 “When Lord Krishna was present in this material world to manifest His eternal pastimes of the transcendental realm of Goloka Vrindavana as an attraction for the people in general, He displayed a unique picture of subordination before His foster mother, Yashoda. The Lord, in His naturally childish playful activities, used to spoil the stocked butter of mother Yashoda by breaking the pots and distributing the contents to His friends and playmates, including the celebrated monkeys of Vrindavana, who took advantage of the Lord's munificence.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.8.31 Purport)
Mother Yashoda works so hard during the day to maintain the household. A good mother never gets the proper credit she deserves. Selfless in motive, the mother runs the household, attends to the needs of the children, both large and small. There are the children designated by nature, who need help in doing everything from getting up in the morning to dressing properly for school. Then there is the biggest child in the husband, who needs help in similar areas and also admonishment with respect to errant and forgetful behavior. Yet the leader of the family assumes her duties in stride, not asking for anything in return. She wants everyone else to be happy, and for this so much work needs to be completed every single day. Bearing this in mind, it’s a little strange that the person who created this and many other universes, a person who is all-knowing, would delight in foiling a good mother’s work, in making her tasks a little more difficult to complete. Through the elation that would result, the hidden meaning to the plan of the greatest plan-maker would be revealed.
 “Mom, I’m hungry. Mom, I need something good to eat. Mom, can you make my favorite dish tonight? Mom, I need a ride to such and such place, can you take me?” For such statements to be uttered by children is not out of the ordinary, but if you look at them on the surface, they indicate odd behavior. The human being craves freedom, for the many violent uprisings throughout the course of human history have revealed this fact. Without freedom of action, man feels trapped, made to work against his will and restricted from doing those things that he likes to do. Yet concomitant with freedom is responsibility. If I want to be able to do whatever I want, I should at least know how to do what it is I am desirous of.
With each pursuit that freedom enables comes responsibility. If I want the freedom to be able to play sports, I should take the responsibility to prepare myself for the games. Preparation doesn’t just involve the action on the field of play. One must additionally eat and sleep properly, which requires consideration to both time and quantity of consumption. Ideally, my exercise of freedom should not impose on the ability of others to enjoy life. I may want the freedom to go places and experience new things, but if others are obligated to take me from one place to another and manage my wellbeing, where is the question of theirfreedom?
The head of the household takes all of this into consideration when the dependents want this thing or that. Freedom is wonderful, but the good mother knows that the children shouldn’t have too much of it. Rather, accepting responsibility during childhood bodes well for the individual when they mature into adulthood. Nevertheless, the specific requests made by the children are more times than not granted by the mother. Though they may specifically ask for things, she doesn’t consider her child to be spoiled. Rather, the opportunity to serve is the greatest reward, for that is the way the parent offers love. If the child were completely self-sufficient or if they never asked for anything, how could the parents show their love?
 Shri Krishna, the Supreme Lord, knows these ins and outs of human behavior. In the science that describes the interactions the living beings have with God, the exchanges of transcendental emotions are known as rasas. The offering of paternal affection is known as vatsalya-rasa, which was particularly enjoyed by mother Yashoda. The living being gets its yearning for freedom from its identifying aspect: the spirit soul. Lord Krishna
Some five thousand years ago, the ideal playing field on this earth was Vrindavana
In a similar manner, accepting the statements found in Vedic texts like the Shrimad Bhagavatam
The manager of the most sacred home in Vrindavana is the person who Shri Krishna especially blessed. How did He arrange for this? If Jesus were to come up to us, would we not feel a tremendous thrill? If the Supreme Lord in our worshipable form of choice were to bestow His glance upon us, revealing His identity and form, should that not be enough to fulfill the mission of life? While seeing God is wonderful, the spirit soul still craves action under conditions of freedom. Better than seeing God is being able to interact with Him. Better than interacting with Him is serving Him with every thought, word and deed.
 This is precisely what mother Yashoda did. Under the pretense of motherly duties completed to maintain a family consisting of the child Shri Krishna and the father Nanda, Yashoda went to work every day. Though these were traditional times, where the women weren’t formally educated or allowed to freely intermingle with other men not their husbands, mothers like Yashoda worked very, very hard. Everything they did was for the benefit of their household. Shri Krishna enjoyed mother Yashoda’s cooking very much, but since He also took delight in enchanting the other residents of Vrindavana, He would sometimes steal from the stocks of butter in the homes of the neighbors.
The mothers would complain to Yashoda, but they secretly loved the fact that the adorable Krishna was attracted to their homes. They would find new places to hide their butter so that Shyamasundara
Since Yashoda worked so hard for His satisfaction, you would think that Krishna would oblige by being a well-behaved son. On the contrary, under the pretense of feigned anger over having been neglected for a moment while feeding, Krishna broke the pot of butter His mother took so much time to fill. To make matters worse, He ate some of the butter and distributed the rest to monkeys, animals who are known for stealing others’ food. It may sound strange to those who have never been in India for too long, but in places like Vrindavana and Chitrakuta, monkeys roam the streets just like ordinary citizens. They cause a disturbance by sneaking up on people and stealing whatever they have in their hands, hoping it is food. The unsuspecting visitors have to pay attention especially to their eyeglasses, as monkeys are fond of taking these.
As monkeys are already prone towards theft, the fact that Krishna was voluntarily handing over Yashoda’s wonderful butter was a brave act of defiance. Yet the mother delighted in this naughty behavior of her son. As He was playing the part of a delightful child, Yashoda made sure to stay true to the role of a caring mother. She chased Krishna with a whipping stick and then bound Him to a mortar as punishment. Rather than child abuse, this was a sparkling display of divine love, for the event is so wonderful that people still sing about it to this day.
 When Krishna was caught He faked tears of fear, which rolled down His face, mixing with the anjana, or eye-ointment, so carefully applied by His mother. This scene of Krishna crying after being caught by mother Yashoda was appreciated by Kunti Devi, the mother of the famous Pandava brothers. During adulthood, Krishna was particularly favorable to the Pandavas. After the brothers survived numerous attempts made on their lives and eventually reclaimed the throne of Hastinapura that was rightfully theirs, Kunti Devi offered a set of prayers to Krishna, thanking Him for His kindness and attention. In these wonderful offerings, she remarked on the good fortune of Yashoda, who was able to tie up the Supreme Lord with ropes of affection.
Mother Yashoda worked hard to keep her family happy, and the young Krishna made sure she worked even harder. While carrying out duties it is easy to forget the purpose behind them, the tie that holds all the actions together. Shri Krishna purposefully created situations where His mother could stop working for a few brief moments and give Him personal attention. That same opportunity is created for every living entity desirous of transcendental association, freedom of spiritual movement. Through the excuse of following a routine in bhakti-yoga, the devoted soul can take time out of their busy day to give attention to Krishna. By regularly chanting
In Closing:
Have to take care of my duties you’ll say,
But how to make this work actually pay?
From Shri Krishna’s charming glance you’ll find,
Supreme wisdom, tie that everything binds.
Children, young and old, to ask have the nerve,
Mother responds, never gets credit she deserves.
Yashoda to Krishna’s welfare was dedicated,
Lord acted like her efforts not appreciated.
All done for transcendental love to increase,
In caring for Krishna Yashoda never to cease.
 |
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Making Work Pay
HOW TO SPOT A SRI LANKAN...!!!!
This is so true and so funny. You know that you are definitely a Sri
Lankan if:
* Everything you eat is flavored with garlic, onion and
Chilies.
*You try and re-use gift wrappers , gift boxes,
aluminum foil and of course disposable cups & plates.
*You try to eject food particles from between your teeth
by pressing your tongue against them and making a
peculiar noise like, tshick, tshick!
* You are standing next to the two largest size suitcases
at the Airport.
* You arrive one or two hours late to a party, and think
it's normal.
* Your toilet has a plastic bowl next to the commode.
* You name your children in rhythms (example, Honey &
Money, Sita & Gita, thunga & --singhe, Nimal & Vimal)
* All your children have pet names, which sound nowhere
close to their real names.
* You take Sri Lankan snacks anywhere it says 'No Food
Allowed'
* You talk for an hour at the front door when
leaving someone's house.
* You load up the family car with as many people as
possible.
* You use plastic to cover anything new in your house
whether it's the remote control, VCR, carpet or new
couch.
* Your parents tell you to not care about what your
friends think, but they won't let you do certain things
because of what the other Uncles And Aunties' will
think.
* You teach you kids to say uncle and auntie to anyone
older related or not.
* Owning a rice cooker is a top priority.
* Use the dishwasher to store dishes - use it only for
special occasions.
* Say 'NO' after every sentence. i.e . that's good NO,
very expensive NO...etc
* Men use the word 'PUT' frequently i.e PUT a drink, PUT a
Jump !
* You live with your parents even if you are 40 years old.
(And they like it that way).
* If she is NOT your daughter, you always take interest in
knowing whose daughter has run with whose son and feel it's your duty
to spread the word.
* If you don't live at home, when your parents call, they
ask if you've eaten, even if it's midnight
* When your parents meets a Sri Lankan for the first time
and talk for a few minutes, you soon discover they are
your relatives..
* Your parents don't realize phone connections to foreign
countries have improved in the last two decades, and
still scream at the top of their lungs while talking.
* You have bed sheets on your sofas so as to keep them
away from getting dirty but the sheet on your bed has
not seen water for months!
* It is embarrassing if your wedding has less than 500
people. (How abt ur wedding... hehe)
* You list your daughter as 'fair and slim' in the
matrimonial no matter What she looks like.
* You have a big cabinet in your hall to keep glass wares
& ceramic utensils (you have never used)
* You have really enjoyed reading this mail because you
know some, or most of them apply to you.
Lankan if:
* Everything you eat is flavored with garlic, onion and
Chilies.
*You try and re-use gift wrappers , gift boxes,
aluminum foil and of course disposable cups & plates.
*You try to eject food particles from between your teeth
by pressing your tongue against them and making a
peculiar noise like, tshick, tshick!
* You are standing next to the two largest size suitcases
at the Airport.
* You arrive one or two hours late to a party, and think
it's normal.
* Your toilet has a plastic bowl next to the commode.
* You name your children in rhythms (example, Honey &
Money, Sita & Gita, thunga & --singhe, Nimal & Vimal)
* All your children have pet names, which sound nowhere
close to their real names.
* You take Sri Lankan snacks anywhere it says 'No Food
Allowed'
* You talk for an hour at the front door when
leaving someone's house.
* You load up the family car with as many people as
possible.
* You use plastic to cover anything new in your house
whether it's the remote control, VCR, carpet or new
couch.
* Your parents tell you to not care about what your
friends think, but they won't let you do certain things
because of what the other Uncles And Aunties' will
think.
* You teach you kids to say uncle and auntie to anyone
older related or not.
* Owning a rice cooker is a top priority.
* Use the dishwasher to store dishes - use it only for
special occasions.
* Say 'NO' after every sentence. i.e . that's good NO,
very expensive NO...etc
* Men use the word 'PUT' frequently i.e PUT a drink, PUT a
Jump !
* You live with your parents even if you are 40 years old.
(And they like it that way).
* If she is NOT your daughter, you always take interest in
knowing whose daughter has run with whose son and feel it's your duty
to spread the word.
* If you don't live at home, when your parents call, they
ask if you've eaten, even if it's midnight
* When your parents meets a Sri Lankan for the first time
and talk for a few minutes, you soon discover they are
your relatives..
* Your parents don't realize phone connections to foreign
countries have improved in the last two decades, and
still scream at the top of their lungs while talking.
* You have bed sheets on your sofas so as to keep them
away from getting dirty but the sheet on your bed has
not seen water for months!
* It is embarrassing if your wedding has less than 500
people. (How abt ur wedding... hehe)
* You list your daughter as 'fair and slim' in the
matrimonial no matter What she looks like.
* You have a big cabinet in your hall to keep glass wares
& ceramic utensils (you have never used)
* You have really enjoyed reading this mail because you
know some, or most of them apply to you.
Monkeys pick up local "accents"
Courtesy of BioMed Central
and World Science
Apes and monkeys have regional "accents"-and as with people, this behaviour is learnt rather than genetically programmed, a study suggests.
To what extent animal communication is learnt rather than inborn is hotly debated. Monkeys and apes, some of the closest evolutionary relatives to humans, are born with various calls and sounds specific to the species. But overlying this there is some flexibility: for example, you can tell where a gibbon, a type of ape, is from by its accent.
In the new research published in the journal BMC Evolutionary Biology, scientists studied free-living monkeys of the species Cercopithecus campbelli campbelli, also known as Campbell's monkeys. They observed social interactions, particularly in mutual grooming, and recorded "contact calls" made by females to stay in touch with other monkeys while travelling, foraging or resting.
The investigators used DNA tests from monkey droppings to determine how closely related different individuals were. Their social structure and family groups were well known because they have lived near a research station at Taï National Park, Ivory Coast, for over a decade. Groups comprised one male, four or six females, and their offspring.
"Each female has its own distinctive vocalisation but they appear to pick up habits from each other," said Alban Lemasson of the University of Rennes in France, who led the research.
Similarities between "contact calls" depended on the length of time adult females spent grooming each other and who their grooming partner was, rather than genetic relatedness, he observed. He explained that while the general call repertoire depends on genes, "the fine structure within this is influenced by the company they kept."
"This behaviour also fits with the theory that human speech has evolved gradually from ancestral primate vocalisations and social patterns," he added. Primates are the evolutionary lineage of animals comprising humans and their close relatives, such as apes.
Source: World Science
Posted by
Robert Karl Stonjek
A human bias against creativity is hindering science, research claims
Special to World Science
Most us us profess to love creativity. But we recoil when it stares us in the face, according to a new study that seems to seems lodge a quiet indictment against the whole human race.
Jennifer S. Mueller of the University of Pennsylvania and colleagues, who conducted the work, say their study both demonstrates and helps explain the phenomenon. The problem that perhaps most interferes with our recognition and appreciation for real-life creativity, they claim, is that creativity usually comes with a side dish of uncertainty: Will this new idea actually work? What will people think of me if I accept it?
Jennifer S. Mueller of the University of Pennsylvania and colleagues, who conducted the work, say their study both demonstrates and helps explain the phenomenon. The problem that perhaps most interferes with our recognition and appreciation for real-life creativity, they claim, is that creativity usually comes with a side dish of uncertainty: Will this new idea actually work? What will people think of me if I accept it?
| |
One of many scientists ridiculed in his time for work now considered seminal-the American physicist Robert Goddard (1882-1945)
|
Our love of creativity is what we profess in public-but our dread of it is what we tend to hide from the world, and often even from ourselves, they add.
The study is important, they continue, because society lovingly expends resources to foster creativity in each new generation-then often turns around and squashes the new ideas that result. It's time to figure out ways to put a stop to this, they say.
"Robert Goddard, the father of modern rocket propulsion, endured ridicule and derision from his contemporary scientific peers who stated his ideas were ludicrous and impossible," they noted as an example, in a report on their findings. The paper appears in the Nov. 29 advance online issue of the journal Psychological Science.
Scientists in every generation from Galileo to Daniel Shechtman-2011 Nobel laureate in chemistry-were initially ridiculed for now-famous work. The same can be said of a legion of artists.
"The field of creativity may need to shift its current focus from identifying how to generate more creative ideas to identifying how to help innovative institutions recognize and accept creativity," Mueller and colleagues wrote. "If people hold an implicit bias against creativity, then we cannot assume that organizations, institutions or even scientific endeavors will desire and recognize creative ideas even when they explicitly state they want them."
Mueller and colleagues paid a group of participants to take a series of tests designed to reveal both conscious and unconscious attitudes toward creativity.
In one test that took the form of a word-association game, they found that participants seemed to display an unconscious negative attitude toward creativity if the experimenters had made an attempt to plant thoughts of uncertainty in their heads. They tried to seed this uncertainty by promising that some participants would later receive an additional payment based on a lottery. In the word game-similar to a type of test previously used to reveal unconscious racial attitudes-researchers sought to measure whether participants took a little longer to associate words related to creativity with positive things than with negatives ones, or vice-versa.
In a second experiment, the researchers found that negative feelings about creativity also disrupted the ability to recognize that quality. In this part, they presented participants with an idea for an invention that had been judged creative by a group of college students. It involved a sneaker with a nanotechnology that supposedly adjusted fabric thickness to cool the foot and reduce blisters.
Mueller and colleagues pointed to one possible route through which scientific institutions are stifling their own ability to recognize creativity.
"When journals extol creative research, universities train scientists to promote creative solutions, R&D companies commend the development of new products, pharmaceutical companies praise creative medical breakthroughs, they may do so in ways that promote uncertainty by requiring gate-keepers to identify the single 'best' and most 'accurate' idea thereby creating an unacknowledged aversion to creativity," they wrote.
"Future research should identify factors which mitigate or reverse the bias against creativity."
The study is important, they continue, because society lovingly expends resources to foster creativity in each new generation-then often turns around and squashes the new ideas that result. It's time to figure out ways to put a stop to this, they say.
"Robert Goddard, the father of modern rocket propulsion, endured ridicule and derision from his contemporary scientific peers who stated his ideas were ludicrous and impossible," they noted as an example, in a report on their findings. The paper appears in the Nov. 29 advance online issue of the journal Psychological Science.
Scientists in every generation from Galileo to Daniel Shechtman-2011 Nobel laureate in chemistry-were initially ridiculed for now-famous work. The same can be said of a legion of artists.
"The field of creativity may need to shift its current focus from identifying how to generate more creative ideas to identifying how to help innovative institutions recognize and accept creativity," Mueller and colleagues wrote. "If people hold an implicit bias against creativity, then we cannot assume that organizations, institutions or even scientific endeavors will desire and recognize creative ideas even when they explicitly state they want them."
Mueller and colleagues paid a group of participants to take a series of tests designed to reveal both conscious and unconscious attitudes toward creativity.
In one test that took the form of a word-association game, they found that participants seemed to display an unconscious negative attitude toward creativity if the experimenters had made an attempt to plant thoughts of uncertainty in their heads. They tried to seed this uncertainty by promising that some participants would later receive an additional payment based on a lottery. In the word game-similar to a type of test previously used to reveal unconscious racial attitudes-researchers sought to measure whether participants took a little longer to associate words related to creativity with positive things than with negatives ones, or vice-versa.
In a second experiment, the researchers found that negative feelings about creativity also disrupted the ability to recognize that quality. In this part, they presented participants with an idea for an invention that had been judged creative by a group of college students. It involved a sneaker with a nanotechnology that supposedly adjusted fabric thickness to cool the foot and reduce blisters.
Mueller and colleagues pointed to one possible route through which scientific institutions are stifling their own ability to recognize creativity.
"When journals extol creative research, universities train scientists to promote creative solutions, R&D companies commend the development of new products, pharmaceutical companies praise creative medical breakthroughs, they may do so in ways that promote uncertainty by requiring gate-keepers to identify the single 'best' and most 'accurate' idea thereby creating an unacknowledged aversion to creativity," they wrote.
"Future research should identify factors which mitigate or reverse the bias against creativity."
Source: World Science
http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/111212_creativity
http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/111212_creativity
Posted by
Robert Karl Stonjek
Robert Karl Stonjek
Why men overestimate their sexiness: it's evolution, study proposes
Courtesy of the Association for Psychological Science
and World Science
Does she or doesn't she...? Sexual cues are ambiguous and confounding. We-especially men-often read them wrong. But a new study hypothesizes that the men who get it wrong might be those that evolution has favored.
"There are tons of studies showing that men think women are interested when they're not," said psychologist Carin Perilloux of Williams College in Williamstown, Mass, who conducted the research with colleagues at the University of Texas at Austin. "Ours is the first to systematically examine individual differences."
The findings are to appear in an upcoming issue of the journal Psychological Science.
The research involved 96 male 103 female undergraduates, who were put through a "speed-meeting" exercise-talking for three minutes to each of five potential opposite-sex mates. Before the conversations, the participants rated themselves on their own attractiveness and were assessed for the level of their desire for a short-term sexual encounter. After each "meeting," they rated the partner on a number of categories, including physical attractiveness and sexual interest in the participant.
The results: Men looking for a quick hookup were found to be more likely to overestimate the women's desire for them. Men who thought they were "hot" also thought the women were hot for them-though men who were actually attractive, by the women's ratings, did not make this mistake. The more attractive the woman was to the man, the more likely he was to overestimate her interest. And women tended to underestimate men's desire.
A hopeless mess? Evolutionarily speaking, maybe not, say the psychologists. Over millennia, these errors may in fact have enhanced men's reproductive success.
"There are two ways you can make an error as a man," said Perilloux. "Either you think, 'Oh, wow, that woman's really interested in me'-and it turns out she's not. There's some cost to that," such as embarrassment or a blow to your reputation. The other error: "She's interested, and he totally misses out. He misses out on a mating opportunity. That's a huge cost in terms of reproductive success." The researchers theorize that the kind of guy who went for it, even at the risk of being rebuffed, scored more often-and passed on his overperceiving tendency to his genetic heirs.
The casual sex seekers "face slightly different adaptive problems," said Perilloux. "They are limited mainly by the number of consenting sex partners-so overestimation is even more important." Only the actually attractive men probably had no need for misperception, she adds.
The research contains some messages for daters of both sexes, said Perilloux: Women should know the risks and "be as communicative and clear as possible." Men: "Know that the more attracted you are, the more likely you are to be wrong about her interest." Again, that may not be as bad as it sounds, she said-"if warning them will prevent heartache later on."
"There are tons of studies showing that men think women are interested when they're not," said psychologist Carin Perilloux of Williams College in Williamstown, Mass, who conducted the research with colleagues at the University of Texas at Austin. "Ours is the first to systematically examine individual differences."
The findings are to appear in an upcoming issue of the journal Psychological Science.
The research involved 96 male 103 female undergraduates, who were put through a "speed-meeting" exercise-talking for three minutes to each of five potential opposite-sex mates. Before the conversations, the participants rated themselves on their own attractiveness and were assessed for the level of their desire for a short-term sexual encounter. After each "meeting," they rated the partner on a number of categories, including physical attractiveness and sexual interest in the participant.
The results: Men looking for a quick hookup were found to be more likely to overestimate the women's desire for them. Men who thought they were "hot" also thought the women were hot for them-though men who were actually attractive, by the women's ratings, did not make this mistake. The more attractive the woman was to the man, the more likely he was to overestimate her interest. And women tended to underestimate men's desire.
A hopeless mess? Evolutionarily speaking, maybe not, say the psychologists. Over millennia, these errors may in fact have enhanced men's reproductive success.
"There are two ways you can make an error as a man," said Perilloux. "Either you think, 'Oh, wow, that woman's really interested in me'-and it turns out she's not. There's some cost to that," such as embarrassment or a blow to your reputation. The other error: "She's interested, and he totally misses out. He misses out on a mating opportunity. That's a huge cost in terms of reproductive success." The researchers theorize that the kind of guy who went for it, even at the risk of being rebuffed, scored more often-and passed on his overperceiving tendency to his genetic heirs.
The casual sex seekers "face slightly different adaptive problems," said Perilloux. "They are limited mainly by the number of consenting sex partners-so overestimation is even more important." Only the actually attractive men probably had no need for misperception, she adds.
The research contains some messages for daters of both sexes, said Perilloux: Women should know the risks and "be as communicative and clear as possible." Men: "Know that the more attracted you are, the more likely you are to be wrong about her interest." Again, that may not be as bad as it sounds, she said-"if warning them will prevent heartache later on."
Source: World Science
http://www.world-science.net/othernews/111213_evolution
http://www.world-science.net/othernews/111213_evolution
Posted by
Robert Karl Stonjek
Robert Karl Stonjek
Quality sperm is pricey: study
| MONASH UNIVERSITY |
 "This study challenges the traditional view that sex, and sperm production, come cheaply to males." Image: Antagain/iStockphoto A new study shows the production of sperm is more biologically taxing than previously thought, and expending energy on it has significant health implications. In research published in PLoS ONE, Dr Damian Dowling of Monash University's School of Biological Sciences and Professor Leigh Simmons of the University of Western Australia have investigated the trade-off between sperm quality and immunity. The researchers used the Australian cricket, Teleogryllus oceanicus to prove that the production of quality sperm is expensive and males are strategic about investing energy in the biological process. Dr Dowling said investigations into life history trade-offs - investment in reproduction versus future reproduction and survival prospects - have historically focused on females. "This study challenges the traditional view that sex, and sperm production, come cheaply to males. It is typically thought that females must invest heavily into reproduction, whereas males can freely produce millions of high-quality, tiny sperm on demand, with few costs," Dr Dowling said. "Here we show that the costs are in fact large, and these costs dictate how much effort a male will devote into any given sexual encounter." The crickets were housed either with sexually immature females, sexually mature females incapable of reproduction, or sexually mature females capable of reproduction. Sperm quality was measured twice and immune function once during the experiment. Dr Dowling said the male crickets were more likely to produce high quality sperm when housed with sexually mature females with whom they could mate, indicating a strategic investment of energy. The researchers also found that production of quality sperm appeared to have a negative effect on the crickets' immune systems. "Males that invested heavily in their sperm paid the price of being more likely to succumb to a bacterial infection. And we are not talking about STDs here - we are talking about how increased investment into the quality of the ejaculate corresponds with general reductions in immune function," Dr Dowling said. Editor's Note: Original news release can be found here. |
எல்லா நாளும் நல்ல நாளே...
சென்ற வாரம் நான் என் சகோதரி வீட்டிற்கு சென்றிருந்தேன். அங்கு உணவருந்தி ஓய்வெடுத்த பின் அவர்கள் நீண்ட நாட்களாக ஒரு வீட்டுமனை வாங்க வேண்டும் எனக் கூறி வந்ததை நினைவுபடுத்தினேன். எனக்குத் தெரிந்த ஒருவர் நல்ல இடத்தில் ஒரு வீட்டுமனை இருப்பதாகவும் விலையும் சற்று சகாயமாகவுள்ளதாகவும் கூறினார். அதைப் போய் இன்று பார்த்துவிட்டு வரலாம் என்று கூறினேன். உடனே என் சகோதரி இன்று வேண்டாம் அண்ணே என்றாள். நான் ஏன்? இன்று விட்டால் மனை கிடைக்காமல் போகலாம் வேகமாக விற்று வருவதாகக் கேள்விப் பட்டேன். இன்று ஏன் வேண்டாம் என்கிறாய்? எனச் சகோதரியைக் கேட்டேன். அவர் இன்று அஷ்டமி, நாளை நவமி என்றாள்.ஆகையால் நாளை மறுநாள் போய் பார்க்கலாம் என்று சொன்னார்.
நான் அஷ்டமி, நவமி என்றால் என்ன? ஏன் கூடாது என்பதற்குக் காரணம் என்ன? என்று கேட்டேன். அதற்கு என் சகோதரி எனக்கு விளக்கம் தெரியாது அண்ணே, ஆனால் எல்லோரும் அவை நல்ல நாட்கள் இல்லை என்பதால் நானும் கூறினேன் என்று கூறினார்.
நான் சிரித்துக் கொண்டே அஷ்டமி, நவமியில் நீங்கள் சாப்பிடுவதில்லையா? ரயில், பஸ், விமானம் ஆகியவை ஓடுவதில்லையா? மருத்துவமனை, வங்கிகள் மற்றும் அலுவலகங்கள் செயல்படுவதில்லையா? அவசர அறுவை சிகிச்சையைத் தவிர்க்கிறோமா? என்று கேட் டேன்.
அதற்கு என் சகோதரி போங்க அண்ணா நீங்க எப்போதும் இப்படித் தான் எடக்கு முடக்காகப் பேசுவீர்கள் என்று கேலி செய்தார். நான் இல்லையம்மா இதற்கு விளக்கம் கூறுகிறேன். நாம் ஓரளவு படித்தவர்கள் எதையும் அறிவுப்பூர்வமாக சிந்தித்துத் தெரிந்து கொள்ள வேண்டாமா? என்று கேட் டேன். மைத்துனரும், என் சகோதரியும் நீங்கள்தான் விளக்குங்களேன் என்றார்கள்.
நான் பின்வரும் விளக்கத்தைக் கூறினேன்.
ஒரு மாதத்திற்கு அமாவாசை, ஒரு பவுர்ணமி வரும். அந்த இரு நிகழ்ச்சிகளும் பூமி மற்றும் சந்திரனின் சுழற்சியால் ஏற்படுவதை நீங்கள் அறிவீர்கள். நாட்களைச் சுட்டிக்காட்ட அமாவாசையிலிருந்து அல்லது பவுர்ணமியிலிருந்து எத்தனையாவது நாள் என்று குறிப்பிட்டுக் காட்டவே பிரதமை முதல் சதுர்த்தசி வரை 14 நாட்களுக்கும் பெயரிட்டிருக்கிறார்கள். பெயர் தமிழில் வைத்திருந்தால் விளங்கும். சமஸ்கிருதம் ஆதிக்கத்தில் இருந்தபோது தமிழ் வருடங்களின் பெயரை கூட பொருள் தெரியாத வடமொழியில் அல்லவா வைத்து விட்டார்கள்? நாமும் அதை மாற்ற மனமின்றி வைத்துக் கொண்டு திண்டாடுகிறோம். அதே போல் தான் நாட்களின் பெயர்களும் பின்வருமாறு வடமொழியில் உள்ளன என்று விளக்கினேன்.
1. பவுர்ணமி, அமாவசைக்கு அடுத்த நாள் பிரதமை பிரதமர் என்றால் முதல்வர் என்று பொருள். அதுபோல் பிரதமை என்றால் முதல் நாள்.
2. துவிதை என்றால் இரண்டாம் நாள் தோ என்றால் இரண்டு. துவிச் சகர வண்டி என்று சைக்கிளைக் கூறுவது தங்களுக்கு தெரியும்.
3. திரிதியை என்றால் மூன்றாம் நாள் திரி என்றால் மூன்று அல்லவா?
4. சதுர்த்தி என்றால் நான்காம் நாள் சதுரம் நான்கு பக்கங்கள் கொண் டது.
5. பஞ்சமி என்றால் அய்ந்தாம் நாள் பாஞ்ச் என்றால் அய்ந்து எனப் பொருள்.
6. சஷ்டி என்றால் ஆறாம் நாள்.
7. சப்தமி என்றால் ஏழாம் நாள். சப்த ஸ்வரங்கள் என ஏழு ஸ்வரங்களைக் கூறுவதில்லையா?
8. அஷ்டமி என்றால் எட்டாம் நாள். அஷ்டவக்கிரம் என்று எட்டு கோணல்களைக் கூறுவதையும் அஷ்ட லட்சுமி என்றெல்லாம் கூறக் கேட்டிருக்கிறோம்.
9. நவமி என்றால் ஒன்பதாம் நாள் நவ என்றால் ஒன்பது என்றும் நவ கிரகங்கள் என்பதும் தங்களுக்குத் தெரியும்.
10. தசமி என்றால் பத்தாம் நாள் தஸ் என்றால் பத்து அல்லவா? தாரம் என்ற கடவுளின் அவதாரங்களைக் கூறக் கேட்டிருக்கிறோம்.
11. ஏகாதசி என்றால் பதினொன் றாம் நாள் ஏக் என்றால் ஒன்று தஸ் என்றால் பத்து இரண்டின் கூட்டுத் தொகை பதினொன்று.
12. துவாதசி என்றால் பன்னிரண் டாம் நாள் தோ/துவி என்றால் இரண்டு தஸ் என்றால் பத்து எனவே இதன் கூட்டுத்தொகை பன்னிரண்டு ஆகும்.
13. திரியோதசி என்றால் பதிமூன் றாம் நாள் திரி என்றால் மூன்று + தஸ் என்றால் பத்து ஆகப் பதிமூன்று.
14. சதுர்த்தசி என்றால் பதினான்காம் நாள் சதுர் (சதுரம்) என்றால் நான்கு அத்தோடு தஸ் என்ற பத்து சேர்த்தால் பதினான்கு என ஆகும்.
சதுர்த்தசிக்கும் அடுத்தது பவுர்ணமி அல்லது அமாவாசை ஆகி விடும். இப்படி நாட்களைக் சுட்டிக் காட்ட வைத்த பெயர்களில் என்ன வேறுபாடு இருக்கிறது? அமாவாசை அல்லது பவுர்ணமிக்குப் பிறகு வரும் எட்டாம் நாளும் ஒன்பதாம் நாளும் கெட்டவை என்பதற்கு ஏதேனும் அறிவியல் பூர்வமான விளக்கம் இருந்தால் கூறுங்கள். என் சகோதரியும் மைத்துனரும் வாயடைத்துப் போயினர். இந்த விளக்கம் கண்டு அவர்கள் மிகத் தெளிவு பெற்றனர்.
நான் மேலும் கூறினேன். அட்சய திரிதியையில் தங்கம் வாங்க அறியாத மக்கள் தங்கக் கடைக்கு ஓடுவதும் அறியாமையே என்றேன். என் சகோதரி மிகவும் ஆர்வமாக இதற்கும் விளக்கம் கூறுங்கள் அண்ணா என்று கேட்டுக் கொண்டாள். க்ஷயம் என்றால் தேய்வு (-க்ஷயரோகம் = எலும்புருக்கு நோய் அக்ஷயம் என்றால் வளர்ச்சி அதாவது வளர்பிறையில் அமாவாசையிலிருந்து மூன்றாம் நாள் திரிதியை என்று ஏற்கெனவே விளக்கிக் கொண்டோம். அதாவது வளர்பிறையில் மூன்றாம் நாள் இதில் என்ன சிறப்பு இருக்க முடியும்? இது தங்க வியாபாரிகள் சேர்ந்து செய்த விற்பனை உத்தியே ஆகும் என்று விளக்கம் கூறினேன்.
மக்கள் எப்படி அறியாமையில் மூழ்கிப் போயிருக்கிறார்கள் என்று அனைவரும் பரிதாபப்பட்டோம். பிறகு அன்றே மூவரும் சென்று வீட்டு மனையைப் பார்வையிட்டு இடம் பிடித்திருந்ததால் முன் பணம் செலுத்தி பத்திர நகல்களை வாங்கி வந்தோம். அஷ்டமி, நவமி பார்த்துத் தாமதம் செய்திருந்தால் இந்த வாய்ப்பு கிட்டுமா என்று மகிழ்ந்தோம்.
என்று தணியும் நம் மக்களிடம் நிரம்பியுள்ள அறியாமையின் மோகம்?
இணையத்திலிருந்து
Dr.தமிழ்
நான் அஷ்டமி, நவமி என்றால் என்ன? ஏன் கூடாது என்பதற்குக் காரணம் என்ன? என்று கேட்டேன். அதற்கு என் சகோதரி எனக்கு விளக்கம் தெரியாது அண்ணே, ஆனால் எல்லோரும் அவை நல்ல நாட்கள் இல்லை என்பதால் நானும் கூறினேன் என்று கூறினார்.
நான் சிரித்துக் கொண்டே அஷ்டமி, நவமியில் நீங்கள் சாப்பிடுவதில்லையா? ரயில், பஸ், விமானம் ஆகியவை ஓடுவதில்லையா? மருத்துவமனை, வங்கிகள் மற்றும் அலுவலகங்கள் செயல்படுவதில்லையா? அவசர அறுவை சிகிச்சையைத் தவிர்க்கிறோமா? என்று கேட் டேன்.
அதற்கு என் சகோதரி போங்க அண்ணா நீங்க எப்போதும் இப்படித் தான் எடக்கு முடக்காகப் பேசுவீர்கள் என்று கேலி செய்தார். நான் இல்லையம்மா இதற்கு விளக்கம் கூறுகிறேன். நாம் ஓரளவு படித்தவர்கள் எதையும் அறிவுப்பூர்வமாக சிந்தித்துத் தெரிந்து கொள்ள வேண்டாமா? என்று கேட் டேன். மைத்துனரும், என் சகோதரியும் நீங்கள்தான் விளக்குங்களேன் என்றார்கள்.
நான் பின்வரும் விளக்கத்தைக் கூறினேன்.
ஒரு மாதத்திற்கு அமாவாசை, ஒரு பவுர்ணமி வரும். அந்த இரு நிகழ்ச்சிகளும் பூமி மற்றும் சந்திரனின் சுழற்சியால் ஏற்படுவதை நீங்கள் அறிவீர்கள். நாட்களைச் சுட்டிக்காட்ட அமாவாசையிலிருந்து அல்லது பவுர்ணமியிலிருந்து எத்தனையாவது நாள் என்று குறிப்பிட்டுக் காட்டவே பிரதமை முதல் சதுர்த்தசி வரை 14 நாட்களுக்கும் பெயரிட்டிருக்கிறார்கள். பெயர் தமிழில் வைத்திருந்தால் விளங்கும். சமஸ்கிருதம் ஆதிக்கத்தில் இருந்தபோது தமிழ் வருடங்களின் பெயரை கூட பொருள் தெரியாத வடமொழியில் அல்லவா வைத்து விட்டார்கள்? நாமும் அதை மாற்ற மனமின்றி வைத்துக் கொண்டு திண்டாடுகிறோம். அதே போல் தான் நாட்களின் பெயர்களும் பின்வருமாறு வடமொழியில் உள்ளன என்று விளக்கினேன்.
1. பவுர்ணமி, அமாவசைக்கு அடுத்த நாள் பிரதமை பிரதமர் என்றால் முதல்வர் என்று பொருள். அதுபோல் பிரதமை என்றால் முதல் நாள்.
2. துவிதை என்றால் இரண்டாம் நாள் தோ என்றால் இரண்டு. துவிச் சகர வண்டி என்று சைக்கிளைக் கூறுவது தங்களுக்கு தெரியும்.
3. திரிதியை என்றால் மூன்றாம் நாள் திரி என்றால் மூன்று அல்லவா?
4. சதுர்த்தி என்றால் நான்காம் நாள் சதுரம் நான்கு பக்கங்கள் கொண் டது.
5. பஞ்சமி என்றால் அய்ந்தாம் நாள் பாஞ்ச் என்றால் அய்ந்து எனப் பொருள்.
6. சஷ்டி என்றால் ஆறாம் நாள்.
7. சப்தமி என்றால் ஏழாம் நாள். சப்த ஸ்வரங்கள் என ஏழு ஸ்வரங்களைக் கூறுவதில்லையா?
8. அஷ்டமி என்றால் எட்டாம் நாள். அஷ்டவக்கிரம் என்று எட்டு கோணல்களைக் கூறுவதையும் அஷ்ட லட்சுமி என்றெல்லாம் கூறக் கேட்டிருக்கிறோம்.
9. நவமி என்றால் ஒன்பதாம் நாள் நவ என்றால் ஒன்பது என்றும் நவ கிரகங்கள் என்பதும் தங்களுக்குத் தெரியும்.
10. தசமி என்றால் பத்தாம் நாள் தஸ் என்றால் பத்து அல்லவா? தாரம் என்ற கடவுளின் அவதாரங்களைக் கூறக் கேட்டிருக்கிறோம்.
11. ஏகாதசி என்றால் பதினொன் றாம் நாள் ஏக் என்றால் ஒன்று தஸ் என்றால் பத்து இரண்டின் கூட்டுத் தொகை பதினொன்று.
12. துவாதசி என்றால் பன்னிரண் டாம் நாள் தோ/துவி என்றால் இரண்டு தஸ் என்றால் பத்து எனவே இதன் கூட்டுத்தொகை பன்னிரண்டு ஆகும்.
13. திரியோதசி என்றால் பதிமூன் றாம் நாள் திரி என்றால் மூன்று + தஸ் என்றால் பத்து ஆகப் பதிமூன்று.
14. சதுர்த்தசி என்றால் பதினான்காம் நாள் சதுர் (சதுரம்) என்றால் நான்கு அத்தோடு தஸ் என்ற பத்து சேர்த்தால் பதினான்கு என ஆகும்.
சதுர்த்தசிக்கும் அடுத்தது பவுர்ணமி அல்லது அமாவாசை ஆகி விடும். இப்படி நாட்களைக் சுட்டிக் காட்ட வைத்த பெயர்களில் என்ன வேறுபாடு இருக்கிறது? அமாவாசை அல்லது பவுர்ணமிக்குப் பிறகு வரும் எட்டாம் நாளும் ஒன்பதாம் நாளும் கெட்டவை என்பதற்கு ஏதேனும் அறிவியல் பூர்வமான விளக்கம் இருந்தால் கூறுங்கள். என் சகோதரியும் மைத்துனரும் வாயடைத்துப் போயினர். இந்த விளக்கம் கண்டு அவர்கள் மிகத் தெளிவு பெற்றனர்.
நான் மேலும் கூறினேன். அட்சய திரிதியையில் தங்கம் வாங்க அறியாத மக்கள் தங்கக் கடைக்கு ஓடுவதும் அறியாமையே என்றேன். என் சகோதரி மிகவும் ஆர்வமாக இதற்கும் விளக்கம் கூறுங்கள் அண்ணா என்று கேட்டுக் கொண்டாள். க்ஷயம் என்றால் தேய்வு (-க்ஷயரோகம் = எலும்புருக்கு நோய் அக்ஷயம் என்றால் வளர்ச்சி அதாவது வளர்பிறையில் அமாவாசையிலிருந்து மூன்றாம் நாள் திரிதியை என்று ஏற்கெனவே விளக்கிக் கொண்டோம். அதாவது வளர்பிறையில் மூன்றாம் நாள் இதில் என்ன சிறப்பு இருக்க முடியும்? இது தங்க வியாபாரிகள் சேர்ந்து செய்த விற்பனை உத்தியே ஆகும் என்று விளக்கம் கூறினேன்.
மக்கள் எப்படி அறியாமையில் மூழ்கிப் போயிருக்கிறார்கள் என்று அனைவரும் பரிதாபப்பட்டோம். பிறகு அன்றே மூவரும் சென்று வீட்டு மனையைப் பார்வையிட்டு இடம் பிடித்திருந்ததால் முன் பணம் செலுத்தி பத்திர நகல்களை வாங்கி வந்தோம். அஷ்டமி, நவமி பார்த்துத் தாமதம் செய்திருந்தால் இந்த வாய்ப்பு கிட்டுமா என்று மகிழ்ந்தோம்.
“செய்யும் வேலைகளின் வெற்றி தன்னை நம்பி இல்லை, கடவுளை நம்பித்தான் இருக்கிறது“ என்று நினைத்து உருவாக்கப்பட்ட “நல்ல நேரம்,கெட்ட நேரம்“ என்ற பயங்கள் உலகெங்கும் மனிதனை ஆட்டிப்படைக்கின்றன.(நம் நாட்டில் கொஞ்சம் அதிகம்)
இந்திய அளவில் உள்ள பஞ்சாங்கங்களின்படி ஒரு மாதத்திற்கு எவ்வளவு கெட்ட நேரம் வருகிறது என்று கணக்கிட்டுப்பார்ப்போம்.
வாரத்தில் செவ்வாய்,சனி நல்ல காரியம் துவங்கக்கூடாது(10 நாட்கள்).
மாதத்தின் அஷ்டமி,நவமி நன்மைக்கு உகந்தது அல்ல(4நாட்கள்).
பாட்டிமுகம் நாளில் நல்லது செய்வது நல்லதில்லை(2 நாட்கள்).
ஒரு மாதத்தில் வரும் ராகு காலம், எமகண்டம்,குளிகை இவற்றின் கூட்டுத்தொகை (3 முக்கால்) தவிர கௌரி பஞ்சாங்கத்தின் படி நன்மை செய்ய தகாத நாட்கள் 2 நாட்கள்.
ஆக மொத்தத்தில் ஒரு மாதத்தில் 21 முக்கால் நாட்கள் நாம் நல்லது செய்ய பயந்தால் எப்படி உருப்பட...எப்படி முன்னேற...?
என்று தணியும் நம் மக்களிடம் நிரம்பியுள்ள அறியாமையின் மோகம்?
இணையத்திலிருந்து
Dr.தமிழ்
அந்நியமாயிற்று அனைத்துமே..!
விரல்கள் என்னவோ - உன்
பெயரோடு விளையாடுகின்றன!
அர்த்தமானதாய்த் தெரிந்த
அந்த நேரங்கள் எல்லாம் - இன்று
அபத்தமாய்த் தெரிகின்றன!
அந்த நேரத்திற்கு அப்புறம்
அந்நியமாயிற்று அனைத்துமே..!
கல்லடிபட்டு பெயர்ந்த
கால்விரல் நகத்தின் காயத்தில்
அருகம்புல் மாட்டிக்கொண்டது போன்ற
வலியாய் உன் நினைவுகள்!
நினைவுகளில் எத்தனையோ
சூழ்ந்திருக்கும்
சுகம் துக்கம் எல்லாம்
எப்படியொன்று சொல்லிட
முடிந்திடவில்லை!
எழுத நினைத்தவையெல்லாம்
மனசில் நிறைந்துள்ளது!
எழுத எழுத
சுகமும் துக்கமும்
உன்னைச் சார்ந்தவையாகவே
சுழல்கின்றன.....
மரத்துப்போகவைக்கும் - உன்
போக்கினில்
மெல்லிய உணர்வுகளும்
மெல்லச்சாகின்றன!
மழைத்தண்ணீர் இல்லாத
கருவேலமரமாய்
இதயமும்
வறண்ட நிலையில்...!!
எத்தனை வெறுமைகள்
என்னுள் வந்து சேர்ந்தாலும் - உன்
பேறுகளைக் கேட்டு
பெருமையடைகின்றேன்...
உனக்கென்று இருக்கும்
வார்த்தைக்கலைகள்
என்னிடம் சிதைந்தபடி
சிலந்தியாய்ப் பின்னியுள்ளன!
நினைப்பதும், நடப்பதும்
வேறாக இருந்தாலும்
நினைவுகள் எல்லாம்
வேராய் நீண்டுகிடக்கின்றன!
கனவுகளை இழந்துவிட்ட
கண்களுக்கும், இதயத்திற்கும்
காலங்கள் எப்படியிருந்தால் என்ன??!!
Monday, January 30, 2012
The Ingredients For Success
“O
Prabhu, you fulfill all desires and give the four fruits of existence.
Understanding that, I am fearful of what I could possibly give to you.”
(Janaki Mangala, 22)tumha prabhu pūrana kāma cāri phaladāyaka |
tehiṃ teṃ būjhata kāju ḍarau munidāyaka ||
The pious king knew that the exalted guest kindly received at his home came to ask for something. He wasn’t a resident of Ayodhya, so his visit had a purpose. For the king, there wasn’t much to give in comparison to what the sage could bestow. From proper wisdom comes the attainment of life’s ultimate goal, which automatically incorporates the four primary rewards that are delineated by the Vedas. The ancient scriptures of India identify the four primary rewards and go about describing how they can be achieved, and the lessons imparted are not bound by sectarian designations or specific time and circumstance. In the same way, the counsel and association of the saintly class is not restricted to any group. Just hearing about these saints many years later can provide so many benefits.
Why was this guest so exalted? How could he fulfill all desires? The plants in the garden produce fruits that can be consumed. The same goes for the farm in general, which produces the food that sustains life. In one sense, you could consider the plant to be a wish-fulfilling tree which grants our desires in life. Whatever it is we may want, it can’t be achieved unless there is vibrancy in life. The vital force within the body is maintained by food; therefore the plants serve as the sustenance, the source of the boons that life can grant us.
If someone were to give us land and the ability to grow crops, that reward would be greater than anything else offered. Someone may give us money or good fortune that is temporary in its manifestation, but the resulting benefits will be targeted. Getting the source of all enjoyment is more important, because from that source there are endless possibilities for rewards. Another way to think of it is to compare a prepared food dish to the actual raw ingredients. The dish can be enjoyed by those who have a taste for it, while the ingredients can be used to prepare many other dishes. Hence the possession of the ingredients is more valuable.
In
the playing field of the material world, there are endless avenues for
activity, with some leading to better conditions and others leading to
worse ones. The Vedas declare that the human form of body is the most
auspicious because of the potential it brings for achieving the four
fruits in life: dharma, artha, kama and moksha.
Dharma is religiosity, which immediately signals a departure from the
animal species. Following regulative principles is only possible in a
civilized society. From abiding by religious principles you get artha,
or economic development. Without a profitable end to your ventures,
what will you have to show for your work? Economic development affords
the opportunity for kama, or sense gratification. And finally, after a life filled with enjoyment of the three rewards, there is the ideal boon of moksha, or salvation. Follow religious principles, profit in your work, enjoy the rewards, and then never repeat the same cycle again.The brahmanas, or priests, can grant these four rewards through their association. Not to be confused with magic genies who suddenly arrive on the scene and give you what you want, the saints provide instruction so that mankind can follow the proper set of activities that will bring those rewards through work. Dharma, artha, kama and moksha apply to every single human being, regardless of religious persuasion or interest in spiritual life. Indeed, by following the guidelines laid down by the brahmanas, one doesn’t even need to know what the four rewards are or why they are worth attaining.
The spirit soul is the actor and the material bodies the playing field. The material elements as a whole can be considered the field as well, and with proper knowledge one will know how to succeed on that field. As the brahmanas provide this knowledge through their instruction, the value of their association can never be properly estimated. Whatever reward it is you want, whatever fruit you would like to enjoy from the tree of life, the Vedas provide the answer. Though the highest reward is to voluntarily escape from the playing field and find the constitutional engagement of loving service to God, the enjoyments derived from a material existence are not denied the follower of the Vedas.
Maharaja
Dasharatha had only desires for divine association. His eldest son was
an incarnation of the original person, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Therefore the king was already living in the spiritual world,
basking in the sweet vision of Shri Rama day after day. From that love
for Godhead sprung natural affection for those who represent the Lord’s
interests on earth, the brahmanas. Already taking care of and respecting
many priests in his own kingdom, Dasharatha one day had the good
fortune of being visited by Vishvamitra Muni.After properly receiving his guest and getting his blessing, the king prepared for what the muni might ask. In the above referenced verse from the Janaki Mangala, the king offers the highest praise to Vishvamitra. The muni is addressed here as Prabhu, which means “lord”, and is praised for being able to grant any desire, including the four fruits of existence. One who attains dharma, artha, kama and moksha in a single lifetime is considered extremely fortunate, as the rewards don’t cohabitate very well with each other. Too much religiosity dampens the urge for sense gratification, and too much economic success makes following religious principles more difficult. In addition, if I am addicted to sense gratification, how will I get release from the cycle of birth and death? Moksha is specifically hinged on desire, what the consciousness is focused on at the time of death.
The association of the brahmanas thus becomes very important. They can put the proper guidelines into place, where the four rewards can cohabitate without a problem. Almost thinking out loud, Dasharatha here remarks how he feels that he can’t give the muni a proper gift. If someone gives you the four fruits of existence, what could you possibly give them In return? Ah, but Dasharatha did have something that any person would desire: God’s personal association. Vishvamitra had come to ask for this, the king’s most valuable possession.
What would you do in the same situation? Someone comes by your home to borrow the services of your son, who happens to be an expert bow warrior, though still of a young age. This son is your most cherished object; his vision every day makes your life worth living. You had gone many years without having children, and you fretted over whether or not the family line would continue. Only after having completed an important yajna, or sacrifice, did not only one, but four beautiful sons come your way. Now someone who doesn’t live in your community wants to take your eldest son? Why would you agree?
The
reason for Dasharatha’s eventual acquiescence is revealed in the above
referenced statement. As the brahmanas provide the most valuable
information in life, their requests cannot be denied. Indeed, it was the
brahmana class who had urged Dasharatha to perform the sacrifice that
brought Shri Rama to his family. The ways of the Lord are so mysterious
and perfect at the same time. Though God is never influenced by external
action, He arranges events in such a way so that it looks like a
specific behavior leads to His presence. It was a fact that Rama had
desired to appear as Dasharatha’s son a while back and that the advice
of the brahmanas was given to increase the value of their association,
to show how much respect they deserve.Lord Rama and His younger brother Lakshmana would be the reward for Vishvamitra’s graceful presence. Of course the exchange was not an even one, for the four fruits of existence cannot compare to the presence of Rama and Lakshmana. The two beautiful youths are splendid in their appearance, dedicated in their vow to protect, and most sincere in their efforts. Just being able to say the names of the two brothers is a boon that brings many auspicious merits. Vishvamitra didn’t ask for Rama’s protection as a means of getting even. He was having difficulty living peacefully in the forests, as the night-rangers had harassed many innocent sages. The brahmanas unable to carry out their religious duties, their protector, brahmanya-devaya, Shri Rama, would go to the forests and weed out the toxic influence of the ghoulish enemies of the saintly class.
By
following the regulations advised by the brahmanas, the four fruits of
existence can come to us, but this path is very difficult. On the other
hand, through following the recommendation of pure devotion to the
Supreme Lord, the four rewards become insignificant. Dasharatha felt
like his life was taken away whenever he was separated from Rama, which
shows just how cherished God’s association is. As the holy name is the
best way to connect with that sweetheart who roamed the forests as a
young child protecting Vishvamitra, the most recommended practice for
spiritual upliftment is the chanting of the holy names, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”.
The acharyas of the Vedic tradition have done so much for us that we
really have no way of repaying them. Through dedication in bhakti-yoga,
or devotional service,
we honor their efforts and hopefully please them. The benedictions
offered by the saints are meant to culminate in spontaneous devotion to
God, so if we take up the processes of bhakti right away, their past
tireless efforts will prove to be fruitful for us.In Closing:
Four fruits of existence brahmanas give,
So that pursuing proper path you can live.
Follow dharma to get economic development,
Satisfy senses and hope rebirth to circumvent.
King meeting Vishvamitra felt hesitant,
For vipra can provide of desires attainment.
What possibly could king give in return,
Nothing of equal value was cause for concern.
King’s eldest son Rama of existence its source,
Chanting His name is life’s proper course.
To part with his son king did finally agree,
From Vishvamitra’s request, sages God to see.