‘’Father, Forgive Them For They Know Not What They Are Doing’’

When the forces of darkness were nailing you on the cross, Jesus Lord, each nail piercing through your body, blood spilling out of your body, even in that acute pain, you said ‘’Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing’’. These words born out of acute pain and ultimate sacrifice acquired spiritual powers. You shed your blood to absolve the sins of others. The blood spilled from your body became the central theme of service to fellow travellers in life and showed the mankind a new path and a new purpose. This path is the path of purpose and service to the mankind. Service is an approach to human development.

Lord, you were born to a virgin, holy and blameless. When you were born on this day, that is 25^th December, seven Rishis (monks) from India followed a bright star which led to your place of birth. Those Rishis knew that a great soul was being born.

Jesus Lord, we lesser mortals keep drifting form the path shown by great souls. Buddha came back to the Earth in your form to teach us how to love humanity. Again you came back to earth in the form of Mahatma Gandhi whose path was truthfulness. Service, love for humanity and truthfulness together showed that the great souls think alike and they are one and the same in different forms. Krishna in Bhagavad-Gita said ‘’Sambhavami Yuge Yuge’’ that is I keep coming back to Earth again and again whenever there is turmoil on Earth.

Jesus lord, we lesser mortals have again drifted alarmingly. We dropped atom bombs on two cities, Nagasaki and Hiroshima, killing thousands of innocent people and we keep killing innocent people in the name of religion. Our sheer greed has made this Earth warmer and warmer. Man has advanced beyond imaginations. We have landed on moon and mars. Sadly, Jesus Lord, man is yet to learn the art of living on earth. At this time of conflict and turmoil we need you to put us on the right track.

Amidst the tragedy, conflict and agony we still hear your voice pleading with the father on our behalf. ‘’Father, Forgive Them For They Know Not What They Are Doing’’.  Your voice has given a new hope to mankind which makes our heart beat with joy and goads us to share the joy and wish the mankind-

‘’Merry Christmas’’!

Conqueror of Yamadharma Raja: Sati Savitri

Can we bring the dead back to life?  Yes, this unattainable feat was accomplished by a spiritual lady Savitri, who became popular as Sati Savitri. She brought back her dead husband Satyavan back to life through her sheer spiritual powers. This is an interesting and inspiring story told in our Hindu Purana.

Read on....

This happened long, long ago. Savitri was the daughter of the king Ashwapati and his wife Malawi. They didn’t have  offspring for a long time. They prayed and worshipped Goddess Savitri. The Goddess blessed the king with a radiant daughter. They named their daughter after Goddess Savitri. Savitri grew up. When she was travelling round the kingdom she saw an old couple under a tree and she saw a young man absorbed in work. He was offering fruits to his old parents.

The young man was Satyavan and his father was Dyumanathasena who was once the King of Salvadesha. He lost both his eyesight. The enemies easily defeated him. He lost his kingdom and came to the forest. When Savitri saw the bright young man, she fell in love with him and she expressed her desire to marry Satyavan. At that very time Narada  arrived there. After learning Savitri’s desire to marry Satyavan, he said Satyavan was a mine of virtues but the fate is against him. He has a short life. His life comes to an end exactly after a year. But Savitri was adamant. Despite this shortcoming, Savitri’s father agreed to the marriage and the marriage took place.

Savitri went to the forest and lived with her husband but she couldn’t forget Narada muni’s words. As days and months flew, she grew more and more terrified. After eleven months paused Savitri spent the remaining days in religious rites of the most rigorous kinds. She worshipped Goddess Savitri and begged her to protect her husband.

The last day of the year came. Satyavan’s death was round the corner. As usual Satyavan went to fetch the wood. Savitri too went with him. Suddenly Satyavan perspired. His head ached. Savitri took her husband’s head on her lap.

Then there appeared a dark mighty figure near the feet of Satyavan. Yamadharma Raja, the God of death is not visible to the ordinary eyes. Savitri was deeply devoted and had performed many religious rites. This enabled Savitri to see Yamadharma Raja.

Yama took Satyavan’s life and started moving towards the south. Savitri followed Yama. Yama knowing that Savitri could see him because of her spiritual powers was happy but asked her to turn back. Savitri said that if anyone walks seven steps with a person, that person becomes a friend. Hence she says that he was her friend and wanted to speak to him. Elders say that Dharma was greater than anything else and she said that it was her dharma to be with her husband. Yama was pleased to hear this. He gave her a boon and asked her to ask for anything except Satyavan’s life.

Savitri asked Yama to restore her father-in-law’s eyesight. Yama said yes and asked Savitri to turn back. Savitri said according to elders a single meeting with a good person makes him a lifelong friend. Therefore she wanted to keep company with Yama. He was happy about her maturity. He gave her another boon. Savitri asked for her father-in-law’s kingdom to be restored.  Yama said yes to that also.

“Oh! The lord of righteousness one should not deceive anyone in their thought, word or deed. Instead one should help others”. Yama was extremely happy and gave her another boon. Savitri said “I pray that Satyavan and I may have children who are strong and bring fame to their dynasty”. Instantly Yama said yes. Savitri said “may your boon be followed in a righteous way.” So I pray that my husband may come back to life. Here Yamadharma Raja was defeated and gave back her husband’s life. 

Human Thunderbolt: Abhimanyu

He was a boy, barely sixteen years old, yet his prowess made the Kauravas tremble in the Kurukshetra war. He was Abhimanyu. Abhimanyu was Krishna’s nephew, son of Subhadra and Arjuna. He became the sheet-anchor of the Pandavas. He was pitted against the mightiest in the Kauravas rank in the war. Mighty heroes among the Kauravas had to flee. The enemies that is the Kauravas had to kill Abhimanyu by unfair means.

There are several skills and secrets of war. Various formations of army like Makarvyuha and the Chakravyuha. The use of different types of missiles and weapons and the ways of crushing the enemy are the details of war Krishna was telling Subhadra when she was pregnant. Krishna came to Hastinapur to take his sister Subhadra to Dwarka. It was a long journey and Krishna told Subhadra the secrets of winning a war. Krishna explained how to break and enter Chakravyuha. At that time went to sleep. Again it was one of fate’s ploy. The child in Subhadra’s womb heard the story. He learnt how to break and enter Chakravyuha. But coming out of Chakravyuha wasn’t told by Krishna as at that time his sister was sleeping. A few days later Abhimanyu was born. The name means a person who always defends his honour. After a few months Krishna took his sister and nephew to Hastinapur. The boy grew up as everybody’s darling.

After completing twelve years of life in forest and one year of life in incognito, the Pandavas asked Duryodhana to give back their kingdom as per their agreement, Duryodhana refused to give even five villages. Hence the war between them became inevitable. The Kurukshetra war began and it was the fiercest war. It was the ninth day of war. Abhimanyu showered thousands of arrows on the enemies. The mighty Alambusa and Abhimanyu fought a terrible battle. Alambusa created darkness with his magical power. Abhimanyu swept off the darkness with his suryaastra. Alambusa ran away. On the eleventh day of the Kurukshetra Abhimanyu again shook the Kaurava army.

The kauravas were worried. Dronacharya arranged the Kaurava army in the pattern called Chakravyuha. To piece this vyuha and go inside and fight the enemy was very difficult. And it was equally difficult to come out of Chakravyuha. Only Krishna and Arjuna knew how to come out of the Chakravyuha. Abhimanyu knew only how to enter the Chakravyuha. The Pandava army was in distress. Hence Abhimanyu said ’I’ll get into Chakravyuha.’ His charioteer drove forward. Abhimanyu, like a lion fell on the brave men of Kauravas. Abhimanyu entered the Chakravyuha and fought vigorously. Karna and others encircled Abhimanyu and rained arrows on him from all sides. Abhimanyu’s bow was broken. Still Abhimanyu fought the enemy with his sword. The brave boy was standing on the ground. He was tired as he had fought all through the day and at that time Dushasana’s son hit Abhimanyu with his maize and Abhimanyu fell down.

The valorous Abhimanyu’s spirit still lives on.

A Matchless Devotee: Hanuman

Hanuman was a rare creation of rich imagination with a philosophical profoundness of sage Valmiki in the epic Ramayana. Hanuman was a matchless devotee of Sri Rama and an evolved being. He had the ability to assume any form. He was well versed in all the Shastras. He was also a skilled communicator and a sterling Brahmashchari.

Hanuman’s childhood was very interesting. Even as a child he was extraordinarily powerful and equally naughty. He once saw the rising red coloured sun. He mistook it for a fruit.   Since he was hungry, he leapt up to eat it and it proved to be fatal. He was burnt to ashes and fell on to the earth and the ocean. His ashes were gathered by various gods. His grandfather prayed the sun god to restore life to the child.  However his fragmented jaw couldn’t be rectified.

 Vali was the king of   Kishkindha and his brother Sugriva was crowned as the prince. Hanuman was a friend of ugreeva. I n one instance, when the two brothers went for hunting, Vali mistook that  Sugreeva was dead, and forcibly made Sugreeva’s wife to accept him. When Sugreeva came back, he became angry with this development and wanted to take revenge against vali and thereafter he lived with Hanuman near the ashram of the sage Matanga.

Hanuman was seated on a mountain top and was in deep meditation. An aura of holiness appeared around him. When he opened his eyes he saw the Ayodhya princes approaching the hill top. Hanuman who was in human form rushed towards Sri Rama and Lakshmana and touched their feet and introduced himself to the princes.  He  took the two princes by placing them on his two shoulders to the place where he lived.

The princes told Hanuman of their plight and the reason for searching the place where his wife was abducted by Ravana. Hanuman thought that the plight of Sugriva was the same. He asked Sri Rama to help defeat Vali and restore the kingdom of Kishkindha and his wife to Sugriva again. He also promised the princes that he would help locate the place where Ravana lived. Sri Rama killed Vali and restored Kishkindha and the wife to Sugriva.

Sampati, in the form of vulture, the elder brother of Jatayu, who resisted Ravana while he was carrying off SeethaDevi and who had given a tough fight to Ravana gave a clue about Seetha mathe. Hanuman was sent to Lnka, the kingdom of Ravana as an ambassador to release Seetha.

Sundarakanda, the most appealing part of Ramayana, describes the level of devotion and might of Hanuman.

Hanuman arrived in Lanka and met SeethaDevi and gave her the ring which Rama had given him and assured her that Rama would come and rescue her. Then when he was prowling in the city he was taken by the soldiers to Ravana. Ravana was enraged by the entry of hanuman to his kingdom. He ordered his soldiers to put a fire in Hanuman’s tail thinking that the Vanara would die because of it. But Hanuman with his tail burning went around the city and destroyed the major portion of the city and flew away to Rama to report his progress.

The preparation for the invasion of Lanka  began. The vast ocean of the Vanara army started marching towards the south. They constructed a bridge across the sea. The Vanaras carried huge rocks as if they were pebbles. The Vanara army led by Hanuman and Rama and Lakshmana entered Lanka. After a bitter war Ravana was killed and Seetha was rescued.

As long as hills and rivers exist in the world Hanuman will remain here and continue chanting Sri Rama’s name.  He proves to be the most appropriate example of  the might of faith,  which gives enormous strength  in overcoming any difficulties.

THE IRON LADY : INDIRA GANDHI

In the year 1965, after Lal Bahadur Shastri’s death (in Moscow) Indira Gandhi became the Prime Minister of India. The Syndicate (a section of Congress party who were opposed to Indira) thought that they could easily manipulate Indira and occasion for that came when the Congress party had to select the presidential candidate. They met in Bengaluru (Lal Bagh Garden) and had a heated discussion with Indira.  Indira Gandhi who  opposed  the name suggested by the syndicate leaders left in a huff suddenly and flew to New Delhi.

A few tactical moves on the political chessboard took Indira Gandhi to the top level. In the same midnight she nationalised fourteen private banks. This move took everybody by surprise including the syndicate leaders. People wholeheartedly supported her.

In 1971 Indira Gandhi had another opportunity to assert herself. She won the war against Pakistan, divided Pakistan and created Bangladesh. The media described her as ‘the Empress of India’. Mr Vajpayee, who was the leader of the then Jan Sangh party called her ‘Durga’.

During Indira Gandhi’s time the country was importing food grains from America. Indira Gandhi created an atmosphere for the growth of the agricultural sector and ushered in Green Revolution.

There was a bad patch in Indira Gandhi’s political life. To bring some semblance of discipline in the country, she imposed emergency in 1974. For the first six months everything was alright. There was peace in the country and people supported emergency. Slowly unsavoury people who were close to Indira Gandhi started taking undue advantage which resulted in emergency excesses. When emergency was lifted and the country went to polls her party Congress was defeated and she herself was defeated in the elections. The new government couldn’t survive in power for more than three years. The country went to polls once again and Congress and Indira Gandhi won the elections and she once again came to power.

Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira’s father when he was in prison during the freedom movement wrote letters to his young daughter Indira, who was around nine-ten years old.  These letters had great influence over Indira and shaped her life to be a dedicated woman in her later years. 

‘You must learn the alphabet of nature before you can read her story in her books of stone and rock’. Through these letters she was taught to observe the swirls and textures in a little pebble. Nehru taught Indira to treat nature as a book. Indira’s granddaughter Priyanka Gandhi wrote that her grandmother Indira Gandhi may have appeared as rather a serious, formidable personality but she was the warmest and a loving personality.

Indira Gandhi was shot dead by her own security guards on 31^st October, 1984. Like her father Nehru, Indira loved India and its people. Madam, today the 19^th of November is your birthday, so

‘Happy Birthday Indiraji’.

The Architect of Modern India – Jawaharlal Nehru

Within one hundred metre there should be a school for every children.                                                 Every rickshaw puller (rickshaw was a popular vehicle carrying people from place to place at that time) should know politics as much as I know.

The above statements of Jawaharlal Nehru indicates his mind. He loved children and inturn children loved him too. Nehru’s birthday 14^th November is celebrated as children’s day. Nehru was a visionary and an idealist and statesman of international stature. Nehru was also an outstanding writer. Nehru took a central role in India’s struggle for freedom from British colonial rule. Nehru was interested in all subjects and was delighted in sharing his enthusiasm with everyone.

When India attained freedom in 1947, Nehru became the first prime minister of free India. India was recognised as a backward country at that time. Nehru set out to realise his vision India. The constitution of India was adopted in 1950 and Nehru embarked ambitious programmes of economy, social and political reforms.

Nehru believed in democracy and socialism. He laid the strong foundation for the democratic India in which multi-party system was adopted. Command economy was his financial policy. He started around 245 major public sector industries. B.E.L, H.A.L, I.T.I and H.M.T were among the major industries. In the field of education, Nehru established premier institutions such as I.I.T, I.I.M, and N.I.T. he also gave adequate attention for the development of science. He established the atomic energy commission of India.

Nehru’s foreign policy Panchsheel was acclaimed as the best foreign policy by all major advanced countries in the world. Panchsheel became the basis of governance of relation between the two states.

Nehru was the only son of Motilal Nehru, a prominent advocate and Swaroopa Rani. Nehru married Kamala and had a son who lived a short life and a daughter, Indira who later became the Prime Minster of India. When Indira was young he wrote letters to her about nature, this world and this life. He instilled the love of history and naturein his daughter Indira.

Nehru’s health began to decline. The major reason for this was the betrayal of trust by China when it attacked India in 1962. Nehru died on 27^th May 1964 .His wish was expressed in his writings like this : “If any person choose to think of me then I should like them to say, this was the man who with all his mind and heart loved India and the Indians.” and the people in turn were indulgent to him and gave him their love most abundantly and extravagantly.

Nehruji, today the 14^th of November is your birthday. “Happy Birthday Chacha Nehru”!  we remember your dedication, your love for the motherland forever.

Silence and Speech

Around five thousand years ago some enlightened Rishis (sages) realised Saakshatkara. In their inner mind they heard the mantras of the Vedas and the Upanishads. They were called ‘Mantra Drushtararu’ (the one who heard in their ears, the Upanishads and the Vedas). The one which is heard in the ears is called ‘Shruti’. Here lies the greatness of the ancient wisdom because the Vedas and the Upanishads were not written by any sages. The Hindu philosophy is very tough to comprehend.

The Upanishads say ‘Aatma’(self) is the ultimate reality. No word (speech) can describe Aatma. The intellectual mind cannot comprehend Aatma. It is ever spreading and omnipresent. Before words came into existence there was silence and the words were born out of silence and will die in silence. It is interesting to note that there was a friendly rivalry between speech and silence. Upanishads say words cannot describe Aatma and here words find their limitation and say it is beyond their capacity that they cannot grasp the unknown. Now the contradiction is that words have a limitation and it cannot know more. Thus words accept their failure but the awareness that there is more to know is the important factor. The word fails and wins simultaneously. This is the success of word in failure. Is this Aatma’s Leela? More importantly, words might try to describe Aatma, but silence prays.

It is strange that Aatma cannot be described by words takes the help of Aatma to succeed, this means Aatma indirectly helps the word to succeed. In the process it is more interesting to know that word becomes silent. Silence is always present whenever the word is in action, but it is not affected by word. This makes word to turn silent and get the satisfaction same as silence gets. The friendship of silence which contains no evil makes the word feel free.

This is our ancient wisdom.