Welcome to the 12th issue of Vedagyan

Our Culture

Our culture and tradition is much older than our science age and it is very clear that our forefathers had adopted technologies that are far superior to ours. It is because they did not deny the role for the human mind in their approach to truths about cosmos and its physical operations.

In fact their approach was a complete one, whereas ours is fragmented. The following facts will prove the above line of argument.

You have already read in the earlier issues of this bulletin about Geometry during the Apahstamba Rishi period, the science of flying or Aeronautical Science in the early scriptures, you would have also noticed the advanced language skills that they adopted and their wealth of literature in writing many commentaries. Vyasa Bhagavan’s monumental works are classic example of this. Panini’s grammar is an exhaustive work, the epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata give us a lot of information on the warfare and weaponry. The various Sutras by the Rishis tell us about the great value based society that had existed.

Just to know how catering technology had developed during the epic era, you should go through Ramayana’s passage wherein Sri Hanuman who had come in search of Sita visits the palace of Ravana, and he enters the palace after the night has fallen. Only the previous night a grand feast had taken place! The variety and the wafting flavours that emanated from those preparations and they are described in great detail! In Valmiki Ramayana. The same epic also narrates the Pushpaka vimana the aircraft that took Rama back to Ayodhya from Lanka!

Ramayana also narrates the interesting event. Kausalya personally attended all the female members of the monkey clan and had the hairdo done by her for the occasion of Rama’s ascendancy to the throne! A fashion statement of epic era!

The technology of healthcare was at its glory, and that is being rediscovered today in the form of Yoga therapies, pranic-healing centres that have become a part of modern health care procedures! Every one of you might have heard of Charaka an incarnate of Adishesha of Vaikunta. He was a great personage whose contribution to the medical science is immense. Even today there is no parallel to this work. Plastic reconstructive surgery had been performed successfully during those times!

Story Time

To continue from where we left…

 The Brahma rakshas was eating people who happened to pass by. This went on for long time. One day Gokarna visited his native village and went about enquiring the whereabouts of his ancestral house and was shown a dilapidated house. He went around the house and felt sad deep within his heart and as he was very tired due to his long journey he felt sleepy and rested in the courtyard. Suddenly he was rudely shaken and he woke up to a shrieking sound! It was dark all around but some thing strange; dark was lurking in the dark! It was a huge beast. It advanced menacingly towards Gokarna. But Gokarna was unmoved. He cast a cool and calm look and asked the beast who he was. The beast obviously could not tolerate this indictment and changed its form into a bison and then into a wild goat. All this only amused Gokarna and he persisted with his question. He addressed the beast as an unfortunate one and asked it to come clean. Hearing this the beast assumed its original Brahmarakshas form and talked to Gokarna. He enquired why Gokarna was here. Gokarna reassured the goblin that he was here in search of his ancestral home and also to know about his lost brother. Immediately the goblin came very near to Gokarna and was sure that he was his own brother. The goblin narrated the whole story of his and pleaded with him to somehow get rid of this curse that has befallen on him. Gokarna felt very sad at the plight of his brother and promised him to find a cure. Saying so he went towards the forest in search of great seers who could give him a solution. On the way he met many sadus and seers but none of them could give him a solution. At last he came across a sage who asked Gokarna to go to Kasi and said the solution would be found there. So Gokarna rushed to Kasi and there he found many seers were discussing the outcome of bad karmas and methods to atone them and get salvation. He approached them with reverence and narrated the story of his brother. They listened to him and said that observing the vow and discipline for a fortnight and reciting the Srimad Baghavata Mahapurana for seven days and making his brother listen to the discourse would cure him of his curse and he will be rid of the goblin form!         

Gokarna went back satisfied and immediately took steps to organise the discourse as suggested by the seers.

On an auspicious day on a decorated stage duly observing all the rules and injunctions

In front of pious audience Gokarna performed the initial poojas and started his discourse. Having been told by Gokarna about the discourse, his brother Dundukari who was in the form of a goblin came to the venue and hid himself in a bamboo stalk with seven nodes! At the end of the day after listening to the discourse the first node exploded with a thud! Like this all the seven days the discourse was heard by all devotees and also by Dundukari and every day one by one the nodes exploded and the last day, from the bamboo, Dundukari emerged not with his goblin form but with brilliant princely form. There stood a celestial vehicle with attendants ready to receive him. Dundukari saluted all the pious ones gathered over there and boarded the celestial vehicle and departed to the heavens! Among the awe struck on lookers was his brother Gokarna with a satisfied look.

This story illustrates the greatness of Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana.

Let us look at another story that is the central theme of an Upanishad called Kathopanisad.

This story emphasises several important points in the quest for the truth.

They are 1. When should the enquiry into the self or the Truth about God be started?

              2. What should be the attitude and aptitude of such an enquirer?

              3. What can be achieved by steadfast contemplation on God?

              4.What are the pitfalls that are likely surface on such a mission?

              5. Which are the aspects a sadak should avoid?

THE STORY OF NACHIKETAS……

King Vajasrava was ruler of Vedic age who had a son called Nachiketas a strict follower of Brahmacharyam or celibacy and also a well-read student of dharma and sastras. The king was known for his broad mindedness and had performed many yagnas or sacrifices and had given a lot of gifts to the needy and deserving. During one such yagna he had vowed to give away all his wealth! In the process he distributed his wealth to all the Brahmins, the poor, and the needy. While he was at it he gave a cow that was old, barren, ill fed and obviously the Brahman could not get any benefit out of it and also not maintain it.

Nachiketas was observing this and got disturbed and went up to his father and asked him that act of his is not in tune with the dharmasastra and explained that instead of giving the benefit his act will result in loosing the benefit of yagna. This act of his infuriated the king and immediately king asked Nachiketas what else could be offered? Pat came the reply from Nachiketas that the King could offer Nachiketas if so desired. This reply in front of every one further angered the king who said that he wishes to make the offering to the lord of Death. Nachiketas readily agreed. He instantly walked in space towards the abode of Lord of Death. When he reached the destination, it so happened that Yamadharma the Lord of Death had gone away from his abode! So Nachiketas had to wait at the gate for three days to meet the Lord of Death. At last when he arrived on the third day he was surprised as well as worried to see a Brahman at his gate. Enquiries revealed that he had been staying there for three days and had gone without food. According to sastras a Brahmachari who arrives at ones doorstep should be treated as an Athiti(Guest) and should be offered food and shelter before even the household partake food. If an Athiti goes hungry, untold miseries will descend upon the host! Lord of Death feared that he would loose his exalted position due to this mistake, as he was the foremost upholder of Dharma.

Yamadharmaraja addressed Nachiketas and explained that first of all he was not to have come to his abode, as Nachiketas has good longevity. Later he added that having come he has not received the due honours. He also said that Nachiketas would have to eventually return to earth. As an atonement of this sin Yamadharmaraja offered three boons to Nachiketas, and asked him that whatever he wished would be granted. To this Nachiketas thoughtfully replied that by first boon he would request the lord of death to make his father forget the animosity against him and also not have memories of himself coming here. Lord of Death felt happy and immediately granted this boon. Second boon was redeemed by requesting the Lord of Death to absolve the King Vajasravas of the sin he had acquired by offering an inappropriate gift to the Brahman. But the third and final boon came as jolt to the Lord of Death. Nachiketas asked the Lord a very difficult question about the concept of death and its aftermath! He asked what happens to people after they die? Sastras say that they take two different routes on of sun and the other of moon. Where do they go? And Nachiketas wanted the concept of rebirth explained to him. This question of Nachiketas really rattled the Lord of Death and he decided to divert Nachiketas from the topic and started talking to him.    

Did he succeed ?  Let us see in the next issue.

Answers to the Quiz shall appear in the next issue.