Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge; this is a non- commercial blog.
Three interesting things happened with a beautiful courtesan in India two thousand six hundred years ago.
1.Buddha’s meeting with her and accepting her food surprised every one and Buddha’s own clan Sakhyas were disappointed
2.Emperor Bimbisara entered enemy’s territory to spend one night with her and escaped incognito.
3.That courtesan who was named Mango Garden lady imposed five interesting conditions to entertain anyone for one night.
Here is the most interesting story of Ambapali. In Sanskrit her name is Amra Pali ,i.e. Lady from Mango Garden .
There is a very interesting story about the name.
A Shakyan clan noble called Mahanama found a baby girl in a mango garden in the big city of Vaishali. Now that city is in the Bihar state of India. Mahanama was childless and so his wife reared her amid pomp and luxury as her own daughter. When she grew up she became exquisitely beautiful.
There were strict caste restrictions in Sakhya clan. Mahanama can’t give her to anyone outside his clan. So when she was ready to marry, the Assembly of Lichcavis was convened. Everybody waited to see the girl. When she entered the hall all were wonderstruck with her beauty. Each one vied to marry her. It looked like there would be a big fight to get her. At last they decided to own her jointly. It is called ‘Ghana bhogya’. Her father refused to it. But the clever girl came with a proposal. She put five conditions to spend a night with anyone.
What are the conditions?
1.She should be provided a big house in the centre of the city;
2.Only one person can enter her house eachday.
3.Her fee for one night is 500 karshapanas ( very expensive lady; this word is used even today in Tamil as ‘Kasu’ ‘Panam’) .
4.If anyone wants to inspect her house for any reason the government should give her seven day notice and the Administration would be allowed into her house only on the seventh day.
5.There should be no watch over persons coming in and going out of her house.
(Thank God, there was no CCTV cameras or Google watch 2600 years ago).
The assembly accepted all her conditions.
She selected the best house in the best locality of the city. She had the walls of her house painted by an artist with the portraits of kings, ministers, nobles, rich bankers and traders. While scanning the portraits she fell in love with the portrait of emperor Bimbisara and very anxious to meet him
Since her name and fame spread far and wide Bimbisara also wanted to spend some time with her. But there was a big problem. He was the mighty emperor of Magadha Empire. Even Alexander was not ready to enter India 300 years after Bimbisara. But the Licchavi clan of Vaishali was not in good relationship with him. So his ministers warned him not to go to Ambapali’s house. But he boldly went to her house with the help of Gopa, Commander in Chief of the Army. He spent some time with her. However, the Licchavi spies got the information that the enemy in their territory. But they never suspected Ambapali. When they made house to house search Ambapali reminded them the administration should give her seven- day notice. This is one of the five conditions. In the meantime, sensing the trouble Bimbisara escaped in disguise.
When Bimbisara stayed with her for six nights he gave her a ring with his official seal and told her she could approach him anytime. After nine months Ambapali gave birth to a son. When he grew up his classmates were teasing him as an Illegitimate son of a courtesan. Then Ambapali sent him to Bimbisara. In later life that boy became a Buddhist monk and came to be known as Vimala Kondanna.
Ambapali was very successful in her trade and amassed huge wealth.Buddha in his last days came to Kotigama near Vaishali. Ambapali went to pay her respects. She listened to his discourse and became a lay devotee. She invited Buddha with his disciples for lunch in her house. At the same time the Licchavi leaders also came to invite him. But Buddha accepted only Ambapali’s invitation. This disappointed the Licchavis. At the end of dinner, she gave her entire mango garden with its big buildings to Bikshu Sanga, the Buddhist Association.
Some time after this she listened to her own son Vimala’s discourse. She decided to become a bikshuni, monk. She looked at her own body which was beautiful at one time and now became shrunken. She realised the impermanence of worldly existence and attained arhathood. She gave expression to her mind in verses.
She was one of the most famous women of ancient India. Vasanta sena, Vasava data and Ambaplali became famous and was the plot of several Sanskrit dramas and Kanyas.
While Maitreyi and Gargi Vachknavi were known for their spiritual attainments, the above three were known for their sacrifice , devotion and affection towards their lovers.
Ancient Indian love stories were more beautiful than Romeo and Juliet and Antony and Cleopatra.
Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge; this is a non- commercial blog.
Jesus Christ said in the Bible,
‘I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last’
Revelation 22-13
Appar alias Tirunavukkarasar (Sixth Century CE) also said,
‘Aanaththu mun ezuththaai ninraar polum’ (in Tamil)
That is a, the first letter in Tamil alphabet
Tiruvalluvar, author of Tamil Tirukkural also said,
In his very first couplet,
The alphabet begins with A;
So does the Universe with God (Akara mudala Ezuthu ellam….. in Tamil)
All these people echoed what Lord Krishna said in the Bhagavad Gita,
“Of letters I am A” (Krishna in Bhagavad Gita – Aksharaanaam Akaarosmi……in Sanskrit) – B G 10-33
When Krishna explained to Arjuna that God is in all the living beings and non-living things in the world, he mentioned the best in every category. There he mentioned He is A among letters (BG 10-33). This is a very interesting linguistic matter.
God is the origin and sustenance of all universe.
Dr S M Diaz in his commentary on the Tirukkural couplet says,
“In this particular couplet (very first Kural) , there is more in the comparison of god to the first letter of the alphabet, than is obvious in the ordinary context. Linguists would realise that the sound of the letter ‘A’ is that which energises all other letters and is the indispensable origin and source of utterance for all letters of the alphabet of most languages. In this way the letter ‘A’ and its sound not only form the starting point for all the letters of the language, but also give life and integrity to all other sounds and letters. In the same way God is the fountain head and source of all life and activity in this universe. Perhaps that is the reason most invocations to god begin with Om. It is interesting to note also that Thirumanthiram (written by Tiru Mular) refers to God as
Akara muthalaa yanaithumai nirkum , 1753 1751 (in Tamil)
That is why Spinoza called God the first cause in his philosophic discourse on Ethics.
So does Thomas Aquinas, and from a more rational angle, De Cartes.”
—Tirukkural, Volume 1 Dr SM Diaz
Swami Chinmayananda says in his comment on the Bhagavad Gita sloka/couplet,
“Of the alphabet, I am the letter A” (10-33)
It is very well known that, without the help of the vowels, words cannot be pronounced. Of all languages, Sanskrit is particularly sweet because of the preponderance of the A sound in it. In fact, every letter in its combination is to be pronounced in Sanskrit with the sound of A added to it to lengthen it to its full sweetness. This, as it were, lubricates the words, and consequently the language has no backfiring of disturbances of rattling nuisance or disgusting hoarseness. Because of the smooth run of the A sound in every letter, there is a melody even between words and a lingering echo between sentences.
In fact, after a long chanting of a Sanskrit text in a hall, there is, for the sensitive, a perceptible atmosphere of soothing music in the air that can lull all the agitations of the human mind.
The sound A is not only the essence in each letter of a word— not only does it transcend, or overflow the sentences and flood the very atmosphere — but it has itself the first place among the alphabets in all the languages. Realising these implications, the Upanishads declare that A sound is the essence in all speech. (Karma phalasya vidhata)
MY RESEARCH ON LETTER ‘A’
1.Rig Veda begins with the mantra ‘ agni meele prohitam ‘.i.e with Agni and ends with a verse on Agni. Thus we see ‘ A’ for Agni there. It is said that all Vedic mantras begin with ‘Aum’. Even if we take Aum as the first word in the Vedas, it is the combination of A+U+M according to Hindu commentators. Again we see ‘A’ as the first letter.
2.And there is a rule in Sanskrit and Tamil that a book or any literary work should begin with auspicious words where we can see ‘A’ words. Several Sanskrit books begin with ‘Atha’. There is a sloka which explains it:-
The sounds ‘Om’ and ‘Atha’ came first from the mouth of Brahma. So both these are considered auspicious words.
3.Tamil can be compared only with Sanskrit because both came from the same source i.e Lord Shiva according to Tamil literature.
And Agastya, the Rishi from northern Himalayas, only did a Grammar for Tamil. All these facts are in Tamil literature. If both are completely different from one another, Agastya would not have agreed for the huge assignment.
Very interestingly, the Agastya’s name also begins with ‘A’.
4.When a five year old boy goes to Sanskrit school, he is taught in the very first class,
‘Akaarantha pullingah Rama Sabdah’
That is the students have to memorise everything when the teacher says it. I myself learnt Sanskrit that way. We begin with Akaara………
5.Then we are asked to memorise the world’s first dictionary cum thesaurus Amara Kosa written by Amara Simha. Though it begins with Yasya……… the name of the book and the name of the author begins with ‘A’.
5.Panini’s Mahesvara Sutra, which came from the kettle drum of Lord Siva begins with ‘A’.
6.My long research over 50 years have shown that Sanskrit and its sister language Tamil have unique structure. Unlike other language dictionaries the Sanskrit and Tamil dictionaries are arranged in the same alphabetical order. Short vowel and Long Vowel will follow one another (A, aa, E, ee, U, uu………………..). Then the consonants also follow the same order in the dictionary (Ka, Ca, Ta, Tha, Pa, Ra; Ya Ra La, Va etc).
But here I will only talk about letter A.
The wonder of wonders in Tamil and Sanskrit is
‘A’ words will be more than ‘AA’ (long vowel)
‘I’ words will be more than ‘ii’ words
‘U’ words will be more than ‘UU’ words
In short long vowel words will be less than short vowel words.
Strangely diphthongs Ai and Au won’t be there.
In my previous research paper written years ago, I have given the comparative chart. Since this article is about vowel A, I will just show only the vowels from two most famous books of Hindus in Sanskrit and Tamil:-
Slokas beginning with letter Aa in Bhagavad Gita – 17
Slokas beginning with letter ‘ i’ in Bhagavad Gita – 21
Slokas beginning with letter ‘ii’ in Bhagavad Gita – 1
Slokas beginning with letter U in Bhagavad Gita – 9
Slokas beginning with letter Uu in Bhagavad Gita – 2
You can see short vowel sound letter slokas are more than long vowel sound slokas
This amazing structure can be seen in Tamil Veda Tirukkural as well :-
TIRUKKURAL in TAMIL by Tiru Valluvar
Tirukkural has 1330 Kural couplets
Kural couplets beginning with letter A – 157
Kural couplets beginning with letter Aa – 23
Kural couplets beginning with letter i – 114
Kural couplets beginning with letter ii – 8
Kural couplets beginning with letter U– 81
Kural couplets beginning with letter Uu – 21
The pattern is same in both the languages. Even the proportion of all vowel related verses or words is same.
No one can impose a condition on poets that you must compose these many poems with A and these many verses with Aa. And yet we see this amazing feature through out ancient Sanskrit and Tamil literature. These morphological and anatomical (sandhi rules) features of both these languages explode Aryan-Dravidian language family theories. I have given more information about Sandhi rules in another article.
So, when Krishna said that He is A among letters and when Valluvar said A is the first letter in alphabet they meant more than what you read superficially.
7.Let us Decipher Indus Script
I have been proposing for long that if at all one cracks the code of Indus- Sarasvati River basin civilization language seals, then you will
See ‘A’ words (or sounds) more than ‘Aa’, I words (or sounds) more than ‘Ii’ and that will prove it is typical Indian language which would be the basis of Sanskrit and Tamil. In short, there will be no Aryan Family of languages or Dravidian Family of languages. There we will see a common root!
Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge; this is a non- commercial blog.
We have covered ten out of 12 chapters of Manava Dharma Shastra so far. Today let us investigate chapter 11. Manu, as usual, gives very interesting rules regarding Brahmins in this chapter.
I am covering up to 100 slokas in chapter 11 of Manu Smriti (Popular Hindu Law Book).
MOST OF THE RULES APPLY TO BRAHMINS ONLY.
The rule about River Sarasvati shows original Manu Smriti is Pre Indus Valley Civilization work . It was updated up to Sunga period (2nd century BCE) who were fanatically pro Brahmin.
The rule against cutting trees shows that ancient Hindus were concerned with environmental issues.
The rules against killing animals show that the ancient Hindus were friends of animals
The strict punishments for brahmins for drinking and other offences show brahmins must be purer than aall others.
First let me give interesting/important bits in bullet points-
1.sloka 11-1,2- nine types of brahmins must be supported
2.sloka 11-33- Brahmin’s weapon is Atharva Veda.
3.sloka 11-36- who can officiate as priest
4.sloka 11-49- gold theft
5.sloka 11-55- killing a priest
6.sloka 11-60 killing a cow
7.sloka 11-65- cutting trees
8.sloka 11-69- killing donkey, camel etc.
9.sloka 11-73- skull flag/ pirate’s flag
10.sloka 11-78- Sarasvati river
11.sloka 91- 99 severe punishments for Drinking
12.Sloka 11-15- violence against misers
Tirukkural, the Tamil Veda, supports violence against misers – see Kural 1077, 1078
13.SLOKA 11-19- ROB THE RICH, GIVE IT TO THE GOOD PEOPLE- BECOME A ROBIN HOOD
14. slokas 11-49-54 – what diseases one gets for Gold theft, Drinking, Sex offence (Doctors wont agree!!)
11-1. Him who wishes (to marry for the sake of having) offspring, him who wishes to perform a sacrifice, a traveller, him who has given away all his property, him who begs for the sake of his teacher, his father, or his mother, a student of the Veda, and a sick man,
2. These nine Brahmanas one should consider as Snatakas, begging in order to fulfil the sacred law; to such poor men gifts must be given in proportion to their learning.
3. To these most excellent among the twice-born, food and presents (of money) must be given; it is declared that food must be given to others outside the sacrificial enclosure.
4. But a king shall bestow, as is proper, jewels of all sorts, and presents for the sake of sacrifices on Brahmanas learned in the Vedas.
5. If a man who has a wife weds a second wife, having begged money (to defray the marriage expenses, he obtains) no advantage but sensual enjoyment; but the issue (of his second marriage belongs) to the giver of the money.
6. One should give, according to one’s ability, wealth to Brahmanas learned in the Veda and living alone; (thus) one obtains after death heavenly bliss.
SOMA JUICE
11-7. He who may possess (a supply of) food sufficient to maintain those dependant on him during three years or more than that, is worthy to drink the Soma-juice.
8. But a twice-born man, who, though possessing less than that amount of property, nevertheless drinks the Soma-juice, does not derive any benefit from that (act), though he may have formerly drunk the Soma-juice.
9. (If) an opulent man (is) liberal towards strangers, while his family lives in distress, that counterfeit virtue will first make him taste the sweets (of fame, but afterwards) make him swallow the poison (of punishment in hell).
11-10. If (a man) does anything for the sake of his happiness in another world, to the detriment of those whom he is bound to maintain, that produces evil results for him, both while he lives and when he is dead.
11. If a sacrifice, (offered) by (any twice-born) sacrificer, (and) especially by a Brahmana, must remain incomplete through (the want of) one requisite, while a righteous king rules,
12. That article (required) for the completion of the sacrifice, may be taken (forcibly) from the house of any Vaisya, who possesses a large number of cattle, (but) neither performs the (minor) sacrifices nor drinks the Soma-juice;
13. (Or) the (sacrificer) may take at his pleasure two or three (articles required for a sacrifice) from the house of a Sudra; for a Sudra has no business with sacrifices.
14. If (a man) possessing one hundred cows, kindles not the sacred fire, or one possessing a thousand cows, drinks not the Soma-juice, a (sacrificer) may unhesitatingly take (what he requires) from the houses of those two, even (though they be Brahmanas or Kshatriyas);
TAMIL VEDA ALSO SUPPORTS VIOLENCE AGAINST MISERS
11-15. (Or) he may take (it by force or fraud) from one who always takes and never gives, and who refuses to give it; thus the fame (of the taker) will spread and his merit increase.
16. Likewise he who has not eaten at (the time of) six meals, may take at (the time of) the seventh meal (food) from a man who neglects his sacred duties, without (however) making a provision for the morrow,
17. Either from the threshing-floor, or from a field, or out of the house, or wherever he finds it; but if (the owner) asks him, he must confess to him that (deed and its cause).
18. (On such occasions) a Kshatriya must never take the property of a (virtuous Brahmana; but he who is starving may appropriate the possessions of a Dasyu, or of one who neglects his sacred duties.
BECOME A ROBINHOOD – ROB THE RICH, GIVE IT TO THE POOR
11-19. He who takes property from the wicked and bestows it on the virtuous, transforms himself into a boat, and carries both (over the sea of misfortune).
20. The property of those who zealously offer sacrifices, the wise call the property of the gods; but the wealth of those who perform no sacrifices is called the property of the Asuras.
21. On him (who, for the reasons stated, appropriates another’s possessions), a righteous king shall not inflict punishment; for (in that case) a Brahmana pines with hunger through the Kshatriya’s want of care.
22. Having ascertained the number of those dependent on such a man, and having fully considered his learning and his conduct, the king shall allow him, out of his own property, a maintenance whereon he may live according to the law;
23. And after allotting to him a maintenance, the king must protect him in every way; for he obtains from such (a man) whom he protects, the part of his spiritual merit.
24. A Brahmana shall never beg from a Sudra property for a sacrifice; for a sacrificer, having begged (it from such a man), after death is born (again) as a Candala.
BRAHMIN BECOMES A VULTURE
11-25. A Brahmana who, having begged any property for a sacrifice, does not use the whole (for that purpose), becomes for a hundred years a (vulture of the kind called) Bhasa, or a crow.
26. That sinful man, who, through covetousness, seizes the property of the gods, or the property of Brahmanas, feeds in another world on the leavings of vultures.
27. In case the prescribed animal and Soma-sacrifices cannot be performed, let him always offer at the change of the year a Vaisvanari Ishti as a penance (for the omission).
28. But a twice-born, who, without being in distress, performs his duties according to the law for times of distress, obtains no reward for them in the next world; that is the opinion (of the sages).
29. By the Visve-devas, by the Sadhyas, and by the great sages (of the) Brahmana (caste), who were afraid of perishing in times of distress, a substitute was made for the (principal) rule.
30. That evil-minded man, who, being able (to fulfil) the original law, lives according to the secondary rule, reaps no reward for that after death.
31. A Brahmana who knows the law need not bring any (offence) to the notice of the king; by his own power alone be can punish those men who injure him.
32. His own power is greater than the power of the king; the Brahmana therefore, may punish his foes by his own power alone.
SPEECH IS THE WEAPON- USE BLACK MAGIC
11-33. Let him use without hesitation the sacred texts, revealed by Atharvan and by Angiras; speech, indeed, is the weapon of the Brahmana, with that he may slay his enemies.
34. A Kshatriya shall pass through misfortunes which have befallen him by the strength of his arms, a Vaisya and a Sudra by their wealth, the chief of the twice-born by muttered prayers and burnt-oblations.
35. The Brahmana is declared (to be) the creator (of the world), the punisher, the teacher, (and hence) a benefactor (of all created beings); to him let no man say anything unpropitious, nor use any harsh words.
AGNI HOTRA
36. Neither a girl, nor a (married) young woman, nor a man of little learning, nor a fool, nor a man in great suffering, nor one uninitiated, shall offer an Agnihotra.
37. For such (persons) offering a burnt-oblation sink into hell, as well as he to whom that (Agnihotra) belongs; hence the person who sacrifices (for another) must be skilled in (the performance of) Vaitana (rites), and know the whole Veda.
38. A Brahmana who, though wealthy, does not give, as fee for the performance of an Agnyadheya, a horse sacred to Prajapati, becomes (equal to one) who has not kindled the sacred fires.
39. Let him who has faith and controls his senses perform other meritorious acts, but let him on no account offer sacrifices at which he gives smaller fees (than those prescribed).
40. The organs (of sense and action), honour, (bliss in) heaven, longevity, fame, offspring, and cattle are destroyed by a sacrifice at which (too) small sacrificial fees are given; hence a man of small means should not offer a (Srauta) sacrifice.
ATONEMENT
11-41. A Brahmana who, being an Agnihotrin, voluntarily neglects the sacred fires, shall perform a lunar penance during one month; for that (offence) is equal to the slaughter of a son.
42. Those who, obtaining wealth from Sudras, (and using that) offer an Agnihotra, are priests officiating for Sudras, (and hence) censured among those who recite the Veda.
43. Treading with his foot on the heads of those fools who worship a fire (kindled at the expense) of a Sudra, the giver (of the wealth) shall always pass over his miseries (in the next world).
44. A man who omits a prescribed act, or performs a blamable act, or cleaves to sensual enjoyments, must perform a penance.
45. (All) sages prescribe a penance for a sin unintentionally committed; some declare, on the evidence of the revealed texts, (that it may be performed) even for an intentional (offence).
UNINTENTIONAL SIN
11-46. A sin unintentionally committed is expiated by the recitation of Vedic texts, but that which (men) in their folly commit intentionally, by various (special) penances.
47. A twice-born man, having become liable to perform a penance, be it by (the decree of) fate or by (an act) committed in a former life, must not, before the penance has been performed, have intercourse with virtuous men.
48. Some wicked men suffer a change of their (natural) appearance in consequence of crimes committed in this life, and some in consequence of those committed in a former (existence).
GOLD THEFT, DRINKING, KILLING AND DISEASES ONE GETS
11-49. He who steals the gold (of a Brahmana) has diseased nails; a drinker of (the spirituous liquor called) Sura, black teeth; the slayer of a Brahmana, consumption; the violator of a Guru’s bed, a diseased skin;
50. An informer, a foul-smelling nose; a calumniator, a stinking breath; a stealer of grain, deficiency in limbs; he who adulterates (grain), redundant limbs;
51. A stealer of (cooked) food, dyspepsia; a stealer of the words (of the Veda), dumbness a stealer of clothes, white leprosy; a horse-stealer, lameness.
52. The stealer of a lamp will become blind; he who extinguishes it will become one-eyed; injury (to sentient beings) is punished by general sickliness; an adulterer (will have) swellings (in his limbs).
53. Thus in consequence of a remnant of (the guilt of former) crimes, are born idiots, dumb, blind, deaf, and deformed men, who are (all) despised by the virtuous.
11–54. Penances, therefore, must always be performed for the sake of purification, because those whose sins have not been expiated, are born (again) with disgraceful marks.
WORST SINS/MAHA PATAKAS
11-55. Killing a Brahmana, drinking (the spirituous liquor called) Sura, stealing (the gold of a Brahmana), adultery with a Guru’s wife, and associating with such (offenders), they declare (to be) mortal sins (mahapataka).
56. Falsely attributing to oneself high birth, giving information to the king (regarding a crime), and falsely accusing one’s teacher, (are offences) equal to slaying a Brahmana.
57. Forgetting the Veda, reviling the Vedas, giving false evidence, slaying a friend, eating forbidden food, or (swallowing substances) unfit for food, are six (offences) equal to drinking Sura.
58. Stealing a deposit, or men, a horse, and silver, land, diamonds and (other) gems, is declared to be equal to stealing the gold (of a Brahmana).
59. Carnal intercourse with sisters by the same mother, with (unmarried) maidens, with females of the lowest castes, with the wives of a friend, or of a son, they declare to be equal to the violation of a Guru’s bed.
KILLING COWS AND OTHER PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES
11-60. Slaying kine, sacrificing for those who are unworthy to sacrifice, adultery, selling oneself, casting off one’s teacher, mother, father, or son, giving up the (daily) study of the Veda, and neglecting the (sacred domestic) fire,
61. Allowing one’s younger brother to marry first, marrying before one’s elder brother, giving a daughter to, or sacrificing for, (either brother),
62. Defiling a damsel, usury, breaking a vow, selling a tank, a garden, one’s wife, or child,
63. Living as a Vratya, casting off a relative, teaching (the Veda) for wages, learning (the Veda) from a paid teacher, and selling goods which one ought not to sell,
64. Superintending mines (or factories) of any sort, executing great mechanical works, injuring (living) plants, subsisting on (the earnings of) one’s wife, sorcery (by means of sacrifices), and working (magic by means of) roots, (and so forth),
DON’T CUT TREES
65. Cutting down green trees for firewood, doing acts for one’s own advantage only, eating prohibited food,
66. Neglecting to kindle the sacred fires, theft, non-payment of (the three) debts, studying bad books, and practising (the arts of) dancing and singing,
67. Stealing grain, base metals, or cattle, intercourse with women who drink spirituous liquor, slaying women, Sudras, Vaisyas, or Kshatriyas, and atheism, (are all) minor offences, causing loss of caste (Upapataka).
68. Giving pain to a Brahmana (by a blow), smelling at things which ought not to be smelt at, or at spirituous liquor, cheating, and an unnatural offence with a man, are declared to cause the loss of caste (Gatibhramsa)
KILLING DONKEYS, CAMELS – DON’T KILL ANIMALS
11-69. Killing a donkey, a horse, a camel, a deer, an elephant, a goat, a sheep, a fish, a snake, or a buffalo, must be known to degrade (the offender) to a mixed caste (Samkarikarana).
70. Accepting presents from blamed men, trading, serving Sudras, and speaking a falsehood, make (the offender) unworthy to receive gifts (Apatra).
71. Killing insects, small or large, or birds, eating anything kept close to spirituous liquors, stealing fruit, firewood, or flowers, (are offences) which make impure (Malavaha).
72. Learn (now) completely those penances, by means of which all the several offences mentioned (can) be expiated.
12 YEARS PUNISHMENT FOR BRAHMIN KILLERS
73. For his purification the slayer of a Brahmana shall make a hut in the forest and dwell (in it) during twelve years, subsisting on alms and making the skull of a dead man his flag.
74. Or let him, of his own free will, become (in a battle) the target of archers who know (his purpose); or he may thrice throw himself headlong into a blazing fire;
75. Or he may offer a horse-sacrifice, a Svargit, a Gosava, an Abhigit, a Visvagit, a Trivrit, or an Agnishtut;
1000 MILE WALK; AND WALK IN SARASVATI RIVER
11-76. Or, in order to remove (the guilt of) slaying a Brahmana, he may walk one hundred yoganas (Yojana= ten miles) , reciting one of the Vedas, eating little, and controlling his organs;
77. Or he may present to a Brahmana, learned in the Vedas, whole property, as much wealth as suffices for the maintenance (of the recipient), or a house together with the furniture;
78. Or, subsisting on sacrificial food, he may walk against the stream along (the whole course of the river) Sarasvati; or, restricting his food (very much), he may mutter thrice the Samhita of a Veda.
79. Having shaved off (all his hair), he may dwell at the extremity of the village, or in a cow-pen, or in a hermitage, or at the root of a tree, taking pleasure in doing good to cows and Brahmanas.
80. He who unhesitatingly abandons life for the sake of Brahmanas or of cows, is freed from (the guilt of) the murder of a Brahmana, and (so is he) who saves (the life of) a cow, or of a Brahmana.
81. If either he fights at least three times (against robbers in defence of) a Brahmana’s (property), or reconquers the whole property of a Brahmana, or if he loses his life for such a cause, he is freed (from his guilt).
82. He who thus (remains) always firm in his vow, chaste, and of concentrated mind, removes after the lapse of twelve years (the guilt of) slaying a Brahmana.
83. Or he who, after confessing his crime in an assembly of the gods of the earth (Brahnanas), and the gods of men (Kshatriyas), bathes (with the priests) at the close of a horse-sacrifice, is (also) freed (from guilt).
CONFESSION
11-84. The Brahmana is declared (to be) the root of the sacred law and the Kshatriya its top; hence he who has confessed his sin before an assembly of such men, becomes pure.
85. By his origin alone a Brahmana is a deity even for the gods, and (his teaching is) authoritative for men, because the Veda is the foundation for that.
86. (If) only three of them who are learned in the Veda proclaim the expiation for offences, that shall purify the (sinners); for the words of learned men are a means of purification.
87. A Brahmana who, with a concentrated mind, follows any of the (above-mentioned) rules, removes the sin committed by slaying a Brahmana through his self-control.
88. For destroying the embryo (of a Brahmana, the sex of which was) unknown, for slaying a Kshatriya or a Vaisya who are (engaged in or) have offered a (Vedic) sacrifice, or a (Brahmana) woman who has bathed after temporary uncleanness (Atreyi), he must perform the same penance,
89. Likewise for giving false evidence (in an important cause), for passionately abusing the teacher, for stealing a deposit, and for killing (his) wife or his friend:
90. This expiation has been prescribed for unintentionally killing a Brahmana; but for intentionally slaying a Brahmana no atonement is ordained.
FOR DRINKING – SEVERE PUNISHMENT
11-91. A twice-born man who has (intentionally) drunk, through delusion of mind, (the spirituous liquor called) Sura shall drink that liquor boiling-hot; when his body has been completely scalded by that, he is freed from his guilt;
92. Or he may drink cow’s urine, water, milk, clarified butter or (liquid) cowdung boiling-hot, until he dies;
93. Or, in order to remove (the guilt of) drinking Sura, he may eat during a year once (a day) at night grains (of rice) or oilcake, wearing clothes made of cowhair and his own hair in braids and carrying (a wine cup as) a flag.
94. Sura, indeed, is the dirty refuse (mala) of grain, sin also is called dirt (mala); hence a Brahmana, a Kshatriya, and a Vaisya shall not drink Sura.
95. Sura one must know to be of three kinds, that distilled from molasses (gaudi), that distilled from ground rice, and that distilled from Madhuka-flowers (madhvi); as the one (named above) even so are all (three sorts) forbidden to the chief of the twice-born.
96. Sura, (all other) intoxicating drinks and decoctions and flesh are the food of the Yakshas, Rakshasas, and Pisakas; a Brahmana who eats (the remnants of) the offerings consecrated to the gods, must not partake of such (substances).
97. A Brahmana, stupefied by drunkenness, might fall on something impure, or (improperly) pronounce Vedic (texts), or commit some other act which ought not to be committed.
98. When the Brahman (the Veda) which dwells in his body is (even) once (only) deluged with spirituous liquor, his Brahmanhood forsakes him and he becomes a Sudra.
11-99. The various expiations for drinking (the spirituous liquors called) Sura have thus been explained; I will next proclaim the atonement for stealing the gold (of a Brahmana).
Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge; this is a non- commercial blog.
Vegan concept did not exist in ancient India. Hindu saints gave reception to everyone including saints and kings with honey and milk. Sanskrit literature and Bible used the phrase ‘country was so prosperous that honey and milk flowed like river’. Buddha also allowed all dairy projects in the Buddhist monasteries. Buddha banned recruiting lame, dumb, blind, dwarf people as monks. Any one with six fingers and joined fingers were also banned. If anyone recruits these people it is considered ‘Dukkata’, i.e. a fault. If a senior attended such a recruiting ceremony it was considered ‘Double Fault’.
Buddha was against women becoming monks. His chief disciple Ananda begged him several times and at last Buddha yielded to his request. But predicted that his religion would die halfway through its expected full life. We saw Buddhism wiped out from its land of birth like he predicted. Great philosopher and former President of India Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan gave a detailed report in his translation of Dhammapada about this.
Buddha allowed eight types of fruit juices. He also allowed meat if it is already killed, but not for the monk. Since Buddha allowed Tom, Dick and Harry and Juli, Samantha and Mary to become monks, there were lot of conflicts about What to eat, What to wear, What to say and how to behave. As long as he lived, he sorted out all the problems in day to day meetings. After his death each group claimed that they were right and framed their own rules. Three times the Buddhist councils met after his death and decided the ‘Constitution’ for the religion. Each time lot of amendments were passed. Emperor Asoka finalised everything 2300 years ago. And then came the Vinaya Pitaka. In one of the council meetings, entrants to the council hall were interviewed by a group of scholars. All the yellow clad fakes were thrown out of the place if they could not answer the basic questions.
Here are some interesting bits from a Pali language Dictionary:-
EAT MUD
‘Gharadinna kaabaadho’ means sickness arising out of taking something unpalatable to one’s system given by some house wife to seduce him/monk. Its antidote as prescribed by the Buddha was to drink Siitaaloli, i.e. a drink made out of the mud adhering to the plough.
Sita means plough. Rama’s wife also came from plough. When Emperor Janaka ploughed the land with a golden plough (it is a Vedic ceremony) , a baby girl was discovered and she was named SITA.
The Hindu wonder is about 50 names are found in Vedic literature with the names of plants or animals. They were nature lovers and environmentally conscious!
Sakuntala meant bird woman.
Bharatwaja meant Crow, Kausika meant Owl , Vedic Sarama meant Dog and Kasyapa meant Tortoise. We have over 50 names like this.
GORASA
Milk and milk products, such as curd/yogurt , sour-milk, butter, ghee are allowed for monks by the Buddha.
KHAADANIIYA
All kinds of eatables – five kinds of Bhojanas – odana/rice, sattu/nutrient flour, kummasa/junket, macha/fish, mamsa/meat
All kinds of yaamakaalika , i.e. eight kinds of fruit juices of madhu, muddika, saaluka, coca, moca, amba, jambhu and pharusaka.
All kinds of sattaahakaalika , i.e. ghee, butter, oil, honey and phaanita/molasses and All kinds of medicines (are allowed).
ANTOVUTTAKAM, ANTO PAKKAM
Any food or food material, which is not formally allowed by the Sanga stored inside the vihara should not be used by the monks. Food cooked inside the vihara can’t be eaten by monks. (They must beg and get food from the public).
AARAAMA
Aaraamas are pleasure parks. There were 7707 pleasure gardens in the city of Vaisali in Bihar. Bhikkunis/ women monks were not allowed to go there.
Indian State of ‘Bihar’ is derived from Vihara (of Buddhists)
AAVASATHA PINDA
Food prepared out of five kinds of cereals kept ready at a public place/aavasatha by a meritorious person. A monk can eat it only once. (Like Hindu Annadana)
PHALA- TAMIL OR SANSKRIT?
Word ‘Phala’ for fruit is found in 2700 year old Panini’s Ashtadhyayi and 2300 year old Buddhist Pali works and the meaning is fruit or seed. Tamils used this word with special letter ‘Za’. Though it is not a retroflex ‘La’ in Sanskrit and Pali it occurs in later but not Vedic literature. Pali works mentioned 8 types of phala rasa- fruit juices.
It is strange that Vedic literature did not use this ‘phala’. Rig Veda mentioned ‘pippala’ with the general meaning ‘berries’. Pippala became apple in English .
PHALA KHAADANIIYA
Buddha allowed all kinds of fruits for the monks to use as food. Some fruits are named – jack fruit/panasa, bread fruit/ labuja, palmyra fruit/ taala, coconut/ naalikera, mango/amba, rose apple/jambhu, ambaataka, tamarind/tintinika, maatulunga/kind of citrus, wood apple/kapiththa, gourd/alaabu, kumbhanda, timbaruutaka, tipusa/cucumber, vaitingana /aubergine, coca/ kind of banana, honey tree fruit/madhuka
All kinds of fruit juices including sugarcane juice are allowed.
Many other restrictions about dress are found in the DICTIONARY OF EARLY BUDDHIST MONASTIC TERMS compiled from Pali literature by Prof C S Upasik of Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, Bihar. 1975.
Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge; this is a non- commercial blog.
Yatha Raja, thatha Praja is a Sanskrit proverb.
Common man follows the king.
If he is honest and strict about it, people will also follow him.
In Baghavad Gita, Lord Krishna also says,
Whatver action a great man performs, common man follows 3-21
Tamil grammarian Tolkappiar also says,
Customs are based on the people at higher level.
Valakkenappatuvathu uyarnthor mere (In Tamil)
In Purananuru verse 187 poetess Avvaiyar also echoes the same,
A land is considered good depending upon the good people living there.
“Evvali nallavar aadavar avvazi” (in Tamil)
There is a Tamil folktale illustrating this point-
A surveyor called a village watch man and asked him to bring two measures of green rice, raw paddy, from the field without the land owner knowing. He told him that his son liked it very much. Accordingly, he went to the field at the dead of night and brought two measures of raw rice.
The watch man used this as a pretext and from that time he went to the field every week and took two measures of grains for his own use. He continued it for long.
When harvest time came the surveyor went to see the quantity of grain. When he saw two or three sections in the field empty, plants without grains, he called the watch man and said,
Hey fellow, what is this?
Who stole the grains?
The watch man secretly told him,
Sir, this is what you yourself one day ordered.
When he saw all the paddy in this condition, as often as he asked, the watch man came and said the same thing.
The moral of the story is…..
If the head of the country is corrupt people will also be corrupt.
If you are not honest you can’t find fault with others.
Xxx
Potter and the King’s Servants
In a village a potter got his livelihood by making pots and pans and baking and selling them. The servants of the king’s palace often came to him ordering him to give them pots. They paid him nothing.
Whilst the matters were so, one day the potter saw the servants coming. He ran away from his hut and hid himself in the nearby palmyra grove.
The servants went into the house and saw only his children. So they went out without taking any pots.
They said ‘we will come tomorrow’.
While they were going home, they went through the palmyra grove.
As soon as the potter saw them, he rose up and stood out of respect.
But he showed them his back and pretended as if he was looking at the top of a tree.
The servants without looking at his face and without recognising asked him, Hey fellow, why are you looking at?
What is happening?
Oh , I am looking at the palmyra tree to find out whether I can make a plough out of it.
One of the servants said,
What? Will a palmyra tree do for a plough? You are ‘ a fool like a potter’. You don’t know anything.
As soon as he used the word ‘potter’, he got scared.
He showed his face and told them,
Who told you that I was here?
Then they identifying him said, ‘is it you potter?’
They seized him and took him to his hut.
They took as many pots as they wanted and put them on his head, one over the other, made him carry the pots all the way to their houses.
Like westerners say ‘bird’s brain’, in the olden days Tamils used to say ‘potter’s brain’.
Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge; this is a non- commercial blog.
MORE TAMIL FOLK TALES
A farmer who kept ten yoke of oxen was getting a livelyhood by ploughing and cultivating. At that time having ploughed and reaped nothing but dust and empty ears the collector’s men levied the usual tax and took the money. Then he sold his ten yoke of oxen and bulls and grains and clothes and jewels to pay the tax. tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
Subsequently the collector came to collect the balance of an old account. Without even looking at him, The was ran away with a small cloth tied over his loins. He perceived another person coming along the road and being afraid entered a Jain temple which was there. Seeing the Jaina idol without any clothes for his loins , he said,
‘Father! I farmed with ten yoke of oxen and am running away with only a loin cloth . With how many oxen did you farm and come to utter ruins, for you have not even this small cloth? So, Saying he embraced the statue and wept.
Xxx
FOOL’S ASSOCIATION WILL RESULT IN GREAT LOSS
A fool went on a journey close behind a merchant . As they were going, it became very dark, the fool laid down to sleep in an open space on the road. The merchant laid down under the cover of a shrub which was near. tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
At that time the thieves going along that road struck their feet against the feet of the fool. One of the thieves asked ‘What is this? It’s like of a log of wood’. The fool became angry and said ‘go go.away, Could the wood in your house after tying five gold coins in its loins lay down to sleep in an orderly way?’
The thieves seized him and took away the money. One of them said to another, it may be fake coins; that is why he himself told us about the coins.’
The fool said, oh my god, it is my money. If you want to know whether it would pass the test or not, good, there is a merchant, show it to him. So he said pointing to the merchant. They seized 100 gold coins which the merchant had.
Thus, loss will come from associating with fools
Xxxx
BLIND MAN LOST HIS CHILD
A blind man had a child born to him.
When the child was a few days old one day the milk choked it and it died due to choking. The people in the village came to him and said,
Your child is dead. tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
How did it die, he asked.
Whilst it was sucking milk, they said.
What kind of thing is milk? he asked.
It is white, said they.
What is whiteness? he asked.
They said, it is like a swan, they said.
What kind of a thing is swan? said he.
Observe, said they, bending his arm.
He felt it and having ascertained that it was long and crooked, said
Alas! If this horrid milk entered the mouth of a child how could it live?
so saying he wept aloud. tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
Therefore, explaining things to stupid people only causes complete misunderstanding.
Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge; this is a non- commercial blog.
MORE TAMIL FOLK TALES
A rich man used to feed his father with gruel from a broken potsherd. He treated his father very badly. His son saw this and took the potsherd away and hid it. Afterwards the rich man saw his father and asked
‘Where is the broken pot with which I feed you every day?
Did you throw it away?’ Saying this he thrashed him.
The boy, who hid it, came and said,
‘Don’t beat my grandfather. I was the one who took it. I am keeping it in a safe place so that I can feed you when you are very old’
.
When he heard this, he felt ashamed. Then he treated his father with respect.
Moral
You get back what you give others.
Xxx
Tasty Tamil Snack Vadai !
An innocent villager wanted to eat onion Vadais (fried salty doughnut snack of Tamil Community) and was longing for it for a long time. He saw an old woman making Vadai. He went to her house and gave the ingredients such as the lentil flour, oil, spices etc for frying Vadai. Seeing this gullible man, she told him to come back in a few hours’ time to take the Vadais. She promised him that she would make 15 Vadai s out of those ingredients. But that greedy and gluttonous woman ate 14 vadais and kept only one for him. When he saw this, he became angry and shouted,
Hey rogue of a woman , where are the other 14 Vadais?
I myself ate them, she said.
Ha! How did you eat so many Vadais at one go, you rogue? he asked.
I ate them just in this way, see, she said and put the remaining Vadai into her mouth.
The villager was tricked.
Xxx
I want a Wise Husband!
A certain woman waited for a long time in order that she might get a handsome and wise husband. Whilst she was waiting one day a handsome man came. She entered into conversation with him in order to ascertain whether he was wise also. At that time there was a clatter.
What is that? he asked.
She said, it’s a lizard.
Bring me one of its feathers to pick my ear, he said.
You fool! Has a lizard got feathers?
Go! So saying she sent him away.
After waiting a few days another man came.
To him she said a few days ago a fool asked me to bring him a feather from a lizard!!
At this he laughed and said
Oh Oh ! Perhaps he thought it was a tortoise; she thought he was the greater dunce of the two. She scolded and sent him away.
Moral – Don’t expect too much Handsomeness and Wisdom don’t go together.
Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge; this is a non- commercial blog.
Hindu epics and Puranas narrate many stories about women who changed the course of Nature to save their near and dear or their honour. Hindus believe chaste women can do miracles through the power of their chastity. Tiruvalluvar, the greatest of the Tamil poets, is the strongest advocate of such miraculous powers.
He says,
“A wife who may not worship god but wakes up with worshipful devotion to her husband has the (miraculous ) power to make rain fall at her bidding” – Kural couplet 55 tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
Another translation of the same couplet
“Even the clouds will obey and pour out rain at the bidding of a wife
Who prefers to worship her husband rather than any other god”.
That is, a virtuous woman who knows no other god but her husband may command the very clouds to pour forth rain and they will do so.
Probably this is an echo of Manu Smrti, where Manu says,
A virtuous wife should constantly serve her husband as a god, even if he behaves badly.
Apart from their husbands women cannot perform fire sacrifices or undertake a vow or fast; it is because a wife obeys her husband that she is exalted in heaven- Manu 5-154/155 tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
This means they get direct, free flight ticket to Heaven without doing any ritual! If they serve their husbands , that is more than enough!
Chaste women did such miracles only when they were very desperate. Hindus believed that truth and honesty are more powerful than Gods or Truth and Honesty are Gods.
Women don’t use the power for petty things. Hanuman had a novel plan for rescue Sita. Even when Hanuman asked Sita to sit on his shoulder so that she can easily escape from the prison house of Ravana, the demon,
Sita replied “What did you say? I can burn the three worlds with my one word through my power of chastity. But that will diminish the name and fame of my beloved husband Rama”
–Kamba Ramayana in Tamil. tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
So each one is expected to do his or her lawful duty. If one failed to so, then women used their power.
Kannaki, the heroine of the greatest Tamil epic Silappadikaram, burnt Madurai City, when her husband was unjustly executed. She just commanded Agni , the God of Fire, to burn all the bad people in the city and Madurai was burnt to ashes.
Here are FIVE GREAT MIRACLE WOMEN who are worshipped by Hindu women even today—
1.Damayanti
2.Nalayini
3.Anusuya
4.Savitri
5.Arundhati
What did they do?
1.Damayanti
Damayanti fell in love with a king named Nala. But the heavenly deities Indra, Agni, Varuna and Yama also wanted to marry her. Hindu women of the warrior caste (Kshatriyas) had the greatest freedom in the ancient world and they had chosen their own husbands. It was called Swayamvara. All the kings would get invitation letters. When Nala also attended it, the four Vedic Gods dressed themselves just like Nala and attended the Swayamvara ceremony. When the beauty Damyanti entered the decorated hall she was perplexed by seeing Five Nalas there. Immediately she used her power and prayed God to identify the Real Nala. tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
Vedic Gods are from alien worlds. They are extra -terrestrials. Hindu scriptures beautifully describe the qualities of ETs,
Their feet wont touch the ground;
They would not perspire;
Their eyes wont wink;
Their garlands wont wither;
They can have beautiful women Apsaras with them, but they cant have sex. If they want sex they have to do Inter Galactic Travel and come to earth for sex. Puranas say Parvati cursed them that they can never have sex in the Swarga/Heaven.
Damyanti knew all these things. So after her prayer she looked at the feet of Five Nala Figures in the hall. Feet of four deities or ETs were above the ground. She identified her dream lover Nala and garlanded him.
Xxx
2.Nalayini
The story of Nalayini is very long with interesting turns and twists. But for our part we will take only one incident. Since Nalayini put one condition for her marriage, she had to marry an old seer whose legs got paralysed. She told the world that she would marry a man of wisdom and thus landed herself in the hands of an old seer Maukhalya. He asked her to carry him in a basket wherever he wanted to go and Nalayini readily obeyed him. While transporting him in the strange vehicle of basket, she accidentally hit another seer Mandavya who was fighting for his life in a spiked pole. He was falsely accused of stealing royal jewels and was impaled. He was seething with anger because he did not steal the jewels and he cursed Nalayini that she would lose her husband before sun rise the next day. tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
Nalayini also became angry for punishing her husband for her mistake. And she vowed that the sun would not rise if she is chaste and really devoted to her husband. The sun did not rise next day and it was still dark at 10 am. The whole world suffered and begged to Nalayini to bless them all with sun light. People even sought the good offices of Tri Murtis- Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
Though out Hindu scriptures we can see Truth wins; even god can’t change the Rtam=Rhythm=Truth. So gods begged to her as well. And she said ‘Let the Sun rise’. And it rose and shone. tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
Such is the power of chastity!
3.Anasuya
Vedic sage Atri had a chaste wife called Anasuya. Her name meant ‘Never Ever Jealous’. Because of this rare virtue in a woman (women always feel jealous of someone; men too, but not to the extent of a WOMAN) and her devotion to her husband, she earned her miraculous powers. When the whole world praised her there were some non- believers . So the all powerful Triumvirate – Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva came in the guise of Brahmins and had a good lunch at her house, when her husband was out. As a last request they told her they want to have breast milk, that too straight from her, not in a bottle or a cup. She did not even wait for a moment. She said ‘Yes my Darlings. So be it – Thadaastu’- she changed them into six month old babies and fed the Three Great Gods. Such is the power of Chastity. tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
4.Savitri
Savitri was the woman who married Sathyavan (meaning is Mr Truth) though astrologers told her family that he would die within a year of the marriage. She had so much confidence in her Chastity power she boldly married him. And came the predicted day. Yama, God of Death, came to take away his life. She argued with him and followed him, nagging him to return the life of Sathyavan. Yama couldn’t tolerate her nagging. He promised her several boons and one of which the traditional greeting that all Hindu women get. When a woman salutes any sage they will say ‘Deerga Sumangali Bhava. This means ‘let you live with your husband for ever’. Yama also greeted her with these words. She put a tricky question. How can I be a Sumangali (wife with a husband) when Yama has taken her husband’s life. Yama yielded and gave her husband’s life back. tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
5.Arundhati
Arundhati was a low caste woman by name Akshamala. She became the wife of Vasistha, a great sage of Vedic lore, and became a symbol of chastity. She literally became a star and became part of Ursa Major constellation also known as Sapta Rishi mandala in the northern sky. From Kanyakumari to Kashmir, every married woman must see her before entering the First Night room and take a vow that she would be another Arundhati.
Once all the Seven Great Rishis (Seven Seers in the Great Bear/ Ursa Major Constellation) did a Fire Sacrifice -Yajna in Sanskrit. Agni, the messenger of Gods, who carry all the offerings to heaven wanted to test whether Arundhati is a chaste woman. In fact, Agni wanted to show the world that she is chaster than any woman in the world. So he invited all the women to come to bed with him. Wives of six seers were ready and Swaahaa helped them to take her guise and they entertained Agni. Swaha is the wife of Agni. Swaha could not take the shape of Arundhati however hard she tried. tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
Though it is a symbolic story that shows Arundhati became a star because she was the most chaste woman in the universe. Sangam Tamil literature praises her in several places. So she was recognised from Kanyakumari to Kashmir.
Even today she is one of the important part of rituals in Hindu marriages.
There are many more stories of chaste Hindu women. This must be part of School syllabus. There are many stories where men remained chaste and Rama stands at the top. All Hindu kings could marry many women, but Rama was the only Hindu king who refused to marry another woman. Since Hindu scriptures say that a man cannot perform religious rituals without wife, Rama made a golden statue of Sita and did religious rituals keeping it by his side. This rule applies when one’s wife is alive but not available for rituals. tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
It wouldn’t be out of context to mention here that two great people insisted chastity for men also. Subrahmanya Bharatiyar, the greatest of the modern Tamil poets, who lived 100 years ago and Varahamihira who lived 1500 years ago insisted chastity for men like women.
Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge; this is a non- commercial blog.
A spendthrift asked a miser for a loan.
How will you repay the loan? He asked.
I will save monthly from my pay and will pay it, he said.
Could you not save it so it before? He asked.
I was ignorant and neglected to do so, he said.
Then I will make you understand it now. I am not going to lend you money.
Start saving now. Think that you are repaying my loan.
Afterwards the spendthrift began to save money.
Xxx
A man saw a rich gentleman and said to him,
If you supply me with good food for six months,
after that I will carry a big mountain.
He accordingly gave him good food.
Afterwards called him and took him to a nearby mountain.
Carry this mountain, he ordered.
He said, if you put the mountain on my hand, I will carry it, he replied.
Xxx
A Guru was teaching his disciples.
While he was teaching, one of the pupils saw a rat entering into its hole.
He was distracted. Guru watched his pupil’s behaviour.
Immediately after finishing, he asked his pupil,
Has it all entered? Guru asked his disciple.
He meant has it all gone into his brain.
Pupil answered, it has all gone in, but the tail only remains.
This is the story behind a Tamil proverb.
Xxx
A priest went to one of his disciple’s house after he complained that his children were behaving strangely. Then the priest wanted to find out the level of wickedness in them.
My friend, which of your four children is well behaved one?
He replied, Sir, this one who is on the top of the thatched house and whirling a firebrand. He is trying to set fire to the house. He is the best behaved among them all.
The priest said,
What kind of persons must the other three be? and having put his finger on his nose he heaved a deep sigh and went away.
This is the story behind a Tamil proverb.
Placing a finger in one’s nose is a sign of exclamation or surprise in Indian culture.
Source book – Katha Manjari, R H James, Senthamiz, Munushi, Puduvai Rajagopala Mudaliyar, Bangalore, year 1850
Tamil and Vedas 