Unconvinced

 How do you convince some one something which you do not completely believe in? You have thousands of doubts, questions and disagreements?

That is what happens when I write about vedanta - the Indian philosophy. Do I believe in religion? I don't know. Do I believe in Atma - soul? I don't think so. Do I want a moksha - freedom from rebirths? No. Because I don't believe in rebirth. 

I have a bigger issue to pick - let us say after lot of hard work, I achieve some kind of self realization. How does it help any one else? How does it help me? As a concept - as a creation of man religion is nice - it is helpful to many different people in different ways. But do I believe everything it says - the anachronistic  teachings, the outright casteism and sexism. Of course not. 

But as a form of literature it is good. May be I should move to stories instead - vyoma online school has a few lessons on Ramayana and Mahabharatha which I am immensely enjoying. Because I am able to use the difficult grammar I have accumulated to learn the story which is well known.

But again there are some videos on these upanishads by vedanta society of newyork which are quite good. And a very good cooking companion. But are so long that I rarely finish one episode. 

And Bhagavadgita - don't want to offend millions of people, but I don't agree with the concept. Such great advice, such preaching about eternal soul, non-permanent body etc. etc. to convince a good man that he should fight a war. Against his elders and cousins and teacher and kill them all. Not because they are bad, but because they are on the side of adharma. And this coming from the God himself. No, not my cup of tea.

Says the lady who has been attending the class religiously for the past few months to repeat the words, not even the meanings. 

On my defense, I get to sing. In a quite off-key manner, with mistakes in pronunciation. 

It's all about community.  

Something interesting happened. I asked this same question to chatgpt -" how is the entire work justified". Strangely chatgpt did not agree with me. Did not say, yes, you are correct- it is completely wrong. Instead gave a long convoluted argument like a spokesperson in our TV debates.  Aha, even AI is afraid of the rulers. 

Sunday 28-6-2026: 

I hunted down and found valmiki ramayana - started reading bala kanda . The verses are in simple languages - so I thought and read few of them. 

Did you know that Valmiki asked a question to Narada - who is this, that, and that and that on this earth. And as a result, Narada gave an introductory lesson in ramayana? 

Talking of concise - here is one of four eka shloki ramayanas

 एकश्लोकि रामायणम् २ 
रामादौ जननं कुमारगमनं यज्ञप्रतीपालनं
शापादुद्धरणं धनुर्विदलनं सीताङ्गनोद्वाहनम् ।
लङ्काया दहनं समुद्रतरणं सौमित्रिसम्मोहनं
रक्षः संहरणं स्वराज्यभवनं चैतद्धि रामायणम् ॥

इति एकश्लोकि रामायणं (२) सम्पूर्णम् ॥

 Then what happened? Nothing - I lost my interest - though boomer, I have adapted the interest span of Gen Z. Today started searching bharatha - kannada mahabharathas. 

Found Jaimini Bharatha - realized I can't sing it - this was not the one taught to me in school. Then found even Kumaravyasa Bharatha. Bookmarked the page and that's it. 

Anyone who inherits my bookmarks - if any one, will have a treasure in his/her hand. 

By the way, these are the verses that had lingered in my mind all these years.  

ಕಾದಿ ಕೊಲುವೆಡೆ ಪಾಂಡುಸುತರು ಸ-

ಹೋದರರು ಕೊಲಲಿಲ್ಲ ಕೊಲ್ಲದೆ

ಕಾದೆನಾದೊಡೆ ಕೌರವಂಗವನಿಯಲಿ ಹೊಗಲಿಲ್ಲ

ಭೇದವನು ಹೊಕ್ಕೆರಿದನೋ ಮಧು

ಸೂದನಕಟಕಟೆನುತ ಘನ ಚಿಂ-

ತೋದಧಿಯಲದ್ದವೊಲು ಮೌನದೊಳಿದ್ದನಾ ಕರ್ಣ  ||

 

ಏನು ಹೇಳೈ ಕರ್ಣ ಚಿತ್ತ
ಗ್ಲಾನಿಯಾವುದು ಮನಕೆ ಕುಂತೀ
ಸೂನುಗಳ ಬೆಸಕೈಸಿ ಕೊಂಬುದು ಸೇರದೇ ನಿನಗೆ
ಹಾನಿಯಿಲ್ಲೆನ್ನಾಣೆ ನುಡಿ ದು
ಮ್ಮಾನವೇತಕೆ ಮರುಳುತನ ಬೇ
ಡಾನು ನಿನ್ನಪದೆಸೆಯ ಬಯಸುವನಲ್ಲ ಕೇಳೆಂದ (ಉದ್ಯೋಗ ಪರ್ವ, ೧೧ ಸಂಧಿ, ೧೨-೧೩ ಪದ್ಯ) 

 

ಮರಳು ಮಾಧವ ಮಹಿಯ ರಾಜ್ಯದ

ಸಿರಿಗೆ ಸೋಲುವಲ್ಲ ಕೌಂತೇ

ಯರು ಸುಯೋಧನರೆನಗೆ ಬೆಸೆಗೊಂಬಲ್ಲಿ ಮನವಿಲ್ಲ

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ಭರದೊಳಿರ್ದೆನು ಕೌರವೇಂದ್ರನ ಕೊಂದೆ ನೀನೆಂದ.