An eMagazine for TDRites
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From Sridhar’s cupboard
Morals,…..Values……Ethics…….Dharma……
In the recent feedback, our Individual Sir has mentioned that the entire life of our parents with limited resources….still successfully managed……is “ A Saga of Sacrifice “. Almost, many of us are from a big family, joint family, dependent and inter dependent and we have achieved everything including forming of TOSA. We were taken care of by our parents, our brothers and sisters, our teachers, our school, our place and our temple. Genuinely, it is felt that every TDR ite is taking care of his / her parents, brothers and sisters. Given in this backdrop, Individual’s statement to the effect that
“ Sugamaana sumaigalai sumandhu saadhanai padaitthavargal Naam “
…..Sathiyamaana Vaarthaigal. This gave me a spark to share some of my thoughts. Shall we go ?
Sacrifice and compromise are the key words of the middle class society, but for that, it would be difficult to survive in this competitive world. I am sure, you will agree with me. This is the under current of our society and a driving force for us to lead a happy life. It existed from the yuga kaalam, even in earlier yugams also. Even now it exist and it will continue to exist. Because of the simple reason “ it is a dharma “, when we protect the dharma, the dharma will protect us. I would like to go for a rewind of Maha Bharath.
After the Wax Palace
The Pandava brothers were doing Biksha in and around the places and use to hand over the same to Kunthi. Of course, half of the collection would go to Bheema and the rest will be shared among others. Even after getting the Lion’s share….Dharmaputhra was somehow worried on seeing Bheema turning slim.
During one particular night, there was commotion, in the host family, with signs of weeping coupled with argument which went as under. Kunthi could hear all the conversations from the adjacent room which were later told to Pandavas :
Father : When I am not in a position to protect my wife and my children, I am not the right person to live in this world. I, therefore incline to sacrifice myself, for and on behalf of the family.
Mother : What ? What ? What you have told ? Do you recollect and remember……. when you married me, you vowed before the Agni Kundam, at each step among the seven steps…… that is at sapthapathi…..Throughout the life, I will protect you, I will feed you, I will have children through you, I will perform all the yagyams along with you..……Now you are telling that you will leave me. I will tell one thing to you…..you permit me to sacrifice myself…..Thereafter, you can remarry to take care our children.
Father : No.. No.. No.. I will not permit you to do the same. I vowed before the Agni while marrying you to protect you and to have children through you.
Daughter : Dear Father and mother, please allow me to sacrifice myself for the sake of our family. Being a women what is the purpose of my living ? .
Father and Mother : No. No. What you are telling? Though you were born to us, you belong to some other family as Mattru pen (daughter-in-law). You are expected to do the Dharma to that family. Our responsibility is to grow you and get married to a suitable groom. Thereafter, you belong to that family and hence, we don’t have the right to sacrifice you.
Son : Dear Father and mother, kindly permit me to sacrifice myself for the sake of our family. Through this step, I would like to protect you, mother, sister and the child.
Father : No No. why you are talking foolishly? When I performed Bramhmopadesam to you, it tantamount to giving the Power to you to perform all the ritual to us including our forefathers. You are the kulakozunthu of our family. Hence I don’t have the right to permit you to sacrifice yourself for the sake of the family.
Child : Why can’t you allow me to sacrifice myself ?
Everybody laughed among themselves on the uttering of the child.
At that point of time Kundhi entered in to the room of the family and asked what is the problem in your family ? Can I be of some help ?
Then the Brahmin narrated the fate of the family to Kunthi as under:
We are all living in this small kingdom….. “Eakachakrapuram”
Our king is incompetent. He is not taking care of the people. His rule is a total mis-rule. One Asura called as Bhagasuran is living in this area. He used to come to the villages at his will and smash all the belonging of our citizens. He is a man eater,. he will also eat everything including our cows. As our king is incompetent, we all went to the Asura and pleaded before him…..Do not destroy our belongings ….You need not visit our village often. Instead, we ourselves undertake to arrange food for you. Through this understanding, one family from the village, will arrange two buffaloes, one full bullock cart of food and one human, every week to take care of your need.
Now, the weekly turn has come to our family. I have already made all the arrangements except the human being and that’s what, we have been discussing……..whom to send ?
Kundhi after hearing entire thing expressed her desire to the Brahmin that she will come forward to sacrifice one of his five sons to the Asura. The host family, bluntly refused stating that you are our guest,…. equivalent to GOD. It is my responsibility to protect and look after the well being of the Guest, according to the Dharma. Kundhi, however, told them that if you permit me to do so, you will be doing an yeomen service to the people of the entire kingdom. You will come to know about everything by tomorrow evening. Our Dharma also permits the Guests to do good things. Some how, Kundhi managed to convince them and got their concurrence. She, thereafter narrated everything to Dharmaputhra and Bheema. Right Choice…..Bheema was selected to go to the Asura. A Bullock cart full of Food was prepared and Bheema was driving the Cart and moved forward to meet the Asura at his place. Bheema….is…..Bheema. On the way itself, he was eating the food meant for the Asuran and half of it was over. On seeing, the Asura got agitated, took a big rock and threw towards Bheema. I repeat….Bheema is Bheema,.. Got down…caught hold of the rock…..returned with full speed, just aiming the head of Asura. There was a fierce fight between them and ultimately Bheema killed the Asura.
Is it a story from Maha Bharath ? No…not at all. It is a sheer telling tale about Dharma, authority, duty, rights and responsibilities of father, mother, son, daughter, wife, even a kid, king, host, guest and what not. That is called “ Saga of sacrifice “. We mean that….live like that….that is the neatly woven fibre of our society, transformed into the society, into our blood, heart, body, mind and soul.
Father takes care of the family, fulfill parental responsibility, sons grow…..takes care of the parents, Eldest of the siblings takes care of the younger ones, sister’s marriages, education….everything. Younger ones see their elders in the form of parents....That’s how…our way of life goes. Yes, every individual is being taken care of by the society at large. Morals, values, sacrifices, compromises, Dharma is our way of life. It is the way of our Punya Bhoomi….Bharath. Perhaps, that may be the reason we need only 10 policemen for 10000 people unlike 10 to 100 in Western countries.
Bye….for the time being…
Sridhar
S/O Ganesa Iyer.
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