[Advaita-l] What we could learn from Mythology

[V Subrahmanian]

Here is a verse from Chanakya neeti which demonstrates the famous statement
- 'Vinaashakaale vipareeta buddhi' - by the golden deer episode of the
Ramayana:

न निर्मिता केन न दृष्टपूर्वा न श्रूयते हेममयी कुरङ्गी । तथाऽपि *तृष्णा
रघुनन्दनस्य* विनाशकाले विपरीतबुद्धिः॥

भावार्थ : सोने की हिरणी न तो किसी ने बनायी, न किसी ने इसे देखा और न यह
सुनने में ही आता है कि हिरणी सोने का भी होती है । फिर भी रघुनन्दन की तृष्णा
देखिये ! वास्तव में विनाश का समय आने पर बुद्धि विपरीत हो जाती है ।

It had never been made before, nor had anyone heard about or seen a golden
deer. But still Lord Rama craved for hunting it (with disastrous
consequence of his consort Sita's abduction by Ravana). That is why it is
said that when the Time is not in favour of a person, his intellect becomes
haywire and he takes wrong decisions.

Chanakya was an ardent Vishnu bhakta as revealed by the several verses of
praise he has composed in that work. Yet he did not hesitate to bring out a
moral to the common man even from an incident from the Ramayana, that too
involving Rama.

Another verse cited by Vidyaranya in the Jivanmuktiviveka/Panchadashi and
Sri Visveswara saraswati in the yati dharma sangraha:

अवश्यं भाविभावानां प्रतीकारो भवेद्यदि ।
तदा दुःखैर्न लिप्येरन् नलरामयुधिष्ठिराः ॥१५५॥
156. If it were possible to avert the consequences of fructifying Karma,
Nala, Rama and Yudhisthira would not have suffered the miseries to which
they were subjected.
 ब्रह्मा येन कुलालवन्नियमितो ब्रह्मान्डभण्डोदरे विष्णुर्येन दशावतारगहने
क्षिप्तो महासङ्कटे रुद्रो येन कपालपाणिपुट के भिक्षाटनं सेवते सूर्यो
भ्राम्यति नित्यमेव गगने *तस्मै नम*: *कर्मणे*
Brahma had to become a creator just like a potter, Vishnu was hurled into
the miseries of the ten avatars, Rudra has to go about with a begging bowl,
and Surya has to traverse the sky for all times - Salutations to that Karma
which brought about all this!
Yet another verse caricaturing various gods by showing Karma does its job
whatever be the stature of the person, even god:
रामो येन विडम्बितो मृदुमयश्चन्द्रः कलंकी कृतः. क्षारम्बु सरितां पतिश्च
नहुषः सर्पः कपाली हरः। माण्डव्यो मुनि शलपीडिततनुभिंक्षाभुजः पाण्डवाः. नीतो
येन रसातलं बलिरसौ तस्मै नमः कर्मणे ।।
राम को जिसने वन वन फिराया, सुन्दर चन्द्रमा में कलंक लगाया, समुद्र के जल को
खारा किया, नहुष को सर्प बनाया, महादेव को कापालिक बनाया, माण्डव्य मुनि को
शूली पर चढ़ाया, पाण्डवों से भीख मंगवाई और राजा बलि को जिसने पाताल पहुंचाया,
उस कर्म को नमस्कार है।
Now, someone who fails to appreciate the message conveyed by these verses
will go into rebuttal mode by digging the books to prove that all the poets
above were terribly wrong!!





On Tue, Feb 20, 2018 at 10:33 PM, V Subrahmanian <v.subrahmanian at gmail.com>
wrote:

>
>
> On Tue, Feb 20, 2018 at 8:31 PM, Venkatesh Murthy via Advaita-l <
> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>
>> Namaste
>>
>> Samba and Ashwatthama played similar roles in Mahabharata. Ashwatthama
>> destroyed Pandavas sons and Samba destroyed his own dynasty. Both have
>> Amsha of Shiva in them. What will Shiva do? He is a destroyer. He is
>> playing perfect role after Vishnu's role has ended. After the war
>> Krishna's
>> role ended. He had nothing to do. His Yaadava Vamsha is practically
>> useless
>> and they are simply wasting time. Therefore at that time Shiva as
>> Ashwatthama and Samba destroyed everything.  Why should anybody or DP get
>> upset with this? He should not blame Krishna. It is all Ishwara's Leela.
>>
>
> Yes, actually everything that happens is Ishwara's Leela.  The acts of
> Duryodhana, Dussasana, etc. and Ravana, etc. are all necessary for the
> final end to play out as per the pre-determined plot.  Thus, we have
> nothing to learn from the events of the epics as they are part of the
> divine plan.
>
>   vs
>
>>
>> Moreover Krishna cannot mistreat Samba because he is coming from Shiva's
>> boon. Krishna showed lot of respect for Durvasa Rishi - another Amsha of
>> Shiva. Therefore Krishna cannot neglect Samba like that. He was giving
>> equal treatment to all sons and all wives. Rukmini and Satyabhama were
>> favourites but other wives never complained He was neglecting them.
>> Similarly no son complained He was neglecting him.
>>
>