Mahabharatam

³aexae ih xm¡ hrit ytIna< Ê>ˆosiÂtm!,
krodho hi dharmaà harati yaténäà duùûasaïcitam|
ttae xmRivhInana< gitiròa n iv*te.
tato dharmavihénänäà gatiriñöä na vidyate||
 
It is anger that deprives the ascetics of the merit that has been accumulated with much effort.
Those thus deprived of their merits do not realise their desired circumstances (in life.)
 
krodho - anger
hi dharmaM - merit
harati - deprives   
yatInaaM - of ascetics
dukhaHsa~nchitam - accumulated with much effort
tato - thus
dharmavihInaanaam - those deprived of their merits
gatih - circumstances
ishtaa - desired
na vidyate - not realise 
(image placeholder) Show quoted text -from the Mahabharatam





The old village house at Tirunelvli wore a festive look. The four sons of Sundrarajan had come home with their families from the different cities where they were employed. 
Sundrarajan was the head of the family. He a man of yester years, a strict patriarch, and had lived his life by the strict rules he had laid out for himself. His wife Parvathi had toiled with him through the trials and tribulations of life without asserting herself. She had indeed done her dharma of a Bhartiya nari of the generation, which went by.  
Sundrarajan started his life from humble beginnings. He was the eldest of the eight children sired by his father Ramaswamy, brought up in an agrarian society of the early 20th century. Though the family had enough to eat and live, there was never enough hard cash for the various other necessities of life. Sundrarajan was first to step out of the house in search of a job, ouside the world of their orthodox village. 
Being the first earning member in the family, on him fell the onus to educate his siblings and marrying off his sisters. Sundrarajan took upon himself the officer’s job under British rule very seriously He was a stickler to time and habits. He was a terror to the entire family. Being their mentor and the elder, his brothers and sisters looked to him in awe and respect. They rarely dared to come and sit in front of him and talk looking up to their elder brother’s face. Sundrarajan did help them to tide over the all-important occasions of life like paying fees for his brother’s higher studies and seeing to the marriage of his sisters. Thus he was always looked upon as a demi-god. Soon Sundrarajan felt himself to be undisputed leader of his folks. He was a stickler to the rules of living and expected his dependents to follow the same.  He did not tolerate even small lapses or indulgences - like when his brother did not return home directly after school finals but chose to go for a movie with friends and returned home  late., It  was treated as a major crime, both for spending money and  indiscipline of coming home late. His young sisters always hid and busied with their needlework when they could hear the footfall of their brother approaching. 
The scene changed when Sundrarajan got married to Parvathi and made his home in the town where his work was. His paternal household heaved a sigh of relief. Then it was only remittances by money order which reminded of them of their obligation to their elder brother. During his occasional visits, the house wore a look suited to his surveillance, with everyone in attendance and obedience till the visit lasted. Soon his brothers grew up and went their ways loosening ties with him. 
Now the onus fell on Parvathi’s young shoulders. Fair and nubile was Parvathi, but she had the strength of steel She had to gather all her resources to lead a life of harmony with her perfectionist husband Sundrarajan. With in ten years of their married life she had given birth to six healthy children as well was toeing her life as per the dictates of her husband who was famous for his quick silver temper.  
The day for her started early at 4.00 am. For a couple of times when piping hot meals were not ready by 9 o clock, when her husband had to leave for office, she had seen him go in a huff with his head held high and brows twisted in anger on her failing to get the meals ready in time. Parvathi would not take such a rebuke. She hence used to get up at 4 0 clock uncaring if her body could not stand such trials, and get the meal ready before 9 0 clock while attending to the needs of her young children. The children always hovered around her, rarely coming out when their father was around. The essential communications with the father was always done through the mother. At 8.00 p.m after Sundrarajan had partoaken the evening meals and sat rocking at the wooden swing hung in the center of the front patio, Parvathi sizing this to be one of the best moods of her husband used to approach him with folded betel leaves and broach the problem of their children which would have been amply rehearsed. It may be that Hari would have broken a window pane in swinging the ball or Janaki their daughter was wanting a dress for a cultural activity in school or that Ramu may be requiring a new pair of slippers. 
Sundrarajan kept a tight rein over money. Every paisa spent used to be recorded clearly and legibly in the account register, the most important and prominent book of the household. Many times Parvathi used to shed silent tears at few Rs at the end of the month not getting tallied. Sundrarajan used to squarely vent his anger, giving her a lecture on being careless, indisciplined and being a loose spender, not knowing the value of money. Many of the requests put forward by the family via Parvathi used to be scrutinized and passed with a heavy hand with many  requests vetoed. 
Sundrarajan did love his children but expected indisputable obedience. Timings for daily activities were strictly adhered to like in a military camp. Morning started for everyone a 5.00 a.m and the night rarely extended beyond 9.00 .m. Their children grew up with high moral and physical discipline but in constant fear of their father, lest they displease him and get his wrath. 
With advancing years Sundrarajan did not mellow. He felt increasingly convinced that the world should run by his convictions and the outpouring of his anger became more vehement with passing years. He was also constantly cross with the world as how it operated. In every transaction, be it a ticket queue, ration shop, buying provision in a shop, the vegetable vendor or the milkman, Sundrarajan’s eyes were quick to see them short changing with measure, quality and rules. Those times his temper used to rise and he used to vent it with sound scolding on the traders at the doorstep. It was them Parvathi who used to use her tact and deal with them when they arrived stealthily at times when Sundrarajan was away from home. 
With the nearing of Sundrarajan’s retirement, his sons one by one, finished their studies and secured good jobs in different places. The jobs fetched them good wives and the wheels of time rolled on with they becoming householders. Fortunately none of them had inherited the anger and temper of their father. After the traumatic childhood under the patriarchal gaze of their unrelenting father, they were eager to make homes away from their paternal home.  
During vacations they came home religiously with their children to be with their ageing parents. 
Times had changed beyond recognition His daughters in law could not fathom the anger and disciplining of their angry father in law. However it was difficult for Sunrarajan to change his ways. His tool of expression was anger which had paid him well in the initial stages of his life when he had a flock to discipline and bring up with  his frugal means. But this anger was a hindrance to the present norms of life. With fewer mouths to feed and no dearth of essentials, men had moved  through a paradigm change. His children and grand children seeked from him warmth, understanding and wisdom grown with years of experience to allay their fears and doubts. 
Sundrarajan had the capacity to give all that, but he did not know how to cross the shield of anger which had become such a tight noose that it was impossible to bring out the  finer noble sentiments welling up within him for his children. 
The intimacy and the connections he yearned for could not be established with his grand children whom in his heart of heart he adored. As time passed and children and grand children were getting distant from him, he realized he has to live and leave the world with this cross, the anger, which once was a boon, but had become the bane of his life. His solace was his wife, the dharmapatni Parvathi who knew the real man behind the sheath of anger.                       

SUBASHITHUM FROM Manusmriti

from the Manusmriti

The external body parts are purified by water, the mind is purified by truth.
austerities and education purify the life soul and knowledge purifies the intellect.

adbhiH - by water
shuddhyanti - purifiied (are the)
gaatraani - (external) body parts
manaH - mind
satyena - by truth
shuddhyati - is purified
tapaH - austerities
vidyaa - education
tapovidyaabhyaaM - by austerities and education
bhUtaatmaa - the life-soul (is purified)
buddhiH - intellect
GYaanena - by knowledge
shuddhyati - is purified

Rahul Jain and Manjula Jain were dressed in their Sunday best. The handsome couple was getting ready to attend the parent’s day meet in the school of their only son - Sameer. Sameer, a bright student of the 9th standard had been practicing more than a fortnight for the play where he was selected to enact the lead role of Harishchandra.
Rahul Jain and Manjula Jain went well in time and occupied the front seats for a good viewing of the event. Rahul was playing the lead role in the drama Harichandra being enacted. After several songs and music items, the long play was one of the last events.
Sameer, dressed as Harichandra, played the part true to life. Harichandra the king became a pauper, but he still stuck to his principles of telling truth. He was driven to the most desperate state. From being the king, he was now down to the state of keeper of the burning ghat. But trials to test his integrity were still not over. His dear wife Chandramati brought his only son, who succumbed to snake bite, without the requisite fee for carrying out the cremation. Harichandra did not flinch from his chosen path. He refused to allow the cremation of his son without the fee. Finally the entities of heaven convinced of his integrity stop these trials. Sameer enacted the part so true to life that the audience and even the Jains forgot that it is their son who is enacting the role and got carried away by the scene to the extent of being moved to tears. The play then ended showing the triumph of Harichandra getting back his kingdom and his family intact as a reward for upholding his principles in adversity.
When Sameer came out from the back stage a flock of admirers mobbed him, congratulating him on his excellent performance. The Jains felt rightly proud of their boy for carrying with conviction and without a flaw, the righteous role of Harichandra.
After getting back home, Rahul Jain was in a contemplative mood. He tossed in bed having a sleepless night. The play had given him a moral jolt. Rahul Jain had been brought up in a family of devout Jains. He could recall that two of his paternal uncles had taken to sanyas in the early part of their life. They had led a life following the strict austerities prescribed in the Jain tenet. Always clothed in simple white cotton robes, they followed the Jain dharma to its letter and spirit. The food intake never exceeded more than what was needed for keeping their body and soul working. Their needs were limited. Days on end he used to see them observing fasts and existing on plain water. The fasts were not only for food but it used to extend to spoken words too. They used to observe days of silence communicating the barest minimum with some actions. His parents used to visit the Jain math regularly and partake in many religious rituals. As a young boy though Rahul did not verbally question these actions, his mind could not fathom the necessary to lead such a life of austerity and discipline. He always used to wonder - to what end?
But he had imbibed from his family background living a life of honesty and truthfulness. He had always earmarked part of the sum he earned for charity to the have-nots, for has not the religion taught him that all are the children of the same Father. Hence he had always felt morally bound to help people of lesser means.
Now, the play touched and made alive some moral chord in him. Unawares, the world of business has been carrying him into the slush and scum hidden behind the competitive forces of the market. It was only the other day that to win a public sector contract, he liberally greased the hands of various parties and gave a low down quotation that had no bearing with the actual cost of construction. To keep down the price he would no doubt have to compromise with the quality. Yes he had been acting like a low scum. Where were he high religious principles with which he was brought up? A new remorse started nagging him deep inside. Will wealth gained this way get him any merit in the portals of heaven? By treading into the path of untruth will it eventually be a gain or loss? Has not his religion taught him with out ambiguity that you reap only as you sow? If in today’s living he leans on untruth and false hood will the money fetched equal the bad karma he would incur. Why did his uncles deliberately chose the path of strict austerities though the whole world filled with boghas or enjoyments was in front of them? Eventually were they gainers or losers? Were they more intelligent that they chose to lose out the present, temporary enjoyments for some deeper gains they were to accrue later?
Haven’t the scriptures told repeatedly that the soul is immortal? If everyone is a soul, won’t it be wise to work for the benefit of the soul than toil unceasingly for the perishable body even at the cost of bringing the down gradation of the soul. If the soul is immortal, what about the mind? Isn’t the mind with its five co-workers - the senses, becoming the king in everybody’s life making the immortal man/soul dance to its tunes for the present enjoyments? These questions and more took a swish in Rahul Jain’s being, giving him a sleepless night. Like every man, he was finding it hard to distinguish between the mind its ministrations, the intellect which leads the mind and the soul/atma, his ultimate being. Though he had flashes of illumination on their workings, his present necessities of living seem to put up a curtain, not allowing him to distinguish between the expediencies of present action vis a vis the long term good.
After a brain storming heated night without getting any restful sleep, his conscience having been stirred due to the impact of the play enacted by his son Sammer, he decided to meet the prime guru in his math and sort out the stirring questions which suddenly seem to well up in him.
The next day early morning found him in the chamber outside the teacher’s room where he used to give his morning audience. As the teacher came out of his room, bare footed, wearing a simple white robe, with serene peace and knowledge emitting out of his learned countenance, Rahul Jain suddenly found a balming feeling that this learned preceptor would give solace to his troubled soul
He sat cross-legged in the floor in front of the teacher and tried to tell as cohesively as he could, the troubles plaguing his mind. The learned seer was quick to understand his confusion. It is not for nothing that he had spent the long innings of his life in austerity, learning and truthfulness. He was ready to give a helping hand to a co-traveler in this world struggling to keep his head above water.
He said to him - `beta, I will tell you some truths - listen carefully; a clear understanding of this fundamental truths will pave way for proper living of rest of your life.
Each of us are souls which are immortal. The present life we are leading is only a small part of our immortal life and as souls, we are pure and part of the parama atma, the universal soul. Thus, we all belong to the same universal soul. However, each one of us is clothed in a different body, mind and intellect, which are temporary endowments. This thick covering of a different mind and intellect makes us different entities.
The objective of this life is to use well the instruments of mind and intellect so that they will upgrade the soul in the evolution of living, and to realize our true self - that we are part of a pure, all knowing, blemishless universal soul - the parama atma.
To achieve this objective, it is necessary to keep the instruments, namely the mind and intellect clean and pure. The mind can be kept clean like a blemishless glass only by taking the path of truth. If we are not watchful, the mind has the capacity to pick up blemishes very easily and eventually our soul will slide from the path of evolution. Hence the penance of truthfulness is very important to keep the mind pure. Our intellect/ buddhi is he one which guides the mind onwards actions which are pure and truthful. To train the intellect, right knowledge is important. Right knowledge can be gained by understanding our scriptures and knowing many basic truths of living like the one I am telling you now.
It is also equally important to train our body which is ruled by the five external senses, which always seek temporary pleasure. Austerities in life will help us not to swing towards our wayward senses, but keep the body pure and as a disciplined servant, tuned towards the realization of the immortal Self hidden within us and know our rightful glorious position in the scheme of universe. These things alone will help our soul to evolve out from the thick covering of mind, body and intellect to its pure blemish less all-knowing immortal Self.’
As the preceptor spelt out these things with clarity, and as Rahul Jain was paying undivided attention to these profound truths, his mind suddenly became light and free. The path may look tedious, but he clearly realized expediency never pays much. When aiming for mega fruits, one has to toil for them. He understood this clearly. His son's play succeeded in helping lift the curtain and show him the grand scene behind the mundane life.

MY PROFILE

I am Mrs Rama Venkataraman. I dig on writing. My writings are varied and different suiting to my mood and need.

These are stories written for the Subashithums - thought provoking sayings from our ancient sanskrit texts.

The Subashithums are supplied by my sanskrit loving son V. Krishnan(alias- Ravi) . I have created human interest stories and tried give life to the sayings.Go ahead and join me in this. Give flair to your imagination and add your own stories.

Who knows this may one day become a master piece with all our effort and imaginations.

SUBASHITHUM FROM Mahabharata

påthivé ratnasampürëä hiraëyaà paçavaù striyaùnälamekasya tatsarvam iti matvä çamaà vrajet


The entire world full of jewels, gold, cattle (wealth) and women... are all not yet suuficient for one person('s desire) ..understanding this, practice restraint

from the mahabharatam


pRRithivI - The Earth:
ratnasampUrNa - full of jewels
hiraNyaM - gold
pashavaH - cattle (wealth in our context)
striyaH - women
naalamekasya - not sufficient for one
tatsarvam - all of that
iti matvaa - understanding so
shamam - restraint
vrajet - practise

Sitting in the swirl chair in his ornate office, Dr Jitendranath studied the gleaming name board in the frontage proclaiming his name in prominent letters. He tapped back the few strands of hair sticking in his receding bald head, adjusted the golden frame of his spectacles and tried to concentrate on the written words in the files spread in front of him His office was in the best address of that modern city - well appointed and suiting his post. A fully airconditoned office where a sweat could not break out, plush with wall to wall carpet. From the glass doors he could see his efficient staff bend on work , knowing well that their boss may be watching.

It was indeed a long road from his dusty native village to these most prestigious portals of power. He looked down at himself and wondered if the run was worth it? He was rated as the most successful businessman and was often featured on covers of popular tabloids as a man worthy to emulate. His answers to the question posed asking to the route to success were always correct . `Be diligent, be industrious, be hardworking , he told the youngsters. He was honest in that for he had done the same, worked hard and focusedly towards the goal of success. But he often, of late, wondered if the goal itself was a correct one. If success can be ruled by the trappings he possessed, `yes he was succssesful. But he well knew the answer didn’t lie there The answer lay in opening his soul and looking in. But he did not dare to. His mind was not ready to accept any failures in the carefully laid out scheme of his life.

Dr. Jeederanath known as Jitu in his younger days was the seventh child of Master Deenanath of Munirka village in a remote hill locked area - a small dot among the towering hills around . Deenanath was a school master and a farmer. Having sired ten children in a row , he required all the resources to feed the hungry mouths . Jitu had met hunger when he was young. Every meal used to be awaited and was an enjoyable affair. Just the hot aroma of the rice boiling used to be enticing. The brothers with their bare minimum attire used to roll in the mud picking mock fights to vent their young growing energies and like little leapords their muscles grew strong and healthy with very little food but lot of fresh air and sun shine. They learnt to climb trees before they could read the first alphabet. Looking back, every act of living was a pleasure. There was a stream of fresh water which made a pool just across their house. They used to like plunging into it head long from the jagged rock jutting out in front of the pool. That was taking a bath! No soap , no shampoo, just the smooth stone from below the waters to rub and polish the skin. The water dripping, they used to run back home, the wind and sun drying them by the time they reach their home. It was pure innocent living without a care in the world.

The balming contentment got a rude shock when Jitu was eight years old and was taken by his father to the town near by. He saw for the first time that the world is not just food and sunshine but there are lot many goods filling this colourful world. His father had taken him for the marriage of the rich Zamindar’s son. He was wearing his best shirt and had been feeling very well dressed till he reached the pandal. Seeing the men and women richly dressed in their fineries and majestically carrying themselves made him feel like an insignificant worm. The outing made a lasting impression on him changing his life forever. With the wide-eyed absorption of the young, he had taken into him every detail of the opulent society. The picture etched in his mind deeply. Back home, the life and simple living lost its charm. Like a stone thrown on still waters his mind made waves and patterns of restlessness. The world out there beckoned him forcefully with all the glitter. It was like paradise lost. The till now pristine setting within the hills now looked like a caged prison. Very soon he realized the only passport for him out of this place is studies. Till now the education, which was given a cursory glance, became an all-consuming interest. His father was happy that one of his progeny is taking to studies.

Soon Jitu was topping in his class. His father took pains to send him to town where the higher secondary school was situated, while his elder brothers had stopped studies at the elementary level. The school at Obra town was fifteen kms away. The journey to school stared early in the morning even before the cock called out. Crossing the narrow pathways of the mountains with couple of streams in between, Jitu was still always in time for school. The hard work paid. Lady luck was waiting for his arrival. His exemplary performance in school final examination fetched him a special full scholarship for higher studies. After which there was no stopping him. All the doors opened one after another. The scholarships at other places too were leading him along the way. Very soon he got his doctorate from a German university. With that came prosperity He was getting enough money from his scholarships to buy things he chose from the unlimited supply of goodies in the gigantic malls and markets he found in foreign countries

However that only wetted his appetite. He now wanted fame and power - not just a few goodies found in the markets. When he came back home, lady luck continued to follow him. The famous steel magnate, Pitamber offered his only daughter to him. The marriage was a mega event. His wife Nilima who was literally bedecked in diamonds came to him along with the steel empire Pitamber had built over many years Along with the empire the sweet looking Nilima also bought a sharp mind and an acumen for generating wealth that she had inherited from he father. Eight yeas after their marriage, tragedy struck.. Pitamber lost his life in a plane crash. The empire fell on Dr. Jitendranath and Nilima and their two daughters Priyanka and Shilpi. He had known Nilima was ambitious right from the beginning. Now in the age of globalization her ambition grew to new heights. The blue prints to the new frontiers were made by her continuesly and it was Dr Jitendranath’s onus to execute them. Life went as a whirlwind with plans executed and problems solved. There was no time to sit and stare. People applauded the sucess of Jitedranath little knowing it was the handiwork of Nilima where Dr. Jitendranth was a peg in the wheel whose master driver was the one behind the curtains.

Now Dr. Jitedranath was a 55-year-old globe trotting business magnate. It has been 40 long years since he left his native land. The number of times he went back to his place of origin could be numbered in fingers. At those times he no longer felt part of the scenery - only a distant outsider.

It is now two years since they have declared him as heart patient and advised him to be cautious in his food and action. It has been of late he has been getting these pangs. The question he never dared to face has been cropping up uneasily in his mind. Should not the success which he yearned for have made his heart happy? But what is that? Instead there was a pain in the heart which doctors declared as life threatening? Is it possible to back track the steps and lead a different life, a life not weighed down by commitments and achievements, a life, which is not care worn.

Is it possible to get the swelling joy in eating just the hot rice served on thatched leaf? Is it possible to run in abandon with the sun and wind beating down on the back?

It is not he had not tried. The holiday resorts, which were laid out in opulent luxury, had failed to evict from him that response from the core of his heart. It was like a part of him was dead. But Dr. Jitendranath dare not tell his innermost thoughts to any one lest they think him a lunatic. He had learned his lessons hard - `you become rich by your spirit and not by wealth.

SUBHASHITHUM from manusmriti

yatra näryastu püjyante ramante tatra devatäù
yatretästu na püjyante sarvästaträphaläù kriyäù

Where women are respected, the Gods rejoice there.
Where they (women) aren't respected, there all actions are fruitless.
From Manusmriti

yatra - where
naaryaH - women
poojyante - are respected
ramante - rejoice
tatra - there
devataaH - gods
yatra - where
etaaH - they (women)
na - not
poojyante - respected
sarvaaH - all
tatra - there
aphalaaH - fruitlesskriyaaH - actions

Mini was not one of the beautiful girls where beauty is measured like a commodity. She did not have angular features, a sharp nose, chiseled eyes or a set of pearl teeth. She was wheat complexioned to put it mildly with an expressive nose - broad and rather earthly. To match it she had a broad face having strength and form. The best feature were her eyes gleaning with understanding, listening eyes which immediately made anyone talking to her relaxed and loosen his defenses.

But all these charms were lost on Shailender, her husband who married her when she was just eighteen and out of her college. Mini, the eldest of two daughters of the Sharmas, devout Brahmins who had brought her up with all the right values and given her off in marriage to the eligible groom Shailender.

Shailender looked a picture perfect gentleman when he came to see Mini in the formal girl viewing ceremony. Everybody congratulated Mini for obtaining such a handsome match. Shailender talked softly, courtesly and had the best of manners. Mini felt proud as well as humble to be so home grown in front of her sophisticated husband.

Soon Shailender took her to the Middle East where he held a job fetching good money. Mini was sent off by all her relation and friends with great warmth and she went with great excitement as though going to her dream castle. As their married life advanced and the days passed to months, Mini started getting a strange feeling of being caged. Mini was free spirited, quick to laugh and cry as the situation demanded. She had the ability to get along even with strangers as long lost friends She generally liked people and liked to share with them their good and bad. Shailender, on the other hand was a stand off. He enjoyed putting on airs and looking at people condensingly. He admonished Mini for just going and speaking off her mind. He told her that it was not the done thing in civilized places. Mini with her humility accepted her husband’s word and started curbing herself. Very soon she was losing her bouncy self and started looking pinched and drawn.

However things started taking a turn when a small life started pulsating within her. She warmed to the idea of a child as caring and nurturing came naturally to her. When she felt almost sure about it she hesitatingly revealed to Shailender about the baby within her. She thought this would make him warm, humane and jump with joy. However he heard it matter of fact and told `Let us get you checked’. Mini took his reaction stoically thinking every man is made his way - things will change when the little one arrives

In couple of months when she started feeling uneasy Shailender booked an appointment with the local gynecologist and took her on the appointed day with great aplomb. As soon as her pregnancy was confirmed the first thing he asked the doctor was, can’t we get an ultrasound test done and find the gender of the fetus. The doctor refused saying that law did not permit it. This upset him to no end He became restless and agitated. She heard him speak in hushed tones to his people in India behind closed doors. She felt scared to even approach him. She wondered what is making him so upset. Even in good times communication between them was minimum. The long hours he spent in the office left hardly anytime for intimacy. After few days when she was resting after finishing the house hold work, Shailendar’s phone came. He told her `In a few hours you have to catch a plane to India, my parents have called you ‘. She asked `Is anybody sick?’ `No ‘ he said curtly `My parents want to see you.’

An obedient bahu that Mini was, she packed her suitcase carefully being her first long stay in in-law’s house She was in fact happy and excited to get back home.

The plane landed at Delhi. Her brother in-law had come from Meerut to take her home. Her in-law’s received her at home without much fanfare. The next day itself she was taken to a gynecologist She felt there was a hushed urgency in all their actions. The lady doctor who was looking of suspicious credentials ordered a scan. Her brother in law returned from the counter with the results having a down cast look. What is that she wondered? Is anything wrong with her? She was taken home. Then her in-laws revealed to her with an affected concern. `Beti the report says the fetus is a girl child. We feel it will be best to get it aborted. The doctor has fixed the abortion for tomorrow’. So it was an order, she thought without asking her consent at all in a matter so close to her. She felt the whole world crumbling and falling down. Are they asking her to murder her yet to be born infant’ It is like killing a child and a would be mother. If someone had this way killed her mother and Shailender’s mother would they have been born? How can they be so cruel, inhuman and do such a heinous act? She felt that she was both the mother and father to the child in her and felt a ferocious will to protect her daughter, give her a chance to be born, live and grow. Quietly she packed her bags and left stealthily at night to her parents place. Her parents were supportive. Shailender fumed and fretted when he came to know his docile wife had crossed path to protect the baby. However he could not do anything to bring her back as he well knew that if the real reason was he may have to face a scandal .

As Mini gave birth to a beautiful bonny baby girl, there Shailender’s mother succumbed to a long-standing asthma and left the world. With the passing of his mother Shailender and the family, parched of female ministrations felt heavy pangs of grief and a life bereft of any mirth and flavor.

Pinky, Mini’s baby was three month old. True to her name she was pink and healthy full of life. Mini was tending her in the courtyard when she felt a long shadow crossing the baby. She looked up to find Shailender standing with a sheepish grin. Gone was the condensing all knowing look. There was a more humane Shailender with love and affection oozing out of his eyes looking adoringly at his pinky. He had realized the world; as well his life cannot have any meaning without women.

SUBASHITHUM - PANCHATANTRA 1

mantre tIrthe dvije deve daivadnye bheSaje gurau.
yaadRRishI bhaavanaa yasya
siddhirbhavati tädåçé





In mantras, in holy places, in twice born, in divine sprits, in future tellers, in medicine, in the teacher, who so ever, however is the attitude thus is the result.


from the panchatantra -

mantre - in mantras
tirthe - in holy places
dvije - in the twice born
deve - in divine spirits
daivadnye - in future tellers
bheSaje - in medicine
gurau - in the teacher
yasya - whosoever's
yaadRRishI bhaavanaa - however the attitude
siddhirbhavati taadRRishI - thus is the result

Ratnapuri was a non-descript village along the borders of Orissa and Bihar. Most of the three score inhabitants of the village made their living tilling the land and doing various crafts required for living. There was a potter `chandu’ who made very functional pots and mud vessels for the village folk. Then there was a carpenter `Lakshman Singh’ who deftly made all the wooden tools right from the plough to till the land, benches, chairs to house frames and roofs - all that can be moulded from the sal and deodar wood surrounding the village. And there was a priest to solemnize marriages and other auspicious as well in auspicious occasions of life like birth and death. There was a blacksmith, a cobbler and chamaras for cleaning It was in such a self-sufficient village that Sukhdev was plying his trade of fortune telling.

Everyday morning, by eight `0’ clock he spread his wares below the most handsome Peepal tree in the village choupal. He very carefully carried the cage holding his precious assistants chinky and minku, the two parrots who had been his co- partners in fortune telling for the last one decade. He was the 3rd generation in his family plying this trade. His father and grandfather had spent their entire life under the very same Peepul tree and had performed their job like a religion. Sukhdev as a toddler had sat there and watched his grand father telling fortune to the eager customers. The cases were as diverse as the people. The priorities changed as per the person seeking fortune. The young men used to come furtively to find when they would find the lass of their choice. The bashful young women would in turn seek the time of the arrival of their suitors. The middle aged always worried about the crops and the money they would get from the trades they ply. As he watched his father and grandfather working, his insights too into fortune telling increased. When his turn came he had already perfected the art. The parrots caught from the wild were carefully domesticated and trained with care and diligence. After a while they almost used to behave like humans understanding every gesture and every tone of command. They deftly used to move among the fortune cards spread in front of them and pick the right one for each seeker. It was an inexplicable mix of factors which played in unison helping the bird to pick the right card. Getting the correct cue from the birds was more an act of minds matching minds The supreme mind seemed to feed into the mind of the man and the bird to come up with the correct answer. It was many times a wonder to Sukhdev himself how the prediction foretold by him became true in toto.

He always started his day burning incense and calling out to his gods to give him the strength to tell fortune correctly and not to disappoint the ones who come to him with great faith and hope. The gods indeed used to work in unison with his intention. However as days passed his village as well as other villages around were changing ever so perceptibly. The village young men were one by one going to the towns to seek their fortunes, leaving only the old and disabled in the village. Sukhdev failed to understand this .His roots were so deep in the village that he could never even dream of leaving the soil were he was born and his fore fathers lived. But his customers were falling steadily. At last it came to the pitiable state that days on end he would be staring vacantly at chinky and minky and they back at him. It was getting a pain to reach back home everyday and meet his dear wife Shalanki and little son Pappu with an empty hand and down cast face. Slowly the hunger started gnawing in to their vitals. They had eaten virtually into all their resources. The good rug of dadaji, the silver lotta and the old clock, his mothers gold ear drops - everything had reached the pawn shop to feed their hunger Now the house was looking forlorn stripped of all its ornamentation, only the skeletal frames of Shalanki and Pappu ever waiting in the door step for his return.

It was a custom of the fortune tellers will never see their own fortune. It was strictly service to the ones who would come seeking to be told. In desperation Shalanki, his soft spoken wife one day wailed `You have shown light and new hope to so many who had come to you, why don’t you find your own fortune.’ This idea at first sounded appaling to Sukhdev. How can he ever see his own fortune, it had never been done by his fore fathers. After much pondering , spending a sleepless night trying to decide the matter, finally next day in the morning he took his one and half year old Pappu on his shoulder to the chauppal under the Peepal tree for the first time. He prayed to the gods seeking their pardon for seeking his own fortune, spread the cards ever so carefully in front of the cage and asked his Pappu to lead chinku and minku out of the cage. `Yes it was his son doing it not him’. Pappu, a chip of the old block led the birds as though he knew the job all along The birds tip toed and deftly picked two cards and kept them in front. Sukhdev opened the cards with his heart fluttering. As soon as he opened them, his face broke into a smile He could see the rising sun in one card and other depicted a group of birds flying back. He very well knew what they meant. They meant good times are round the corner. This prediction filled his mind and body with new enthusiasm. He went back home with a triumpant look as though things had already looked up as he knew within his heart that his predictions would not go wrong. His wife Shalanki was bewildered at his enthusiasm. Nothing at all seem to change for quite some time - The same old search for pennies to fill their stomachs.

However with the arrival of the next new moon the things started changing. One day, mid afternoon from nowhere a jeep and four-truck loads of people arrived to the empty survey site close to the village. Men and families got down in droves, enthusiastically pitched their tents and started the living process. The talk was that the place was having some rich black metal. What did they called it? - `yes bauxite’. With the arrival of men Suhkdev’s business picked up in no time. Soon he started going home with his pouches cling clanging with coins. All the valuables from the pawn shop returned back home. Hi wife now wore a beaming smile and a rounded face and soon by another year Papua had a brother Chintu at home. Sukhdev ever confident and forthright was plying his trade happily. His fortitude was now paying dividends.