Because Karma is a Dog

I was reading the story from Mahabharata the other day about how a dog followed Yudishtra all the way till the heavenly abode when he wanted to enter the same with his body. I had my gentle grandmother’s voice ring in my ears ” adu awaroda dharmam di” (What followed him was his dharma) As with many things today I wondered if it was right. What really follows you all your life? Is it your Dharma or is it your Karma?

To unravel this question I had to look back into my own life what really came with me all my life? It was my actions (karma) and my founding principles(dharma)… they would not only come with me this life time it may come with me to my next life too. It will never leave you even when every thing alive and inanimate leaves you it would be there guiding and making things happen with you. No one is capable of being with you like your own karma and dharma. (Think of the”hutch” ad puppy).

Am I right?

I took a little break from crowding myself with knowledge, I stopped seeking anymore answers from books. I stopped sharing stories to observe how much of all that I learnt influenced me. One place where I observed this a lot is my own constant pondering on what is right and wrong? Do I decide from  my past patterns or do I render what is required for the situation. What is the position that I take for various events that happen around me? In essence what is my Dharma? Sometimes the world surprises u by giving u answers from places u least expect it. What one considers as spiritual group does the most hypocritical act while a common college going kid could lead a profound life and give u life lessons by example, People who talk endlessly about karma act as if they have no idea about it. Making you question what is right who is really right? The one who follows rules of modern living? Or one who simply does what the situation demands not worrying about rules. Today I am going to share one such view point from Mahabharata which answers and distinguishes the various ambiguities about Dharma in a simple way. However  my experience of this knowledge comes from my life and yes what I read drives what I do in my life.

The Mystery of Madhusudhana unfolded

A lot of times I find that studying a scripture and attempting to decipher them to be as daunting as solving a puzzle! One such attempt was to unravel the mystery of death of Madhu and Kaithabha

Shishupala vadha- Someone is counting

Unfathomable are the ways of mind. We are often times sympathetic to the person committing crime. Extensive philosophies have been written in support of the crimes ascribing it to various Gunas, stellar congregations in ones horoscope, to karma, vagaries of ones own mind  and what not. We are also very sympathetic to those who vehemently fight the wrong doers for they are valiant problem solvers who keep the society running by keeping a check on wrong doers. Often times we see them failing but yet we are sympathetic for they have tried. World is also sympathetic to people who run away from the situation and stay aloof for we consider them as ascetics who live above this world of crimes. But have we  ever understood the person who stands amidst crime is not fighting against it with valor, is not running away from it, is not part of the crime doers act, but merely smiles at it, deals with it with patience and fortitude. By narrating the story of Shishupala I am merely trying to understand the person standing there smiling. Does he have a plan? Maybe he has a better one. Who is he patient for?

Scarred to liberation

There was once a Shishya who was weak in vedas and vedanta and stayed much behind his other classmates however he had a strong desire to be liberated. He asked his guru to help him find liberation and simplify the practices for moksha. The answer given by the guru interested me a lot. The agents for your liberation look for three types of scars. Scar in your feet that searched for truth,Scar in your tongue which spoke the truth, scar in your soul in which truth resides.

The story of Kumarila Bhatta

To understand this story I would like to give a short introduction on how the vedic study and hinduism evolved. After years of intense instruction on existing philosophy, if one chooses they can propound new philosophy. But they have to defend their thesis with existing theologist and philosophers by seeking “vaada bhiksha”(Seeking to debate). Upon convincing the theologist the new philosophy gets accepted into vedic theology or hinduism as we know it today. Thus hinduism is a way of life which underwent several centuries of refinement and sophistication.

Rama Raajyam- A Divine Society

Don’t we all dream of an ideal world?? where the system of justice can never be questioned?? where mind is free of thoughts worthy of being thwarted… It is that safe place we always we wish for whenever we are emotionally bruised. Mind says “Oh! I wish world was a better place….” In a recent discussion about a perfect society my mind wandered into thinking if there was an ideal society ever. Like always I turned to scriptures to find my answers.

Divya Dampathyam(A divine marital relationship)…2

So my answer to my friend who asked me this question on my relationship with my spouse was ” I would love it to be Thiruchenkodu” … What is special about Thiruchenkodu is another story.

Divya Dampathyam(A divine marital relationship)…1

An old friend of mine asked me once, is your marriage Kanchipuram? or Madurai? For those who are not familiar with the tamil brahminical satire. Let me educate you on the question. He was asking me if I was dominating in my relationship with my spouse (Madurai Meenakshi) or that my spouse was dominating me (Kanchipuram Ekambareshwarar). It kindled the story teller in me to tell you the stories of the exemplary dampathyams as I know it.

Navadha Bhakthi- Nine Actions of Devotion

The treatise on nine forms of devotion was given in two major epics; the Ramayana as Rama tells this to Sabari when she seeks knowledge from him for liberation and the Bhagavata where Prahalada recounts them to Hiranyakasipu. In a sequence of stories we will see how each form of bhakthi refines us