DM-1.2

Both Suratha and Samadhi approach the rishi Medhas. The king introduces his new friend Samadhi. Seeking permission from Medhas, the king bares tumultuous thoughts of Samadhi and himself.
Though the king considers himself fairly intelligent, he is at a loss to accept how he could be easily cheated by his own ministers when he least expected it. He wonders how he could still be agitated thinking about his kingdom and his lost glory.
Suratha also presents Samadhi's case thus: "This merchant has been disowned by his wife, sons and sycophants but still broods over them with affection".
He beseeches the rishi to throw light on how seemingly sane and intelligent people get deluded as though helplessly about their importance, from where do clouds shroud logical thought processes.Where do knowledge and discrimination hide when most needed?
Unperturbed by the agitated king and the merchant, Medhas proceeds to explain:Every being perceives knowledge of objects by senses.Certainly human beings are endowed with knowledge,but beasts and birds cognize too.
The birds drop grains into the beaks of their young ones even when they are hungry themselves.The young ones when fledged seek the sky never to return.Human beings are attached to their children too and raise them with love, only to expect the children to take care of them in old age.
On the one hand it is by delusion that the birds feed their young and seemingly do not miss them when they fly yonder and on the other hand it is by delusion alone man becomes attached to sons,riches and comfort.Men are hurled into whirlpool of attachment and pit of delusion through the power of Mahamaya, who makes the existence of the world possible.This Mahamaya creates the entire universe, tantalizes it with boon and bane...

Obs-2: The rishi is aptly named Medhas (which means intellect). Intellect sees the world as the work of Mahamaya's sport, seems to arrive at this after logically dissecting lives and behaviors.
Obs-3: Mahamaya is referred as female.


continued..

DM-1.1

There are 700 verses in all. These are broadly classified into three parts namely: first that is devoted to the mahakali aspect, second to mahalaxmi and third to mahasaraswati. I shall strive to gather what I have understood about the devi aspect itself in a separate post.
There are 13 chapters;
The story mainly is simple, yet important. It appears to me as a guideline to look at life in general.
I do not know big words like kalpa, manvantaras, vedas, upanishads and the like. What I do not know, I do not elaborate on. I am not going to relate the names of the period and lineage of the players etc
What I understand or catches my fancy comes in a sequence below.
The mahatmiyam of the devi is set this way: Sage Markandeya is relating to his disciple.

First Chapter:-

Suratha is a valiant and mighty king. He treats his subjects as his own children. He fights many battles and in course makes powerful enemies too. Then comes a time when his own ministers turn hostile, his treasury is looted by his army. It will be but a matter of days when the thus saddened king is usurped by his ministers. So thinking the dejected king rides on his horseback into the nearby jungle seemingly going hunting!
First, the lost splendor tugs at his heart. He wonders whether the royal horses and elephants are treated with as much respect and love.The king spends his time alone, thinking of the turn of events and surprised at his own naivete. He sights a hermitage and the sovereign is welcomed with friendship and serenity in the ashram of rishi Medhas. Thus comforted he now roams the jungle with an introspecting mind.

Soon he comes across a well dressed merchant sitting under a tree and lost in thought. Samaadhi the merchant, feeling instant kinship with Suratha unburdens his woes. He is a wealthy man with sons and relatives living with him and doing his bid. In course of time affection makes way to greed for wealth and his wife and sons misappropriate his funds and cast him penniless. Woebegone Samadhi wanders into the woods and still pines for his family and their wellness.

Observation: Samaadhi(also means equanimity) is drawn to Suratha( a good charioteer). It is wonderful is it not?


continued...

devi mahatmiyam

This is a work extolling the devi..
How she enables mortals to overcome their hurdles..
Either you are attracted to it or you are not..
I have been musing over devi mahatmiyam for some time now..
I want to put into record what I have felt reading it over many times now..
My children may want to find out, I humor myself :)

pals

Dohas and quatrains told us when we were kids in school that there will be a lot of people to share happiness but those who stand by lows in life are rare..
I think those who share happiness are not common and they should be equally cherished. Think about it..