THE MAHABHARATAM : (in 18 Episodes) - PRELUDE to the Bhagavad Geeta : Episode 4. :

Kumari Devulapalle

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Chinmaya Mission :

The CM members of Mumbai came together to bond together as a Chinmaya family today 5 March 2023 at Sandeepany Sadhanalaya Mumbai. This bonding was nurtured with beautiful games, and inspiring talks by Swami Tejomayananda, Swami Swaroopananda, and Swami Swatmananda. 

The day began with all age groups assembled for a graduation ceremony of the Shishu Vihar to Jr Bala Vihar, Jr Bala Bihar to Sr Bala Vihar, Sr Bala Vihar to CHYK, and CHYK to CSK. 

Swami Swatmananda explained to all of us how each of us belongs to 5 families which we all have to be grateful for ie immediate family, Sanatana Dharma Family, Bharateeya Family, Chinmaya Family, and Universal Family. Pujya Swami Swaroopanandaemphasizedd how our individuality and attachment dissolve when our identification grows with a larger family. He also gave members guidance on how our love should be for a higher cause and the meaning of True Love.

Pujya Guruji Swami Tejomayananda encapsulated the entire Vedanta to study group members and defined the word family as an acronym of the words Father and Mother, I Love You.

After lunch children, youth, and adults were kept engrossed in games like treasure hunts, snakes, and ladders games to teach the progression of life stages from Brahmacharya to Sannyasa and also introduced the various samskaras to children through the game.

The cheers and smiles on all faces were beautiful and fulfilling and all were left with the feeling of ‘We stand as one Family.'

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Wednesday, March 08, 2023. 06:45.

How the Writing Began :

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Episode 4:

The Story of Vidhura :

There was one Rishi Mandavya who had his Ashram on the outskirts of a city just 

where the forest began. He was engaged in Tapas, austerities, worship of the Lord and as a 

Rishi he spent most of his time in meditation. 

The security guards of the King’s palace were in pursuit of robbers who had stolen 

some priceless jewels of the Queen. The robbers had come to this Rishi’s Ashram. They 

flung the bag of stolen jewels behind the Rishi who was in meditation and hid themselves in 

the trees.

When the guards came they looked at Mandavya Rishi. The chief guard asked the 

Rishi rudely “Did you see any robbers running this way?” The Rishi did not stir from his 

meditation. One of the guards then found the bag of jewels near him, and reported the find 

to the chief guard. He assumed that the Rishi must have been the boss of the thieves. They 

tried to shake the Rishi out of his prayer, saying, “You impostor! Don’t pretend to be 

meditating. We have caught up with you.”

When the King heard the guard’s report, he took it at face value and thought, “If 

Tapasvins wear sacred clothes and then rob the people secretly, that will make people lose 

faith. I should give this Rishi the most severe punishment.” He ordered that the Rishi be 

impaled – which meant slow, torturous death. The Rishi was placed on top of a sharp coneSlowly the word went around to the other Rishis. Mandavya found the pain 

intolerable. He went deeper into meditation and lost consciousness of his body, but 

survived despite the torture. He told the other Rishis he did not steal anything, but that it 

must be some Prarabdha Karma of his to suffer like this. The Rishis told the King it is a big 

mistake. The King begged for forgiveness. Rishi Mandavya did not blame the King as he had 

only acted in good faith. But he was upset why the Lord of Dharma would allow such a thing 

to happen. 

He met with Lord Yama and asked him for what crime of his he had to suffer so 

much. Lord Yama told him that when he was still a child of 3 years or so, he used to play 

violently with ants and killed many of them. The sage then became angry with Lord Yama 

saying that at that age a child is exempt from Karma because it cannot understand right 

from wrong. Yama admitted his error. The sage then said, “For this mistake there is a 

remedy. You will have to take birth as a human being on earth. That is your punishment.”

Yama, the Dharmaraj, then took birth as Vidhura, the son of Ambalika, who was 

married to Vichitraveerya. He was a towering adherent of Dharma, and played a key role in 

standing for righteousness during the Mahabharata War. 

*****

Next
Episode 5:
The Story of Queen Kunti

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