Shravana Kumara Travels.

 Heroism is the Maha Shakthi that arises at the source of a human energy system. Jana Nayaka, Gana Nayaka, Mana Nayaka, Vinaayaka, Adi Naayaka – our first hero, demonstrated to the world, through his esoteric intelligent quotient, that devotion towards one’s parents is yoga of the highest order. All he did was to make them, his parents, with his boundless gnaana, the centre of his universe, and we worship him to-date in this country. Actually, all ethereal rituals start only after invoking him.

If you're truly immersed in an epic story, you'll get an intuitive feeling that a hero is about to make the ultimate sacrifice. And when he does, he throws away his life with a smile for the greater good. But the story isn't over yet, and if you don't feel the lump in your throat or tears in your eyes, the pounding of your heartbeat, then there's something wrong with your humanity. You must at the very least feel a tiny tear drop playing cliffhanger on your eyelid.

In the epic of the great Bharatha, Young Prince Puru, without an iota of doubt in his mind, sacrificed his youth to his father when the father was in need. Somewhere down the same lineage, yet another young crown prince, Devavratha, who in his teenage years had already mastered martial arts of archery, state affairs, and defense and won the heart of the masses in his kingdom, sacrificed his claim and entitlement to the throne, took a vow of celibacy and henceforth was called Bhisma Acharya for the terrible vow he took. All this was because he was blinded by the love for his father.

We all know how Raja Ramji renounced the kingdom just to uphold his father’s promise. If you study Rama’s actions carefully and look for instances where Rama is praising himself or boasting about himself, You’ll find him saying that “I am the best son parents can have”. He proudly adorned himself with his love for his parents and wore their blessings like an impenetrable armor of radiance throughout his life and beyond. After his father’s demise, for Rama, his Mother and his motherland were bigger and greater than any known heaven of that day.

Most heart-wrenching is the story of a gentle hero, Sri Shravana Kumara – simple in demeanor yet a giant among Gnaanis – who left his village on a pilgrimage carrying both his blind parents on his shoulders, only to be shot by Rama’s father, King Dasharatha, who mistook Shravan for a wild animal. He cared for his parents well, to his last breath and beyond.

If you've read this far, you might be wondering why this fellow has not mentioned any Daughters of Maha Bharathi. That's because I feel that I don’t have to look for unimpeachable female characters somewhere up into Ancient History of our ethereal vibrant nation. I see them all around me. I guess it’s because we don’t have to teach our daughters how to Be Mothers in this world. "Mathru Devo Bhava," that is the greatest mantra our elders have initiated and inculcated into the spiritual fabric that binds this Nation of Desh bhakts together.

I have been a front-row witness to heroism of a Daughter, my dear mother, the way she served her Father, My dearest thaatha (my lion), while his sons were busy making their careers abroad. She rose above and took charge of thaatha’s old age situation. Thaatha, in his nineties, ended up seeing his own mother’s image in his daughter.

In the Dharmic lore, it is said that when a spirit takes form as a human being, that Human being is forever ethereally indebted to his parents. Elders of this culture call it Runaanubhada. ‘Runa’ the karmic debt has to be paid back by the individual if he aspires to evolve and transcend into higher Dimensions of life. They say that more Runa one accumulates, the more the individual will be bound by the periodicity and Cycle of birth and death. The quickest and easiest way to repay the debt is by genuinely caring for one’s parents.

I have had the opportunity of traveling the length and breadth of this country. In the name of progress and economic growth, the family structures are being dismantled, and the elders of our society are bearing the collateral damage. The elderly people are being neglected. Kindly note that most of these seniors in our society are proud and well-to-do, and financially independent. Their ‘Swabhimana’ will not allow them to ask for care or help from others, even from their own children. It's up to the children who are physically and mentally stronger to maintain sharp empirical senses so that they may sense these subtle voids and depressions these ‘new age Seniors’ in our Society are experiencing.

This Geriatric depression is a modern pandemic that is becoming more prevalent in recent times, especially in big cities. Earlier, we all lived in big families. Trust me when I say my grandparents didn't know what loneliness meant. Our shenanigans as their grandkids also made sure of that. Most of the characters and stories I write about were told to me by my grandmother. I also noticed elderly people in villages are much happier and aloof mostly because of closely-knit societal structures.

I wish more than anything for all the kids and their grandparents to enjoy the boundless joy that my grandparents and I shared.

This unfortunate 'modern' phenomenon is manifesting particularly in the middle and higher economic strata of society. Our "educated" youth, who are intoxicated with new money and economic peanuts, feel like the whole universe revolves around them. In contrast to our first  Hero who made his parents the center of his universe.

"Janani Janma Bhoomischa Swargadhapi Gariyasi."

"Mathur Devo Bhava

Pitru Devo Bhava"

A Proud Desh Bakth.