Krishnas Speech at the Battleground chapter eighteen second part by Ramesh Mukhopadhyaya

When a person, finds one indestructible principle through every action whatever, he is a knower of the neutral kind. But those who look upon the diverse actions in the everyday world as they appear to be, independent of one another, are knowers of the positive type. There are some people again with whom any simple work seems to be as huge as the burden of the whole world; they are negative knowers. They do not try to understand any principle whatever underlying the world of activities. The activity done by a disinterested person is neutral. He has neither love nor hatred against it. But the work which is performed with great toil from pride and desire is positive one. When one begins a work from delusion without taking into account its positive outcome, it is a negative work. The doer in that case does not even think of whether his resources were sufficient for the undertaking. He who has no attraction for activity and its results thereof is neutral doer. He does not deem himself as the doer. But he has patience and lot of zest for work. In other words such a man never seeks a fight. But when he has to he fights with all his heart; but he does not care whether he wins or not. Fond of worldly pleasures one who looks forward to success in material world is a positive doer. He is greedy and jealous. He is unclean. Sorrow and happiness overwhelm him. One who does not do anything whole heartedly is a negative doer. He has no conscience. He tries to succeed by cheating and fraud. He is lazy. He suffers from depression. He is a slow coach. The neutral intellect can easily distinguish the desire from disinterestedness, duty from other work, fear from fearlessness and bondage from freedom. The positive intellect cannot distinguish from one another. What is vice seems to be virtue with the negative intellect. The firmness with which a person controls his mind, vital air and senses is neutral. The control of the vital air has been repeatedly advised by Krishna. It means the slowing down of the clock that is our body. The life-time of a particle depends upon its speed. The faster it moves, the slower is its clock and the longer it survives. The slowing down of the clock of the human body might mean longer longevity for the body. Those who cling to the virtues, earthly possessions and worldly enjoyments with firmness are positive. The positive doer looks forward to worldly success and heaven hereafter. He has four goals in-virtue, wealth, happiness and heaven. The four aims must go together; aiming at any one of the four goals will not do. A parallel instance can be given from the contingent world of politics and economics. Japan, for example, is much advanced in economic activity. An economic super-power must also make headway militarily and politically to keep its commercial interests in the world market secure. Or else it cannot hold fast to the pleasures of the heaven upon earth that it enjoys. A positive doer must firmly cling to his programs of changing the world. While the positive doer of the noblest type seeks to change the world, the neutral doer drives all his attention to the control of his mind. To control one's mind is a harder task than to control the world. The person who sticks to his pride, melancholy disposition, fears and delusions has the firmness of the negative type. Happiness is also of three kinds, the neutral doer abandons all pursuits in the material world for those in the mind. At the outset he has to undergo lot of difficulties. Negligence of the material consideration may mean privation and persecution. But once he conquers temptations in mind raised by Satan, ever lasting peace is promised to him. The pleasures of contact of senses with the objects are sure to be followed by pain. In the shrine of worldly delight, melancholy is the presiding deity. Such transitory happiness is the fruition attained by the positive doer. The happiness of the negative doer comes from stupefaction, sleep and indolence. Krishna reiterates that the classification of men in the society has been done on the basis of innate qualities of men with which they are born. The priest has an innate aptitude for knowledge and experience of the ineffable reality behind the show of the world. He is fond of sacrifices. He seeks to subjugate his mind. The warrior class seeks to cultivate valor, fearlessness , firmness, cleverness etc. He wants to lord over the world. He is fond of bestowing gifts. The merchant class is fond of farming and looking after dairy and poultry etc. They want to prosper in business activities. Rests of the men are fit for helping other classes in their pursuit. But no one should go against his innate tendencies. That will land him in great misery. If the warrior seeks to present himself in borrowed robes his innate warrior’s instinct will betray him and he shall not be able to live up to his aims. One must set one’s aim taking into account of one’s innate aptitudes. And every kind of work done in the right spirit leads one to the summit of bliss. One who has neutral disposition of mind cultivates an intellect absolutely disinterested in the object of senses. He has no desire at all. He has controlled his own self. He has even controlled his own vital air. In that way, he has control over his involuntary muscles. He can slow down the activities of his body even. Such a man has no activity in the worldly life. He lives in seclusion. He takes little food. He is always in a state of mind which admits of no duality or dichotomy like love and hatred, matter and spirit etc. He is on the plane of the Cosmic Being. He attains the supernal love for Krishna. He can know then who Krishna is. He becomes one with Krishna. It is curious to note that Krishna speaks of the ascetic who lives away from the society, towards the close of his speech. He gives very short account of such a person. This is because Krishna is concerned with worldly men and the battle at Kurukshetra. But however he may have been brief on his description of the ascetic, he made no bones of the fact that an ascetic is the height of man’s spiritual achievement. That man has existence on biological, vital and mental planes are obvious. But the ascetic discovers in him higher planes of knowledge. They are explored on the level of man’s subtle body. Beyond that is the plane which is attained on the level of man’s casual body. But there is beyonding still, when the body is shattered. Climbing such planes is the ascetic journey up the pipul tree towards its roots experiencing worlds after worlds having greater and greater number of dimension till he becomes one with the infinite. What we called occult powers or extra-sensory perceptions are but man’s climbing from the world of three dimensions. Once the bowl of the body is brought near the sea of the Cosmic Being, it has the disposition of the sea. Its waters can fill thousand worlds. But those who do not have that kind of intellectual aptitude should act as a deputy of Krishna. They should not bother themselves with the results of their activity. For they should think that it is Krishna who has the right to the results of the activity; they are not entitled to reap the results of their activity. If they work in this spirit, Krishna helps them to cross the endless sea of suffering. If one does not obey Krishna from pride one has to undergo untold misery.

Krishnas Speech at the Battleground chapter eighteen concluding part

Arjuna must do the war being driven by his a priori instinct despite his wishes against it. Krishna points out that god lives in every heart propelling every man to act. God does this with the help of his magic powers. God is the fulcrum on which the blades of change revolve propelled by the magic power. Krishna asks Arjuna to take refuge with his god. God will grant him eternal kingdom of happiness. Krishna says that he has unlocked the secret of secrets before Arjuna out of love for him. Now, whether Arjuna will take part in the war or not , depends on Arjuna only. Krishna asks Arjuna to give away his mind to Krishna. Arjuna should be a devotee of Krishna. Arjuna should worship Krishna. Arjuna should salute Krishna. Thus Arjuna will attain Krishna. Krishna assures that. The Bible announces “Hear Israel, Jehovah our God is one Jehovah, and you must love Jehovah your God with all your whole heart, and with your whole soul and with your whole mind and with your whole strength” (Mark12:29,30). Krishna however means that if instead of worshipping Krishna or any other god one seeks one’s self in the self, same way one will be filed with deathless joy as the seas are filled with water. Krishna has already discussed the issue of war from every possible stand-point. If Arjuna finds them difficult to realize in real life, let him abandon the hair splitting arguments regarding war and its consequences. Let him follow his own self. Or let him obey Krishna. Krishna and the self, of a person are the same. The eternal self or Krishna will redeem him from all possible sins. Arjuna must not lament any more. Krishna says that what he said presently must not be told to people who have no respect for such words and who have no respect for the higher self or for Krishna. Hew who preaches this secret knowledge to those who seek the higher self, will surely attain super love for the self and for Krishna. He who studies the conversation between Krishna and Arjuna will reap the harvests of one who seeks the truth through philosophical deliberations. He who hears the conversation with necessary respect and without any ill-will, will be also delivered from the harsh bonds of the world. Krishna says Arjuna whether Arjuna has heard him with all attention. Are the doubts of Arjuna done away with? Arjuna’s reply is very short. He says that his doubts have been dispelled. His delusion has dissipated. He has regained the memory of his higher self. He will obey Krishna. The way through action is the way out of it. Perhaps this is not true of Arjuna alone. Many other kings and soldiers in the vast assembly heard this conversation. They can now see into the mysteries of death and fight like heroes, getting rid of fear. When battles cannot be avoided, the preacher must prepare their minds to face death four-square. Death! Where are thy pangs? Sanjaya tells the king Dhritarastra that thus ended the thrilling conversation between Krishna and Arjuna. He gratefully remembers the poet Vyasa, by whose grace he could hear those supernal words, unfolding the secret truths of life and universe. This touches upon the function of a poet. It is the poet who makes us see into the life of things and sympathise the hopes and fears that we did not heed earlier. Sanjaya asserts that Krishna is the master of the universe. We heard the master of the universe speak. Sanjaya is thrilled over and over again to remember the conversation between Arjuna and Krishna. The reminiscences of the god-head of Krishna revealed by Krishna himself are still as wonderful. They are the sights before which one faints. Their memory fills Sanjaya with unspeakable pleasure. Thus Sanjaya speaks in behalf of the reader. Sanjaya now tells the king that where Krishna the supreme being accompanies the great archer Arjuna, no one can beat them. Goodness, victory, glory and unfailing righteousness always accompany them. Will Sanjaya’s speech melt the heart of the blind king Dhritarastra? Do we, ourselves, set out for the path as set down by the path-finder Krishna? Krishna addressed Arjuna and deliberated on the mysteries of life and universe. Thereby he addressed the multitude of soldiers ready for fight .His voice has thus addressed the futurity. But as Krishna himself observed earlier, the truth remains ever elusive. Some look upon it with wonder. Some hear it with wonder. Some do not understand the jot or title of what they see or hear. However much eloquent he may have been, what Krishna told is pregnant with what remains untold. It is this absence or the mysterium tremendum that creeps on our skin and that creeps into our hearts. Poetry has its own laboratory where the reader must cultivate the faculty of understanding the presence of absence lying behind the surface meaning of a work of art. Once we learn to read poetry like that we also know how to experience the presence of absence in the show of things of the world. When Arjuna picks up his bow Gandiva, he only sits erect for meditation. The bow is symbolic of his spinal chord. When he had thrown away the bow, he only gave up his meditation and sat with his spinal chord stooping. Now he resumes his meditation. He will fight a crusade against the temptations of the worldly life.

Krishnas Speech at the Battleground Epilogue

EPILOGUE When one hears Krishna speaking at the battle field, one is apt to ask. Who is Krishna? On the mortal level, where, was he born? What was his boyhood like? What heroic exploits did he achieve in His youth? How did he die? One asks: On the transcendental level where is his abode? Is not the world itself his abode? Or else, does he live in a world beyond the world? It is said that he created the universe. How did He create it? Where is the secret of his magic powers? He claims that he reincarnates again and again in this world. How is it that the god of gods who is infinite and formless could reincarnate in finite forms? What were his reincarnations in the past? What did he do thereby? How to praise him? How should we worship him? How could we invoke him? Thus a battery of questions are raised. To meet them, a whole range of literature has grown. They chiefly consist of the Mahabharata the Harivamsa, the Bhagavata and other Puranas There are other works as well. They dwell on the Krishna theme from countless angles. Thus our discourse on the Gita is an invitation to the reader to pour into more works on Krishna theme and to further discourse. A perusal of religious books makes one think counter to the way of the worlds. When we are left to ourselves, we are engrossed with this man’s scope and that man’s talents. Consequently we lay down our lives for material gains. It is of course uncertain whether we can possess the objects of our desire, despite our life-long pursuit after it. In order to have material gains, we must take help of others. In other words we must acknowledge obligation to others. Once we possess the object of our desire, it may lose its charm. And we have to go for possessing something else. Since the objects of desire are scarce in the world, there is a lot of competition among men for them. Often it results in bitter strifes. Besides once we possess a thing, it is subject to wear and tear. The possession of a thing , again, only satisfies our will to power over others. But our hearts are never as happy as when we all of a sudden catch the sight of a sea or a mountain. But cannot the heart be jocund on its own? The perusal of the religious books makes us think in a different way. We are impelled to think of God. We need no one’s help to attain God. Only thing is that we must help ourselves. We must withdraw our senses from the outer world and drive them inward to discover God that lurks in our hearts. God is one. Still each one of the six hundred million people on earth can possess him exclusively. Ihe more one is in contact with God, thee more he is in love with God. So he has no fear of being disillusioned. God has no wear and tear , so no one possesses God, one has no fear of losing God. Since God is at the innermost region of one’s heart, one’s heart is truly filled with joy on its own. Once we seek God , we need no external aid to become happy. Our material possessions do not accompany us when we die. But God persists with us even after death. Oh God!Give us the strength To worship you! This is a plague ridden world Cut off from the eternity No one can escape from here lest the plague of mortality spreads in other worlds too. Every day,, every morning, every night Man are being carried in their coffins to their tombs. No one knows, when death will visit us, Our friends, our dear and near ones And our children Nothing belongs to us in this world. Even the body is not ours Or else, why should we leave the body even when we do not will it. The mind and senses are not ours as well. Or else why do they not obey our commands To turn back from the objects of the outer world, Oh God! Give us the strength to Have command over mind and senses Give us the strength to contemplate on you alone You have no death One who can contemplate on the deathless Becomes death-less himself He alone escapes the plague ridden world And joins the tribe of the immortals. Alas! I pray to you for emancipation? My mind drifts me away from you thereby Like the most vile and treacherous valet. Why should I pray to you for the sake of anything else than for prayer itself. I do not want escape from the plague-ridden world However much harsh and alien it Might appear to me I am ready to born over and over again Here only And remain ever a bondman to serve your will Oh God!Give me strength enough to be your devotee for ever and anon. Om Shanti!Om Shanti!Om Shanti! Peace!Peace!Peace!

Champak Waves by Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya

Cancel Sometimes you feel that you have nothing to do you have nothing to think over you have nothing to say and despite that you have to do something you have to think something you have to speak something and you slip into the world of the absurd.The absurd world is right before you. The absurd is what is. You live despite yourself. Yes there is no meaning in living. Everything in this existence is transitory.Every achievement is transitory. Every relationship is brittle.Every hope and every aspiration is momentary. Our aims change their names every hour. Such reflections are cliché.But suppose if I could conjure a world where all that I wanted would be there never to vanish from my possession.Would I get back the zest for life. A world where everything is permanent is the world of the dead.If I had Prime Minister Manmohan ever on his knees before me…Horrible!! I need some space where I could remain alone.Well if there were nobody to love me or quarrel with me no trees no birds no skies no earth. Then I would be the God—all one.Would I like to live in that case?Why should I live even if I were the God. People believe in God. People vouch that they know for certain that God is. Well there are monotheists. They claim there is one God who rules over the world. Well if I were that God how long should I play with the world or the universe or the multiverse. To become God could be a noble aim. But when you become God you become tired of ruling the world.If a God is there to rule the world through eternity he is a poor fellow indeed He is dullard. Pity him. Because the God as conceived by the monotheists cannot die even if he finds the play of ruling the multiverse as dull drudgery.And if the God cannot die , if the God cannot commit suicide he is surely not God because he is not omnipotent. He is just like me who cannot die despite his death wish. Just as the God has the power to destroy the world so should he have the power to destroy himself.In fact one who knows how to destroy the other the universe being the other to the God knows to destroy himself. But once the God knows to destroy others and destroy himself he is no God . Because he is not eternal. Let me tell the monotheists that if there is one God who rules the world and if he has nothing el.se to do he is no God. Again if he has other things to do , that is if he is actuated by desires yet to be realised then he is no better than what Tom and Dick are Again seen from another angle if the God cannot destroy himself how can he destroy the world? So if there is anything called God which is deathless and all powerful the world is deathless too. If both the God and the world were eternal then everything whatever we see touch feel taste and hear is god . So the existence is but peopled with myriads of gods. There are no men no chimpanzees no protozoas. Or else every chimpanzee every protozoa every man every electron is god deathless and eternal. In that case our births and deaths are illusions and the world is a welter of gods ever quarreling and fighting and making love with one another That transforms the world into the realm of the puranas, No no I donot want to be a protagonist of any purana be it Indian or Hellenic Again if the world and the God are both eternal and omnipotent then both are the same person. Because two persons cannot be seated in the same space. Then monism seems to be the truth. But what use becoming the God when nothing else exists. People want to be left alone sometimes. I myself enjoy loneliness. But loneliness exists because friendship exists kinship exists. I want to be lonely because I have friends and I donot want to stay with them. But when God alone is he cannot enjoy loneliness even. Because he has no friends. If God does not touch anything taste anything see anything enjoy anything what is he? If God alone is he is not there.So there is no point in trying to become God. If you have nothing to try for at least you could try to die. But alas alas you cannot die before your death in most cases. It needs a different mettle to commit suicide. With us who cannot commit suicide those who commit suicide have something heroic about them . Now a days there is the notion of welfare state. Not only that the comity of nations are committed to the welfare of all men . There is the notion of human rights. Let those rights include the right to suicide. The welfare states are supposed to shell out doles to the unemployed. Let them also dole out death. They are doing it in the wromg way. Think of the events in Maarichjhanpi during the Left Front rule in West Bengal. The government drowned at least hundred boats carrying the refugees who were first hounded out from Bangladesh and sent to Dandakaaranya and then invited to West Bengal to meet violent death. I donot want to meet a vio;lent. Death. This is a manifesto where I ask for the right to death as one of the human rights and where everyone has the right to die peacefully. Just think of those who peacefully embrace death lawfully drinking some drug to the drains. One minute past they sink Lethewards. What is Lethe? It is a ceaseless wavy movement of unending fragrance It is champak champak all the waves. The end of an absurd life. The absurd world and its accompanying absurd God and gods are transformed into waves of fragrance and you get drowned in them once you use your right to death. Sometimes you feel that you have nothing to do you have nothing to think over you have nothing to say and despite that you have to do something you have to think something you have to speak something and you slip into the world of the absurd.The absurd world is right before you. The absurd is what is. You live despite yourself. Yes there is no meaning in living. Everything in this existence is transitory.Every achievement is transitory. Every relationship is brittle.Every hope and every aspiration is momentary. Our aims change their names every hour. Such reflections are cliché.But suppose if I could conjure a world where all that I wanted would be there never to vanish from my possession.Would I get back the zest for life. A world where everything is permanent is the world of the dead.If I had Prime Minister Manmohan ever on his knees before me…Horrible!! I need some space where I could remain alone.Well if there were nobody to love me or quarrel with me no trees no birds no skies no earth. Then I would be the God—all one.Would I like to live in that case?Why should I live even if I were the God. People believe in God. People vouch that they know for certain that God is. Well there are monotheists. They claim there is one God who rules over the world. Well if I were that God how long should I play with the world or the universe or the multiverse. To become God could be a noble aim. But when you become God you become tired of ruling the world.If a God is there to rule the world through eternity he is a poor fellow indeed He is dullard. Pity him. Because the God as conceived by the monotheists cannot die even if he finds the play of ruling the multiverse as dull drudgery.And if the God cannot die , if the God cannot commit suicide he is surely not God because he is not omnipotent. He is just like me who cannot die despite his death wish. Just as the God has the power to destroy the world so should he have the power to destroy himself.In fact one who knows how to destroy the other the universe being the other to the God knows to destroy himself. But once the God knows to destroy others and destroy himself he is no God . Because he is not eternal. Let me tell the monotheists that if there is one God who rules the world and if he has nothing el.se to do he is no God. Again if he has other things to do , that is if he is actuated by desires yet to be realised then he is no better than what Tom and Dick are Again seen from another angle if the God cannot destroy himself how can he destroy the world? So if there is anything called God which is deathless and all powerful the world is deathless too. If both the God and the world were eternal then everything whatever we see touch feel taste and hear is god . So the existence is but peopled with myriads of gods. There are no men no chimpanzees no protozoas. Or else every chimpanzee every protozoa every man every electron is god deathless and eternal. In that case our births and deaths are illusions and the world is a welter of gods ever quarreling and fighting and making love with one another That transforms the world into the realm of the puranas, No no I donot want to be a protagonist of any purana be it Indian or Hellenic Again if the world and the God are both eternal and omnipotent then both are the same person. Because two persons cannot be seated in the same space. Then monism seems to be the truth. But what use becoming the God when nothing else exists. People want to be left alone sometimes. I myself enjoy loneliness. But loneliness exists because friendship exists kinship exists. I want to be lonely because I have friends and I donot want to stay with them. But when God alone is he cannot enjoy loneliness even. Because he has no friends. If God does not touch anything taste anything see anything enjoy anything what is he? If God alone is he is not there.So there is no point in trying to become God. If you have nothing to try for at least you could try to die. But alas alas you cannot die before your death in most cases. It needs a different mettle to commit suicide. With us who cannot commit suicide those who commit suicide have something heroic about them . Now a days there is the notion of welfare state. Not only that the comity of nations are committed to the welfare of all men . There is the notion of human rights. Let those rights include the right to suicide. The welfare states are supposed to shell out doles to the unemployed. Let them also dole out death. They are doing it in the wromg way. Think of the events in Maarichjhanpi during the Left Front rule in West Bengal. The government drowned at least hundred boats carrying the refugees who were first hounded out from Bangladesh and sent to Dandakaaranya and then invited to West Bengal to meet violent death. I donot want to meet a vio;lent. Death. This is a manifesto where I ask for the right to death as one of the human rights and where everyone has the right to die peacefully. Just think of those who peacefully embrace death lawfully drinking some drug to the drains. One minute past they sink Lethewards. What is Lethe? It is a ceaseless wavy movement of unending fragrance It is champak champak all the waves. The end of an absurd life. The absurd world and its accompanying absurd God and gods are transformed into waves of fragrance and you get drowned in them once you use your right to death. Sometimes you feel that you have nothing to do you have nothing to think over you have nothing to say and despite that you have to do something you have to think something you have to speak something and you slip into the world of the absurd.The absurd world is right before you. The absurd is what is. You live despite yourself. Yes there is no meaning in living. Everything in this existence is transitory.Every achievement is transitory. Every relationship is brittle.Every hope and every aspiration is momentary. Our aims change their names every hour. Such reflections are cliché.But suppose if I could conjure a world where all that I wanted would be there never to vanish from my possession.Would I get back the zest for life. A world where everything is permanent is the world of the dead.If I had Prime Minister Manmohan ever on his knees before me…Horrible!! I need some space where I could remain alone.Well if there were nobody to love me or quarrel with me no trees no birds no skies no earth. Then I would be the God—all one.Would I like to live in that case?Why should I live even if I were the God. People believe in God. People vouch that they know for certain that God is. Well there are monotheists. They claim there is one God who rules over the world. Well if I were that God how long should I play with the world or the universe or the multiverse. To become God could be a noble aim. But when you become God you become tired of ruling the world.If a God is there to rule the world through eternity he is a poor fellow indeed He is dullard. Pity him. Because the God as conceived by the monotheists cannot die even if he finds the play of ruling the multiverse as dull drudgery.And if the God cannot die , if the God cannot commit suicide he is surely not God because he is not omnipotent. He is just like me who cannot die despite his death wish. Just as the God has the power to destroy the world so should he have the power to destroy himself.In fact one who knows how to destroy the other the universe being the other to the God knows to destroy himself. But once the God knows to destroy others and destroy himself he is no God . Because he is not eternal. Let me tell the monotheists that if there is one God who rules the world and if he has nothing el.se to do he is no God. Again if he has other things to do , that is if he is actuated by desires yet to be realised then he is no better than what Tom and Dick are Again seen from another angle if the God cannot destroy himself how can he destroy the world? So if there is anything called God which is deathless and all powerful the world is deathless too. If both the God and the world were eternal then everything whatever we see touch feel taste and hear is god . So the existence is but peopled with myriads of gods. There are no men no chimpanzees no protozoas. Or else every chimpanzee every protozoa every man every electron is god deathless and eternal. In that case our births and deaths are illusions and the world is a welter of gods ever quarreling and fighting and making love with one another That transforms the world into the realm of the puranas, No no I donot want to be a protagonist of any purana be it Indian or Hellenic Again if the world and the God are both eternal and omnipotent then both are the same person. Because two persons cannot be seated in the same space. Then monism seems to be the truth. But what use becoming the God when nothing else exists. People want to be left alone sometimes. I myself enjoy loneliness. But loneliness exists because friendship exists kinship exists. I want to be lonely because I have friends and I donot want to stay with them. But when God alone is he cannot enjoy loneliness even. Because he has no friends. If God does not touch anything taste anything see anything enjoy anything what is he? If God alone is he is not there.So there is no point in trying to become God. If you have nothing to try for at least you could try to die. But alas alas you cannot die before your death in most cases. It needs a different mettle to commit suicide. With us who cannot commit suicide those who commit suicide have something heroic about them . Now a days there is the notion of welfare state. Not only that the comity of nations are committed to the welfare of all men . There is the notion of human rights. Let those rights include the right to suicide. The welfare states are supposed to shell out doles to the unemployed. Let them also dole out death. They are doing it in the wromg way. Think of the events in Maarichjhanpi during the Left Front rule in West Bengal. The government drowned at least hundred boats carrying the refugees who were first hounded out from Bangladesh and sent to Dandakaaranya and then invited to West Bengal to meet violent death. I donot want to meet a vio;lent. Death. This is a manifesto where I ask for the right to death as one of the human rights and where everyone has the right to die peacefully. Just think of those who peacefully embrace death lawfully drinking some drug to the drains. One minute past they sink Lethewards. What is Lethe? It is a ceaseless wavy movement of unending fragrance It is champak champak all the waves. The end of an absurd life. The absurd world and its accompanying absurd God and gods are transformed into waves of fragrance and you get drowned in them once you use your right to death. Sometimes you feel that you have nothing to do you have nothing to think over you have nothing to say and despite that you have to do something you have to think something you have to speak something and you slip into the world of the absurd.The absurd world is right before you. The absurd is what is. You live despite yourself. Yes there is no meaning in living. Everything in this existence is transitory.Every achievement is transitory. Every relationship is brittle.Every hope and every aspiration is momentary. Our aims change their names every hour. Such reflections are cliché.But suppose if I could conjure a world where all that I wanted would be there never to vanish from my possession.Would I get back the zest for life. A world where everything is permanent is the world of the dead.If I had Prime Minister Manmohan ever on his knees before me…Horrible!! I need some space where I could remain alone.Well if there were nobody to love me or quarrel with me no trees no birds no skies no earth. Then I would be the God—all one.Would I like to live in that case?Why should I live even if I were the God. People believe in God. People vouch that they know for certain that God is. Well there are monotheists. They claim there is one God who rules over the world. Well if I were that God how long should I play with the world or the universe or the multiverse. To become God could be a noble aim. But when you become God you become tired of ruling the world.If a God is there to rule the world through eternity he is a poor fellow indeed He is dullard. Pity him. Because the God as conceived by the monotheists cannot die even if he finds the play of ruling the multiverse as dull drudgery.And if the God cannot die , if the God cannot commit suicide he is surely not God because he is not omnipotent. He is just like me who cannot die despite his death wish. Just as the God has the power to destroy the world so should he have the power to destroy himself.In fact one who knows how to destroy the other the universe being the other to the God knows to destroy himself. But once the God knows to destroy others and destroy himself he is no God . Because he is not eternal. Let me tell the monotheists that if there is one God who rules the world and if he has nothing el.se to do he is no God. Again if he has other things to do , that is if he is actuated by desires yet to be realised then he is no better than what Tom and Dick are Again seen from another angle if the God cannot destroy himself how can he destroy the world? So if there is anything called God which is deathless and all powerful the world is deathless too. If both the God and the world were eternal then everything whatever we see touch feel taste and hear is god . So the existence is but peopled with myriads of gods. There are no men no chimpanzees no protozoas. Or else every chimpanzee every protozoa every man every electron is god deathless and eternal. In that case our births and deaths are illusions and the world is a welter of gods ever quarreling and fighting and making love with one another That transforms the world into the realm of the puranas, No no I donot want to be a protagonist of any purana be it Indian or Hellenic Again if the world and the God are both eternal and omnipotent then both are the same person. Because two persons cannot be seated in the same space. Then monism seems to be the truth. But what use becoming the God when nothing else exists. People want to be left alone sometimes. I myself enjoy loneliness. But loneliness exists because friendship exists kinship exists. I want to be lonely because I have friends and I donot want to stay with them. But when God alone is he cannot enjoy loneliness even. Because he has no friends. If God does not touch anything taste anything see anything enjoy anything what is he? If God alone is he is not there.So there is no point in trying to become God. If you have nothing to try for at least you could try to die. But alas alas you cannot die before your death in most cases. It needs a different mettle to commit suicide. With us who cannot commit suicide those who commit suicide have something heroic about them . Now a days there is the notion of welfare state. Not only that the comity of nations are committed to the welfare of all men . There is the notion of human rights. Let those rights include the right to suicide. The welfare states are supposed to shell out doles to the unemployed. Let them also dole out death. They are doing it in the wromg way. Think of the events in Maarichjhanpi during the Left Front rule in West Bengal. The government drowned at least hundred boats carrying the refugees who were first hounded out from Bangladesh and sent to Dandakaaranya and then invited to West Bengal to meet violent death. I donot want to meet a vio;lent. Death. This is a manifesto where I ask for the right to death as one of the human rights and where everyone has the right to die peacefully. Just think of those who peacefully embrace death lawfully drinking some drug to the drains. One minute past they sink Lethewards. What is Lethe? It is a ceaseless wavy movement of unending fragrance It is champak champak all the waves. The end of an absurd life. The absurd world and its accompanying absurd God and gods are transformed into waves of fragrance and you get drowned in them once you use your right to death. Sometimes you feel that you have nothing to do you have nothing to think over you have nothing to say and despite that you have to do something you have to think something you have to speak something and you slip into the world of the absurd.The absurd world is right before you. The absurd is what is. You live despite yourself. Yes there is no meaning in living. Everything in this existence is transitory.Every achievement is transitory. Every relationship is brittle.Every hope and every aspiration is momentary. Our aims change their names every hour. Such reflections are cliché.But suppose if I could conjure a world where all that I wanted would be there never to vanish from my possession.Would I get back the zest for life. A world where everything is permanent is the world of the dead.If I had Prime Minister Manmohan ever on his knees before me…Horrible!! I need some space where I could remain alone.Well if there were nobody to love me or quarrel with me no trees no birds no skies no earth. Then I would be the God—all one.Would I like to live in that case?Why should I live even if I were the God. People believe in God. People vouch that they know for certain that God is. Well there are monotheists. They claim there is one God who rules over the world. Well if I were that God how long should I play with the world or the universe or the multiverse. To become God could be a noble aim. But when you become God you become tired of ruling the world.If a God is there to rule the world through eternity he is a poor fellow indeed He is dullard. Pity him. Because the God as conceived by the monotheists cannot die even if he finds the play of ruling the multiverse as dull drudgery.And if the God cannot die , if the God cannot commit suicide he is surely not God because he is not omnipotent. He is just like me who cannot die despite his death wish. Just as the God has the power to destroy the world so should he have the power to destroy himself.In fact one who knows how to destroy the other the universe being the other to the God knows to destroy himself. But once the God knows to destroy others and destroy himself he is no God . Because he is not eternal. Let me tell the monotheists that if there is one God who rules the world and if he has nothing el.se to do he is no God. Again if he has other things to do , that is if he is actuated by desires yet to be realised then he is no better than what Tom and Dick are Again seen from another angle if the God cannot destroy himself how can he destroy the world? So if there is anything called God which is deathless and all powerful the world is deathless too. If both the God and the world were eternal then everything whatever we see touch feel taste and hear is god . So the existence is but peopled with myriads of gods. There are no men no chimpanzees no protozoas. Or else every chimpanzee every protozoa every man every electron is god deathless and eternal. In that case our births and deaths are illusions and the world is a welter of gods ever quarreling and fighting and making love with one another That transforms the world into the realm of the puranas, No no I donot want to be a protagonist of any purana be it Indian or Hellenic Again if the world and the God are both eternal and omnipotent then both are the same person. Because two persons cannot be seated in the same space. Then monism seems to be the truth. But what use becoming the God when nothing else exists. People want to be left alone sometimes. I myself enjoy loneliness. But loneliness exists because friendship exists kinship exists. I want to be lonely because I have friends and I donot want to stay with them. But when God alone is he cannot enjoy loneliness even. Because he has no friends. If God does not touch anything taste anything see anything enjoy anything what is he? If God alone is he is not there.So there is no point in trying to become God. If you have nothing to try for at least you could try to die. But alas alas you cannot die before your death in most cases. It needs a different mettle to commit suicide. With us who cannot commit suicide those who commit suicide have something heroic about them . Now a days there is the notion of welfare state. Not only that the comity of nations are committed to the welfare of all men . There is the notion of human rights. Let those rights include the right to suicide. The welfare states are supposed to shell out doles to the unemployed. Let them also dole out death. They are doing it in the wromg way. Think of the events in Maarichjhanpi during the Left Front rule in West Bengal. The government drowned at least hundred boats carrying the refugees who were first hounded out from Bangladesh and sent to Dandakaaranya and then invited to West Bengal to meet violent death. I donot want to meet a vio;lent. Death. This is a manifesto where I ask for the right to death as one of the human rights and where everyone has the right to die peacefully. Just think of those who peacefully embrace death lawfully drinking some drug to the drains. One minute past they sink Lethewards. What is Lethe? It is a ceaseless wavy movement of unending fragrance It is champak champak all the waves. The end of an absurd life. The absurd world and its accompanying absurd God and gods are transformed into waves of fragrance and you get drowned in them once you use your right to death. Sometimes you feel that you have nothing to do you have nothing to think over you have nothing to say and despite that you have to do something you have to think something you have to speak something and you slip into the world of the absurd.The absurd world is right before you. The absurd is what is. You live despite yourself. Yes there is no meaning in living. Everything in this existence is transitory.Every achievement is transitory. Every relationship is brittle.Every hope and every aspiration is momentary. Our aims change their names every hour. Such reflections are cliché.But suppose if I could conjure a world where all that I wanted would be there never to vanish from my possession.Would I get back the zest for life. A world where everything is permanent is the world of the dead.If I had Prime Minister Manmohan ever on his knees before me…Horrible!! I need some space where I could remain alone.Well if there were nobody to love me or quarrel with me no trees no birds no skies no earth. Then I would be the God—all one.Would I like to live in that case?Why should I live even if I were the God. People believe in God. People vouch that they know for certain that God is. Well there are monotheists. They claim there is one God who rules over the world. Well if I were that God how long should I play with the world or the universe or the multiverse. To become God could be a noble aim. But when you become God you become tired of ruling the world.If a God is there to rule the world through eternity he is a poor fellow indeed He is dullard. Pity him. Because the God as conceived by the monotheists cannot die even if he finds the play of ruling the multiverse as dull drudgery.And if the God cannot die , if the God cannot commit suicide he is surely not God because he is not omnipotent. He is just like me who cannot die despite his death wish. Just as the God has the power to destroy the world so should he have the power to destroy himself.In fact one who knows how to destroy the other the universe being the other to the God knows to destroy himself. But once the God knows to destroy others and destroy himself he is no God . Because he is not eternal. Let me tell the monotheists that if there is one God who rules the world and if he has nothing el.se to do he is no God. Again if he has other things to do , that is if he is actuated by desires yet to be realised then he is no better than what Tom and Dick are Again seen from another angle if the God cannot destroy himself how can he destroy the world? So if there is anything called God which is deathless and all powerful the world is deathless too. If both the God and the world were eternal then everything whatever we see touch feel taste and hear is god . So the existence is but peopled with myriads of gods. There are no men no chimpanzees no protozoas. Or else every chimpanzee every protozoa every man every electron is god deathless and eternal. In that case our births and deaths are illusions and the world is a welter of gods ever quarreling and fighting and making love with one another That transforms the world into the realm of the puranas, No no I donot want to be a protagonist of any purana be it Indian or Hellenic Again if the world and the God are both eternal and omnipotent then both are the same person. Because two persons cannot be seated in the same space. Then monism seems to be the truth. But what use becoming the God when nothing else exists. People want to be left alone sometimes. I myself enjoy loneliness. But loneliness exists because friendship exists kinship exists. I want to be lonely because I have friends and I donot want to stay with them. But when God alone is he cannot enjoy loneliness even. Because he has no friends. If God does not touch anything taste anything see anything enjoy anything what is he? If God alone is he is not there.So there is no point in trying to become God. If you have nothing to try for at least you could try to die. But alas alas you cannot die before your death in most cases. It needs a different mettle to commit suicide. With us who cannot commit suicide those who commit suicide have something heroic about them . Now a days there is the notion of welfare state. Not only that the comity of nations are committed to the welfare of all men . There is the notion of human rights. Let those rights include the right to suicide. The welfare states are supposed to shell out doles to the unemployed. Let them also dole out death. They are doing it in the wromg way. Think of the events in Maarichjhanpi during the Left Front rule in West Bengal. The government drowned at least hundred boats carrying the refugees who were first hounded out from Bangladesh and sent to Dandakaaranya and then invited to West Bengal to meet violent death. I donot want to meet a vio;lent. Death. This is a manifesto where I ask for the right to death as one of the human rights and where everyone has the right to die peacefully. Just think of those who peacefully embrace death lawfully drinking some drug to the drains. One minute past they sink Lethewards. What is Lethe? It is a ceaseless wavy movement of unending fragrance It is champak champak all the waves. The end of an absurd life. The absurd world and its accompanying absurd God and gods are transformed into waves of fragrance and you get drowned in them once you use your right to death.

Durgasaptasati canto 3 translated by Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya

THIRD CANTO OF THE DURGAASAPTASATI

Risiruvaacha


The sage said


Nihanyamaanam tat sainyam
Avalokya mahaasurah
Senaani chiksurah kopaad
Yayou yoddhumathaambikaam


Seeing the demon soldiers being mayhemmed the great demon Chiksurah
took fire and rushed to fight the Mother Ambica


Sa devim saravarsena
Vavarsa samare- surah
Yathaa merugireh sringam
Toyavarsena toyadah..


The demons rained a shower of sharpest shafts on the goddess in the
battle just as the clouds rain upon the crest of the mountain Meru


Tasya chcchhittvaa tato devi
Lilayaiva sarotkaraan
Jaghaana turagaan vaanair
Yantaaranchaiva vaajinaam


The goddess dispersed them with playful ease and killed with arrows
not only the horses but also those who rode them


Chichheda cha dhanuh sadyo
Dhvajanchaapi samuchhratam
Vivyaadha chaiva gaatresu
Chinna dhanvaanamaasugaih


She instantly tore the bows of her enemies. She tore the flag that
had been flying high. She presently hurt the bodies of those whose
bows were undone.


Sa chhina dhanvaa viratho
Hataasvo hatasaarathih
Abhyadhaavata taam devim
Khdgacharmadharo’surah..


Chiksura lost his bow. He lost his chariot. His horse was killed. His
chariot driver was killed. He now rushed at the goddess with his
scimitar and shield.


Sinhamaahatya khadgena
Tiksnadhaarena murdhani
Aajaghaana bhuje savye
Devimapyati vegavaan


He hit the lion on his head with the sharp edge of the scimitar. He
was very fast. He hit the left arm of the goddess.


Tasyah khadgo bhujam praapya
Pafaala Nripanandana
Tato jagraaha sulam sa
Kopaadarunalochana


The scimitar broke into pieces getting at her hand. The demon
immediately took a sula. His eyes were red with anger.


Chiksepa sa tatastattu
Bhadrakaalyam mahasurah
Jaajvalyamaanam tejobhi
Ravivimbamivaambaraat..


The fierce demon flung the sula at Bhadrakaali-one who eats Time for
the well being of the world.The sula rushed at her aburning with power
like the sunrays from the desert skies.


Dristvaa tada aapatatchhulam
Devi sulam amunchata
Tachhulam satadhaa tena
Neetam sa cha mahaasurah


Seeing the sula coming upon her the goddess released her sula. It
broke the sula rushing at her into hundred pieces. The demon himself
fell.


Hate tasmin mahaavirye
Mahisasya chamupatau
Aajagama gajaarudhas
Chaamarastridasardanah


With the fall of the great demon who led a chamu – a vast division of
army under the Buffalo demon, there came Chaamara who defeated the
gods. Chaamara came on elephant back.


So’pi saktim mumochaatha
Devyaastamambica drutam
Humkaarabhihataam bhumau
Paatayaamaasa nisprabhaam


He also shot sakti at the goddess, mother Ambica without delay.The
goddess roared at him and he fell on the earth reft of all lustre.


Bhagnaam saktim nipotitaam
Dristvaa krodhasamanvitah
Chiksepa Chaamarah sulam
Vaanaistadapi saachhinat


Seeing the sakti broken into pieces the demon Chamara was angered.
He flung sula at the goddess. The goddess broke it too with arrows.


Tatah sinhah samutpatya
Gajakumbhaantarasthitah
Baahuyuddhena yuyudhe
Tenoschaistridasarinaa


Then the lion leaped forth and fought hand to hand with the
demon ,from behind the head of the elephant.


Yudhyamaano tatastau tu
Tasmaannaagaan mahim gatau
Yuyudhaateti samrabdhau
Prahaarairatidaarunaih


While fighting, the demon alighted from the elephant. And they fought
fiercely hitting each other.


Tato vegaat khamutpatya
Nipatya cha mrigaarinaa
Karaprahaarena sirah
Chaamarasya prithak kritam..


Then with great speed the lion, the enemy of the animals,lifted up the
demon in the skies and then flung him onto the earth.The lion with his
hands chopped off the head of the demon Chaamara.


Udagrascha rane devyaa
Silaavriksaadibhirhatah
Dandamusthi talaschaiva
Karaalascha nipaatitah


In the fight with the goddess Udagra was killed with stones and trees.
She also killed the demon Kasraala by name hitting him with stick ,
fists and slaps


Devi Kruddhaa gadaa paatais
Churnayaamaasa choddhatam
Vaaskalam Bhindipaalena
Vaanaistamram tathaandhakam


The goddess , now angry,smashed the demon Uddhata also..She killed
Vaaskala with bhindipaala. She killed Andhaka and Taamra with arrows


Ugraasyamugraviryancha
Tathaiva cha mahaahanum
Trinetraa cha trisulena
Jaghaana parameswari


The goddess of gods, Parameswari, who has three eyes, killed
Ughraasya and Ugravirya as well as
Mahaahanu with trident


Bidaalasyasinaa kaayat
Paatayaamaasa vai sirah
Durdharam durmukhanchobhau
Sarairnirnye yamaksayam


She felled the head from the body of the demon Bidaalaasya. She sent
both Durdhara and Durmukh to the realm of Death.


Evam samkshiyamaane tu
Svasainye mahisaasurah
Maahisena swarupena
Traasayaamaasa tan ganaan


When the demons were thus being decimated , the Buffalo demon showed
up ,with his army in the shape of a buffalo and sent terror into the
hearts of the ganah, that constituted the army of the goddess.


Kaanschit tundaprahaarena
Ksurakshepaistathaaparaan
Laangulataaditaam schaanyaan
Sringaabhyancha vidaaritaan


He beat some with his mouth.He scared others with his hoofs flinging
at them.He drove away others with his tail.He pushed his horns into
others.


Vegena kangschidaparaan
Naadena bhraamanena cha
Niswasa pavanenaanyaan
Paatayaamaasa bhutale


He killed some with his speed.He put others to death by sheer lowing.
He moved others to death.He threw others onto the ground with the
force of his exhalation.


Nipaatya pramathaanikam
Abhyadhaavata so’surah
Sinham hantum mahaadevyah
Kopanchakre tato’mbica


Having ravaged the army of the pramathas or the army of the goddess
the demon now rushed to kill the lion.The goddess- the mother of all,
now got angry.


So’pi kopaan mahaaviryah
Ksurakshunna mahitalah
Sringaabhyaam parvataanuchchaan
Chiksepa cha nanaada cha..


The great warrior Buffalo demon also shook the earth with his hoofs
in a huff. He lifted up tall mountains with his horns and hurled them
at the goddess and shouted.


Vegabhramana viksunnaa
Mahi tasya vyasiryata
Laangulenaahataschaabdhih
Plaavayaamaasa sarvatah


Wounded by his fast movements the Earth trembled.The seas being
churned by his tail flooded in all directions.


Dhutasringavibhinnascha
Khandakhandam yayurghanaah
Shvasaanilaastah satasho
Nipeturnabhas’ochalah


The clouds went scattered being shattered by the excited horns. With
the wind of his breath mountains were flung from the skies.


Iti krodhasamaadhmaatam
Aapatantam mahaasuram
Dristvaa saa chandikaa kopam
Tadvadhaaya tadaakarot


The great demon rushed at her from the skies.Seeing this, goddess
Chandikaa was angry and acted to kill him.


Saa ksiptvaa tasya vai pasam
Tam vavandha mahaasuram
Tatyaja maahisam rupam
So’pi vaddho mahaamridhe


She threw a rope and chained the Buffalo demon.At once the demon gave
up his buffalo shape being roped in the fierce fight.


Tatah sinho’bhavat sadyo
Yavattasyaambikaa shirah
Chhinatti tavatpurusa
Khadgapaaniradrisyata


Instantly the demon became a lion. Ambica the mother goddess was about
to chop off his head. And at once he revealed himself as a man with
sabre in his hand.


Tata evaasu purusam
Devi chichcheda saayakaih
Tam khadga charmanaa sardham
Tata so’bhunmahaagaja


He was armed with the sabre and the shield. The goddess hit him with
arrows presently.At once he became a giant elephant.


Karena cha mahaasinham
Tanchakarsa jagarja cha
Karsatastu karam devi
khadgena nirakrintata


The elephant hit the lion with its trunk and shouted.The goddess cut
off the trunk with an axe while it was whipping the lion.


Tato mahaasuro bhuyo
Maahisam vapuraasthitah
Tathaiva ksobhayaamaasa
Trailokyamsacharaacharam


Then the fierce demon took refuge in the body of a buffalo again and
shook the three worlds with all their movables and immovables.


Tatah kruddhaa jaganmaataa
Chandikaa paanamuttamam
Papau punah punaschaiva
Jahaasaarunalochanaa


Then Chandikaa , the angry Mother of the existence, drank manna over
and over again and burst in rocking laughter. Her eyes were red.


Nanarda chaasurah so’pi
Balaviryamadoddhata
Visaanaabhyancha chiksepa
Chandikaan prati bhudharaan


The demon also danced intoxicated with strength,prowess and pride.
With great flourish he hurled mountains at Chandikaa


Saa cha taan prahitaams
Tena churnayanti sarotkaraih
Uvaacha tam madoddhuta
Mukharaagaa kulaksaram


She destroyed those missiles hurled at her with arrows. Her face was
red.She spoke to the vain demon-----


Devi Uvaaca


The goddess said


Garja garja ksanam mudha
Madhu yaavat pivaamyaham
Mayaa tvayi hate’traiva
Garjisyantyasu devatah


Oh you fool! Shout for the moment as long as I drink honey. Here
only you will be slain by me. The gods will roar presently.


Risiruvaacha
The sage said


Evamukta samutpatya
Saarudhaa tam mahaasuram
Paadenaakramya kanthe cha
Sulenainamataadayat


Saying this she stamped on the demon and pressed his neck with her
legs. She hit her with the trident.


Tatah so’ pi padaakraantas
Tayaa nijamukhaattatah
Ardhaniskraanta evaapi
Devya viryena samvritah


Then the demon also being stamped by the goddess came half way from
his mouth. But the prowess of the goddess made him inert there
Ardhaniskraanta evaasau
Yuddhamano mahaasurah
Tayaa mahaasinaa devyaa
Sira chhittvaa nipaatitah


Come half way out from its own mouth the great demon, still
flourishing ,was beheaded by the great sword of the goddess. Thus the
demon fell.


Tato haa haa kritam sarvam
Daityasainyam nanaasa tat
Praharsancha param jagmuh
Sakalaa devataa ganaah


The rest of the army of the demon was destroyed with Haa Haa. And
every one among the gods was exceedingly happy.


Tushtuvustaam suraa devim
saha divyairmaharsibhih
Jagu gandharvapatayor
Nanrituschaapsaroganah


The gods now propitiated the goddess The divine sages joined the gods.
The heavenly choir was loud. The divine damsels took to dance in
spright..


The canto three ends here. It dwells on how the Buffalo demon was
slai

Durgasaptasati canto 2 translated by Ramesh Mukhopadhyaya

The Killing of the Buffalo-demon or Mahisasura----1 (canto 2 of
Durgasaptasati)

Risiruvaca
The sage said


Devaasuram abhud yuddham
Purnam abdasatam puraa .
Mahisesuraanamadhipe
Devanaaancha purandare..


Once upon a time there was a terrible fight between the gods and the
demons which continued for hundred years.The Buffalo was the lord of
the demons and Purandara Indra was the king of the gods at that time.


Tatraasuraih mahaaviryaih
Devasainyam paraajitam
Jitva tu sakalaan devaan
Indrobhut Mahisaasurah


In that hundred years’ war the mighty demons defeated the army of
gods. Having vanquished each and every god the Buffalo demon became
the Indra or the ruler of heaven


Tatah paraajitaa devah
Padmayonim prajaapatim.
Puraskritya gataastatra
Yatresagarudadhvajau..


Thereafter the Creator who was born in the lotus navel of Visnu led
the defeated gods ; they reached where Lord Siva and the god whose
emblem is Garuda were sitting together


Yathaavrittam tayostadvan
Mahisaasurachestitam
Tridashah kathayaamaasur
Devaabhibhavavistaram
The gods reported them the activities of the Buffalo demon as they
took place.They also reported the plight of the gods in detail


Suryendraagnyanilendunaam
Yamasya Varunasya cha
Anyesaanchaadhikaaraan sa
Swayamevadhitisthati


The Buffalo demon himself has assumed himself the powers of Surya-
Sun ,of Indra –the Lord of heaven , of Anila-the Wind god , of Varuna
– the god of the waters as well as of others


Svargaanniraakritaah sarve
Tena devaganaa bhuvi
Vicharanti yathaa martyaa
Mahisena duraatmanaa


Driven away from the heaven by the wicked Buffalo, the gods are
wandering in the earth like earthlings


Etadvah kathitam sarvam
Amaraarivichestitam
Saranam cha prapannah sma
Vadhastasya vichintyataam


So this is all that we have to tell you. We take refuge with you.
Think how the demon could be killed.


Ittham nisamya devaanaam
Vachaamsi madhusudanah
Chakaara kopam sambhuscha
Bhrukutikutilaananou


Having heard the speech of the gods the face of Madhusudana- the god
who killed the demon Madhu and the face of Lord Sambhu showed
curves in the eyebrow.Both of them were angry.


Tatoti kopapurnasya
Chakrino vadanattatah
Nischakraama mahattejo
Brahmanah sankarasya cha


Presently a great energy emitted from the fiercely angry face of the
god who wields the wheel. Also energy emitted from the faces of
Brahmaa and Sankara


Anyesaanchaiva devaanam
Sakraadinaam sariratah
Nirgatam sumahattejas
Tachchaikyam samagachhata


Great energy emitted from the bodies of Sakra and other gods. The
energy thus emitted from the different gods united.


Ateeva tejasah kutam
Jvalantam iva parvatam
Dadrisuste surastatra
Jvaalaavyapta digantaram


It was a mountain peak made of untold energy. It was a mountain
aburning as it were. The gods there were marveled at the sight of the
horizon aflame.


Atulam tatra tattejah
Sarvadeva sarirajam
Ekastham tadabhunnaari
Vyaptalokatrayam tvisa


That mass of energy gathered there had no peer anywhere. It was the
collective energy of all the gods.And lo! Yonder stood a woman.The
three worlds were plunged in her light.


Yadabhuchchamvavatejas
Tenaajaayata tanmukham.
Yaamyena chaabhavan kesaa
Vaahavo visnutejasaa..


Her face was made of the energy that emanated from Lord Sambhu. Her
hair was made of the energy of the Lord of Death or Control. Her hands
were forged by Visnu.


Saumyena stanayoryugmam
Madhyanchaindrena chaabhavat.
Baarunena cha janghoru
Nitambastejasaa bhuvah..


The Moon made her breasts. The middle portion of her body was
engineered by Indra the god who wields thunder. Her thighs were made
by Varuna the water god . Her heaps were created by the light come
from the Earth.


Brahmanastejasaa paadau
Tadangulyorka tejasaa
Basunaancha karaangulyah
Kauverena cha naasikaa


The legs were made of the energy of Brahmaa the Creator. Its fingers
were moulded by the energy from the Sun. The fingers of the hand were
made by the Basus. Her nose was made by Kuvera


Tasyaastu dantaah sambhutaah
Praajaapatyena tejasaa
Nayanatritayam yajne
Tathaa paavakatejasaa


Her teeth were created by the energies of god prajaapati. The energy
of the Fire god created the three eyes


Bhruvau sandhyayosteja
Sravanaavanilasya cha
Anyesaanchaiva devaanaam
Sambhavastejasaam sivaa


The Twilight Hours or Sandhya created her eyebrows. The energies of
the Windgod created the ears. The lady goddess who could be called the
goddess of wellbeing or Sivaa was thus created by all the other gods
and goddesses as well.


Tatah samasta devaanaam
Tejoraasim samudbhavaam
Taam vilokyamudam praapur
Amaraamahisaarditaa


Seeing her as the creation of the collective energy of all the gods
and goddesses , the joys of the gods and goddesses who were earlier
humiliated and dispossessed by their perennial enemies, knew no bound
now.


Shulam shulaat viniskrishya
Dadau tasmai pinaakadhrik
Chakrancha dattavaan Krisnah
Samutpaadya sva chakratah..


Lord Siva who wields the pinaak conjured a trident from his trident
and gave it to her, Krisna forged another whel from his own and
bestowed the same upon her.


Sankhancha varunah
Saktimdadau hutaasanah
Maarutah dattavaanschaapam
Vaanapurne tathesudhih


Varun gave the conch. Hutasanah or Fire god gave the weapon Sakti
Maaruta gave the bow and a basket full of arrow.


Vajramindra samutpaadya
Kulisaadamaraadhipah.
Dadau tasyai sahasraakso
Ghantaamairaavataad gajaat..


The lord of the gods Indra forged a thunder from his thunder and
gave it to her. Indra ,the thousand eyed god, also gave her a bell
forging it from the bell of his mount Airaavata, the elephant


Kaladandaad yamo dandam
Pasanchambupatirdadau
Prajaapatischaaksamaalaa
Dadau Brahmaa kamandalum


Yama the god of death made a stick from his own stick that is Time and
gave it to her.The lord of the waters gave her a chain that might bind
others. The creator of myriads of lives in the world, Prajaapati, gave
her a garland.Brahmaa the creator of the world gave her a water jug or
kamandalu.


Samastaromakupesu
Nija rashmin divaakarah
Kaalascha dattavaan khadgah
Tasyaascharma cha nirmalam


Sungod , the architect of day, put his own rays into every hair
follicle of the effulgent dame. Time gave her the scimitar as well as
the shield that was bright and dazzling.


Ksirodaschaamalam haaram
Ajare cha tathaamaambare
Chudamanim tathaa divyam
Kundale katakaani cha..


The sea of condensed milk gave her a dazzling necklace and clothes
that will remain ever new. The sea also gave an elysian gem to wear on
the head ,earrings and bangles.


Ardhachandram tathaa shubhram
Keyuraan sarvavaahusu.
Nupurau vimalau tadvad
Graiveyakamanuttamam..


The god of the seas bestowed the white crescent moon upon her. He
gave armlets to deck every hand.He gave stainless nupurs for the legs.
Besides he gave a bright ornament to adorn her chin.


Anguriyaka ratnaani
Samastaasvangalisu


He also gave gems to adorn every finger of hers.


Viswakarmaa dadau tasyai
Parasunchaatinirmalam
Astaanyanekarupaani
Tathaabhedyadamsanam..


Viswakarma the engineer god . gave a bright axe to her. He also
bestowed upon her various kinds of weapons as well as an armour that
baffles all attacks.


Amlaana pankajaam maalaam
Sirasyurasi chaaparaam
Adadaad jaladhistasyai
Pankajanachaati shobhanam..


The seas gave two garlands of lotus that will never pale or wither
away---one for the head and another for the breast. The seas also gave
her a lotus exceedingly beautiful.


Himavaan vaahanam simham
Ratnaani vividhaani cha.
Dadaavasunyam surayaa
Paanapaatram dhanaadhipah..


The snowcapped Himalayas gave her a lion that she should mount. The
Himalayas also blessed her with varied and variegated gems.Kuvera the
god of money gave her a drinking bowl brimming with the finest wine.


Seshascha sarvanaagesho
Mahaamani vibhushitam
Nagahaaram dadau tasyai
Dhatte yah prithivimimaam..


Seshnaag the king of the snakes who holds the world on his hoods and
who is decked in brightest diadems gave a necklace that the serpents
are wont to wear and that has the emblem of the snake on it


Anyairapi surairdevi
Bhusanairaayudhaistathaa.
Sammaanitaa nanaadochchaih
Saattahaasam muhurmuhuh..


Honoured with ornaments and weapons by other gods as well, she burst
into a thundering
shout accompanied with peals of ceaseless laughter.


Tasyaa naadena ghorena
Kritsnamaapuritam nabhah
Amaayataatimahataa
Pratishabdo mahanabhut..


The terrible shout that she gave filled up all the skies. The terrible
shout measureless to man had equally terrible echo.


Chuksubhuh sakalah lokah
Samudrascha chakampire
Chachaala vasudhaa cheluh
Sakalaaschamahidharah


It sent a tremor through all the worlds The countless oceans in the
countless worlds trembled . The earth rocked. The mountains quaked.


Jayeti devaascha mudaa
Taamuchaih simhavaahinim
Tustuvurmunayaschainaam
Bhaktinamraatmamurtayah..


Overjoyed the gods shouted at her mounted on the lion—Victory to thee.
The sages, animated busts of the bent down with devotion, propitiated
her.


Dristvaa samastam samksudhvam
Trailokyamamaraarayah
Sannadhaakhila sainyaaste
Samuttasthurudaayudhah..


The enemies of the gods saw all the three worlds astir. They
gathered all their army. They were up with arms.


Ahh! Kimetaditi krodhaad
Aabhasya mahisaasurah.
Abhyadhaavata tam sabdam
Aseshairasurairvritah..


Ahh! What is it! Exclaimed the Buffalo demon in a huff and followed
the sound . He was accompanied and surrounded by countless demons.


Sa dadarsa tato devim
Vyaaptalokatrayam tvisa
Paadaakraantya natabhuvam
Kiritollikhitaambaraam..


He saw the goddess enveloping all the worlds with her luster. The
earth was bent under the press of her feet. Her crest tore through the
skies.


Ksobhithaasesha pataalaam
Dhanurjyanisvanena taam
Dishobhujasahasrena
Samantaad vyapya samsthitaam.


She shook all the netherworlds with the twang of her bowstring. Yonder
she stood occupying the space in every direction with her thousand
hands.


Tatah pravavrite yuddham
Tayaa devyaa suradvisaam
Sastraastrairvahudhaa muktair
Aadipita digantaram..


Then the fight between the goddess and the demons took off. The
weapons released numerous explosives in numerous methods and lit up
the horizons.


Mahisaasurasenaanis
Chiksuraakhyo mahaasurah
Yuyudhe chaamaraschaanyais
Chaturangavalaanvitah..


The commanders of the army of Mahisaasura , Chiksuro and Chaamara
by name, along with other great army leaders fought the goddess.Each
one of the commanders was accompanied with countless
footarmy ,cavalry, soldiers riding elephants, and chariots.


Rathaanamayutaih sadbhih
Udagraakhyo mahaasurah
Ayudhyataayutaanancha
Sahasrena mahaahanuh..


The fierce demon Udagra by name was fighting with 60000 chariots on
his side. The demon Mahaahanu fought with 1 crore chariots on his side


Panchaasadbhischa niyutair
Asilomaa mahaasurah
Ayutaanaam sataih sadbhir
Vaaskalo yuyudhe rane..


The great demon Asilomaa fought accompanied with 5 crore chariots.
Another Vaaskala was fighting backed up by 60 lakhs of chariots.


Gajavaaji sahasraughair
Anekaih parivaaritah
Vrito rathaanam kotya cha
Yuddhe tasminnayudhyata
Encircled by thousands of horses and elephants, equipped with a crore
chariots an other demon was fighting in the fray.


Vidaalaaksoyutaanaancha
Panchaasadbhirathaayutaih
Yuyudhe samyuge tatra
Rathaanaam parivaaritah.


The demon Viddalaakshah entered into the battle circled by 500 crore
chariots


Anye cha tatraayutasho
Rathanaagahayairvritah
Yuddhe samyuge devyaa
Khadgam parasupattisaih


There were other commanders too. They were decked with millions of
chariots , elephants,and horses in the same way. And they took on the
goddess with scimitars axes and other deadly weapons.


Koti koti sahasraistu
Rathaanam dantinaam tathaa
Hayaanaancha vrito yuddhe
Tatraabhunmahisaasurah..


There was the Buffalo demon himself decked with thousand crores of
chariots, tuskers of elephants,and horses


Tomarairbhindipaalaischa
Saktibhirmusalaistathaa
Yuyudhuh samyuge devya
Khadgam parasu pattisaih


With weapons like tomara , bhindipaala, sakti,musala, khadga ,
parasu , pattisa and the like they fought the goddess in the battle.


Kechichcha chiksipuh saktih
Kechit pashanstathaapare
Devim khadgaprahaaraischa
Te tam hantum prachakramuh


Some of them flung missiles at the goddess. Others threw ropes at
her.They were about to kill her with scimitars.


Saapi devi tatastaani
Sastraanyastraani chandikaa
Lilayaiva prachichcheda
Nijasastraastravarsini.


The goddess also shattered all those weapons and missiles with
playful ease by flinging weapons and missiles at them.


Anaayastaananaa devi
stuyamaanaa surarshibhih
Mumochaasuradehesu
Sastraanyastraani cheswari


The face of the goddess was cool and fresh. There was no trace of
tiredness in it. The gods and sages were profusely praising her. She
let loose her weapons and missiles on the bodies of the demons.


Sopi kruddho dhuto sato
Devyaa vaahana kesari
Chachaaraa surasainyesu
Vaneshwiva hutaasanah


The mount of the goddess , the lion, his manes trembling in anger,
moved about among the enemies like wildfire in the forests.


Nihswaasaanmumuche yaanscha
Yudhyamaanaa ranembika
Ta eva sadyah sambhutaa
Ganah satasahasrashah


Plunged in war, the divine mother Ambikaa released her breath and at
once hundred thousands of ganaah were born


Yuyudhuste parasubhir
Bhindipaalaasipattisaih
Naasayantosuraganaan
Devisaktyupavrimhitaah


Charged with the energy of the goddess they fought with parasu,
bhindipala,asi, pattisa and other weapons and killed the demons.


Avaadayanta patahaan ganah
Sankhaanstathaapare Avaadayanta
Mridangaanscha tathaivaanye
Tasmin yuddhamahotsave


In that great festivity of war some of the ganah sounded pataha.
Others blew the conch.There were still others among the ganaah who
played on the mridanga.


Tato devi trisulena
Gadayaa saktivristibhih
Khadgaadibhischa satasho
Nijaghaana mahaasuraan..


The goddess rained sakti upon the enemies and killed the fiercest
demons with tridents , clubs and scimitars.


Paatayamaasa chaivaanyan
Ghantaasvana vimohitaan.
Asuraan bhuvi paasena
Vaddhvaachaanyaanakarshata..


Others fell in front of her being dazed with the mortal sound of the
bell. She hooked others with ropes and pulled them to death here on
earth.


Kechiddvidhaakritaastiksnaih
Khadgapaataistathaapare
Vipotthitaa nipaatena
Gadayaa bhuvi serate


Some were cut into pieces with sharp swords.Some others werehit hard
with the club and lay on the earth


Vemuscha kechidrudhiram
Musalena bhrisam hataah
Kechinnipaatitaa bhumau
Bhinnah shulena vaksasi


Some vomited blood being terribly hurt by musala. Some were flung
on the ground their chests being torn with the trident.


Nirantarah saraughena
Kritaah kechidranaajire.
Senaanukaarinah praanaan
Mumuchustridsaardanah


Some of the enemies of gods accompanied with their soldiers kicked
the bucket being hurt with ceaseless shower of arrows.


Kesaanchid baahavaschhinnaa
Chhinnagreevaa tathaapare
Siraamsi peturanyesaam
Anye madhye vidaaritaah


The arms of some of them were torn off from their bodies. The cheeks
of some of them were chopped off from the body. The heads of some of
them fell onto the ground. Others were broken in the middle of their
body.


Vichchinna janghaastvapare
Petururvyaam mahaasuraah
Ekabaahvaksicharanaah
Kechiddevyaa dvidhaa kritaah..


Some demons had their thighs separated from the body. The goddess
cut some other demons vertically from head to foot. They fell on
the earth with one arm one eye and one foot.


Chinnepi chaanye sirasi
Patitah punarutthitah
Kabandhaa yuyudhur devyaa
Grihitaparamaayudhah


Many of them fell beheaded. Still a few of them –the torsos- leaped
forth and fought with the goddess wielding sharp weapons


Nanrituschaapare tatra
Yuddhe turyalayaashritah


Others danced there to dizzily fast beats of the war.


Kavandhaa chhinnasirasah
Khadgasaktryistipaanayah
Tistha tistheti bhaasanto
Devimanye mahasuraah


The torsos sans heads wielded scimitar and sakti in their palms.
Other great demons told the goddess—Tarry a while


Paatitai rathanaagaasvair
Asuraischa vasundhara
Agamyaa saabhavat tatra
Yatraabhut sa maharanah


The earth is known as the reservoir of immense wealth. She however
became inaccessible where the great war took place due to the corpses
of the demons and carcasses of the horses and elephants flung on the
ground. Also there were the ruins of the chariots upturned.


Sonitaughaa mahaanadyah
Sadyastatravisusruvuh
Madhye chaasurasainyasya
Vaaranaasuravaajinaam


Great rivers instantly were born laden with the flow of blood that
sprang from the demons and elephants and horses.


Ksanena tanmahaasainyam
Asuraanaam tathambica
Ninye swayam yatha vahnis
Trinadaarumahaachayam


In a moment Ambica –the great mother-herself destroyed the vast army
of the demons just as fire burns the vast accumulation of grass and
wood


Sa cha Sinho mahaanaadah
Utsrijan dhutakesarah
Sarirebhyo amaraarinam
Asuniva vichinvati


The lion also burst into loud roars . His manes were trembling. He
drank in the bodies of the enemies of gods


Devyaa ganaischa taistatra
Kritam yuddham tathasuraih
Tathaisaam tutusurdevah
Puspavristimucho divi


The ganah that were created by the goddess continued their fight
with the demons. The gods were so pleased that they showered flowers
on them from the skies.


Thus ends the second canto of Durgasaptasati. It dwells on the
massmassacre of the army of the Buffalo

The Interpretation of Politics

From: Rajannya
Subject: The Interpretation Of Politics In Democracy

Politics, it seems to me to be over the years, is that aspect of human
living which expresses the collective will of all individuals. When a
vision finds no place in this broad and complex collective, it is
either all-encompassing and transcendental, or eccentric and
misguided. The immediately succeeding meaning of the word (politics)
is the play involved in authority; in acquiring, mobilizing, and
holding on to it; and the very word, authority, implies the act of
policymaking. Interlinked these both meanings are, for where the
expression of collective will is so tangible, there creeps the concept
of power.
For many among us, politics is synonymous with democracy: indeed so,
from the way the world is actively saturated with the idea. Close
home, Indian democracy has undergone frequent renovations which have
finally enabled us, post approximately six decades of independence, to
boast of a stabler system of democracy that is brilliantly giving
birth to even higher questions. That there should be so many debates
upon democracy, proves the very fundamental success of the same.
Indian politics hence is especially fertile.
In this light, are we disposed to judge the dual import of Celia Green
when she states the following, "In an autocracy, one person has his
way; in an aristocracy, a few people have their way; in a democracy,
no one has his way."? Green might have been taken to hint that one
never realizes their desire fully in such a system of administration
as one gradually discovers their opinion's promiscuity. Even if it is
the other way round, can democratic politics transcend itself, or can
it otherwize stagnate?

As for me, I find it hard to follow our politics; not that I lack
discretion, or even a hot opinion, with regard to what transpires in
and around my state. Whenever I consider the action of those people
who shall vote for the political party I personally appreciate (I can
only consider: I am two years shorter than the lot of legal voters, as
of now), I cannot help but imagine the considerable percentage of
their counterparts who would vote for the party that is wrong in my
opinion. I want my preferred party to rule over all of us, without any
stir of inhibition on either side: with what conviction should I cast
a vote for solely myself, for I do not constitute on my own the
tiniest quantity of voters?
This is where friction creeps into my interpretations. Democracy
prioritizes quantity over quality. It hardly represents the collective
will. Not that I accuse democracy, as is popular, of facilitating
corruption; everything inclusively facilitates corruption, for it is a
habit too deep-seated to be accrued to anything but itself. I envision
a pristine entity which is at once stable and potential; which has the
sincerity and profundity of actively representing collective human
essence. Are our democratic political parties liberal enough to
manifest this idea? I desire that a strong stem sprouts branches in
order to form a tree; whereas, democracy is all about a number of
branches' coming together to form a stem and a tree's being thus
formed.
I detest having to subscribe to the practice of expressing my choice
and then letting it go to the devil of heads-o'-tails. Notwithstanding
the characteristic offshoots of democracy, vote-banking on targeted
susceptible groups and widespread meal-and-money promises, what does
democracy propagate - the importance accorded to the individual, or
the activation of purely selfish interests? Democracy narrows down the
implications of the words, majority and minority. There is always a
right way and a wrong to do things, and basic opinions into the thing
can turn out to be distortions; democracy advocates that might is
right.


(Postscript) I look forward to being enlightened in this subject by my
seniors at Sefirah.