AHALYA

RAMAYANA

Wedded to virtue as the Devas generally were, lapses on their part appear big to us,like stains on white cloth. The Raakshasas' evil deeds are taken for granted and do not attract much attention, like stains on black cloth.

The honest, when they happen to go astray, should evoke our sympathy.  It is however the way of the world--but it is not right--to condemn in strong terms casual lapses of the virtuous, while tolerating habitual wrong-doers. 

It should be noted that in the Puraanas we see the Gods getting entangled in  dilemmas of dharma. Indra and other Devas are shown often as committing serious sins. Why did the sages who told the Puraanas involve themselves in such difficulties ? Their aim was to awaken people to a sense of the dangers of adharma. Else, the sages need not have deliberately attributed sinful acts to their own heroes and created difficulties for themselves.

Some persons take pleasure in jumping to wrong conclusions from the incidents in the Puraanas. They argue: 'Raavana was a very good king. Vaalmeeki has falsely  accused him of wicked deeds," They ask " Did not Raama act unjustly on a certain occasion? Did not Seeta utter a lie?" and the like.

Vaalmeeki could well have omitted incidents which are not edifying . Both Raama and Raavana  were first presented to us by the poet Vaalmeeki. There was no earlier work referring to Raavana that can be  quoted to contradict Valmeeki and stamp him as being partial to Raama, Seetha and the Devas,and twisting facts to develop people. Vaalmeeki's  Raamaayana is the fountain source of the story of Raama; in it , one comes across seemingly wrong deeds. 

Calm consideration of such situation would vt is for us to benefit from the moral trails contained in them.  The lesson of the Ahalya  episode is that, however deadly one's sin, one may hope to be freed from its consequence by penitence and punishment. Instead of condemning others for their sins, we should look within our-own hearts and try to purify them of every evil thought. The best of us have need for eternal vigilance, if we would escape sin. This is the moral of Ahalya's error. 

Contd..next.

Bhagavad-gita.

3-33 
Even a man of knowledge acts according to his own nature, for everyone follows the nature he has acquired from the three modes, What can repression accomplish?

3-34
There are principles to regulate attachment and aversion pertaining to the senses of the objects. One should not come under the control of such attachment and aversion, because they are stumbling blocks on the path of self-realization.

3-35
It is far better to discharge one's prescribed duties, even though faultily, than another's duties perfectly. Destruction in the course of performing one's own duty is better than engaging in another's duties, for to follow another's path is dangerous.

3-36
Arjuna said: O descendant of Vrisni , by what is one impelled to sinful acts , even unwillingly , as if engaged by force.       

Contd..next.

పోతనభాగవతము

ఈ విధంగా నానావిధాలైన వృక్షాలతో, లతలతో మృగాలతో, పక్షులతో నిండి పరమ పవిత్రమై శ్రీ విష్ణు క్షేత్రమైన ఆ నైమిశారణ్యంలో శౌనకుడు మెదలైన మహామునులు సురలోకవంద్యుడైన శ్రీహరి సన్నిధి కోరినవారై, వెయ్యి సంవత్సరాల పర్యంతం కొనసాగే సత్త్రయాగం ప్రారంభించారు. ఒకనాడు వారంతా ఉదయమే నిత్యనౌమిత్తికాలైనహోమాలు నిర్వహించినవారై..

మిగతాది..తర్వాత.

రామో

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