Let's think : By Dr.King, Swami Satyapriya

window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-8HXGBD0CVC'); [Quick links] [Pause]         The Pandavas finally completed their 13 years of exile. They went through lot of hardships both when they spent their 12 years in the forests as well as when they spent a year incognito. Especially the last year was quite tough. p { margin-top: 0.42cm; margin-bottom: 0.25cm; direction: ltr; color: #00000a; line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; orphans: 2; widows: 2 }p.western { font-family: "Calibri", serif; font-size: 12pt; so-language: en-US }p.cjk { font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji"; font-size: 12pt; so-language: en-IN }p.ctl { font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji"; font-size: 14pt; so-language: ar-SA }a:link { color: #0000ff }

window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-8HXGBD0CVC'); [Quick links] [Pause]          In a gender biased world, one’s gender is usually associated with what that person is. Normally men are considered to be brave, logical and dashing; while women are assumed to be emotional, weak and indecisive. Though this characterization is baseless, we often tend to unknowingly use this generalization.

window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-8HXGBD0CVC'); [Quick links] [Pause]  In the previous episode, we saw how the wicked Dhushasana dragged Draupadi, the Queen of the Pandavas, to a fully assembled court. Her husbands had lost not only themselves but also her, to Duryodhana. As per the rules of the unfair dice game, all of them were now the slaves of Duryodhana who could treat them in whatever manner he felt right. Draupadi was pleading for help. But none had the guts to take on Duryodhana. Not even his blind father Dhritarastra. p { margin-top: 0.42cm; margin-bottom: 0.25cm; direction: ltr; color: #00000a; line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; orphans: 2; widows: 2 }p.western { font-family: "Calibri", serif; font-size: 12pt; so-language: en-US }p.cjk { font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji"; font-size: 12pt; so-language: en-IN }p.ctl { font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji"; font-size: 14pt; so-language: ar-SA }a:link { color: #0000ff }

window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-8HXGBD0CVC'); [Quick links] [Pause]   The purpose of Bhagavata was to instill devotion in God and assure helpless people that God would always come to their rescue. But Mahabharata had a different focus. It was a complex plot where intricate ideas of right and wrong are dissected and contrasted to bring out the subtle nuances of righteousness. Many a times it is difficult to give a verdict on what is right in a given complex situation. p { margin-top: 0.42cm; margin-bottom: 0.25cm; direction: ltr; color: #00000a; line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; orphans: 2; widows: 2 }p.western { font-family: "Calibri", serif; font-size: 12pt; so-language: en-US }p.cjk { font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji"; font-size: 12pt; so-language: en-IN }p.ctl { font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji"; font-size: 14pt; so-language: ar-SA }a:link { color: #0000ff }

window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-8HXGBD0CVC'); [Quick links] [Pause]           We were discussing about Krishna’s stories from Bhagavata. Now all of a sudden, I seem to shift from Bhagavata to another Indian Epic namely Mahabharata. It is not without reason though. p { margin-top: 0.42cm; margin-bottom: 0.25cm; direction: ltr; color: #00000a; line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; orphans: 2; widows: 2 }p.western { font-family: "Calibri", serif; font-size: 12pt; so-language: en-US }p.cjk { font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji"; font-size: 12pt; so-language: en-IN }p.ctl { font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji"; font-size: 14pt; so-language: ar-SA }a:link { color: #0000ff }

window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-8HXGBD0CVC'); [Quick links] [Pause] We were discussing the interesting story of Avadhoota – a completely liberated person who was moving around like a mad man completely nude. Though Avadhoota had attained the ultimate knowledge, he never had any specific Guru. He imbibed whatever he knew from various sources which he considered as his Gurus. Some of these were not even human. In the previous episode, we saw 8 of them namely fire, moon, sun, pigeon, boa constrictor, sea, moth and bee. We also saw what Avadhoota learnt from these Gurus. Let us continue with rest of his Gurus in this concluding episode on Avadhoota’s story.

window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-8HXGBD0CVC'); [Quick links] [Pause]      Happy New year and my best wishes! I have some interesting things to announce for this New year. p { margin-bottom: 0.25cm; direction: ltr; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; orphans: 2; widows: 2 }p.western { font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 12pt }p.cjk { font-size: 12pt }a:link { color: #0000ff }

window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-8HXGBD0CVC'); [Quick links] [Pause] We were discussing the interesting story of Avadhoota – a totally liberated person who was moving around like a mad man, completely nude. Though Avadhoota had attained the ultimate knowledge, he never had any specific Guru. He imbibed whatever he knew from various sources which he considered as his Gurus. Some of these were not even human. In the previous episode, we saw 4 of those Gurus namely earth, air, sky, and water. We also saw what Avadhoota learnt from these Gurus. Let us continue with some more of his Gurus in this episode. p { margin-top: 0.42cm; margin-bottom: 0.25cm; direction: ltr; color: #00000a; line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; orphans: 2; widows: 2 }p.western { font-family: "Calibri", serif; font-size: 12pt; so-language: en-US }p.cjk { font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji"; font-size: 12pt; so-language: en-IN }p.ctl { font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji"; font-size: 14pt; so-language: ar-SA }a:link { color: #0000ff }

window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-8HXGBD0CVC'); [Quick links] [Pause]     Guru is a Sanskrit word which means a teacher – someone who shows you the way. Many of us spend our lifetime searching for a Guru in our spiritual journey. We try to coverup our lazy lifestyle by saying that we have not yet found a proper Guru. And some of us hang on to fake Gurus who mislead more than lead us on the right path. Bhagavata talks of a strange man who claimed that he had not one but 24 Gurus! But most of them were not even human! p { margin-top: 0.42cm; margin-bottom: 0.25cm; direction: ltr; color: #00000a; line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; orphans: 2; widows: 2 }p.western { font-family: "Calibri", serif; font-size: 12pt; so-language: en-US }p.cjk { font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji"; font-size: 12pt; so-language: en-IN }p.ctl { font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji"; font-size: 14pt; so-language: ar-SA }a:link { color: #0000ff }

window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-8HXGBD0CVC'); [Quick links] [Pause]   As we discussed a few episodes ago, Krishna did his schooling in a residential school run by a well-known teacher by name Sandipani. Such residential schools were called Gurukul – literally meaning ‘family of teachers’. Students lived in such Gurukuls along with their teachers and their family, during the period of their study which could be as long as 12 years. During that period, these students not only studied various subjects but also took part in the day-to-day household activities of the teachers’ family. In a way, it used to be all-round-training. p { margin-top: 0.42cm; margin-bottom: 0.25cm; direction: ltr; color: #00000a; line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; orphans: 2; widows: 2 }p.western { font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji", serif; font-size: 12pt; so-language: en-US }p.cjk { font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji"; font-size: 12pt; so-language: en-IN }p.ctl { font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji"; font-size: 14pt; so-language: ar-SA }a:link { color: #0000ff }