Friday, April 09, 2010

Excerpts from the epic

"When Brahma created living beings, he was filled with anxiety. 'These lives will multiply and soon their number will be beyond the capacity of the earth to bear. There seems to be no way of coping with this.' This thought of Brahma grew into a flame which became bigger and bigger until it threatened to destroy all creation at once.

Then Rudra came and pleaded for allaying this destructive fire. Brahma controlled the great fire and subdued it into the law that is known to mortals as Death. This law of the creator takes many forms, such as war or sickness or accident and keeps the balance between birth and death.

Death is thus an inescapable law of existence, ordained for the good of the world. It is not true wisdom to be impatient with Death or to grieve immoderately for those who die. There is no reason to pity those who pass away. We may have reason indeed to grieve for those who remain."

Footnotes:

I have presently completed reading the Mahabharata by C. Rajagopalachari and thought it apt to present this excerpt which moved me beyond anything that I have ever felt, known and heard! I feel unnecessary, and also grossly unqualified, to explain this simplest of truths any more than what has already been so wonderfully illustrated in this marvelous epic.

However, I have come to realize how true these words are, along with those others spoken at length, especially in the context of our lives in the present day!

18 comments:

  1. You are serious ...
    how do you get the idea
    to write about this !!!
    I do not know what to write :(

    But I can say
    Have a nice weekend :)))))

    :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Woah !! so true !!!and it hits hard, isnt it ???

    ReplyDelete
  3. and ironically nobody wants to prepare for that one certainty in life - death! strange but true!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Very interesting. I ave not heard about this aspect of Brahma before.

    ReplyDelete
  5. very nice sir...
    profound and sinks deep... :)
    been a bit off the blogosphere lately.. Good to start off with this post of yours... :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anya

    Not quite. I was merely stating that which is regarded as the ultimate truth!
    Hope you have a good weekend of what remains!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

    ReplyDelete
  7. Vimmuuu

    It sure does pal! Very much!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

    ReplyDelete
  8. Magiceye

    Yes Sir, thats the irony! Everyone wants to live long but no one wants to grow old or die!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

    ReplyDelete
  9. Rajesh

    Neither did I, until I read the Mahabharata and now I'm awed!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

    ReplyDelete
  10. Issam

    Thank you very much Sir!

    Good to see you back! Hope to see an update on your space soon!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

    ReplyDelete
  11. Having read Mahabharatha by Rajaji only recently, I get the pic exactly.. Beautiful epic indeed! I love Karna and Abhimanyu.. Esp the war chapters were beautifully presented.. I wish I could read it in Tamil as well!

    Thanks for sharing.. Very well written...

    good blog u ve here!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Matangi

    I agree - it sure is a wonderful epic and a very beautifully presented one at that!

    I loved the simple yet elegant manner of Rajaji's writing which surely held me gripped!

    The chapters pertaining to war were indeed very well pictured, especially the heroic efforts of those on both sides. It was sometimes difficult to hold back tears!

    Thanks very much for your visit! Truly appreciate your support!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

    ReplyDelete
  13. Beyond our birth and cause its until our ability and chance the life is balanced. Interesting it was reading.

    ReplyDelete
  14. It is great to know that you have read Mahabharata.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Jeevan

    Birth and death are certainly inevitable! It is that element in between - what is known as life that wholly matters!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

    ReplyDelete
  16. Deepak

    It was an experience of a lifetime!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

    ReplyDelete