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Short stories exploring today's concepts in ancient Indian contexts.
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A student reaches Benares to learn Sanskrit texts. The teacher says that this is a journey to know oneself, and truth and happiness. His son holds them irrelevant, but directs a Romeo-Juliet play in the style of the ancient poet, Kalidas.
We are asked to consider if we know who we are, the purpose of our lives, why do we often rebel and who within ourselves wants to express itself. In a play Sri Krishna extols that the entire cosmos is He, the one Atman; we are all one.
A discerning mind and true wisdom transform a person. Dacoit Ratnakar accosts sage Narada in a lonely forest. Prodded by Narada, he realizes that his family disapproves of his actions. Reformed, he becomes Valmiki, who wrote the Ramayana.
A scripture centered debate between Ashtavakra and Acharya Bandi tells us that violence cannot win over anyone. Incomplete knowledge of our Oneness is why we consider ourselves of this ephemeral world, with its notions of beauty and form.
Mughal Dara Shikoh's intense interest in the Hindu scriptures takes him to Kashi. He learns that the Vedas were not composed by humans. India is a holy land where self inquiry and reflection is ingrained, although many invaders ruled it.
Dara Shikoh learns the meaning and structure of the Vedas and translates them and related scriptures to Farsi. These are then rendered in French and German. All this takes them global, and piques the interest of the scholar, Max Mueller.
Renowned mathematician and astronomer Bhaskaracharya wrote the treatise, Karan Kutuhal. Unable to get his daughter Lilawati married, he wrote the treatise on Vedic maths, Lilawati. Maths is considered crucial to the study of the Vedas.
The asuras defeat the devas due to their sanjeevani vidya (lore to trounce death) So, Kaccha goes to Shukracharya, sage of the asuras, to learn this sanjeevani vidya. The four upvedas each are supplementary to the four main vedas.
Raja Harishchandra lived according to the rules of dharma, with steadfast effort and never reneging on his words. Once, he mistakenly disturbs Sage Vishwamitra's meditation and has to sell his wife, son and himself to pay the sage's fine.
Vishnugupta (Chanakya) taught Chandragupta, the ruler of Magadh, that a king is just like a paid servant. He has vast responsibilities to keep his subjects happy. And, for that, dharmic economic principles of governing should be employed.
The Lord of Desire (Kama devta) is key to all beings. Dharma should rule Desire. King Bhartrihari bestowed a fruit blessed with sexual prowess to his wife. After travelling to four persons, it came back through his clueless, other wife.
Attaining moksha (enlightenment) should be the ultimate aspiration and effort for all. Kotikarna had untold wealth, and was highly egotistic. He sets out to attain moksha, realizing that money cannot buy it. Thief Satyawadi follows him.
Living in and seeking the truth is enough for a student to be taught by a guru. Young Satyakam, of lower caste, wanted to study. The gurus did not accept him due to his low caste. But, Rishi Gautam agreed because he had spoken the truth.
After his education as a Brahmacharya (student), a person becomes a Gruhasta (householder). Here he lives according to dharmic principles, helping others as much as possible and not harming anyone. The story of poet Magha illustrates this.
As you grow old, vanaprashta ashram (retired life) should follow gruhasta ashram (householder life). Sorrow results if it is postponed or ignored. Old Dhritrastra and King Bimbisara clung to their lives of worldly desire, and suffered.
In the last phase of sanyasa (renunciation), detachment is practiced and moksha (enlightenment) is sought. Having lost his family, Vidyaranya became a monk at the Shringeri Sharda Peetam and lead a revolt against the anti-Hindu Mughals.
Unable to answer a question in a contest, Vidagdha commits suicide. Acharya Yajnavalkya realizes that the real victory is to know oneself. Renunciation means no desire for people, things and ourselves. The soul is essentially joyous.
Magadh's brahmins opposed appointing low caste Chandragupta as their ruler. Chanakya (Vishnugupta) argued that caste is not based on birth. It is based on occupation, effort and present karma. He cited many well known examples in defense.
There are 16 milestones (Shodasha Samskaras) in a life's journey from the womb till death. Surdas explains the first 8 of these. These are garbhadana, pumsavana, seemantonayana, jatakarma, namakarna, nishkarma, annaprashana and chudakarma.
Blind Surdas recounts that, as a child, he was neglected. Even a group of travelling singers left him behind. Vallabhacharya stops by to hear young Surdas sing. Emperor Akbar and Tansen visit him. He explains the upnayana step to Kanhai.
Vallabhacharya initiates Surdas to vedic knowledge. Surdas explains the remaining milestones to Kanhai. Emperor Akbar is beset by fakes when he decides to compile Surdas' songs and get them translated to Farsi. Birbal solves this problem.
Chitraketu experiences the joy and tragedy of a new born son. The son's soul has seen countless rebirths, with countless parents. Unfulfilled desires cause rebirth. Past karma rules our present and present karma dictates our rebirths.
Orphan Tulsidas sang stories of Lord Rama to earn a living. His wife rebuked him for not loving Rama enough. So, he left home, plunged into the lore of Rama and re-wrote the original Sanskrit language Ramayana of Valmiki in Awadhi.
Nachiketa, son of Vajashravas, meets Lord Yama, the God of Death. Granted 3 boons by Yama, Nachiketa desires to know what is Death, what comes after and what is not impermanent. Yama replies that only the soul (Atman) is indestructible.
Courtesan Pingala is distraught when a patron does not come. She and Sthulibhadra realize the futility of things impermanent. Yadu, alienated from his princely life, meets Avadhut in his wanderings. Avadhut describes his 24 gurus to Yadu.
The Asuras and the Gods constantly fought. They send one person each to Acharya Prajapati to learn about the secret of existence. Prajapati taught that the Atman is non-material, eternal and in every being. So, we should share everything.
The five thirsty Pandavas cannot drink water until the Yaksha's questions are answered. The four younger brothers refuse to answer, drink water and die. Yudhisthira first answers these eternal questions. All questions lead to knowledge.
When Abhimanyu is slain in war, Krishna explains that the soul never dies. Savitri pursues her dead husband being taken away by Yamaraja. He grants her many boons but she wants 100 sons. Yamaraja is forced to give her dead husband back.
Arunagiri was a dissolute and became a pauper. His sister berated him and offered herself to him, if he so craved sensual pleasures. Awakened, Arunagiri became a renunciate and seeker. He realized that only the atman is permanent.
King Janak organized a Brahma Sabha (assembly). Yagyavalkya remained undefeated in its Q and A session. He expounded on the all-pervading Brahma when Gargi had 2 questions. He later composed 3 texts used extensively in historical India.
King Ajatshatru renounces his throne in favor of Balaki when the latter wants to learn from him. Indra, Agni and Vayu learn that they are not the real victors. The omniscient force, Brahma, is the origin of everything in the universe.
A king is chronically unhappy. He is told to wear a happy man's shirt. They locate Bhura, a happy, shirtless bullock cart owner. Bhura says that we are atman, and it is essentially blissful. We are unhappy when we seek happiness outside.
Dulabhagat explains that a camel is habituated to being tethered, even if it is imaginary. We are slaves to our desires. The mind is shackled to the physical world. However, we are truly unchanging and transcend this physical universe.
Jada Bharata explains that we are not our bodies or our possessions. We are atman which is unchanging and omnipresent. It is the same atman which dwells in all beings and things. So, we are no different from all else in the universe.
An unbelieving prince wants to know what is God, where is He and what is the proof of His existence. A lady explains that God is invisible, like the cream in milk. He is the cause of everything. He permeates, like the light of a candle.
Sage Narada asks Lord Krishna to explain what is Maya, Illusion. Krishna explains that Maya is inexpressible. Only that which was true earlier, is true today and will be true tomorrow, is not Maya. All else is impermanent and changing.
Students felt discouraged since studying the Vedas was arduous. Veda Vyasa simplified matters by dividing the Vedas into 4 parts. He divided the Puranas into 18 main (maha) and 18 secondary (upa) Puranas. He also wrote the Mahabharata.
The essence of the entire universe is Brahma. Therefore, Brahma, God, is everywhere. Its various functions, like birth, growth, destruction are manifest as devatas, individual divinities.
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