ಶ್ರೀಕೃಷ್ಣನ ಕುದುರೆಗಳ "ಓವರ್ ಟೈಮ್" ಪ್ರಸಂಗ

ಕೆಲಸ, ಕೆಲಸ, ಕೆಲಸ. ಬಿಡುವಿಲ್ಲದ ಕೆಲಸ. ಸಾಕಪ್ಪಾ, ಸಾಕು ಎನ್ನುವಷ್ಟು ಕೆಲಸ. ಇನ್ನು ಮಾಡಲಾರೆನಪ್ಪಾ ಎನ್ನುವಷ್ಟು ಕೆಲಸ. ಬಿಡುವು ಸಿಕ್ಕಿದರೆ ಸಾಕಪ್ಪಾ ಎನ್ನಿಸುವಷ್ಟು ಕೆಲಸ. ಹಗಲು ರಾತ್ರಿ ಕೆಲಸ. ಮಾಡಿದಷ್ಟೂ ಬೆಳೆಯುತ್ತಿರುವ ಕೆಲಸ. ಇದು ಮುಗಿಯಲಾರದ ಕೆಲಸ ಎನ್ನಿಸುವಷ್ಟು ಕೆಲಸ. ಈ ಕೆಲಸ ಯಾಕಪ್ಪ ಹಿಡಿದೆ ಎನ್ನಿಸುವಂಥ ಕೆಲಸ. ಕಡೆಗೆ ಎಂದು ಮುಗಿದೀತು ಎಂದು ಕಾಯುತ್ತಾ  ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿರುವ ಕೆಲಸ!

ಒಬ್ಬರ ಮೇಲೆ ಒಬ್ಬರು ಬಿದ್ದು, ಹಠ ಹಿಡಿದು ಗಿಟ್ಟಿಸಿದ ಕೆಲಸ. ಈ ಕೆಲಸ ಬಿಟ್ಟರೆ ನಮ್ಮ ಸರೀಕರಿಗಿಂತ ನಾವು ಹಿಂದೆ ಬೀಳುತ್ತೇವೆನ್ನುವ ಭಯ. ಒಮ್ಮೆ ಹಿಂದೆ ಬಿದ್ದರೆ ಆಯಿತು. ಎಂದೆಂದೂ ಹಿಂದೆಯೇ ಉಳಿಯುತ್ತೇವೆ ಎನ್ನುವ ದಿಗಿಲು. ಹೋದ ವರುಷ ಮಾಡಿದ ಸಂಪಾದನೆಗಿಂತ ಈ ವರ್ಷ ಸ್ವಲ್ಪವಾದರೂ ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಸಂಪಾದನೆ ಮಾಡಲೇಬೇಕಾದ ಅನಿವಾರ್ಯತೆ. ಈ ವೇಗವಾಗಿ ಓಡುತ್ತಿರುವ ಪ್ರಪಂಚದಲ್ಲಿ ನಮ್ಮ ಪ್ರತಿಸ್ಪರ್ಧಿಗಳಿಗಿಂತ ಮುಂದಿರಲೇಬೇಕಾದ ಅವಶ್ಯಕತೆ. ಹಾಗಾಗಿ ಹೇಗಾದರೂ ಮಾಡಿ ಕೆಲಸ ಸಂಪಾದಿಸುವುದು ಮೊದಲ ಕೆಲಸ. ನಂತರ ಸಾಧ್ಯವಾದಷ್ಟೂ ಖರ್ಚು ಕಡಿಮೆಮಾಡಿ, ಆದಷ್ಟೂ ಬೇಗ ಕೆಲಸ ಮುಗಿಸಿ, ಗ್ರಾಹಕರ ಪ್ರೀತಿ ಸಂಪಾದಿಸಿ, ಹಣ ಗಳಿಸಿ, ಮತ್ತಷ್ಟು ಕೆಲಸ ಗಿಟ್ಟಿಸಬೇಕಾದ ಪರಿಸ್ಥಿತಿ. 

ಇದು ಇಂದಿನ ಜಗತ್ತಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಎಲ್ಲ ವಾಣಿಜ್ಯ ಘಟಕಗಳ ಪರಿಸ್ಥಿತಿ. ಮಾರಾಟ ವಿಭಾಗದವರಿಗೆ (ಸೇಲ್ಸ್  ಟೀಮ್) ಏನಾದರೂ ಮಾಡಿ ಆದೇಶ (ಆರ್ಡರ್) ತರಬೇಕಾದ ಅವಶ್ಯಕತೆ. ಅಲ್ಲಿಗೆ ಅವರ ಕೆಲಸ ಮುಗಿಯಿತು. ನಂತರದ ಸರದಿ ತಯಾರು ಮಾಡುವ (ಮ್ಯಾನುಫ್ಯಾಕ್ಟರಿಂಗ್ ಅಥವಾ ಪ್ರೊಡಕ್ಷನ್) ತಂಡದ ಹಣೆಬರಹ. ಒಪ್ಪಿಕೊಂಡ ಅವಧಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಸರಿಯಾದ ಪದಾರ್ಥ ಅಥವಾ ತಲುಪಿಸಬೇಕಾದ ವಿಷಯವನ್ನು ಗ್ರಾಹಕನಿಗೆ ತಲುಪಿಸಬೇಕು. ಅದು ಅವರ ಜವಾಬ್ದಾರಿ. ಹಣಕಾಸಿನ ಖಾತೆಯವರಿಗೆ ಗೊತ್ತಾದ ಹಣ ಬರಬೇಕು. ಇವರೆಲ್ಲರ ಮೇಲಿನ ಯಜಮಾನರಿಗೆ ದೊಡ್ಡ ಮೊತ್ತದ ಲಾಭ ಬಂದರೆ ಸರಿ. ಎಲ್ಲ ಸರಿಯಾಗಿ ಆದಂತೆ ಆಯಿತು.. 

ಇದರ ಮಧ್ಯೆ ದುಡಿಯುವವರ ಕಥೆ ಏನು? ಒಪ್ಪಿಕೊಂಡವರು ಒಬ್ಬರು. ಬೇಕು ಎಂದು ತಗಾದೆ ಮಾಡುವವರು ಇನ್ನೊಬ್ಬರು. ಇವೆರಡನ್ನು ಹೊಂದಿಸಿ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಡಬೇಕಾದವರು ಕೆಲಸಗಾರರು. ಅವರನ್ನು ನೋಡುವವರು ಯಾರು? ದಿನಕ್ಕೆ ಎಷ್ಟು ಗಂಟೆ ಕೆಲಸ ಮಾಡಬೇಕು? ವಾರಕ್ಕೆ ಎಷ್ಟು ಗಂಟೆ ಕೆಲಸ? ಸಂಪನ್ಮೂಲದ ಸ್ಥಿತಿ ಏನು? ಅವರ ಕಷ್ಟ ಕೇಳುವವರು ಯಾರು? ಇದೊಂದು ಯಕ್ಷ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆ. 

ಈಗ ಕೆಲವು ತಿಂಗಳುಗಳಿಂದ ಇದರ ಚರ್ಚೆ ಬಹಳ ನಡೆಯುತ್ತಿದೆ. ವಾರಕ್ಕೆ ಎಪ್ಪತ್ತು ಗಂಟೆ ಕೆಲಸ ಮಾಡಬೇಕೆಂದು ಒಬ್ಬರು. ತೊಂಬತ್ತು ಗಂಟೆ ಕೆಲಸ ಮಾಡಬೇಕು  ಎಂದು ಇನ್ನೊಬ್ಬರು. "ಭಾನುವಾರ ಮನೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕುಳಿತುಕೊಂಡು ಏನು ಮಾಡುತ್ತೀರಿ? ಹೆಂಡತಿಯ ಮುಖ ಎಷ್ಟು ನೋಡುತ್ತೀರಿ? ಅಂದೂ ಕೆಲಸ ಮಾಡಿದರೆ ಒಳ್ಳೆಯದಲ್ಲವೇ?"  ಎಂದು ಇನ್ನೊಬ್ಬರು. "ಗಂಟೆಯ ಲೆಕ್ಕ ಬೇಡ. ಒಟ್ಟಿನಲ್ಲಿ ನಾವು ಹೇಳಿದ ಕೆಲಸ ಮಾಡಿ ಕೊಡಿ" ಎಂದು ಮತ್ತೊಬ್ಬರು. ಇದರ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಹೆಚ್ಚು ತಿಳೀತಲೂ ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಕ್ಲಿಕ್ ಮಾಡಿ. ಒಟ್ಟಿನಲ್ಲಿ ದುಡಿಯುವವರ ಪರಿಸ್ಥಿತಿ ಕೇಳುವವರು ಯಾರು?

ಇದು ಇಂದು ನಿನ್ನೆಯ ಸಮಾಚಾರವಲ್ಲ. ಮಹಾಭಾರತದ ಕಾಲದಿಂದಲೂ ಇದ್ದದ್ದೇ! ಅದರ ಹಿಂದೆಯೂ ಇದ್ದಿರಬೇಕು. ಕುರುಕ್ಷೇತ್ರ ಯುದ್ಧದ ಹದಿನಾಲ್ಕನೆಯ ದಿನ ಇಂಥದೇ ಪ್ರಸಂಗ ನಡೆದದ್ದು ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿ ವರ್ಣಿತವಾಗಿದೆ ಅಲ್ಲಿ. ಅರ್ಜುನ ಮಾಡಿದ್ದು ಈಗಿನ ಆಡಳಿತಗಾರರು ಮಾಡುವ ಕೆಲಸವೇ. ಶ್ರೀಕೃಷ್ಣ ಆಗ ಏನು ಮಾಡಿದ? ಅದರ ವಿವರ ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ನೋಡೋಣ. 

*****

ಕುರುಕ್ಷೇತ್ರ ಯುದ್ಧ ಪ್ರಾರಂಭವಾಯಿತು. ಒಂದು ಕಡೆ ಭೀಷ್ಮರ ಸೇನಾಧಿಪತ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಹನ್ನೊಂದು ಅಕ್ಷೋಹಿಣಿ ಸೈನ್ಯ. ಮತ್ತೊಂದೆಡೆ ದೃಷ್ಟದ್ಯುಮ್ನನ ಸೇನಾಧಿಪತ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಏಳು ಅಕ್ಷೋಹಿಣಿ ಸೈನ್ಯ. ಭೀಷ್ಮರು ಹಾಕಿಟ್ಟ ಧರ್ಮ ಯುದ್ಧದ ಕರಾರುಗಳಿಗೆ ಎರಡೂ ಕಡೆಯ ಮುಖಂಡರು ಒಪ್ಪಿದರು. ಕರ್ಣ ಭೀಷ್ಮರ ನೇತೃತ್ವದಲ್ಲಿ ಯುದ್ಧದಿಂದ ಹೊರಗುಳಿದ. ಹತ್ತು ದಿನ ಭೀಷ್ಮರು ಘೋರ ಯುದ್ಧ ಮಾಡಿ ಕಡೆಗೆ ಶರಶಯ್ಯೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಮಲಗಿದರು. ದ್ರೋಣಾಚಾರ್ಯರು ಸೇನೆಯ ನೇತೃತ್ವ ವಹಿಸಿದರು. ಕರ್ಣ ಯುದ್ಧದಲ್ಲಿ ಭಾಗವಹಿಸಲು ಬಂದು ಸೇರಿದ. 

ದುರ್ಯೋಧನಿಗೆ ಭೀಷ್ಮರು ಪಾಂಡವ ಪಕ್ಷಪಾತಿಗಳೆಂದು ಕೋಪವಿತ್ತು. ಅವರ ಕಾಲ ಕಳೆಯಿತು. ಈಗ ಗುರು ದ್ರೋಣರು. ಅವರೂ ಪಾಂಡವ ಪಕ್ಷಪಾತಿಗಳೇ! ಹನ್ನೊಂದನೆಯ ದಿನ ಯುದ್ಧ ಮುಗಿದ ಮೇಲೆ ದುರ್ಯೋಧನ ಅವರ ಬಳಿ ಬಂದು ಗೋಳಾಡಿದ. "ಚಿಂತೆಬೇಡ. ನಾಳೆ ಯುಧಿಷ್ಠಿರನನ್ನು ಸೆರೆ ಹಿಡಿದು ಕೊಡುತ್ತೇನೆ. ಅಲ್ಲಿಗೆ ಯುದ್ಧ ಮುಗಿದಹಾಗೆಯೇ" ಎಂದರು ಗುರುಗಳು. ಹನ್ನೆರಡನೆಯ ದಿನದ ಯುದ್ಧ ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ನಡೆಯಿತು. ಇನ್ನೇನು ಧರ್ಮರಾಯ ಸೆರೆ ಸಿಕ್ಕ ಅನ್ನುವಷ್ಟರಲ್ಲಿ ಕೃಷ್ಣಾರ್ಜುನರು ಬಂದರು. ಅರ್ಜುನ ಅಣ್ಣನನ್ನು ಸುರಕ್ಷಿತವಾಗಿ ಸೆಳೆದುಕೊಂಡು ಹೋದ. ಮತ್ತೆ ಸಂಜೆ ದುರ್ಯೋಧನನು ಗುರುಗಳನ್ನು ಆಕ್ಷೇಪಿಸಿದ. "ಅರ್ಜುನನು ಹತ್ತಿರ ಇರುವವರೆಗೆ ಇದು ಆಗದ ಕೆಲಸ. ಹೇಗಾದರೂ ಮಾಡಿ ಅವನನ್ನು ಯುದ್ಧರಂಗದ ಬೇರೆಡೆ ಕರೆದುಕೊಂಡು ಹೋಗುವ ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆ ಮಾಡು. ಆಗ ಚಕ್ರವ್ಯೂಹ ರಚಿಸಿ ಧರ್ಮರಾಯನನ್ನು ಬಂದಿ ಮಾಡುತ್ತೇನೆ" ಅಂದರು ಅವರು. ದುರ್ಯೋಧನ ಸುಶರ್ಮಾದಿ ಸಂಶಪ್ತಕರನ್ನು ಒಪ್ಪಿಸಿ ಮಾರನೆಯ ದಿನ ಅರ್ಜುನನನ್ನು ಬೇರೆಡೆ ಯುದ್ಧಕ್ಕೆ ಕರೆದುಕೊಂಡು ಹೋಗುವ ಹಾಗೆ ಮಾಡಿದ.  ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ನಡೆಯಿತು. 

ಹದಿಮೂರನೆಯ ದಿನ ದ್ರೋಣಾಚಾರ್ಯರ ಚಕ್ರವ್ಯೂಹ. ವ್ಯೂಹ ಭೇದಿಸಲು ಪಾಂಡವರ ಕಡೆ ಅರ್ಜುನನನ್ನು ಬಿಟ್ಟು ಬೇರೆ ಯಾರಿಗೂ ಬರದು. ವಿಧಿಯಿಲ್ಲದೆ ಪಾಂಡವರು ಅಭಿಮನ್ಯುವನ್ನು ಮುಂದೆ ಮಾಡಿದರು. ಅಭಿಮನ್ಯು ಭೇದಿಸಿದ ದಾರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಮತ್ತೆಲ್ಲರೂ ನುಗ್ಗಿ ಹೊಡೆಯುವುದು ಎಂದು ತೀರ್ಮಾನವಾಯಿತು. ಆದರೆ ಒಂದು ದಿನದ ಮಟ್ಟಿಗೆ ಅರ್ಜುನನ್ನು ಹೊರೆತುಪಡಿಸಿ ಮಿಕ್ಕ ಪಾಂಡವರನ್ನು ತಡೆಯಯುವ ಪರಶಿವನ ವರವನ್ನು ಜಯದ್ರಥ ಬಳೆಸಿಕೊಂಡ. ಅವರನ್ನು ತಡೆದು ನಿಲ್ಲಿಸಿದ. ವ್ಯೂಹದ ಒಳಗೆ ನುಗ್ಗಿದ ಅಭಿಮನ್ಯು ಹೊರಗೆ ಬರಲಾರದೆ ಸಿಕ್ಕಿ ಹಾಕಿಕೊಂಡ. ಅವನ ಪ್ರತಾಪ ತಡಿಯಲಾರದೆ ಆರು ಮಂದಿ ಮಹಾರಥಿಗಳು ಸುತ್ತುವರಿದು, ಯುದ್ಧದ ಎಲ್ಲ ಕರಾರುಗಳನ್ನು ಧಿಕ್ಕರಿಸಿ ಅಭಿಮನ್ಯುವನ್ನು ಕೊಂದರು. 

*****

ಇತ್ತ ಸುಶರ್ಮಾದಿಗಳನ್ನು ಹದಿಮೂರನೆಯ ದಿನದ ಯುದ್ಧದಲ್ಲಿ ಮುಗಿಸಿ ಅರ್ಜುನ ಶ್ರೀಕೃಷ್ಣನೊಡನೆ ಶಿಬಿರಕ್ಕೆ ಹಿಂದಿರುಗಿದ. ಪ್ರತಿದಿನ ಸಂಜೆ ಕೃಷ್ಣಾರ್ಜುನರು ಯುದ್ಧದಿಂದ ಹಿಂದಿರುಗಿ ಬಂದ ತಕ್ಷಣ ಅವನನ್ನು ಮೊದಲು ಎದುರುಗೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದವನು ಅಭಿಮನ್ಯುವೇ. ಇಂದು ಅವನು ಅಪ್ಪನನ್ನು ಎದುರುಗೊಳ್ಳಲು ಬರಲೇ ಇಲ್ಲ. ಇಡೀ ಶಿಬಿರವೇ ಹಾಳು ಸುರಿಯುತ್ತಿದೆ. ಸ್ಮಶಾನ ಮೌನ. ಶಿಬಿರದ ಒಳಗೆ ಹೋದರೆ ಅಣ್ಣ ತಮ್ಮಂದಿರು ತಲೆ ಕೆಳಗೆ ಹಾಕಿ ಕುಳಿತಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಯಾರೂ ಮಾತಾಡುತ್ತಿಲ್ಲ. ಕೇಳಿದ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆಗಳಿಗೆ ಉತ್ತರವಿಲ್ಲ. ಕಡೆಗೆ ನಿಧಾನವಾಗಿ ಅಭಿಮನ್ಯುವಿನ ಸಾವಿನ ವಿವರ ತಿಳಿಯಿತು. ಶ್ರೀಕೃಷ್ಣನ ಗೀತೋಪದೇಶವೂ ಪೂರ್ಣವಾಗಿ ಮಾಡದ ಕೆಲಸ ಮಗನ ಸಾವು ಮಾಡಿತು. ಗುರು ದ್ರೋಣಾಚಾರ್ಯರ ಮೇಲೆ ಮನಸ್ಸಿಟ್ಟು ಯುದ್ಧ ಮಾಡಲು ಹಿಂಜರಿಯುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಅರ್ಜುನನಿಗೆ ರೋಷ ಉಕ್ಕಿ ಬಂತು. ಜಯದ್ರಥನ ಪಾತ್ರ ಕೇಳಿ ತಡೆಯಲಾಗದ ಕೋಪ ಆವರಿಸಿತು. "ನಾಳೆ ಸಂಜೆ ಸೂರ್ಯಾಸ್ತದ ಒಳಗೆ ಜಯದ್ರಥನ ತಲೆ ತೆಗೆಯುತ್ತೇನೆ! ಇದು ಆಗದಿದ್ದರೆ ನಾನೇ ಬೆಂಕಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಬಿದ್ದು ಸಾಯುತ್ತೇನೆ. ಇದು ನನ್ನ ಪ್ರತಿಜ್ಞೆ" ಎಂದು ಘೋಷಿಸಿದ. 

ಪಾರ್ಥನ ಪ್ರತಿಜ್ಞೆಯ ಸುದ್ದಿ ಕೌರವರ ಪಾಳೆಯಕ್ಕೆ ತಲುಪಿತು. ಸಿಂಧುರಾಜ ಜಯದ್ರಥ ನೂರು ಮಂದಿ ಕೌರವರ ತಂಗಿ ದುಃಶಲೆಯ ಪತಿ. ಅವನು ಬಹಳ ಎತ್ತರದ ಆಳು. ಜಯದ್ರಥ ಸಿಂಧುರಾಜ ಆದದ್ದರಿಂದ ಸೈ೦ಧವ ಎಂದೂ ಕರೆಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದ. (ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ಎತ್ತರದ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿಗಳನ್ನು ಸೈ೦ಧವ ಎಂದು ಕರೆಯುವ ರೀತಿ ಬಂತು). "ನಾಳೆ ಸಂಜೆವರೆಗೆ ಜಯದ್ರಥನನ್ನು ಕಾಪಾಡಿದರೆ ಅರ್ಜುನ ಬದುಕಿರಲಾರ. ಅಲ್ಲಿಗೆ ಯುದ್ಧ ಮುಗಿದಂತೆಯೇ. ಎಲ್ಲ ಕೌರವ ಸೈನ್ಯದ ವೀರರಿಗೂ ನಾಳೆ ಒಂದೇ ಕೆಲಸ. ಹೇಗಾದರೂ ಮಾಡಿ ನಾಳೆ ಸೂರ್ಯ ಮುಳುಗುವವರೆಗೆ ಅರ್ಜುನನನ್ನು ಜಯದ್ರಥನ ಬಳಿ ಬರದಂತೆ ತಡೆಯಬೇಕು. ಇದೇ ನಮ್ಮ ಗುರಿ" ಎಂದರು. ಹದಿನಾಲ್ಕನೆಯ ದಿನ ಯುದ್ಧ ಆರಂಭವಾಯಿತು. ಯುದ್ಧರಂಗದ ಮಧ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಒಂದು ಹೊಂಡ (ಗುಂಡಿ) ಮಾಡಿ ಅದರಲ್ಲಿ ಅವನನ್ನು ನಿಲ್ಲಿಸಿದರು. ಸುತ್ತ ಬೇರೆ ವೀರರು ಸೇರಿದರು.

ಅರ್ಜುನನಿಗೆ ಒಂದೇ ಗುರಿ. ಜಯದ್ರಥನ ತಲೆ. ಆದರೆ ಅವನು ಕಾಣಲೊಲ್ಲ. ಕೃಷ್ಣನಿಗೆ ರಥ ಬೇಗ ಓಡಿಸುವಂತೆ ಮತ್ತೆ ಮತ್ತೆ ಹೇಳಿದ. ಎಲ್ಲಿ ರಥ ಹೋದರೂ ಕೌರವ ವೀರರು. ಒಬ್ಬರ ನಂತರ ಇನ್ನೊಬ್ಬರು. ಸಂಜೆಯಾಗುತ್ತಾ ಬಂತು. ಪಾರ್ಥನಿಗೋ ಉಗ್ರ ಕೋಪ ಮತ್ತು ತೀರದ ಆತುರ. ಆದರೆ ಜಯದ್ರಥ ಎಲ್ಲಿಯೂ ಕಾಣನು. ಮಧ್ಯಾಹ್ನವಾದ ನಂತರ ಒಂದು ಕಡೆ ರಥ ನಿಂತಿತು. "ಕೃಷ್ಣಾ, ಇದೇನಿದು? ರಥ ಮುಂದೆ ಓಡಿಸು. ಸೂರ್ಯಾಸ್ತ ಆಗುವ ಮುಂಚೆ ಕೆಲಸವಾಗಬೇಕು. ನನ್ನ ಪ್ರತಿಜ್ಞೆ ಮರೆತೆಯಾ? ಹೀಗೇಕೆ?" ಎಂದು ಕೇಳಿದ. 

ಶ್ರೀಕೃಷ್ಣ ನಕ್ಕ. "ಅರ್ಜುನಾ, ಪ್ರತಿಜ್ಞೆ ಮಾಡಿದವನು ನೀನು. ಆತುರ ನಿನಗೆ. ಸೂರ್ಯನಿಗೂ ಅದಕ್ಕೂ ಸಂಬಂಧವಿಲ್ಲ. ಅವನ ಕೆಲಸ ಅವನು ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾನೆ. ಯಾವಾಗಲೂ ಏನು ಮಾಡಬೇಕಾದರೂ ನನ್ನನ್ನು ಕೇಳಿ ಮಾಡುವ ನೀನು ನನ್ನನ್ನೂ ಕೇಳದೆ ಈ ಪ್ರತಿಜ್ಞೆ ಮಾಡಿದೆ. ಯುದ್ಧ ಗೆದ್ದರೆ ನಿಮ್ಮಣ್ಣ ಚಕ್ರವರ್ತಿ ಆಗುತ್ತಾನೆ. ನಿಮಗೆ ರಾಜ್ಯ ಸಿಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಈ ಕುದುರಗಳಿಗೆ ಏನು ಸಿಗುತ್ತದೆ? ಅದೇ ಹುಲ್ಲು. ಅದೇ ಹುರಳಿ. ಅದೇ ನೀರು! ನಿನ್ನ ಪ್ರತಿಜ್ಞೆಗೆ ಇವು ಹೊಣೆಯೇ? ಈ ಕುದುರೆಗಳನ್ನು ನೋಡು. ಯುದ್ಧ ಪ್ರಾಂಭವಾಗಿ ಇಂದಿಗೆ ಹದಿನಾಲ್ಕು ದಿನಗಳು ಆಯಿತು. ಇವುಗಳ ಜೊತೆ ಯುದ್ಧಕ್ಕೆ ಬಂದ ಅನೇಕ ಕುದುರೆಗಳು ಎಂದೋ ಸಾವಿಗೀಡಾದುವು. ಕೆಲವು ಗಾಯಗೊಂಡಿವೆ. ಈ ರಥವಾದರೋ ಅಗ್ನಿ ದೇವನು ನಮಗೆ ಖಾಂಡವ ವನ ದಹನ ಕಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಕೊಟ್ಟಿದ್ದು. ಈ ಗಾಂಡೀವವೂ ಅಷ್ಟೇ. ನನ್ನ ಚಾಕಚಕ್ಯತೆಯಿಂದ ಮತ್ತು ಗಾಂಡೀವಧಾರಿಯಾದ ನಿನ್ನ ಕೈಚಳಕದಿಂದ ಇವು ಇನ್ನೂ ಬದುಕುಳಿದಿವೆ. ಈ ದಿನ ಬೆಳಗಿನಿಂದ ನಿನ್ನ ಆತುರಕ್ಕೆ ಅವು ಒಂದೇ ಸಮನೆ ಓಡಿ ದಣಿದಿವೆ. ಒಂದು ದಿನದ ಯುದ್ಧ ಕಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಎಷ್ಟು ಓಡಬೇಕೋ ಅದು ಯಾವಾಗಲೋ ಮೀರಿತು. ಈಗ ಸಮಯ ಮೀರಿದ ಓಟ (ಓವರ್ ಟೈಮ್ ಓಟ!). ಅವು ದಣಿದು ಬಾಯಾರಿ ನಿಂತಿವೆ. ಇನ್ನು ಓಡಲಾರವು. ಮೊದಲು ಅವುಗಳಿಗೆ ಒಂದಷ್ಟು ನೀರು ಕುಡಿಸು. ನಂತರ ಮುಂದಿನ ಮಾತು" ಅಂದನು ಶ್ರೀಕೃಷ್ಣ. 

"ಈ ಯುದ್ಧಭೂಮಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ನೀರು ಎಲ್ಲಿ ಬರಬೇಕು? ಹೇಗೆ ತರಲಿ?" ಎಂದ ಅರ್ಜುನ. "ನನಗೆ ಗೊತ್ತು. ಅದಕ್ಕೇ ರಥವನ್ನು ಒಂದೇ ಕಡೆ ತಿರುಗಿಸಿ ಧೂಳಿನಿಂದ ಮುಚ್ಚಿದ್ದೇನೆ. ನಾವು ಈ ಧೂಳಿನ ಮಧ್ಯೆ ಇರುವುದು ಯಾರಿಗೂ ಕಾಣದು. ಇಲ್ಲಿ ನೋಡು. ಈ ಜಾಗದಲ್ಲಿ ಭೂಮಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಜಲವಿದೆ. ನಿನ್ನ ಬಾಣದಿಂದ ನೆಲವನ್ನು ಭೇದಿಸು. ತಂಪು ನೀರಿನ ಕೊಳ ನಿರ್ಮಾಣ ಆಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಕುದುರೆಗಳು ನೀರು ಕುಡಿದು ದಣಿವಾರಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲಿ. ನಂತರ ಮುಂದಿನ ಮಾತು" ಅಂದ ಶ್ರೀಕೃಷ್ಣ. ಅರ್ಜುನ ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ಮಾಡಿದ. ಅಲ್ಲಿಯೇ ತಂಪು ನೀರಿನ ಕೆರೆ ಆಯಿತು. ಕುದುರೆಗಳು ನೀರು ಕುಡಿದು ಆಯಾಸ ಪರಿಹರಿಸಿಕೊಂಡವು. ಅಷ್ಟರಲ್ಲಿ ಧೂಳಿನ ತೆರೆಯೂ ಸರಿಯಿತು. ಯುದ್ಧ  ಮುಂದುವರೆಯಿತು. 

ಇನ್ನೂ ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಯುದ್ಧ ನಡೆದ ನಂತರ ಸೂರ್ಯ ಮುಳುಗಿದಂತೆ ಆಯಿತು. ಆಡಿದ ಮಾತಿನಂತೆ ಅರ್ಜುನನು ಕಟ್ಟಿಗೆ ಪೇರಿಸಿ ಚಿತೆ ಸಿದ್ಧ ಮಾಡಿದ. ಬೆಂಕಿಗೆ ಬೀಳಬೇಕು. ಜಯದ್ರಥನಿಗೆ ಸುದ್ದಿ ಹೋಯಿತು. ಸಂತೋಷದಿಂದ ಅರ್ಜುನನ ಕೊನೆ ಕಾಣಲು ಹೊಂಡದಿಂದ ಹೊರಬಂದ. "ಅರ್ಜುನಾ, ನೋಡಲ್ಲಿ ಸೂರ್ಯ ಇನ್ನೂ ಇದ್ದಾನೆ! ಅಲ್ಲಿ ರವಿಯುಂಟು. ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಜಯದ್ರಥನ ತಲೆ ಉಂಟು. ನಿನ್ನ ಗಾಂಡೀವ ಬಾಣಗಳು ಇಲ್ಲುಂಟು. ಬೇಗ! ಬೇಗ!" ಎಂದು ಕೃಷ್ಣ ಮೆಲ್ಲನೆ ಕೂಗಿದ. "ತಲೆ ನೆಲಕ್ಕೆ ಬೀಳುವ ಮೊದಲು ಮತ್ತೊಂದು ಅಸ್ತ್ರ ಹೂಡು. ತಲೆ ಜಯದ್ರಥನ ತಂದೆ ವೃದ್ಧಕ್ಷತ್ರನ ಕೈಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಬೀಳಬೇಕು. ಶೀಘ್ರ!" ಎಂದು ಎಚ್ಚರಿಸಿದ. ಜಯದ್ರಥನ ವಧೆಯಾಗಿ ವೃದ್ಧಕ್ಷತ್ರನ ತಲೆಯೂ ಸಾವಿರ ಹೋಳಾಯಿತು. ಮಗನಿಗೆ ವರ ಕೊಟ್ಟ ತಂದೆ ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ತಾನೇ ಬಲಿಯಾದ. ಜಯದ್ರಥನ ವಧೆ ಅವನ ತಂದೆ ಸಂಜೆ ಅರ್ಘ್ಯ ಕೊಡುವ ಕಾಲಕ್ಕೆ ಆಗಬೇಕಿತ್ತು. ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ಮೊದಲಲ್ಲ.  ಒಂದು ಕ್ಷಣದಲ್ಲಿ ಅರ್ಜುನ ಎರಡು ಸಾರಿ ಬದುಕುಳಿದ. 

*****

ಭಕ್ತ ಕನಕದಾಸರು ಭಾಮಿನಿ ಷಟ್ಪದಿಯ ತಮ್ಮ "ಹರಿಭಕ್ತಿಸಾರ" ಕೃತಿಯ ಮೂವತ್ತೆಂಟನೇಯ ಪದ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಈ ಪ್ರಸಂಗವನ್ನು ಸೊಗಸಾಗಿ ಸಂಗ್ರಹಿಸಿ ಕೊಟ್ಟ್ಟಿದ್ದಾರೆ:

ನರಗೆ ಸಾರಥಿಯಾಗಿ ರಣದೊಳು 

ತುರಂಗ ನೀರಡಿಸಿದರೆ ವಾರಿಯ 

ಸರಸಿಯನು ನಿರ್ಮಿಸಿ ಕಿರೀಟಿಯ ಕೈಲಿ ಸೈ೦ಧವನ 

ಶಿರವ ಕೆಡಹಿಸಿ ಅವನ ತಂದೆಯ 

ಕರತಳಕೆ ನೀಡಿಸಿದೆ ಹರಹರಾ 

ಪರಮ ಸಾಹಸಿ ನೀನು, ರಕ್ಷಿಸು ನಮ್ಮನನವರತ 

ಹರಿಯಾಣ ರಾಜ್ಯದ ಕುರುಕ್ಷೇತ್ರಕ್ಕೆ ಹೋದರೆ ಈಗಲೂ ಯುದ್ಧ ನಡೆದ ವಿಶಾಲ ಸ್ಥಳಕ್ಕೆ ಕರೆದುಕೊಂಡು ಹೋಗಿ ಅನೇಕ ವಿಶೇಷ ಜಾಗಗಳನ್ನು ತೋರಿಸುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಕೆರೆಯೊಂದನ್ನು ತೋರಿಸಿ ಈ ಸಂದರ್ಭ ಹೇಳುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಅದಲ್ಲದೆ ಇನ್ನೂ ಅನೇಕ ನೋಡಬೇಕಾದ ಜಾಗಗಳಿವೆ. "ಜ್ಯೋತಿಸರಸ್" ಎಂಬ ಜಲಾಶಯವೂ ಅದರಬಳಿಯ ಆಲದ ಮರವೂ ಉಂಟು. "ಗೀತೋಪದೇಶ" ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಆದದ್ದೆಂದು ಒಂದು ಗೀತೋಪದೇಶದ ಪುತ್ಥಳಿ ನಿರ್ಮಾಣ ಕೂಡ ಮಾಡಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ದೆಹಲಿಯಿಂದ ಕೇವಲ ಮೂರು ಗಂಟೆಗಳ ವಾಹನದ ಪ್ರಯಾಣ. ಬೆಳಗು ಹೋಗಿ ಸಂಜೆ ಹಿಂದಿರುಗಬಹುದು. ಆಸಕ್ತರು ನೋಡಬಹುದು. 

*****

ಇಂದಿನ ಅಪರಿಸ್ಥಿತಿಯಲ್ಲೂ ಈ ಶ್ರೀಕೃಷ್ಣನ ಕುದುರೆಗಳ ಓವರ್ ಟೈಮ್ ಪ್ರಸಂಗದಂತೆಯೇ ನಡೆಯುತ್ತಿದೆ. ಟಾರ್ಗೆಟ್ ನಿರ್ಧರಿಸಿ ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ಸಮಯದ ಮಿತಿಯನ್ನೂ (ಟೈಮ್ ಲೈನ್) ನಿಗದಿ ಪಡಿಸುವವರು ದೊಡ್ಡವರು. ಹಿಂದೆ ಅದಕ್ಕೆ "ಡೆಡ್ ಲೈನ್" ಎನ್ನುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು. ಈಗ ಎಲ್ಲ ಪದಗಳನ್ನೂ ಆಧುನಿಕ ಮಾಡುವಂತೆ ಇದನ್ನೂ ಬದಲಾಯಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಇದರಬಗ್ಗೆ ಹೆಚ್ಚು ತಿಳಿಯಲು ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಕ್ಲಿಕ್ ಮಾಡಿ.  ಸಮಯಕ್ಕೆ ಸರಿಯಾಗಿ ಕೆಲಸ ಮುಗಿಸಬೇಕಾದ ಜವಾಬ್ದಾರಿ ಕೆಳಗಿನ ಕೆಲಸಗಾರರಿಗೆ. ವಾರಕ್ಕೆ ಎಪ್ಪತ್ತು, ಎಂಭತ್ತು, ತೊಂಬತ್ತು ಗಂಟೆ ಕೆಲಸ ಮಾಡಿ ಎಂದು ತಾಕೀತು. "ಭಾನುವಾರ ಹೆಂಡತಿ ಮುಖ ಎಷ್ಟು ಹೊತ್ತು ನೋಡುತ್ತೀರಿ?" ಎಂದು ಬೇರೆ ಕಿತಾಪತಿ. ಇತ್ಯಾದಿ.....    

It is the same Water!

IT was a little over a year or so after the India-Pakistan war in 1965. They were difficult days for the entire population in India as the country was recovering from the effects of the war. There were famines in some parts of the country to torment the large population, in addition to poverty and unemployment problems.  The common questions asked in written tests and interviews for selection of candidates for various jobs then were about poverty eradication, solving population explosion, solutions to unemployment problem and providing health services support to the people. They were also the popular topics for essay writing for students in examinations.

We were in the advanced stage of schooling. We had a session on "Rivers of India" and the teacher was explaining the difference between the terms "Jeeva Nadi", "Maha Nadi" and "Upa Nadi". We were told that "Jeevanadi" is one in which there is water flow throughout the year with english equivalent being "Perennial River". "Mahanadi" is a river that ultimately joins the ocean.  An "Upanadi" is one that joins a Mahanadi at which point its identity gets dissolved. Most Mahanadi are usually Jeevanadi but only some Upanadi are Jeevanadi and so on.

The teacher himself raised a question as to why we have given the status of Mahanadi to Yamuna and Saraswati when we invoke the confluence of the seven rivers in the small pot of water we use for rituals (Gangecha Yamunechaiva). They may not qualify to be included here by the mere definition of a Mahanadi, but they are no smaller by means of their length, spread and service to mankind that live on their banks. Saraswati may not be visible today, but it has existed for long and even now is latent and hence considered here. Therefore, one may call them "Special Invitees" to the august company. Then the question as to why river Krishna is not included, because it is a Mahanadi itself and qualifies by all standards. The answer was that you cannot list all Mahanadi in the country as there are so many. Looks logical, but one cannot help thinking that Krishna should have been there.

They all have the same water. Life giving and life saving water. 

*****

In the next session on "Water Cycle" one important question came up. While the entire water in the seas is salty, how does rain water remain saltless? The answer was that it is similar to distillation where the solute (dissolved substance) is left behind and only the solvent evaporates and condenses later on and hence rain water is not salty. The teacher was himself a Vedic scholar and further informed that our Vedic literature clearly mentions that the Wind God "Marut" (from which the word Maruti is derived) by his special powers separates water from different rivers that has merged in the sea water and sends them to respective river beds! It is one of the big secrets of nature and creation of the universe, he said. 

The "Dabbawalas" system in Mumbai is legendary. Lunch prepared in the homes of millions are collected by Dabbawalas before noon, transported to the table of the office worker by cycles and local trains by lunch time, and the empty lunch boxes are returned to the respective homes in the evening. It is said that not a box gets missed or mixed up despite the system handling millions of such lunch boxes. They use a combination of colours and numbered codes to ensure the system works without any hitches. The system used by the wind god must be similar so that water from the rivers reaches the sea by flowing on the land, but returns via the sky. In a way, this is better than the Dabbawala system as on both sides of the journey it is full, unlike Dabbas that are empty on the return journey!

The water coming as rain is the same water that went into the seas from the same rivers.

***** 

All the students and teachers would go home during lunch except some who came from nearby villages and the houses were a bit far from the school. The school got a newspaper in the morning which was delivered to the Head Masters house. He would bring it to school and leave it in the teachers room. Since I used to stay back in lunch time, one of the illiterate peons would bring it to me to read it over to him. He was more interested in sensational news like accidents or murders, but i used to read the full paper in the 45 minutes time allotted for lunch, When these sessions were going in the class, the newspaper carried a fantastic headline one day. Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare made a speech somewhere and mentioned in the speech that "the coffee you drank today might have been made from the water in which queen Draupadi bathed in Dwapara Yuga"!

Dr Sripati Chandrashekhar was a noted international demographer, sociologist, economist and scholar at that time. He was born in Rajahmundry in present AP, studied high school in Vellore and graduated from Presidency College in Madras (now Chennai). He went to Columbia University and New York University for higher studies. After obtaining a Ph D from New York University he worked as a Professor in many universities. He married Ann Downes, who came from a Quaker family in New Jersey, just before India got independence from British rule. He returned to India to accept the post of Professor and Chair in Economics at Annamalai University. He traveled extensively and delivered lectures in many universities and international gatherings about population control and allied issues. 

He was elected to the Rajya Sabha (upper house of parliament) from ruling Congress party in 1964. His enthusiasm for population control impressed the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and she took him in her cabinet as Minister for Health and Family Planning (name changed as Health and Family Welfare during the Janata Government in 1978) to put his ideas into practice. He tried his best to spread the ideas of birth control, sterilisation and other birth control methods like IUD. The average birth rate in India came down from six to three per family during these years, and much credit is given to Dr Chandrashekhar for this.

Some of his statements and acts were controversial especially in a country where such ideas were not readily accepted at that time. "Coffee made from Draupadi's bath water" was one of many such statements made by him at that time.

Anyway, the message was clear. It is the same water.

*****

Morarji Desai (1896-1995) was a cabinet colleague of Dr Sripati Chandrashekar, but much senior and had a long innings in politics and public service. Morarji Ranchodji Desai was Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister in the Indira Gandhi cabinet when Chandrashekar was Minister for Health and Family Planning. A noted freedom fighter and statesman, Morarji Desai was chief minister of the undivided Bombay state, minister in various cabinets and ultimately became Prime Minister when Janata Party came to power in 1977, after Indira Gandhi was defeated in elections consequent to Emergency and its aftermath. Born on 29th February, Morarji celebrated only 24 birthdays even though he lived just ten month short of 100 years. He was a freedom fighter, Gandhian, congress stalwart and able administrator.

Morarji Desai was a practitioner of "Urine Therapy" that centred on drinking one's own urine every morning. It was even joked during his tenure as Prime Minister that the most discussed topic under his leadership was urine therapy. He attributed his long living to this therapy. 

It was the same water.

*****

Indian origin American astronaut Sunita Williams and fellow US astronaut Barry Eugene Wilmore are now stranded in space due to technical issues relating to their Boeing Starliner. While everyone on earth are praying for their safe return, the two astronauts are continuing with their duties in outer space. They have placed their confidence in the technical team to sort out the issues and get them back to earth.

While staying in International Space Station (ISS), we are told that astronauts drink water that has been recycled from their own sweat and urine using the Environment Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) placed in the ISS. One article even says that it is a refreshing filtered blend of shower water and pee. 

Our generation may not be able to see it, but in the next few decades there could be regular travel between Earth, Moon and Mars. The lucky travellers will also have the same refreshing filtered blend of water to drink.

Again, it is the same water!

Water In The Vessel

We all desire to have comfortable days, day after day. No one likes to have difficult days, one after the other. Not only a bad day one after the other, but not even a bad day amidst many good days. The want is to always have happy days and thereby enjoy life. Comfortable days with good health, lot of money and all other things that we want. We do not want even the streaks of anything that we perceive as bad amidst plentiful good tidings.

Desire is one thing but the reality is something else. If everything turns out to be the way we want, there would be no problems in life. It never happens that way because we are unable to control many things. If we contemplate further, we are unable to control even things that are apparently under our control.

Sufferings may be of different types. Financial sufferings can be one of them. There are times when all the hard work done does not result in financial benefits. There are instances when hard earned money is lost due to unforeseen happenings. Trusted friends and relatives borrow and fail to return when needed by us. Friendship is lost with money lent. Previously made out plans are now upside down. Many times new beginnings have to be made at later stages in life. These turn out to be painful and frustrating times indeed.

Loss of social status can be another cause of suffering. Loss may occur due to one's own failings or due to mechanisation of trusted ones. Many times retrieval of the lost status may not be possible. Some are able to get on with life in changed circumstances; others suffer in the very thought of having lost in the race.

Physical health is another important issue in life. One may ignore financial loss or social status being taken away. But setbacks in health is something which is very difficult to ignore. The problem continues to haunt during days and nights. It comes with us wherever we go. If the loss of health is coupled with pain, then it is even more miserable. Pain killers are temporary relievers of pain; they have their side effects too. Fighting pain and still carrying on daily activities is indeed very testing and demanding.

We see many people around us who suffer setbacks in health. There are some who cannot come out of the setback and succumb to the difficulties. We also see many others who are brave and fight their way out of trouble. These are the people who show remarkable tenacity amidst very adverse conditions. They do not give up even when others around give up hope. They are the examples of exemplary bravery and astonishing resilience. Watching them fight it out and come out successful inspires others.

*****

An young man entered his office in the morning as usual. "Are you not feeling well?", The first colleague he met near the door asked him. "No. I am fine", he said and started his work. Another colleague came and asked him why he did not take the day off as he looked sick. The young man ignored and went on with his work. Another three or four colleagues had the same question and now he started getting doubt about his own health. He went to the rest room and checked his face in the mirror. He felt he looked tired and not normal. By afternoon he developed high temperature and felt very sick. The prank played by his colleagues had indeed taken its toll.

*****

Psychologists say that there is a direct relation between physical health and mental health. State of mind plays an important role during sickness and recovery to good health. Pain and physical suffering have their impact on mental status of a person. Similarly, a disturbed mind acts on physical health.

Though physical health and mental health are inter dependent and affect each other, the effect of mental status on physical wellbeing appears to be even more significant. One important attribute that can be seen in those who fight physical adversity is their healthy mindset. They remain to be cheerful even amidst physical pain and suffering. They do not resign to their fate and believe in combating the troubled days and emerge victorious. This could even be seen the way they interact with those around them. It is this mental strength that sees them through the physical pain and suffering. 

On the contrary, we have many examples of mental weakness amplifying the physical troubles. People attending to the sick know this better than others. Brooding over the difficult things mentally directly impacts physical wellbeing. Mental troubles increase physical pain and suffering. A healthy mind is indeed a strong tool to restore physical health.

*****

All this discussion is well summed up in this verse from Aranya Parva of Mahabharata:

मानसेन हि दुःखेन शरीरमुपतप्यते |

अयःपिण्डेन तप्तेन कुम्भसम्स्थमिवोदकम् ||

Maanasena hi dukhena shareeramupatapyate |

Ayahpindena Taptena Kumbhasamstahamivodakam ||

Physical body suffers due to mental disturbances. Just as the water kept in a vessel gets hot when the vessel is heated. 

*****

The relation between the mind and body is like the vessel and the water in it. Even if the water is not heated directly, the heat of the vessel results in the water becoming hot. Therefore, all efforts should be made to keep the mind cool even in times of adversity. This ensures that the body remains healthy at all times. This is all the more important when the body suffers pain. A calm mind reduces the effects of such pain whereas a disturbed mind would only increase the pain and suffering. 

Knock on the door

There is a knock on the Door. It is becoming shriller and shriller.  In the beginning, we pretended as if the door itself did not exist.  Then we behaved as if we did not hear the knock.  Now neither is possible. Even the stone deaf can hear the repeated knocks.

Assurances of weathermen, repeated regularly at irregular intervals, have not succeeded in bringing a reasonable monsoon to our country.  Of course, we know weathermen are not responsible for the arrival or failure of monsoon.  We are already in the middle of August and sowing operations have not yet started in the vast areas of South India and large part of Western India.  Wisdom is slowly dawning on us that the sowing will indeed be missed this year.  And the harvest that was to follow. At this time of the year, preparations would have been underway for harvesting crops like Potato, Groundnut, Raagi and Jowar.  Hundred of trucks laden with fresh Potato should have clogged the highways from Hassan in Karnataka to Subzi Mandi in Delhi's Azadpur. Estimates are now made that the food production which reached 252 million tons last year may be around 250 million tons this year. The estimates are made before factoring the full effect of monsoon failure. Economists have the freedom to revise the estimates later on to 220 to 230 million tons. Talking of economists, we knew of two types earlier; the good and the bad. The good ones were those whose predictions and estimates failed due to genuine reasons. The bad ones were those whose predictions and estimates failed without any reason. Then there was the third type, though not recognized as such, whose estimates and predictions defied every logic or we were neither able to understand their predictions and estimates nor appreciate their subsequent failure.  Now the classifications of economists are made at a different level. They are classified as Government Economists and Private Economists!  One breed who are paid to toe the official line like "His Masters Voice".  The private ones (who failed to secure such jobs?) who perforce differ from the Government Economists as a matter of principle.

The present generation has not seen or heard of famine. As a nine year old boy, during the famine of 1963, I remember accompanying my father, bags in my hand and money in his pocket, visiting every single shop in the town for some rice or wheat or any flour.  All shop keepers were personally known to my father and he knew very well that each one of them had stored grain in their shops and houses. But they waited for a better day to sell.  A better day when the prices would definitely be higher than that day.  After three hours of intense search, we were able to get one kilogram of boiled rice. We were not used to eating boiled rice.  My mother made some curry with extra home grown vegetables and chillies to enable me and my siblings have a late lunch of boiled rice, for the first time in our lives.

That was the time after Indo-China war.  Prices would slightly come down when the news of ships carrying PL 480 wheat products were to arrive in Madras (now known as Chennai) harbor. For those youngsters who have not heard of PL 480, its full form is "Public Law 480", an American law that permitted funding by which US food could be used for overseas aid programs under what was called "Food for Peace" program.  The suji (semolina or rava) and palm oil arriving in these ships were distributed to various schools for the mid-day meal program. Some of it found its way to black marketing shops. Famine of 1963 was  the last official famine, perhaps.  There have been famines in parts of the country later as well but they are not true famines as they are actually not recognized as famines.  Just like a dead person is not accepted as dead since there is no "Death Certificate" issued by a competent authority.

Thanks to the "Green Revolution", credited to the group of scientists led by Professor M S Swaminathan, which peaked in the late sixties and early seventies, our dependence on import of food grains gradually decreased and we became self-sufficient. High yielding and genetically modified wheat pioneered by Dr Norman Borlaug were used for agricultural production.  Today genetically modified food grains are frowned upon, but we have lived on them for fifty years!  More and more areas have been brought under irrigation.  Chemical fertilizers have been used in never before quantities.  Even food grains were exported on many occasions. There were celebrations when the food production crossed 200 million tons in the 1990s.  We have now crossed 250 million tons mark, despite of vast areas of agricultural lands being eaten away by land sharks for real estate purposes and non-agricultural uses.

We are told that nearly a third of all food grains produced is lost due to wastage.  It looks as though we have perfected the art of wasting food grains and food items much better than the science of their production!  Food grains are wasted at every stage; be it harvesting, transporting, storing or distributing.  Rats and mice have a first right on the grains produced.  Food grains rotting in the godowns of Gujarat is the latest news item. Storage levels in dams have dropped to record low levels.  Added to that water tables have dropped all over the country.  Bore-wells with a depth of even 500 meters have gone dry.  We are not the ones to be deterred; we are digging deeper and deeper.  And continue to use fresh water for washing our newer and bigger cars.

We are not alone in this mess.  We have excellent company elsewhere also.  Untimely rains in sugar producing Brazil have reduced cane cultivation levels.  Dry conditions in Russia's wheat belt has reduced wheat production there turning the surplus zone into a deficit one.  Historic mid-west drought in USA has made economists predict reduction of corn yield there from 146 bushels per acre to 123 bushels per acre. 65% of USA is said to be under drought conditions. The resulting forecast of 15% reduction in production made the prices of food grains on the Chicago Commodity Exchange increase to an all time high level.  Global food prices are expected to shoot up from 6 to 10% and may even worsen.  We know what it means to the price levels in India.

Software and IT services have already taken a hit and the earnings from their exports is expected to dip this year.  Exports from our country have touched 300 billion dollars last year, but it is feared to be lower this year.  Imports increased last year even more to reach 485 billion dollars and have not abated at all.  Oil is consumed as if tomorrow does not exist.  Car makers are advertising of a drive to Madakeri just to have a cup of tea or coffee.  We may not be able to import food grains for two reasons; firstly we do not have the foreign exchange to afford it and secondly traditionally grain rich countries may not have the commodities to export from their countries as they themselves face a deficit.  Our policy makers and politicians are too busy in their ivory towers due to other pre-occupations.  There is no shortage of food items for them in resorts and five star hotels. Many of them are extremely busy in shuttling between their homes, offices, courts and jails.  The remaining are busy trying to cover their tracks so that they can avoid this kind of shuttling.

Let us enjoy the lunch today.  We can not be sure of such sumptuous lunch a few days later.  Ghosts and horrors of Bengal famine of 1943 or even 1770 are knocking on our doors.  Knocks are becoming shriller and shriller now.   

A Leaf, a Flower, a Fruit and a drop of Water

Many verses from Bhagavadgita are often quoted. In this often quoted verse from Chapter 9, the Lord says:

Patram Pushpam Phalam Toyam, yo me Bhaktya prayachhati,
tad aham bhakty-upahrtam asnämi prayatätmanah.

The meaning of this verse is thought to be very simple; as simple as the verse itself is. The Lord says: "Whoever offers me a Leaf, a Flower, a Fruit and a drop of Water, with great devotion, I accept it with all the dignity it deserves". Then things are very simple. Find a leaf that is available everywhere, at least now.Till the destruction of trees and vegetation reaches the next level.  And similarly a flower or fruit. A drop of water as well though it is becoming increasingly difficult to find drops of pure and unadulterated water. And after finding them offer it to the Lord.  Lord has given us an excellent option. He has suggested any of these; not all of them! Well, let us offer all the four of them as they are available easily and quite inexpensive too. Like the student who answered all the ten questions in the question paper and asked the examiner to value any five of them, as he was required to answer only five of them. The Lord should have no complaints too; he can choose any one of them and accept it. And in return give us the deserved recognition. When we donate (!) a tube light or a fan to the temple, we get our names painted on them so that the Lord does not get confused as to which devotee made the offering. Then what about the offerings that Lord himself mentions so prominently in his own words in Bhagavadgita?

Did he also mention about Karma without aspiring for its fruits? Should these offerings be done without expecting any returns? Is it not opposed to principles of natural justice? Work without remuneration? There was a very logical and systematic argument in an article opposing "Nishkama Karma". There was a lengthy justification for banning Bhagavadgita because it was anti-worker and pro-capitalist. To be compensated for the work done is a fundamental right of any worker. To preach to work without remuneration is total exploitation. There should not just be remuneration, but there should be adequate and reasonable returns or compensation. With bonus thrown in as a deferred wage. A very erudite interpretation which ought to be accepted in totality.

But the problem actually lies elsewhere. When you are dealing with the Lord, it is not work for remuneration. When a mother attends to the child, it is not work for her; it is an act of pure love! She does it even if the child does not want it. She considers it as a goal of her life.  When she does it, she does not expect any thing in return. For her, the act itself is the ultimate reward. As Moslow's "Need Hierarchy Theory" says. Work itself is the ultimate reward. Nothing more is required. So also when the Lord and devotee are concerned. A Lord who does not  need or want anything. A devotee who desires to offer everything he has.

Those who want remuneration for the work done need not worry at all. It is nature's rule that the wages of sin or saintly act are automatically disbursed and in just proportions. The fruit of work done will never go waste; it will chase you and fall in your lap even if you do not want it! The Lord only said; "Do Karma without aspiring for its fruits". He never said that there are no fruits for any Karma. He will give the resultant fruit even if the Karmi does not want it. There is no escape from the fruits of Karma, whether good or bad.

But what leaf, flower, fruit or drop of water did the lord mean when he said "Patram Pushapam Phalam toyam...."? Is it only an ordinary leaf or fruit or flower or water drop? Or was there any deeper meaning to it? It appears so as many scholars opine. As the Lord himself says in the same Bhagavadgita, there is reference to some leaves of a tree therein.  "Oordhwa moolam Adhah shaakha, Ashwatham praturavyavam, Chandamsi yasya Parnaani, Yastam veda sa vedavit". The Lord refers to a big Ashwatha tree with roots upwards and branches spread out at the bottom. The verses of the Vedas are its leaves.  These are the leaves the Lord is referring to. Someone capable of learning and reciting these verses ought to do it and those are the leaves the Lord accepts. Not any ordinary leaf from an ordinary tree.

What are the flowers the Lord mentions here? "Ahimsa pratham pushpam, Pushpam indriya nigraha, Sarvabhoota daya pushpam, Kshama pushpam visheshataha, Gnana pushpam Tapah pushpam Dhyana pushpam thataivacha, Satyam ashtavidham pushpam Vishnoh preetikaram bhavet". The Lord is referring to eight flowers: Non-violence, control of senses, compassion to all living beings, tolerance or patience, knowledge, austerity, contemplative meditation and truth. These are the eight flowers that the Lord refers to and not any other flower from a bush or tree.

What is the fruit that is to be offered to the Lord? He has advised to do one's deeds without desiring the fruits of those deeds. But the fruits do chase the doer; the deeds never lapse without yielding fruits. This fruit, "The Karma Phala" is the fruit the Lord mentions to be offered with all love and devotion.

That brings us to the "Drop of Water". A righteous soul travels the length of his or her life (his or her refers to the body probably, for soul is neither he nor she) doing this "Nishkama Karma". And as the end approaches, the fearless soul is ready to welcome the death of the mortal body with open hands. The tears of love towards the Lord and the final drop of water from the eye, not in sorrow but in joyful  acknowledgement of the love showered by the Lord all along one's life is the water drop the Lord mentions.

These are the leaves, flowers, fruit and drop of water the Lord probably means. But what about those who are unable to meet all these in their lives when the demands of daily life and the struggles to just live through are hard enough?  One can fondly ask, as John Milton says, "Doth God expect day labor light denied?" Everyone may not be capable of these deeds. The Lord believes is equity; equal treatment of equals. A person capable of donating 1000 Rupees for a good cause should not give 100 Rupees. That would be miserly behaviour. A person capable of  donating 100 Rupees should not donate 1000 rupees by borrowing the difference. That would be self-destruction. Each one to his capacity.  Nothing more or nothing less. The operative word in the verse is "...Yo me Bhaktya.....".  What is difficult is to find the required level of Bhakti to accompany the offerings. The Lord is interested in the envelope, not the contents! Again, as John Milton says, "They also serve who only stand and wait".

A mother treats her children equally. She gives 4 Rotis to a 18-year old son. 3 Rotis to a 12-year old. Only one Roti to a five year old. Did she discriminate among them? Each one as per his need. That is the essence of equality. So also in the case of flower, leaf or fruit. Nishkama Karma is of equal value even if offered in different quantities or dimensions by different people. He knows. He measures. He dispenses. That is the ultimate faith! 

Uddalaka and Pen-drive

Sage Dhaumya was a very learned scholar and one of the best teachers of his times.  He was running a Gurukula (School or University) in a forest.   His Gurukula was a place where the students were treated like his own children.  Once admitted to the Gurukula, entire responsibility for their well being was with the Guru.  The students were required to do all the work of the Gurukula like cleaning the place, grazing cattle, bringing firewood and other similar chores.  Each one was taught different subjects according to their own taste and potential to learn.  Guru decided what should be taught to a student and how much, depending upon his capacity to receive and retain knowledge.

One young boy wanted to join the Gurukula and study with other students.  He approached the Guru and put forth his request.  Guru declined to take him in for reason that the Gurukula was already full.  The boy went away without a murmur only to reappear after some days.  The request was the same and the answer was also the same.  This repeated for several rounds but the boy did not give up.  Guru tested him long enough to see if the boy was really keen on learning.  The boy passed the test.  Finally Guru gave in and admitted him as a student.

This boy was of average intelligence and not among the brightest of students.  But his devotion to the Guru was unparalleled.  He carried out all of Guru's orders with utmost dedication and accomplished all the tasks assigned to him dutifully. He appeared to have only one goal in life; to carry out every single order of the Guru to his satisfaction.  Though he did not make much progress in his studies, he continued in the Gurukula unmindful of other things.

It started raining heavily one morning and it looked like the entire surroundings would be flooded.  The Guru was worried about the standing crop in a small field nearby.  Any breach in the tank located just above the fields would wash away the crop.  The crop was the main source to feed the students during the next year. He wanted somebody to go over there and inspect the tank and do anything required to prevent the tank from breaching and washing away the crops.  As usual it was this boy who was available immediately and the Guru commissioned him on the job.  The boy dutifully left on the assignment. The pouring rain and physical difficulty did not bother him and his mind was occupied by only one thing; save the tank and protect the crops.

Once his daily routine started Guru forgot about the boy and remembered him only late in the evening.  Worried about the boy not returning till then he went in search of the boy, taking other students with him.  The boy was nowhere to be seen.  When the Guru called the boy's name loudly there was a feeble voice heard from the tank bed.  The boy was lying along the tank bed to prevent it from breaching.  Unable to control the flow of water singly, he deemed it fit to cover the breach with his body.  His body had become cold due to continuous rains and lying in the tank water.  With the help of other students, Guru filled the breach and dragged the boy out of the mess.  Moved by the devotion and dedication of the boy he embraced him and brought him to Gurukula.

When the boy appeared before him on the next morning,  Guru asked the boy to come and sit before him.  He placed his right hand on the boy's head and by invoking all his spiritual powers transferred  all of his own knowledge to the boy.  And now the boy of average intelligence suddenly became as knowledgeable as the Guru himself!

This is the story of Aruni, who was later known as Uddalaka.  Uddalaka, meaning the one who came out of water.  His name is mentioned with utmost respect in Chandogya and Kathopanisahads.

After all,  Pen-drives are not an invention of 20th century.  Sage Dhaumya was already having it with him.  He and Aruni both had USB ports as well and that is why transfer of knowledge, all of it that was there, was possible instantaneously and effortlessly!      

Gangecha Yamunechaiva......

Gangecha Yamunechaiva..............

गन्गेच यमुनेचैव गोदवारि सरस्वती नर्मदे सिन्धु कावेरी जलेस्मिन् सन्निधिं कुरु ..................

Gangecha Yamunechaiva Godavari Saraswati Narmade Sindhu Kaveri jalesmin Sannidhim Kuru.......................

Water is life. Without water there is no life. For living beings water is next only to air. Air is available to us everywhere and hence taken for granted. We are not yer paying Rs.15 or One US Dollar per bottle or cylinder of air. Three dollars a bottle if you go to Flushing meadows stadium to see US Open tennis or Rs. 40 or 50 in Taj or Oberoi hotel. To that extent  water is foremost and hence Jala (Water) is also called Jeeva (Life). And rightly so. It is not just two atoms of Hydrogen and and one atom of Oxygen or the chemical formula H2O. A lot more for sure.

There can be "No Pooja". Or not performing pooja. But there is no performing pooja without water. It may be tap water or well water or even bottle water. But when it comes to pooja, irrespective of the source, it is taken in a vessel or pot or whatever. That becomes कलश (kalash) and the water becomes one procured from seven rivers when the above sloka is chanted.........Water from Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, (the now missing) Saraswati, Narmada, sindhu (even though in Pakistan now) and Kaveri come and give their holy waters in the kalash.........


On 31st August 2011  Gowri festival or Swarna Gowri Vrata was celebrated by us for the first time in USA. It is not Jamboo Dweepe, Bharata Varshe, Bharata Khande..... It is Koorma dweepe,  Amerika Khande! It is Nava yarka Nagare if it is New York. That is fine. What about water? Should it be again Gangecha Yamunechaiva? Should they travel across the Atlantic by changing flights in Frankfurt or London and come here? Or should it be Missouricha Missisippi.......?

Does it really matter? Any river is a holy river as rivers are the lifelines anywhere in the world. But for the river Kaaveri, parts of south India would have been Sahara desert. Hence Kaaveri Maata. In Tamilnadu, along the Erode, Tiruchi and Thanjavur belt, Kaveri river is also called Ponni, meaning the Golden River.  Hence the fine rice grown in the Kaveri Delta there is called Ponni rice. Anything good in the Ponni delta is attributed to Ponni water or Kaveri river. Like when the son gets a rank in an examination, it is because he has grown up by drinking Ponni water. If the daughter wins running race it is because of Ponni water. Same thing in Kodagu or Mercara. The soldier's heroic performance in the war is due to Kaveri Taayi. Height of reverence. So should be  Missisippi for America or Nile for Egypt. Or Volga for Russia.

Go to the banks of the mighty Ganges. Just say Ganga. You are most likely to be beaten up. She is not just Ganga. She is Ganga Mai or  Mother Ganga. No one says Ganga. It is either Ganga Mai or Ganga ji.   Ganga Mai ki Saugandh is the highest testification, like under oath in a court of law. Or even more than that. You do not lie in a court. May be some may perjure. But with Ganga mai? Never, never.

When I stood on the banks of the Missouri in Chamberlain, South Dakota or Mississippi's banks in St. Louis, the feeling was the same; as before Ganga ji in Rishikesh or Godavari in Nashik or Rajahmundry. Massive rivers supplying the water required for all animals and mankind. Though man is no longer kind and is showing all barbarata on these rivers. Gangaji in Varanasi is not the same as Gangaji in Rishikesh. Yamuna? Less said the better. One has to go to Yamunotri only to see the real Yamuna. Yamuna in Agra, behind the Taj Mahal, is a black filth. Puraanas say Yamuna is the sister of Yama or Yamadharma, the Lord of Death. During the Deepavali festival, next day after Bali padyami is called Yama Dwiteeya, the second day of the month of Kartika, Yama is supposed to come to Yamuna's house for Lunch. This is the day all sisters expect their brothers to come to their homes and eat the food cooked by them. The next day is called Soodari Tritiya, the day on which brothers give gifts to their sisters. For this year's Yama Dwiteeya, falling on 28th October 2011, when Yama comes for lunch, Yamuna has to bring water from the nearest shop as she cannot give her own river's water to drink. Ungiveable. Undrinkable. Uncookable.

Ganga's water was believed to be white and Yamuna's water believed to be black:

गन्गमंबु सितमम्बु यामुनं कज्जलाभमुभयत्र मज्जतः  raaजहंस तवचैव शुभ्रता चीयते न च नचापचीयते!

The poet tells the Raajahamsa or Swan (Obviously the White Swan and not the black one)  "Ganga's water is white, Yamuna's water is Black. O dear Swan, you bathe in both rivers. But your colour does not change and always remains White." This may not hold good today. A white Swan bathing in either Ganga or Yamuna may emerge as a Black Swan. Man is bent upon making Yamuna's water as well as Ganga's water deep dark. Missouri and Mississippi also have their share of pollution due to Agricultural and Industrial waste, but it is nowhere near what we have presented the Ganga and Yamuna.

I used to take the night trains to go to Chennai from Bangalore when I worked there for four years. Usually the Bangalore-Chennai Mail. Trains reach early morning between 4 AM and 5 AM. Not once I overslept. Nor any other passenger on the trains. As the Train entres the Basin Bridge Junction, one station before Chennai Central, everyone is up. The stench from the nearby river(?) will ensure it. A river called Cooum running alongside the railway track and entering the Bay of Bengal near Marina Beach, next to M A Chidambaram Cricket Stadium in Chepauk, Chennai. The word "Coovalan" in Tamil is said to mean one who is well versed in the science of ground water or well water! The documents available in the nearby temples say that a man gets salvation with one dip in the river Cooum. One hundred and fifty years ago a famous Tamil poet by name Bharatiyar (not Subrahmanya Bharati) travelled on this river by boat from its origin to the point at which the river merges with the Bay of Bengal on the Marina.  He has written a long and beautiful Lyrical Ballad in Tamil describing the beautiful river with the gardens, lands and flowers on its banks!

In March 2010, the then Deputy Chief Minister of Tamilnadu, Mr Stalin signed an MOU, in the presence of his father the then chief Minister Sri M Karunanidhi,  with an Indo-Singapore company by name Singapore Co-operation Enterprises to clean the Cooum river at a project cost of 2200 crore ruppees. Chennai Corporation started a cleaning drive in September 2010. Within the next six months DMK lost power after state elections and Mrs. Jayalalitha came to power. She has announced in March 2011 that the project will be scrapped. Sri Karunanidhi is busy with his daughter Kanhimouzhli bail to get her released from Tihar Jail in 2G case and cannot even protest. Even if he protests, there is no value. 

Why should we go to Chennai? We have our own Vrushabhavati. Come to Mysore Road in Bangalore.

I have seen shraddalu visitors to Agra going behind the Taj Mahal and reluctantly taking the Yamuna  water in their hands and sprinking on their heads in reverence.  अपवित्रः पवित्रोवा ! Of course, once they come out of water they do not forget to wash their hands with Bisleri water.

There is more to our rivers than just water. Feelings. Belief. Faith and our Identity. Can we preserve them? Then only Gangecha Yamunechaiva.     Otherwise it is Only Bisleri,  Evion and Dasani.