lord! He made the Devas and the Asuras sit in opposite rows and served the Divine nectar to Devas alone denying it to the Asuras! Unknowingly the Asuras thought they were served Amrita but agitated when the knew about the treachery of the Lord! Rahu and Ketu of the Asuras, somehow, gained entry into the row of Devas and had a sip of the Divine juice! That is how they are designated as Gods in Hindu religion! Identifying the Asuras, Lord Vishnu killed them with his Sudarshan Chakra instantly! But they had taken Amrit already and thus became immortal !