Draupadi: The Fireborn Catalyst of Mahabharata

Many people say that Mahabharata happened because of a women “Draupadi” . Does a women like Draupadi born out of fire which is considered to be the purest elements ( pancha tatva) could become a cause of such a huge war ???? 🤔

  1. BHISHMA PITAMAH : The eldest son of the kuru dynasty is the son of goddess Ganga. He was trained in all sorts of weapons and righteousness (dharma) by none other than Parashuram. He surrendered to Dhritarashtra an unrighteousness king …. that became the basis of all sins by kuru son’s or kauravas.
  2. KARN : Karn was the son of the Sun. He was well trained in bow and arrow 🏹 and righteousness by Parashuram. He also surrendered to Kuru Son “Duryodhan”. Karn powers were the basis of all sins performed by Duryodhan.

When a strong and powerful person who has a capability of changing the society surrenders to a unrighteous , unethical, and corrupt minds, the exploitation of people and resources increase and the basis of this exploitation is always powers of that person who is capable but in the wrong side”

3. GURU DRONACHARYA: Guru Dronacharya was very attached to his son, Ashwathama. His love for his son covered Ashwathama’s sins. During the episode of Draupadi disrobing, Ashwathama abused the women. Love for a child is good but when love turns into attachments then it becomes unrighteous.

Fire is considered the purest element in our sanatan tradition. Marriages are usually conducted around fire as it burns all impurities. Rituals like yagya are performed with fire because it is the purest form. Draupadi was born out of this fire. How could such purity cause massive destruction and a war like the Mahabharata?
It was Yagya Saini Draupadi powers which dissolved all the impurities in itself and purifies the outside world!

One who desires to know oneself!!

The Samurai and the Mindful Monk: A Zen Tale

In the earlier days in feudal Japan there were trained persons in martial arts those were called as “Samurai”. Once there was a Japanese Samurai well trained in martial arts , he was extremely overconfident on his skill .

Once he went to a village and started shouting loudly …

“Is there anyone in the village who can fight with me …”

All the villagers were scared of him as he was martial arts trained . So, no one has the courage to even respond to this guy . But , there was a young Monk in that village,  he was trained by a Zen master .

He stood in front of the Samurai. He said “listen, we don’t want you to fight with anyone. Violence is not good. Please go back.” But the Samurai was adamant. He started threatening the villagers.

So, this Young Monk finally came to fight with the Samurai. The Entire village was cheering for this Young Monk. But, deep down, they all knew that this young Monk will not last a minute against this Samurai.

Anyways, the fight started….

The young Monk had no training in martial arts. Still, he learned his lessons well from his Zen Master.

ZEN master explained to the young Monk, “Listen, my child. When you keep your mind empty, the thoughts of other people will start reflecting in your mind.” Then, you would know what the other person is thinking. 🤔 “

” Mindful means the mind is completely empty. Awareness comes to the forefront in that emptiness. In that awareness, the thoughts of others would reflect. Then you would know what the other is thinking.”

So, when the fight started this Monk knew what action Samurai is going to do and he would respond suitably. Samurai got shocked whatever action he is doing, how does the monk  knew beforehand…nevertheless Monk won !!

Moral of the story is …

If someone’s mind is full of ego …he can never be mindful, mindfulness means mind full of awareness and empty of thoughts. !!




From Steps to Idol: The Journey of Resilience

Once there was a small village where there was temple of Lord Krishna.

The idol of Krishna was kept inside the Garbh Griha .There were steps /stairs which would take the devotees to the idol.

This idol of Krishna was  a consecrated (Jagrit murti) idol.

Once, at night this Murti of Krishna heard some noise of talks …. after sometime it realized the voice was coming from the steps of the stairs .The steps were whispering with each other …

People bow down to the idol , respect the idol , offers flowers 💐  . But, we don’t get anything accept they step their foot on us. What have we done wrong …we are made from the same rock of which this idol is made then why so much differentiation ????

The idol heard the talks and responded…

My dear steps, surely we are made of the same rock of Granite. They brought the first rock piece. When the hammer hit the chisel, some portions of the rock couldn’t handle the shape. Those were broken and used to make steps/stairs.

The remaining portion of the rock was strong. It patiently sustained the strokes of the hammer while shaping. This part got shaped into the form of a Krishna idol and that became me ….

Moral of the story is ….

“Some people can’t endure the hammer 🔨 strokes in life. They will not be capable of shaping themselves into Krishna… Those who broke down will become stairs. But, those who sustain the strokes of the hammer will get a beautiful sacred shape of Krishna himself.”

Every stroke of hammer 🔨  will shape you into something good . But if you broke down , you will turn into steps but not the Idol !

Understanding Turiya: The Fourth State of Consciousness

I or Ego  or Knower ——————–> experiencing the “World” or “Prapanch”
Prapanch came from Sanskrit term ” prapancha prakrishtrain panch ” . The idea is out of the five elements (panch) this world is constructed ,so we use this term ‘prapanch’ for the world

  1. ‘I’ is the ‘Waker’ (who is awake ) ——> experiencing the  “Waking World” or “Jagrit Prapanch” in Sanskrit
  2. ‘I’ is the Dreamer ( who is dreaming ) —> experiencing the “Dream World”
  3. ‘I” is the Sleeper ( who is in deep sleep) —> experiencing sleep blankness or no dream & thought just a sound sleep.
  4. Turiya

Mandukya Upanishad mentions that there is a Fourth state which is called ” Turiya”. 
From the above story Ashtavakra Muni was trying to explain King Janaka there is a “Fourth State” i.e. “Turiya” which is witnessing 

  • King Janak as a ‘Waker’ experiencing the court room, courtiers , luxury, wealth etc.
  • King Janak as the ‘Dreamer’ Experiencing the battle field, sadness , hunger, misery
  • There is also a third state where there is no dreams and complete sound sleep , we usually experience nothing but Turiya is witness to sleep blankness .

Story of Ashtavakra & King Janaka!!

One day King Janaka was sleeping peacefully and suddenly a commander came running to him shouting “Maharaj ji get up !!  we have been attacked by an enemy!! ” . 

King Janaka immediately got up and summoned all his generals, commanders and soldiers, put up his sword & armor and went off to fight the battle. 
And there was a fierce battle in which king Janaka was ‘Defeated‘ !! .
King Janaka was wounded, captured by the enemies , dragged before the enemy king and  the enemy king said  to king Janaka ” Your kingdom is now mine !! . Since you’re a King , I won’t kill you, but  I will Exile you!!  You get out of this Kingdom!!”
Poor king Janak was depressed , sad, tired & exhausted . Somehow he started walking to get some food & water and found that surprisingly! people in his own capital earlier refused to offer  him food or water as they were all afraid of the new King . The new King was very cruel and anyone who would offer even food and water to King Janaka would get punished . 
After walking for two days he came to the border of his kingdom and across the border was the next kingdom where he found that food was getting served  to poor people / beggars in a line. 
He joined that line and as he advanced in the queue when he came up to the place where the food was getting served by that time all food was finished !! 
He could not take it anymore , he was terribly exhausted ! and the person who was serving food said ‘just the starch lying at the bottom of the bowl is there , if you want it I can give you“. 
King Janaka said ” ok sure give me ” and the starch was served to his plate . As soon as the king Janaka lift the bowl and put the food in his mouth , a big kite bird dived and hit the bowl and knocked it out of the hands of king Janak.  All the left out food which he was about to eat spilled on the floor some of it the bird ate it.
Now, King Janaka was extremely exhausted and started crying & fell on the ground! 
Alas !! 
Suddenly king Janaka heard a voice ” Maharaj ji what happened , why are you crying ?? “
and …
King Janaka Woke up completely wet in sweat !!He looked up and realized that it was all a DREAM!!
Since the king Janaka had a very analytical mind he started thinking what is the “TRUTH” 
King Janaka asked his Commander ” Wo sachh …. ya ye sachh ” ? Commander was unable to understand so he called the Queen. 
Queen came in and asked the King what happened ?? King Janaka again said the same thing ” Wo sachh..Ya ye sachh! ”  But nobody could understand him. 
Next day in the morning this news spread in the city and people were talking about this ! On that day !
Ashtavakra muni came into the city and he was walking in the city & he heard all the talks going on between the people about this .. so he decides to visit King Janaka!
Ashtavakra muni went to meet king Janaka and as soon as he enter the court room he asked the King Janak ” How are you?? King Janaka replied the same thing he is repeating since he woke up i.e. ” Wo sachh.. Ya ye sachh“?
Nobody in the court room was able to understand this question of King Janak . 
But, Ashtavakra muni understood and asked the 
King Janaka ..” When you were in the battle field experiencing the defeat, hunger depression sorrow were you there??” 
King Janaka said “Yes, I was there and I experienced it all even though it was a dream but I experienced it …the defeat , the sorrow, the hunger everything… 
So, Ashtavakra muni again asked King Janaka ” At that time were all these things which you see now the court room full of courtiers , all this luxury , wealth , was this present at that time ?
King Janaka said ” No, none of this was present in the dream… only defeat , depression, sadness , hunger was there in the dream ” then again, 
Ashtavakra muni asked  to king Janaka ” do you experience the depression , sadness , misery which you experienced in dream here Now when you are sitting in the court room with all your courtiers around with all the luxury and wealth , is it here?? 
King said ” No, here the experience of dream is not here ” . 
Then Ashtavakra muni said ..”Neither this is the truth nor that is the truth ” 
King Janaka was confused and asked the Ashtavakra muni ” Then, what is the truth???” 
Ashtavakra muni replied ” When you were dreaming… ‘YOU’ were experiencing the bad situations , Now ‘YOU’ are experiencing the good situation .’YOU’ are the witness experiencing both situation.
So only “YOU” alone is the TRUTH . Neither the dream was the truth, nor the present situation only “YOU” alone witnessing both situations is the TRUTH “