A Leaf From Our Cultural Heritage

A LEAF OUT OF OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE
- A Scientist’s Analysis

Two things triggered me to write this article which is very much outside my professional interests.

I. In “The Hindu” dated 31st Jan’98 I happened to read the last page containing the old but ever - new story of Sudhama a poor brahmin with twenty seven children. He meets his boyhood friend Lord Krishna after several years of separation. After stressing the importance of devotion and dedication, the narration abruptly ends with the Lord bestowing untold riches on his poor devotee friend. The most important element of the episode in KUCHELOPAKHYAM, was missing. So I was shaken up from my passive retirement to add the missing element which according to me is of utmost importance.

When Krishna searches for and graciously accepts the pleasant and precious gift of Parched rice from his poor old friend and offered him whatever he desired in return, Sudhama could not think of any gift of material nature. He humbly requested him to grant the following boon:

In the Telugu translation of Bhagavatam (by Bammera Potana) the prayer reads as follows:

“Nee Paada Kamala Sevayu,
Nee Paadaarchakula todi Neyyamunu
Nitantaapaara Bhuta Dayayu,
Taapasa mandara Naaku daya seyagade”

a) Worship at the lotus feet of the Lord.
b) Friendship with worshipers of the Lord’s feet and
c) Eternal and boundless love for all living beings

Could there be riches greater than these three blessings?

II. The second experience that stands out in my memory is my recent visit to Raja Raviverma’s Hall of Paintings, in the Arts Museum at Mysore. I saw several exquisite paintings with eloquent message, with life-like characters inviting me to stay, stare at and linger there a little longer. I would mention only two typical examples (a) Sairandhri (b) Matsyagandhi, although other pictures are not less impressive.

In “Sairandhri”, Draupadi (in disguise) is being sent to Keechaka’s palace, with milk and honey, by Sudheshna Devi, the Virata Queen. The cunning of the Queen, with her apparently affectionate smile hiding mischievous intention and the innocent, pure and apprehensive eyes of the young maid beautiful Sairandhri, with all her mental agony and hesitation, are depicted vividly in one of the paintings. In another one, while reluctantly but dutifully approaching the palace alone, Sairandhri’s expression of helplessness, disgust, and a sense of sorrow for her cruel destiny and contempt for the wicked people responsible for the pathetic state of herself, an empress at one time, are brought out in all detail with unprecedented artistry. As one looks at these paintings the whole story of Mahabharata unfolds itself before one’s eyes. How art recreates reality!

In “Matsyagandhi” the shy and beautiful Satyavathy, the fisher woman with her full­blossomed maidenhood comes alive in the delightful painting with all her innocence, anxiety and half-suppressed hesitation in her face. Young prince Devavrata (who later becomes Bhishma) was in the act of taking his great PRATIGNYA - abdicating the throne with the added Oath of celibacy for life. In the caption to the painting, the second part of his grim and solemn vow was omitted. I wish, it was added! What wonderful imagination to make the splendid scene visible to our eyes!

It is the second part of his vow to life-long celibacy, that is the most significant and crucial part of his “BHISHMA PRATIGNYA”. There after he comes to be known as Bhishma. This episode sets up an excellent example of a son’s love for his father and the extent of sacrifice for the fullfilment of the latter’s desire.

These are but two splendid specimens of Raja Ravi Verma’s immortal art. Similarly, in all the other paintings of Ravi Verma, the feelings of every character in the scene are brought out with remarkable fidelity and the appropriate emotions are aroused in the spectators Choice of colours makes them more eloquent. These paintings gave me a new life to be enjoyed in retirement, with the participation of others in our society! Life is really worth living!

III. In a synergetic way my mind goes to the case of DRAUPADI to highlight the cultural heritage of our country.

After the great Kurukshetra war was over, while defeated Duryodhana was awaiting his certain death, with his thighs battered and broken, Aswathama and his misguided followers enter the tent of Pandavas at midnight with a view to destroying them in sleep. Not finding them there, they butcher the Upa-Pandavas, the five sons of Draupadi sired by the five pandavas. The next morning, at the instance of Draupadi, Arjuna and Bhima set out in search of Aswathama whom they defeat in battle, tie to the chariot and bring the captive to Draupadi for instructions how to execute/decimate him. Instead of expressing indignation and revenge the GREAT LADY forgives and gently admonishes Aswathama inspite of the most heinous and dastardly crime he had committed on her innocent and harmless children. She lets him off showing unparalleled magnanimity. The reasons advanced in support of her noble decision are: i) By killing him, her own children will not come to life ­Revenge is unworthy of a noble soul. Tit for Tat is not according to the true principles of justice. ii) He being a Brahmin, killing him leads to Brahma-hatya mahapatakam although his conduct is unbrahmin like. iii) His loyalty and devotion to his own king were perhaps blind and illogical. Hence he became insane and senseless - Execution of a mad man does not serve any purpose. iv) He is the son of Dronacharya, ‘Pandavas’ Guru, hence he is a brother of Pandavas. v) Draupadi is already suffering Garbhasokam/putraviyogam. She does not want to make another woman (Aswathama’s mother) suffer the same by killing her son Aswathama. vi) Aswathama’s mother already lost her dear husband in the war. If her son also is killed she becomes utterly destitute. Life becomes miserable to the widow on account of this double tragedy. vii) Magnanimity in victory is the most desirable trait of a true warrior (Kicking the head of a vanquished enemy is unheroic). viii) Kindness and sympathy for the poor and destitute are the essential characteristics of great kings/queens. Draupadi is truly great!

This incident is an example of Indian culture. This pardon is unparalleled in the history of mankind. Let us compare this incident with the scene in Homer’s ‘Ilaid’ when Achilles drags the body of the vanquished Hector bound to his chariot.

Vivekananda often used to quote from Upanishads the following passage:

“Stricken to the heart,
the lion gives out its mightiest roar
Smitten on the head,
the cobra lifts its hood,
The majesty of the Soul comes forth
Only when man is wounded to his depths”.

Truly the majesty of Draupadi’s soul came forth at the moment.

IV. I would like to extend my own analysis here.

a) Sudhama’s third request viz. eternal and endless love for other living beings is the ideal set-up for humans according to Sanatana Dharma - oft repeated in Vedas, Upanishads, Gita etc. Love is boundless in space and time. This is total concern for preservation of the environment.

b) Bhishma’s love and affection for his father are unparalleled and it is also an eternal ideal set-up for humans by our ancestors. It is called ‘Pitrurunam’ (debt to the father), there is ‘matrurunam’ too.

c) Draupadi’s unparalleled act of forgiveness is strictly in line with our cultural heritage setup for us by our ancestors. In simpler terms the author of Sumathi Satakam says

“Upakariki Upakaramu Vipareetamu
Kaadu Cheya Vivarimpanga
Apakariki Upakaram Nepamennaka
Cheyuvadu Nerpari Sumati”.

(It is not a wonder to help a person that helped you.
He is truly great that helps a person that wronged him earlier)

d) During my short stay in US I happened to read an old book on “World Religions”. In the chapter on “Hindu Religion” I read some comments on GITA by several westerners. In the preface to the first translation of the GITA into English, Warren Hastings the first Governor­General of India, wrote: “This epic poem will last forever.

Even the British empire may cease to exist after some time, but not this immortal poem”. Of all the people in the world this beautiful tribute to Bhagavadgita was paid by Warren Hastings the Governor-General who was impeached in England!

e) A study of Buddhism and its predecessors, Hindu Upanishads and the Gita, reveal that the fundamentals of all religions, old or new can be derived from a single sloka/sentence

“AHIMSA PARAMO DHARMAHA”

The extended meaning is “Do not harm any living being, either in thought, word or deed”

“SARVEY JANAHA, SUKHINIO BHAVANTHU” - Upanishads say;

The DO’s and DON’Ts preached by all religions can be derived from the above slokas. The underlying concept is the same for both i.e. “KEEP EVERY LIVING BEING HAPPY”.

For example ‘Do not steal’, ‘Do not have lust for other women’ etc all are contained in the broad Upanishad i.e. Preaching ‘DO NOT ASPIRE FOR ANY THING THAT IS NOT YOURS’. Because it hurts the other side. It may hurt you also indirectly.

f) After the Kalinga war, Emperor Ashoka had remorse. He saw the ghastly bloodshed in war - unnecessary killings. The cause is ‘he aspired for something which was not his’. The owner defended his possessions. Hence the war and the killings.

Ashoka also noticed enormous and unnecessary killings in his Royal kitchen serving thousands of his staff. He was moved with pity for the voice-less birds and animals killed. Animal sacrifices also moved his heart. He turned a Buddhist. One of his famous Rock Edicts lies at Dhavali at Bhubaneswar, even today.

g) Kindness to animals was preached by St. Francis of Assisi (Italy) in the 11th Century A.D., whereas, Buddha taught the same in the 6th Century BC and Ashoka spread it in the 3rd century BC. Ashoka was the first to build hospitals for animals and birds; that was two millennia (2000 years) ! Truly he is the greatest emperor of all times.

h) Today’s Environmental Science and Eco­system concepts preach AHIMSA with thousand fold vigour. Societies exist for the prevention of cruelty to animals. Projects exist for protecting birds and animals on the endangered list or on the verge of extinction. The average man is becoming kinder with each generation.

The message is “Do not torture or cause pain to the animals/birds/fish to be consumed or not”. Experiments on animals and birds should be restricted, to medical science only and banned for cosmetics, space science etc.” When men are dying of hunger and violence why waste money on research in cosmetics and other luxuries?

The motto forthe next millenium should be LIVE AND LET LIVE “OR” PRSERVE THE BIO­SPHERE”.

Let India take the lead in respect of these ethical values once again!