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May 14 - May 17, 2022
Naked, the Goddess is Kali, bloodthirsty and wild as the undomesticated forest. Clothed, she is Gauri, gentle as a domesticated orchard or field. The unclothing of Draupadi is not merely the unclothing of a woman; it represents the collapse of civilization, the move from field to forest, from Gauri to Kali, when dharma is abandoned and matsya nyaya reigns supreme, so that might dominates the meek.
Vyasa keeps asking what makes a woman a wife. It emerges that it is civilized society with its laws of marital fidelity that makes a woman a wife. But in the forest, there are no rules. Can a woman still be a wife? It is evident through the story of Jayadhrata that neither society nor forest can make a woman a wife; it is only the desire and the discipline of man that can do so.
In the Ramayana, Vishnu upholds rules as Ram, while in the Mahabharata, Vishnu changes rules as Krishna. In
She was dressed in the sixteen love-charms of marriage—a red sari, flowers in her hair, betel leaf in her mouth, bangles, armlets, anklets, bracelets, toe rings, rings on her nose and ears, necklaces and bejewelled belts around her waist.
The value of an object depends on the scale being followed. And since all scales are man-made, all values are artificial. Thus all opinions ultimately are delusions, based on man-made measuring scales.
The world that is perceived through any measuring scale is called maya.
‘He is Sesha, the remainder. He who exists even when God is asleep and the world is dissolved. He is Adi, that which exists before the beginning, and Ananta, after the end. He is the great serpent in whose coils reclines God in the form of Vishnu.’
The Veda states that desire is the root of creation.
He is one who by mastering his senses and by disciplining his mind has attained Brahma-vidya, knowledge of the eternal, infinite and boundless soul. This makes him content and gentle and generous, for he is one with the truth.’
Sachi, the wife of Indra, is considered to be a form of Lakshmi. She is the goddess of fortune. It is said that any one can become an Indra by earning more merit than the previous Indra. On becoming an Indra, one has access to Sachi. Sachi is faithful to the rank of Indra, not to the person who is Indra.
‘Let there be war on the plains of Kuru-kshetra between the upholders of civilized conduct and the followers of the law of the jungle. Let the earth be drenched in the blood of those who do not deserve her bounty.’
Krishna’s weapons appear in human form and terrify Duryodhana, who gives up his plan to arrest Krishna. The weapons are the disc called Sudarshan, the mace called Kaumodaki, the bow called Saranga, the sword called Nandaka and the conch called Panchajanya.
Saam, daam, dand, bhed are the four methods enumerated in the Artha-shastra, the treatise on polity, to make people do one’s bidding. Saam means convincing people through talks using logic and emotion. Daam means bribing people. Dand means using force or the threat of force. Bhed means dividing and conquering the enemy.
always fight for one’s rights, and it is better to have a short but glorious life with head held high than a long life of mediocrity and shame.
The seven armies fighting on the Pandava side were led by Dhrishtadyumna, twin brother of Draupadi, who was assisted by seven commanders: Arjuna, with Krishna as his charioteer; Virata, king of Matsya; Sahadeva, king of Magadha; Drupada, king of Panchala; Satyaki, a Yadava chieftain; Dhristaketu, king of Chedi; Vrihatkshatra and his four brothers, rulers of Kekaya. The eleven armies fighting on the Kaurava side were led by Bhishma who was assisted by eleven commanders: Kripa, of the Gautama clan of priests; Drona, of the Bharadvaj clan of priests; Ashwatthama, son of Drona, ruler of the
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Krishna offers Arjuna two things: what he is and what he has. Arjuna chooses what Krishna is. Duryodhana is happy with what Krishna has. This divide between him and his, me and mine, what one is and what one has, is the difference between seeking the soul and being satisfied with matter.
the presence of Lakshmi, goddess of wealth, drives away wisdom. And how poverty can, if one chooses to, bring Saraswati, goddess of knowledge, into our lives which will, if allowed to, bring wisdom as well as wealth.
Vengeance will never take away sorrow. It will breed more anger.’
Name of warrior Insignia Yudhishtira Crescent moon Bhima Lion Arjuna Monkey Nakula Antelope Sahadeva Swan Krishna Hawk Balarama Palm tree Abhimanyu Deer Ghatotkacha Wheel Ashwatthama Lion’s tail with golden rays Bhishma Tree with stars Kripa Fire altar Drona Pot Karna Elephant Duryodhana Snake
What is a man’s true identity: the temporary flesh or the permanent soul? What do you kill, Arjuna? What can you kill?
Goaded by your ego, you suppress memories that cause pain and prefer memories that bring pleasure. Goaded by your ego, you imagine situations that the ego seeks and shuns.
Growth is thus not a one-time activity; it is a process where decisions to overpower the beast within have to be taken every single moment.
Insulting the other destroys the other’s emotional body; praising oneself destroys one’s intellectual body.
Bhishma commands the Kaurava army for ten days. Drona commands it for half that, five days. Karna commands it for half Drona’s duration, that is two days. Shalya commands it for one day, that is half Karna’s. Thus, it is a downward spiral, evident quite mathematically.
Over one billion, two hundred and twenty million people were killed.
Rule of war Rule breaker Victim No woman shall fight in the battlefield Pandavas (Arjuna) Bhishma No single warrior shall be attacked by many Kauravas (Drona) Abhimanyu No fighting after sunset Pandavas (Arjuna) Jayadhrata No one shall interfere in a duel Pandavas (Satyaki) Bhurishrava No killing of animals Pandavas (Bhima) Ashwatthama (the elephant) No spreading of misinformation Pandavas (Yudhishtira) Drona No killing of people who have laid down arms Pandavas (Dhrishtadyumna) Drona No archer shall fight one who has lowered the bow Pandavas (Arjuna) Karna No one shall strike below the waist
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our knowledge of the world is imperfect based on perceptions and false information. We are surrounded by Kuntis who hide the truth in fear. We are surrounded by Karnas, villains who are actually brothers.
So enjoy every moment for there is no tomorrow, no life after death, no soul, no fate, no bondage, no liberation, no God. Be a king if it makes you happy; don’t be a king if it does not. Pleasure alone is the purpose of life.’
‘Life is like a river. You can struggle to change its course but ultimately it will go its own way. Bathe in it, drink it, be refreshed by it, share it with everyone, but never fight it, never be swept away by its flow, and never get attached to it. Observe it. Learn from it.’
unlike wealth, knowledge does not outlive death, hence has to be passed on to the living so that it is not lost forever.
Three months later, Yudhishtira, your yagna will conclude and the Kali yuga will dawn. A new age will dawn where nothing will be as it was. Only a quarter of the values instituted by Prithu at the dawn of civilization will survive. Man will live for pleasure, children will abandon responsibility, women will be like men, men like women. Humans will copulate like beasts. Power will be respected, justice abandoned, sacrifice forgotten and love ridiculed. The wise will argue for the law of the jungle. Every victim will, given a chance, turn victimizer.’
Kali yuga refers to a time when man lacks the spirit of generosity. Life becomes all about taking and hoarding. This is seen as the prime cause of any strife.
The dharma-shastras divide life into four parts. The first, brahmacharya, prepares one for the world. The second, grihastha, is the time to enjoy the pleasures and powers of the world. The third, vanaprastha, is the time to retire from the world passing on all wealth to the children and all knowledge to the grandchildren. The fourth, sanyasa, is the time to renounce all things worldly. The characters in the Mahabharata from Pratipa to Dhritarashtra retire from society and renounce the world after completing their worldly duties. Thus only the young are allowed to enjoy the fruits of the earth,
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greatness is not transmitted through the generations. Every man ultimately makes or destroys his own legacy.
Ultimately, all wars can be traced to the simplest of quarrels where man is eager to overpower rather than indulge the other.
Dogs are considered inauspicious in Hinduism as they are associated with Yama, the god of death, and Bhairava, the fearsome killer form of Shiva. Dogs represent attachment and bondage because they are territorial and possessive of their masters. They constantly seek attention and validation. They therefore become the symbol of neediness, insecurity, attachment and ego, contrasted against the cow which is the symbol of the serene soul.
Unlike Biblical traditions, Hindus have more than one heaven. There is Swarga and Vaikuntha. Swarga is the paradise of Indra where all desires are fulfilled. Vaikuntha is God’s heaven where one is free of all desires.
‘There are two kinds of victory in this world,’ said the storyteller-sage, ‘Vijaya and Jaya. Vijaya is material victory, where there is a loser. Jaya is spiritual victory, where there are no losers. In Kuru-kshetra there was Vijaya but not Jaya. But when Yudhishtira overcame his rage and forgave the Kauravas unconditionally, there was Jaya.
