Crooked babas sometimes shame Hinduism whereas the religion’s uniqueness is followers are considered capable of forming an independent relationship with God. Saints have repeatedly stressed that ‘naam’ or ‘God’s Name’ is the only kavach or protection in this epoch of Kalyug, an era in which dharma or right conduct drops to its lowest proportion. Anticipating the festival season that restarts next month with Janmashtami, let’s recall some dharma points from Indian spiritual heritage.
Followers of Sanatana Dharma consider the Mahabharata the saar or essence of the four Vedas, which is why this itihasa or epic is called ‘the Fifth Veda’. Not only does the Mahabharata contain the Ramayana retold, but also five conversations cherished as the Pancharatna or Five Gems. Vyasa’s version of the Ramayana appears in the Vana Parva or forest section. It is one of the most popular passages in Indian literature, describing the 12 years the Pandavas spent in the forest and their adventures there.
Rishi Markandeya visited the Pandavas twice in exile, once in the Kamyaka forest to the west of the Kurukshetra plain, and another time in the Dvaitavana forest on the border of the Thar Desert. One time, his visit coincided with Krishna’s. This rishi was a favourite as he was an excellent storyteller. They liked to sit around him and enjoy story sessions. One time, Draupadi was kidnapped by Jayadratha and rescued by Bhima and Arjuna, and Yudhishthira sadly wondered if any man was ever made to suffer as him. That’s when he was told the story of how Sri Rama, a much worthier hero, was deprived of his kingdom, after which his wife was kidnapped.
Incidentally, another tale we ironically neglect is the epic of Utanka’s error. We find this episode in the Aashwamedhika Parva. As Krishna returned to Dwaraka in his chariot, he passed through “a desert ill-supplied with water”, where he chanced on a wandering ascetic, Utanka, described caustically by Vyasa as “the foremost of the learned”. You shiver in anticipatory fear as master-narrator Vyasa, with his killer instinct for ‘chiaroscuro’ or light-and-shade, just has to be setting up this seemingly incidental person for a big fall.
Krishna and Utanka exchanged fond greetings. Utanka asked for news. He was devastated to hear about Kurukshetra and wanted to curse Krishna for letting it happen. Krishna patiently explained his avatar’s purpose of restoring dharmic balance and Utanka was pacified. He begged to see the Visvarupa; Krishna let him! So besides Arjuna at Kurukshetra and partly Yashoda when she looked into Krishna’s open mouth, it’s Utanka who beheld “Vasudeva’s universal form, endowed with mighty arms, blazing with the fire of a thousand suns, filling all space, with faces on every side”. And Utanka said, “O You, whose handiwork is the universe, I bow to You. O parent of all things, You fill the firmament.”
Krishna granted Utanka a parting boon that he would always find water when thirsty, if he thought of Him. Desperately thirsty soon after, Utanka called to Krishna, but no sparkling fountain manifested. Instead, a Chandala (outcaste) appeared, who invited Utanka to quench his thirst from his gourd. Outraged, Utanka refused. Despite many pleas and protestations by the Chandala, Utanka furiously said no, so finally the apparition vanished. Alas, it was none but Indra, lord of the celestials, who, when asked by Krishna to give Utanka a drink of amrita, the nectar of immortality, insisted Utanka be first put to an appropriate test. “Your fault has been great,” said Krishna to the weeping Utanka, who, understanding nothing, not even the significance of Visvarupa-darshan, let Krishna down. “However,” said Krishna, “I will keep my word. Sudden clouds will shower water in the desert; they shall be called ‘Utanka-clouds’.” And they are: a stark reminder to transcend false divisions.
Just so, the Five Gems are greatly prized as they are mini-compendiums of spiritual teachings. The Pancharatna passages are called the Yaksha Prashna, the Vidur Niti, the Sanat Sujatiyam, the Bhagavad Gita and the Vishnu Sahasranamam.
The Yaksha Prashna is the famous ‘riddle test’ on philosophy and morals that a lake spirit disguised as a crane asks Yudhisthira. This episode is a thought-provoking passage on life choices. The spirit is actually Yudhishthira’s heavenly father, Yama, disguised to test his son’s values and morals.
So, in the middle of a war story we hear the question, “What is the highest duty in the world?” and Yudhishthira’s moving answer, “To abstain from injury is the highest of all duties.” Yudhishthira’s insightful nature shines through and sets a gold standard of behaviour worthy of a ‘Dharmaputra’.
The Vidur Niti is the conversation between wise Vidura and King Dhritarashtra about best practices in managing worldly affairs and preparing for the afterlife. The Sanat Sujatiyam is a follow-up conversation, a dharma capsule about immortality as disclosed to Dhritarashtra by a celestial sage summoned by Vidura. The complex Bhagavad Gita, revealed by Krishna to Arjuna, is the best-known of the Five Gems. But in some places, it is exceeded in popularity by the simpler Vishnu Sahasranamam.
The battle of Kurukshetra is over. Yudhisthira is now king. He asks Krishna some very precise questions about God. Krishna directs him to where Bhishma lies on his bed of arrows. Bhishma answers with the Vishnu Sahasranamam and says, “The Person I’ve described is right here; He’s Krishna.” Four generations in South India have been thrilled to have M S Subbulakshmi’s recording of this paean. Isn’t it time we reclaimed this Naam Granth to protect ourselves from fake teachers?
(Views are personal)
(shebaba09@gmail.com)
Renuka Narayanan