Fasting for Ekadasi !

 Fasting for Ekadasi !

It was only eight and by then Kumar was getting hungry. Do not have to wake up so early and shower in a hurry! After taking a bath, the stomach asks for food due to habit.

"Would you like some coffee?" Lata asked loudly from the kitchen.  

"Wouldn't I have drunk coffee as soon as I woke up? I have struggled to control myself for fasting. Why do you remind me like this?" Kumar said with irritation.

"Who told you to fast Ekadasi?" Lata's murmur fell into his ear. 

It all came from that WhatsApp message explaining the glories of Ekadasi fast. It mentioned that an American Research Institute after an extensive study found that people who observe Ekadasi fast do not suffer from health problems and live longer.

After reading it, the thought of  Ekadasi quickly arose in Kumar's mind. The news came on Friday. Ekadasi is on the next day, Saturday. He has an office holiday that day. So he decided that the Ekadasi fast could be done on that day. 

A person who usually wakes up at 8 am on a holiday, Kumar woke up at 6 am and bathed. He suppressed his desire for coffee, though the flavor spread beyond the dining area.

Even when Lata said, "There is nothing wrong with drinking coffee," he refused. 

Now at 8 o'clock, she asks him if he wants coffee again!

At 9 o'clock Kumar left saying "I will go to the temple". 

As he walked down the street, the smells from the hotels, tea shops, and the bustling street food made him hungry.

On entering the temple, a thought occurred. He thought that if there was any offering in the temple, he could eat it, and it would be not wrong to take ‘Prasadam” from the temple on fasting day. But on Ekadasi, the temple does not make food for Perumal! So no offering was available in the temple. 

It was very tiring while returning from the temple. He couldn't resist and rushed inside Krishna Cafe as soon as it was visible a few feet away.

“A Coffee,” he said to the server.  "Itli, Pongal, all are very hot sir!" said the server. 

"Just bring the coffee, that's enough," said Kumar with a burning voice. 

'A cup of coffee will do nothing'. If you drink coffee at home, Lata will feel a little sarcastic. So he thought it was right to eat at the hotel.

At about eleven o'clock his close friend came to see Kumar at home.

Lata brought coffee only for him.

When the friend asked, "Don’t you want to drink?".

 "Shall I give you coffee too?" Lata interjected, looking at her husband with a naughty smile.

"Ok”, nodded his head unknowingly. He already had a coffee at the hotel. There is nothing wrong with having another coffee, he reassured himself. 

At 1 p.m., Lata placed the plates and cooked food on the dining table and sat down to eat. Looking at Kumar "Are you also eating?" she asked.

"Cooked just for you, isn’t it? said Kumar.

"Can I cook like that so correctly? The food I cook is enough for two people. Shall I get a plate for you too?"

"I told you of fasting for me today!" Kumar said with irritation.

"I know many people who are fasting on Ekadasi eat only once. Even you may eat now and not eat at night.", told Lata.

"Ok," said Kumar hurriedly, with an aura of hot sambar and other items and hunger pinching his stomach. He said, "At first, I will fast by eating only one meal. If I get used to this, it will be easy to fast the whole day."

Lata said, "If you are going to have a meal, eat generously and in full.  I have made a lot of items and quantities and eaten a lot in the morning. Don't worry about me."

Kumar ate to his stomach full as he thought how much she cared for him.

When making coffee in the afternoon, Lata said, "Why don't have coffee for you too?  You are going to fast only for the night? Can I bring coffee now?".

Kumar said nothing.

After a while, Lata brought the coffee. "Do you want any biscuits?" she said.

Kumar stared at her as if she was teasing him and said, "No." 

Lata went to the shop in the evening. In the middle of the day, the stomach started feeling hungry as if it had been digested after eating a lot. 'Do you want any biscuits?' He remembered his wife asking him.

He searched the kitchen shelf. There were two or three types of cookies and biscuits. He took two of each. Next to the biscuit packets were a mixture packet and a peanut packet, bought from Grand Sweets. He took them too.

He tasted everything like cookies, biscuits, mixtures, and peanuts, watching live cricket on TV.

When Lata came back from the shop at six o'clock, she said, "I bought bananas for you for the night. Don't go to bed on an empty stomach. There is nothing wrong with eating fruit and milk."

She went inside and came back with a packet in her hand. She handed the packet to him saying, "They have put some hot patties in the Cake shop. They are tasty and crispy. Try eating them."

'Fasting only at night. Now it is only six o'clock. The night is only after 7 o'clock. Kumar finished his patties and thought he should not eat anything after 7 o'clock. The fritters were hot and delicious. 

He said, "Get the banana and give it to me. I will eat it now. Will not eat it at night."

 His stomach was full after eating four bananas given by his wife.

At 9 pm, "Shall I give milk?" Lata asked.  "Okay," said Kumar meekly. His stomach, which had been full in the evening, was now beginning to feel hungry again.

"Now, don’t you have some Upma and then drink milk?"

"Is it ready”?

Lata answered, "I am going to make Rava Upma. If you want, I will make it for you also."

The thought of Upma, ran water in his tongue,  "Okay," he said instantly.

He ate hot tasty upma and drank milk.

By the time he went to bed at night, he seemed to have eaten more than he had ever eaten any day, trying to keep his fast. 

Only those who are disciplined and self-disciplined can practice penance. It is futile for a person lacking these qualities to attempt penance.

😃

An Ode to the Aged

An Ode to the Aged

Achuthan Nair was getting old. After a long stint in Govt. service, and his wife passed away, was staying with his only son, Mukundan Unni.
Unni and Devika, his wife have moved to a new Flat in Kochi, where both are techies. They have a son, Madhav, studying in college.
Achuthan Nair is frail and not so healthy due to age-related issues. When he walks, he has to hold on to the wall...
As a result, wherever he touched, the walls became discolored, shabby and covered with his fingerprints. 

Devika figured this out...would often complain about walls getting dirty, to her husband, though he pretended to have not heard at all.

One day Nair had a severe headache. When it became uncomfortable, he massaged himself with some Ayurvedic oil he had stored earlier in the cupboard on his head. And as he touched the oily hand, oil stains appeared on the walls while moving to the ante-room too. 

Devika could not control her anger and screamed at Mukund to tell his father not to touch the walls while walking. Then, out of anger or frustration suddenly, he shouted and abused his father. Achuthan Nair looked at him in pain and didn't utter a word.
When he became normal, Mukundan  Unni was ashamed of his behavior since his father said nothing and was silent. 
While walking outside one day, his father held onto the wall and screamed with pain in the joints. Soon on another day while walking holding the wall he lost control and fell.  He soon passed away after lying in bed, silently for a few more days with no complaints. 

 Mukundan often felt guilty and remorse. He could never forget his father's expressions. Soon his passing caused him more pain. 
After some time, they wanted to paint the house. When the painters came, Anand, his son, who loved his grandfather more, refused to allow the painters to clean up his father's fingerprints and erase those parts in the room. 
The painters were accommodative,very nice and had an idea. They created a unique design by drawing a beautiful circle around those marks while keeping the fingerprints of the Patriarch Achuthan Nair.
 
Later, that painting on the wall with their father's handprint became the highlight of the home.  Every person who visited their home appreciated the unique design. 

Much water has flown through Periyar and Mukundan Unni also has become old.  Now he needs the support of the wall to walk.  One day while walking, he suddenly remembered those harsh words made to his father.  Immediately, he tried to walk without holding on to the wall. 
His son, Anand was watching this and he immediately came and told him to hold on to the walls while walking.. He looked into his eyes and stood for a moment, silent.. He looked down so that his son wouldn't see the tears swelling in his eyes...!
He walked without the support of the wall and looked, when he was worried that he might fall, he felt his son's hand holding on tightly.
His granddaughter, Aparna who was witnessing all this, immediately came forward and put his hand on her shoulders, and lovingly asked him to walk... Mukundan started crying almost silently inside.  
He felt that if he had done this for his father, he would have lived with them for a longer time... 
Granddaughter took him inside and sat him on the sofa. Then took her drawing book to show him. He saw in it that the teacher appreciated her drawing and gave great comments. 
The sketch she drew in the book was his father's handprint on the walls of their house.  Her caption for it reads….
"Let all children love their elders alike..."   

Mukundan  back in his room could not control himself and asked forgiveness from his late father. 

( We also grow old with time. Let us take care of our elders and teach our children the same ..!! )

🙏🏼

Note: The seed for this story is from WhatsApp Group and the author is not known.

Draupadi's Wailings...

Draupadi's Wailings...

The day's battle had made Draupadi look 80 years old...physically

as well as mentally.

The city was full of widows…There were only a few men around.

Orphan children were seen roaming around and the queen of them all

Draupadi was sitting motionless in the palace of Hastinapur, staring

into the void.

Just then, Shri Krishna enters Draupadi's room.

As soon as she sees Krishna, she runs and hugs him...

Krishna keeps caressing her head and lets her cry.

After a while, he takes her away from himself and makes her sit on

a nearby bed.

Draupadi: What happened, friend? I had not thought so.

Krishna: Destiny is ruthless Panchali. It does not work as we think!

It transforms our actions into results. You wanted to take revenge.

You succeeded, Draupadi! Your revenge is complete...

Not just Duryodhan and Dushasan, all the Kauravas are finished.

You should be happy!

Draupadi: Dear friend, have you come to soothe my wounds or

to sprinkle salt on them?

Krishna: No Draupadi, I have come to make you aware of the reality.

We can not see the results of our actions far ahead and when they are

in front of us.

Draupadi: Then, nothing is in our hands. So, am I completely

responsible for this war, Krishna?

Krishna: No, Draupadi. Don't consider yourself so important...

But, If you had a little foresight in your actions, you would never

have suffered so much.

Draupadi: What could I have done Krishna?

Krishna:- You could have done a lot when your swayamvara took

place... If you had not insulted Karna and allowed him to participate

in the competition, the results would have been different! (1)

After this, when Kunti ordered you to become the wife of five

husbands, and if you had not accepted, the results would have been

different....(2)And after that, you insulted Duryodhan in your palace saying that

" the sons of blind men are blind". (3)

If you had not said that, your disrobing would not have happened...

Even then, perhaps, the circumstances would have been different. (4)

"Our words are also our deeds" Draupadi, and "It is very important

to weigh our every word before speaking. Otherwise, its adverse

effects keep making not only ourselves but our entire surroundings

unhappy. Man is the only creature in the world whose poison is not

in his teeth but in his words”.

Therefore use words wisely. Use such words, which do not hurt

anyone’s feelings!  The Mahabharata resides within each and

every one of us.

Epilogue:

Draupadi is the most prominent female character in the Mahabharata. Her given name at birth is Krishnaa, but since she is the daughter of Drupada she is called Draupadi. She is also known as Panchali – or the ‘daughter of Panchala’. She is also known as Yajnasena since born out of the Yagna.

Draupadi is often considered the primary reason for the destruction of the Kuru dynasty. Indeed, she takes birth as a grown young woman in a sacrifice performed by Drupada, in which the king asks for a ‘weapon’ with which the Kurus can be defeated.

Many kings participated in the contest, but most of them could not even string the bow. Seeing the failures of the kings, Karna, the son of Sun God approached the bow, wielded it, and was about to shoot the arrow when Panchali loudly said " I will not select a Suta as my husband ".Then Karna, laughing in vexation and insulted, threw aside the bow already drawn to a circle and left the assembly.

a

When everybody failed, Arjuna, disguised as a Brahmin, approached the bow, strung it, and pierced the eye of the fish in a single attempt. The Kshatriyas present there objected to the marriage, as they did not know that the Brahmin was Arjuna. Therefore, they attacked him, but could not do much before the strength of the Pandavas. Then Draupadi requested the monarchs to stop the fight as she had been rightfully acquired by the Brahmin. Then, the warriors stopped fighting and returned to their kingdoms.

2. Apart from the curses and boons in her previous lives, one more incident happened when Pandavas returned to their abode along with Draupadi. They approached their mother and presented Yajnaseni to her as the alms they had obtained that day. Kunti, who was inside the room said: “Enjoy you all (whatever you have obtained).” A moment later, when she saw Panchali, ‘Oh, what have I said?’ and felt sorry to say so and expressed her regret to Yudhishthira. Pandavas were devoted to their mother and never turned down any of her orders. Yudhishthira understood the situation and told Arjuna, “O Arjuna, you have won her. Therefore, she should be your wife only. Therefore, ignite the sacred fire and marry her with due rites.” But Arjuna declined his suggestion because his elder brothers, Yudhishthira and Bhima, were unmarried. Yudhishthira remembered the story of Draupadi’s previous birth told by Sage Vyasa by which Draupadi was supposed to have five husbands in this birth because of a boon from Lord Shiva. Therefore, Yudhishthira pronounced that Draupadi would be their common wife.

3. When Pandavas reached Hastinapur after the marriage with Panchali, the elders decided to divide the kingdom and give some part to Pandavas. There they built, with the help of Mayasura, a magnificent city named Indraprastha. Pandavas defeated most of their adversaries in the battle. And arranged for Rajasuya Yajna to proclaim Yudhishthira, Chakravarti Samrat. For the yajna, they invited Duryodhana and many other kings.

In Pandava’s palace, Mayasura had designed a water pool that looked like a floor. Thinking it was a floor, Duryodhana stepped into it and fell into the water. Seeing this, Draupadi could not control herself and laughed at him. As in some stories, she said, “A blind man’s son is also blind”. Duryodhana got very angry with her and decided to take revenge for his insult.

4. Later, in the game of dice, she was pledged by Yudhishtira. Subsequently, Draupadi was disrobed in the assembly by the orders of Duryodana. Bhima took an oath to kill Kauravas at the instance of Draupadi. Before the attempt of Draupadi Vastraharan, Pandavas did not think about killing Kauravas because they considered them their brothers, even though Duryodhana had tried to kill them.

  It was told in some stories, indirectly Draupadi was responsible for the killing of Kauravas and helped Lord Krishna establish dharma.

The Birbal Story

The Birbal Story

Akbar, the Great, one of the prominent Mughal emperors who ruled India, went hunting one day in the summer, accompanied by a group of attendants. They searched the entire forest but did not find a single animal. He traveled many miles on horseback. Akbar and his team were exhausted due to extreme fatigue and thirst. If only we had some water! Their tongues were parched and they searched everywhere for water. "Let's go to the nearest village," Akbar said. When they went some distance, they saw a boy walking carrying a small bag. Akbar asked the boy: "We are very thirsty; where can we get some water?" "There is a pond near my house. "I will show you the way there," replied the boy. The boy was very eager to show the way to the horsemen. A man put the boy on his horse. The horses galloped away with loud hoofs. They quickly reached the pond.

The boy fetched water from the pool and gave it to everyone. When he poured water for Akbar with a smile, the emperor asked the boy: "What is your name?" "What is your name?" - The boy turned and asked a question. Akbar was shocked to hear this unexpected question. The emotion in his mind was also reflected on his face. The emperor's face became more serious. "Do you know who I am?" he asked in a rather high-pitched voice. The boy laughed without hesitation and asked another question. "Do you know the Brahmin priest in this village?" "I don't know," said Akbar. "Yes, I want to tell you the answer." The boy replied confidently.

The attendants waited anxiously to see what was about to happen. Suddenly, Akbar's face became clear like the cloudless sky. He laughed; took off his ring and gave it to the child; Then he said: "Let this be for giving us water and speaking as a lime. That ring will speak who I am." While the boy was looking at the ring back and forth, Akbar and his team got on the horse. On that ring studded with a sparkling ruby ​​stone was written: "Akbar"! The boy stared at Emperor Akbar in wonder. When you grow old you should come to my palace in Delhi. Show that ring and you can enter it. Saying this, Akbar left the place driving the horse and then the team of horses. Then the boy remembered something. He said he had not told him his name and ran back. "My name is Mahesh Das.......Mahesh Das "Who will listen? No one heard the boy shouting over the sound of horses' hooves!

When Mahesh was sixteen, he came to Delhi to meet Emperor Akbar. He approached the guard standing at the palace gate. He told the story of Akbar coming to his village years back. The guards looked at him in disdain (since he was not very well dressed) and asked why they should let him in. He showed them the ring that was given to him by the emperor as proof. One of the guards realized that this individual was important to the emperor and gave him permission to enter, based on one condition: the young man would share half of what he received from the emperor with the guard. Mahesh Das promised to do so and was given access to the court of Emperor Akbar.

The palace was a wonderful sight for Mahesh. He walked through the vast and beautiful palace and reached Akbar's audience. Mahesh sat on a chair and saw Akbar sitting on a golden throne. Akbar asked the audience in front: "Which is the most beautiful flower in the world?" Many people said many names. Mahesh said loudly, “ Cotton is the best flower in my opinion. It has no smell.” The crowd in unison laughed. When the noise was contained, Akbar asked: "What is the reason for saying cotton? Can you explain?" Mahesh stood up again and said. "O Lord! From cotton, the famous fabrics of your country are woven. Muslin and voile yield it. They are as delicate as the gentle breeze and beautiful as the rainbow. I prefer cotton to any other flower." Akbar liked the explanation. Akbar asked. "What is your name?" Where do you come from?" "My name is Mahesh. You came to my village seven years ago while hunting. I fetched water from the village pool for your thirsty group to drink. You gave me a ring that day. You said that I should come here when I am old." Akbar laughed and said, "I remember, and happy that you have come. You can stay in the palace as long as you wish." Akbar remembered the rash boy of that day.  And benevolent King asked him if anything else in particular he wanted.

 The young man thought a while and asked the emperor for fifty lashes of the whip. The emperor was amazed but he knew that Mahesh Das was a very astute young man and asked him the reason for his wish. Mahesh Das revealed to the emperor the deal that he had made with the guard outside the fort. The emperor was thoroughly amused and angry at the same time. He awarded fifty lashes to the guard for his impertinence and his habit of bullying people. He rewarded Mahesh Das by including him in his court and giving him all the comforts he could desire. He also bestowed on him the name of Birbal.

 Birbal, an Indian folk hero noted for his wit and cleverness, was one of the nine gems of Akbar. To this day, this duo is remembered by everyone, especially children through the fancy and witty tales.