Vedic Wisdom Talks

  The divine vision!   As Dhritrāshtra was lamenting, Vidura continued: Dear king! Just as a traveller has to make regular stops when he becomes tired, so the living entity traversing the path of material existence has to again & again take shelter within the wombs of different mothers. Because of this inconvenience, the wise person very carefully gives up lust, anger & greed. He restrains his senses & speaks only that which is truthful, so that he can escape the slaughtering process of repeated birth & death   Although Dhritrāshtra was listening, his mind continually dragged him back to the recollection of his miserable condition & he fainted. Vyāsdeva, Sanjay & Vidura rushed to pick him. They sprinkled water and fanned him. Dhritrāshtra regained his consciousness but proceeded to weep very bitterly for a long time. He suddenly exclaimed: I realize the intolerable condition of human existence & so will put an end to my life this very d...

Purpose of human form of life! Vidura narrated an allegory to his brother Dhritrāshtra: Once a Brahmana found himself in a dense forest teeming with beasts of prey. Being in a very dangerous situation, the brahmana fearfully ran here & there, seeking shelter. While trying to flee from the forest animals, he soon found that it was impossible to outdistance them. Besides that, the poor brahmana discovered that the entire forest was enclosed by a strong net, trapping him inside. All along the circumference of the net were five-hooded serpents that also blocked his exit There was a fearsome old woman with outstretched arms who constantly pursued him, crying out wait wait! The poor brahmana’s condition was certainly precarious While running here & there, the brahmana suddenly slipped into a deep pit that was covered by creepers. As he fell toward the bottom, he became entangled in those vines so that he remained hanging head downward in the pit, like a big jackfruit. F...

Lamentation! Meanwhile, back in Hastinapura, Sanjaya urged aggrieved Dhritarashtra to perform the funeral ceremonies for the departed souls of his slain relatives, but he simply continued to lament, repeatedly crying out: Oh! Because I ignored the good advice given to me by Sri Krsna, Bhisma, Vidura & so many others, I have lost all of my sons, as well as my kingdom! When Dhritarashtra suddenly fell to the floor, Vidura caught hold of him & urged: Dear King, please get up & stop lamenting like this. Death is the inevitable end of all that have been born. Indeed, all living entities in this material world are traveling in the same great caravan proceeding toward the destination of death My dear brother, you cannot diminish misery by obsessively dwelling upon it. In fact, such indulgence only serves to magnify one's grief. The eternal souls are always coming & going, birth after birth, and by doing so they create transitory relationships with one another. Beca...

No one else but the Supreme Lord! Asvattāma redirected his Brahmasira weapon towards the wombs of Pandavas women. Sri Krsna said: O Asvattāma, while I was at Upaplavya with the Pāndavās, a brāhmana had assured Uttarā that her child would continue the Pāndava line at a time when it would become almost extinct. Despite your Brahmsira, the brāhmana words will remain true & child Parikshit will be born   Asvattāma angrily replied: O Krsna! What You have declared, due to Your partiality towards the Pāndavās, will never take place. My weapon will definitely destroy Uttarā’s embryo   Sri Krsna said: I agree that your weapon cannot prove futile. After the foetus within Uttarā’s womb dies, I-the all-pervading Supreme Soul, the controller of material nature, will instantly supply child Parikshit with a new body, so that he will be able to live long & illustrious life. You are a sinful coward & a killer of children. Consequently, you’ll have to wander over earth for...

Peace is not dependent on externals!   Sri Krsna told Yudhisthira how once envious Asvattāma tried to get His invincible weapon Sudarsan Chakra. While standing with folded hands he requested Sri Krsna to exchange his Brahmasira weapon with the Chakra   Sri Krsna spoke to puffed-up Asvattāma & said he could choose any one of his four weapons-Sudarsan Chakra, Saranga bow, Kaumodki club & a spear. But Asvattāma insisted for Cakra. As Sri Krsna gave His permission to take the Chakra, the foolish son of a Brahmana grabbed the Chakra but much to his surprise, couldn’t even move it. When asked by Sri Krsna, what he would have done with the Chakra in case he took it, he said he would have challenged Krsna himself with it   Sri Krsna told Yudhisthira: See how cruel Asvattāma is, but as he still possesses Brahmasira weapon, Bhima who had went after him, should be protected by all means After saying this Sri Krsna along with Yudhisthira & Arjun got onto his...

Empowerment thro’ responsibility! Queen Draupadi was informed about the death of her brothers & sons, and she came running to the massacre site from Upaplavya. When she saw the dead bodies of her sons, she fainted. Bhima quickly came & picked up Draupadi and as he tried to comfort her, she suddenly declared: If my husbands do not take revenge against Asvattāma, I will sit down here & fast until death   Yudhisthira said: Dear Draupadi, don’t lament like this for your sons have died heroes’ deaths & are enjoying life in heavenly planets. Besides, Asvattāma has already fled far away. How will you know for sure whether he has been killed or not?   Draupadi replied: There is a gem that has naturally adorned Asvattāma’s head since his birth. If I receive that jewel, I will be able to go on living. Saying this she went to Bhima & pleaded: You must kill Asvattāma & save me from my unbearable grief. Many times, in the past you had rescued me & now ...