Unraveling the Vedas!!!!

Photo courtesy : www.indianetzone.com

Vedas and mythological texts, I believe, are the eternal guides to living a meaningful and content life. Happiness, satisfaction, success and even love are but, states of mind. Mind is the powerhouse of emotions and life is a bundle of emotions. How one can take charge of emotions and channelize them for a productive purpose, to live a fruitful life is what the ancient texts teach us.

I have affirmed time and again that there creeps in, high level of subjectivity owing to differences in cognition and comprehension among readers (or listeners). Unfortunately, the importance of these quintessential texts have diluted in the minds of people and come to be known as ‘ancient’, ‘obsolete’, ‘regressive’, etc. whereas the fact is otherwise. They teach one to have the most pragmatic approach to life. It could perhaps be the nature of dissemination of knowledge of the Vedas and mythological encounters in the form of ‘Shruti’ that could have not just brought in the element of subjectivity, but also lack of written evidences for the supposed radical minds to believe in. However, with the help of ‘Smriti’ we still have the privilege of referring to some of the most intellectual texts of mankind.

In the Gita, Lord Shri Krishna explains the importance of having the right attitude towards life, and how attitude becomes a catalyst in elevating an individual to higher levels of knowledge and transcendence. A lot of sceptical people ask me about how this can be put to use and expect a chronological explanation of how that leads to change and why it is relevant. They also do ask me if this is feasible and practical. While I am tempted to answer their questions, I am also reminded of the fact that change is essentially brought from within. Change is a permanent transformation or alteration brought about in a person. It is not a theory or a formula that is substantiated by explanation of empirical evidences. As a matter of fact, hypothesis formulation is an important step in conducting even the highest of researches. One cannot bring about a change unless one is determined to. To bring about an intrinsic change in the attitude is in the hands of oneself and never others’. How others contribute to this process is by merely showing a way. It is like a freeway that leads to many roads to various destinations, having signages at intervals. It depends on the driver of the car, which way he would like to take, what speed he would like to drive at and where he wishes to stop. Similarly, a person explaining the principles is just like the signages on the freeway that show the directions so as to do away with obscurity and ignorance. The driver ultimately decides for himself, where he would like to drive down. The car is a metaphor for life, driver for a person’s mind (which leads to actions) and the destination for the purpose of life, which could be the highest level of elevation or the ultimate source. Having an open mind is of importance while reading these texts and being able to use them to one’s advantage. It is upon taking the efforts to read the texts and self-learn, followed by self-introspection that could result in the aforementioned ‘change’.

We learn a lot about the world outside and how to manage people around. But what we lack is the study of self and the science of introspection. The Vedas and the mythological texts, apart from others, teach us about this science. Nonetheless, these texts contain great insights on, and in a certain sense, foundational knowledge of astronomy, astrology, management, metallurgy, organizational behaviour, marketing strategies and many more. 

Note : The above views are writer's  interpretation of the importance of Indian Vedic texts.

Hindu Mythology

Ok! So, this is my first post on Indian Mythology :)

Mythology is something that I have always been fascinated reading about and interpreting in our regular lives. Although could be defined as a collection of myths dating / originating to a period in history, I consider them as a guide to philosophy and knowledge. That which basks in knowledge, edifies doctrines of philosophy and teaches simple ways of life.

It is astonishing, how some of these quintessential texts, recorded tens of thousands of years back, talk of Astronomy, the Cosmos, Technology (weaponry, metallurgy,etc.), Political science and of today's most sought-after, Management; some topics that most conceive (or should I say misconceive) to be of recent origin!

The origins of mythology could be roughly attributed to the erstwhile Vedic civilization, predominated by the four principle Vedas of Hinduism (Rig, Yajur,Sáma, Atharva).We have epics like the Rámáyana and the Mahábharatha, one of the longest epics of the world, apart from the Vedánta Sútras, Sangam (literary works in Tamil) and other scholastic works.

The 'Vedás' date back to almost the Bronze Age (as per official records) or even much before. It is, however, difficult to give an account of the exact period of composition, considering that Vedas like Rig and others were mainly followed as 'Sruti' (literally translated as 'to hear') or through disciplic succession rather than in written form. It is only a few thousand years ago that 'Smriti' (scriptures) came into being. It is believed that Lord Brahmá, the progenitor of mankind, recites the four Vedas through each of his four heads, a belief insinuating the primitivity of the Vedás. However, for our understanding, we can say that the Vedas date back to the beginning of human civilization on Earth.

I would mainly concentrate on the Mahabharatha, which also contains the essence of all the Vedas in brevity, the Bhagavad Gita. Literally translated as 'the God's song or poem'/ 'song of God', Srimad Bhagawad Gita contains great lessons on Leadership, Self-Management, Austerity, Code of Conduct, Yogas and so much more to list down! I believe, it has its application in any field under the sun. The Gita is for those who look for adopting a pragmatic approach to life. While continuing to do what one is, he still manages to find happiness, which is but, a state of mind. Likewise, the whole of the Mahabharatha consists of great lessons on 'dos' and 'donts' and getting acquainted with the higher order of life. In my opinion, the text, through its narration, alludes to the things one needs to keep from doing in order to avoid failure or catastrophe rather than explicitly saying otherwise, with the exception of the Gita.

In the following blogs, I shall write about my interpretations of some excerpts from the Mahaharatha, relating them to our lives today and also how they can be applied in our lives to achieve a better purpose.

YAKSHA PRASHNA-the quintessential answers(Part III)

This is in continuation to my last blog on the conversation between Yaksha and Yudhisthira.

Yaksha        : What is heavier than the Earth? What is higher than Mountains? What is faster than Wind? What is more numerous than Grasses?
Yudhisthira : Mother is heavier than the Earth. Father is higher than Mountains. Mind is faster than Wind. Worries are more numerous than Grasses.
These answers by far touch my heart most and are way beyond explanation as they contain a world full of knowledge in them.

Yaksha        : Who is the friend of a traveler? Who is the friend of the one that is ill? Who is the friend of the one dying? 
Yudhisthira : Friend of a traveler is his companion. Friend of the ill is his doctor. Friend of a dying person is charity.
Friendship comes with a sense of belonging and trust. At every stage in life, under various circumstances, we meet different kinds of people, learn from them and share a give-take relationship with them. It is imperative to notice that the friends mentioned in the answers above last for as long as a phase ends and that nothing in life is permanent. 
Impermanence - Journey and the companion of a traveler. Yet there is a sense of belonging as both may be heading to the same destination and one is of help to the other. 
Trust - Unless a patient trusts his doctor, it is unlikely that he may feel relieved of an illness. It is equally important for one to feel fit psychologically as it is to feel physically.
Fame - It is always said that a person is remembered for his deeds- good or bad. Charity is a deed that catapults a person to a great order of love and respect among men. Achievement comes when a person is able to give up that which he has craved for most in life. 

Yaksha       : What is that, when renounced, makes one lovable? By renouncing what, does one become happy? Who is truly happy? What causes an incurable disease?
Yudhisthira : By renouncing pride, one becomes lovable. By renouncing desire, one becomes happy. The one that has no debts is truly happy. Avarice constitutes to an incurable disease. 
Irrespective of the era we live in, these facts would never change. The little lessons mentioned are as difficult to put into practice as obvious they seem.It has been asserted in texts of various religions including the Gita that desires give rise to expectations and subsequently disappointments in life. The more we get, the more we want! Contentment is a far-fetched attribute among men. It is not bad to be ambitious, but greed and covetousness certainly is. Above all, they never let a person live in peace.


Yaksha        : What is the greatest wonder? What is the path? What is the news?
Yudhisthira : Day after day, countless men die; still the living desire to live forever. People live as if they are never going to die! That is the greatest wonder. Not one Rishi's words are acknowledged by all and each differ in their perspective. Hence, the truth about self and Dharma lies deep inside the caves of one's heart. This is the path! The world we live in, replete with ignorance is like a pan; the Sun is the fire; days and nights are the fuel; months and seasons the wooden ladle; time is the cook that is cooking all of the creatures. This is the news!

The Yaksha then asked Yudhisthira to choose ONE of his brothers whom he would want to see get back to life; Yudhisthira chose Nakula. He asserted that Madri was like Kunti to him and that atleast one son of each mother must be alive; this would do justice to both mothers. Despite the fact that his victory in the war with Kauravas depended on Bhima and Arjuna's prowess, the Emperor chose his younger brother Nakula over them. The Yaksha was so moved by Yudhisthira’s sense of righteousness and objectivity that he brought all his brothers back to life.  Yudhisthira was assured that benevolence of this extent and life-giving powers were not a Yaksha’s prerogative. It was then that Dharmaraaj appeared in His true form in front of the brothers and benedicted the Emperor with righteousness and fame for as long as he lived and beyond. He then returned the wooden sticks and paraphernalia of the Brahmin and confirmed that it was Him that disguised as a deer to test the Emperor.

YAKSHA PRASHNA-the quintessential answers(Part II)

The Yaksha asked Yudhisthira, 124 questions on spirituality, philosophy, moral code of conduct, modes of liberation among others. Some of them are enumerated below :

Yaksha       : What makes the Sun rise? What makes the Sun set?
Yudhisthira : It is the ' Brahman' that makes the sun rise. Brahman (not to be confused with Lord Brahma) is impersonal, eternal, non-dualistic and that which awakens the atomic soul.
It is Dharma that makes the Sun set.
These answers essentially direct towards the inevitable law of nature, thus insinuating the need for a person to stick to dutifulness at all points of time in life. Just a weird thought, what if the Sun did not set or rise for a day??! The whole Universe would go topsy-turvy! That is the importance of religiously following ones duties in life, to preserve balance and Dharma in life.

Yaksha       : Who circumambulates the Sun? Where is the Sun established?
Yudhisthira : The Gods circumambulate the Sun. The Sun is established in Truth.
Sun is a personification of Truth. If we consider this, all the planets revolve around the Sun and the inhabitance in all of these planets depends on the Sun. Yudhisthira saying that the Gods move around the Sun, could also be inferred as, the highest of men ultimately take shelter to and proliferate because of Dharma and Truth. Even in the real world, credibility and dependability is of utmost importance for any business to flourish. A business that is based upon principles, values and social responsibility is always exalted as compared to its contemporaries which follow otherwise. There are numerous examples of organizations which have fallen in the long run due to not following the moral codes of conduct and being manipulative. Hence, the ultimate value upon which a person's life must be established is Truth.

Yaksha        : What renders sacredness in a Brahmin? What is the virtuous duty of a Brahmin? What is the humane quality of a Brahmin? What action of a Brahmin is sinful?
Yudhisthira : Learning of the Vedas renders sacredness in a Brahmin. Austerity is the virtuous duty of a Brahmin. Death is the humane quality in a Brahmin. Criticising others is a sinful act by a Brahmin.
Yaksha        : What renders sacredness in a Kshatriya? What is the virtuous duty of a Kshatriya? What is the humane quality of a Kshatriya? What action of a Kshatriya is sinful?
Yudhisthira  : Archery renders sacredness in a Kshatriya. Yagna (offerings to the sacred fire) is the virtuous duty of a Kshatriya. Fear is the humane quality in a Kshatriya. Failing to protect their subjects/ those under them is a sinful act by a Kshatriya.
These answers point towards two things : one, any person is bound by a set of duties to be fulfilled and two, every person has strengths and weaknesses. Let us consider an ideal situation- Any organization has various levels at which employees work. Every level has its unique job description and every employee is given a certain amount of responsibility. The one that exceeds expectation is looked upto by his colleagues and seniors. Every star performer of an organization has gone through his bad days, made mistakes and ultimately got over them and shaped his way to success. Alternately, absenteeism, lack of interest in job, manipulation, demeaning collegues or subordinates only paves way for failure. Eventually, promotion in an organization is based on performance. Similarly, spiritual / intellectual advancement in life happens with enhancing our strengths, mitigating weaknesses, abstaining from wrong-doings and performance of duties.

YAKSHA PRASHNA-the quintessential answers(Part I)

Some answers to certain questions in life are so simple that we tend to overlook them or fail to even think about them at the nick of the time! When it comes to using language as a consultant or trainer, counselling as a psychologist or conducting a lecture in a class of novices, what is important is to keep it simple and stick to the fundamentals. One may be omniscient and even unmatched in terms of knowledge; yet what makes him credible and likeable is his ability to articulate his mind and disseminate knowledge in a way that people from different walks of life understand the same. Nonetheless, it is from ‘fundamentality’ that advancement happens. Just like how the knowledge of alphabets is critical in developing meaningful words or sentences, similarly basic life lessons help shape our personalities and make us who we are. Sometimes, complexity leads to a perception of dubiousness especially in service-oriented fields; hence sticking to basics often helps. 

Our ancient mythological texts teach us these simple facts and fundamental laws of nature. No matter the era we live in, what has never and can or will never change are the laws of nature! Most of the meanings are hidden or are conveyed allegorically in the texts, which leads to a high level of subjectivity, and it is up to the readers to read between the lines and infer meanings of various narrations. It is said that any conversation between two or more learned and highly revered beings was made so as to consign to posterity, vital learnings and understanding of Dharma.  I am accounting below, one such encounter from the Mahabharatha (third Parva- Aranyaka Parva); this was a conversation between Emperor Yudhisthira and Dharmaraaj, God of Dharma , famously known as Yamraaj.

Backdrop : During their twelve year exile, Pandavas took shelter under various forests and mountain ranges, one of which was Dvaitavana. One day while here, a Brahmin sought their help in recovering his wooden sticks and paraphernalia, apparently taken away by a deer. With an intention to retrieve these, Pandavas set out to hunt down the deer. They had travelled a long way already. It was a long chase and the brothers were too tired and thirsty, although there was no sign of the deer. Upon Yudhisthira’s order, Nakula set out to the lake nearby to fetch some water in his quiver. As he bent down to take some water in his palms, a voice appeared from the skies and forbade him from drinking the water, unless some questions were answered. The handsome Nakula ignored this warning and drank the water. As soon as the water reached his mouth, he fell unconscious, as though dead. Worried as Nakula had not returned for over an hour, Yudhisthira sent Sahadeva over to the lake to fetch some water and get Nakula back. The same fate occurred to Sahadeva and he too fell on the ground, unconscious. When Arjuna arrived here and heard the voice, he shot few arrows in the thin air which were capable of destroying any illusion, but all in vain and he fell unconscious and seemingly dead on the ground. The same happened when Bhima arrived at the lakefront. Finally, it was Yudhisthira’s turn. He looked around carefully and analyzed the whole situation. In no time, he learnt that there was something suspicious in the water as there were no signs of a war (Yuddha) or bloodshed in the vicinity.He bent down to drink some water as his thirst overpowered his ability to think any further. Upon hearing the voice, Yudhisthira modestly responded and enquired who that was. A crane appeared in front of him; Yudhisthira was quick to guess that it possessed some supernatural powers and was a celestial being disguised as a crane. He emphatically said that a crane could not have brought about such a fate upon his valiant and invincible brothers. The crane immediately transformed itself into another form and replied, “I am a Yaksha and this lake belongs to me. If you wish to drink my water, you may answer my questions and proceed, else would see the same fate as your brothers’.” Yudhisthira agreed and a spate of questions followed. The questions on spirituality, philosophy and many other fields that the Yaksha asked were impeccably answered by Yudhisthira, and to date are referred to as a concise guide to life lessons. The Yaksha asked Yudhisthira to choose ONE of his brothers whom he would want to see get back to life; Yudhisthira chose Nakula. He asserted that Madri was like Kunti to him and that atleast one son of each mother must be alive; this would do justice to both mothers. Despite the fact that his victory in the war with Kauravas depended on Bhima and Arjuna's prowess, the Emperor chose his younger brother Nakula over them. The Yaksha was so moved by Yudhisthira’s sense of righteousness and objectivity that he brought all his brothers back to life.  Yudhisthira was assured that benevolence of this extent and life-giving powers were not a Yaksha’s prerogative. It was then that Dharmaraaj appeared in His true form in front of the brothers and benedicted the Emperor with righteousness and fame for as long as he lived and beyond. He then returned the wooden sticks and paraphernalia of the Brahmin and confirmed that it was Him that disguised as a deer to test the Emperor.

The following blog contains the questions and answers, which are recorded as ‘Yaksha-Prashna’ in the Mahabharatha.

Learning from Yudhisthira's personality to improve quality of life

Yudhisthira, eldest of the much celebrated Pandavas, was the ruler of Hastinapur and a predecessor to Parikshit, the son of Abhimanyu and grandson of Arjuna. Before the annihilation at Kurukshetra, Yudhisthira ruled over Indraprastha, until the brothers were sent to a thirteen year exile along with their wife, Draupadi by Kauravas' treacherous ways. Such was his adherence to Dharma or righteousness that the God of Dharma, Dharmaraaj Himself was moved to an extent of inexplicability. 

One can never write enough about Emperor Yudhisthira, for his eminence as a righteous, self-sufficient being and a ruler extraordinaire surpasses ones ability to confine these characteristics in a post! Yet I am attempting to list down some of his qualities which are very essential to possess in today's world. 

Adherence to Truth- 'Truth always triumphs', as the adage goes. A truthful person is always reliable and sought after.It is always better to speak the truth than manipulate and get caught in a way much worse than thought of. A company that delivers its promise is always regarded over its counterparts which fail to do so.The employee of an organization which believes in transparency with no hidden laws and practices, tends to remain loyal, thus helping the organization reduce its resources in recruitment and replacement. 

Objectivity- This is a great virtue, acquired rather than inherited. When Jayadratha was brought to Yudhisthira's feet by Arjuna and Bhima after punishing him for kidnapping Draupadi, Yudhisthira made sure that he punished him adequately. However, he did not order his brothers to kill him as Jayadratha had a family to look after and his folks dependent on him. If Yudhisthira wished, he could have, at the fit of rage ordered his brothers to take his life for demeaning their wife in their absence, yet he thought of the consequences of such an act and did not let his personal bias affect his decisions.                                    

During an interview, it is essential that an HR Manager be objective and not give way for preconceived notions to affect their decisions. Sometimes, the HR Manager may tend to relate to the interviewee or have some traits in common with the latter; but this is no assurance of the employee being the right candidate for the job.                 

Patient- Yudhisthira was aware that the outbreak of a war between the Pandavas and Kauravas was destined. Yet he waited for the right time and channelized his and his brothers' wrath into diligent preparation for the war during their period of exile. Had he shown any haste, the outcome would have been different and so the story of the Mahabharatha.
A salesperson works on targets for which he interacts with a large number of customers. He does not always get the desired response from his customers. At such times, it is very important for him to be patient and continue to work hard, without losing mind or hope until he is successful in achieving the desired results.

Analytical- Yudhisthira was never judgemental or jumped into conclusions, but instead made a judgement and acted upon after analyzing a situation thoroughly well. A consultant is expected to do a 360 degree analysis of a problem or situation and come up with solutions conducive to growth of a company. Apparence is not always a state of being actual; situations and even people are not always the way they appear at first. It is very important to make a calculated judgement and take action(s) after complete analysis of a situation. 

Knowledgeable- Yudhisthira, the name itself means 'the one who is stable in a war'! Yudhisthira was an adept spearman. Besides warfare, his knowledge in the fields of spirituality, philosophy, psychology and political science among others are testified in the texts. His intellectual discussions with Nahusha (cursed to become a serpent), Yaksha and Dharmaraaj (during the Svargarohana Parva) exemplify his immense knowledge in various fields. Chanakya says, "An educated person is respected anywhere he goes." It is indeed true as we all tend to look up to people who are knowledgeable and want to learn from them. Knowledge brings a person out of the darkness of ignorance.

Adaptable- Despite being royal heir to the throne of Hastinapur, Yudhisthira and his brothers spent almost half their lives away from the kingdom, in the wilderness of the forests. Yudhisthira, along with his brothers and wife, wore deerskin, ate minimally, practiced asceticism and roamed around different jungles and mountain ranges, while still managing to make associations with learned Rishis and celestial beings, native to these places. He knew to make the best of the two worlds. 
In a competitive world, one may need to travel across destinations, work with different organizations and come across people of various nationalities, ethnicities and cultures. An adaptable professional is always sought after in the corporate world. Likewise, adaptability has its role to play in managing work-life balance.

Assertive- Chanakya said the following:
- A King that overuses his stick is loathed by his subjects;
- A King that never uses a stick is taken for granted;
- A King that holds a stick, although not uses, is feared by his subjects.
A stick is metaphorically used to imply assertiveness and power. Striking a balance is of utmost importance, so that one is respected as well as not detested by the others. 

Communication skills- Yudhisthira always pleased everyone around him by his kind use of words and the right tone of voice. He was an effective listener and spoke well. He made alliances with some of the strongest kings of the world, which helped him during the ultimate war of mankind. 

Tactful- During the Kurukshetra war, upon the suggestion of Lord Krishna Himself to claim Ashwatthama dead (this was necessary to slay Dronacharya and win the war against the unrighteous beings), Yudhisthira preferred to 'conceal the truth' instead of telling a complete lie. "Ashwatthama Hato iti: Naro-va Kunjaro-va" ; meaning Ashwatthama is dead, I am not sure if the man or elephant! An elephant named Ashatthama was killed during the war. This is the ONLY incident recorded in the epic where Yudhisthira has hidden the truth, although for a righteous cause, and has repented for the same as well. It is essential to speak the right words at the right time in the right manner.

Respect for others- Respect is a two-way process. It cannot be commanded or asked for. It is better experienced than merely talked about. Yudhisthira treated even the greatest of his foes (apparent) with utmost respect. His sense of respect towards people was well reciprocated and he is remembered as one of the most respected and highly revered Emperors till date.

Association with the great and learned- While in the wild, Yudhisthira, along with his brothers, learned from the Rishis and ascetics in the forests; traveled to the heights of Kailasa and experienced the mystic world of celestial beings, lived with and learned from them. The brothers always respected Lord Krishna and sought His advice for problems of any intensity. It is very important to be amidst learned, well cultured people so as to have an element of positivity around us. External stimuli influence a person's behavior and personality, hence it is of utmost importance to relate to intellectual people.

Modest and humble- Yudhisthira had knowledge about a lot of subjects. Yet he never hesitated from asking doubts to the Rishis and exalted personalities and learn from them. After answering Nahusha's questions satisfactorily, he did not miss an opportunity to learn back from Nahusha, doctrines of philosophy for better living. Despite being an Emperor of the world, he was never smitten by pride or false ego. It is said that a vessel that is completely filled, seldom makes noise. A person who is truly knowledgeable and distinguished must not just have humility, but also be open to learning, which  is a never-ending process.

Egalitarian

Look at the larger picture- Yudhisthira always thought of the ultimate benefit and a larger cause. Despite being the Emperor of the world, Yudhisthira worked as a special attendant to the King of Virata, as a subservient  to the latter, during their incognito exile. He knew that if the brothers came out of this phase successful, it would be the beginning of achievement of their goals. This also shows that he was devoid of any false ego. 
A company underpaying their staffs to control costs has most likely not calculated the losses it may have to incur in the future due to attrition and lower levels of productivity, which are obvious outcomes of dissatisfaction among employees. The loss thus caused might be much more and may impede growth of the company in the long run. Hence, it is always necessary to envisage the future and work towards achieving long term goals while directing short-term activities towards this endeavor.