Life   of   Tara 

A long story of ancient India (Part4)

    20/08/2019        

（ 今回で、マハーバーラタについての日本の若者たちへの話は終了します。最後に、私の師、アイアーさんの「ナマステ」についての解説を引用して、この膨大な物語を終えることにしました。）

  The photo shows the place where Gandhi, who was promoting the reconciliation between Muslim and Hindu, was killed by a Hindu supremacist. This memorial is located in the street of New Delhi, but it is in a quiet place named Gandhi museum.

 Now, the battle between Pandava's army and Kuru's army in Kurukshetra reaches the 17th day. After Drona's death, Karna, who became the general commander of Kuru's army, has begun to fight against Arjuna to bring it to an end. The author of Mahabharata says,

 "The two warriors took a personal confrontation to a deadly and climactic battle. For a long time, powerful weapons were loosed by two warriors at a horrific pace without weakening. Other warriors of both armies were amazed at their superior abilities and courage. Karna knew that his support for evil was destiny. So, Karna still made the greatest offensive and shot a lot of arrows with all the power and wisdom, two times. The first shot dazzled Arjuna, and the second shot immediately after it meant killing his personal enemy. But, Krishna saved Arjuna who is his friend and his devotee, from the grave consequences."

 That is, Krishna again, as I mentioned earlier, helped Arjuna by using the destiny of Karna's curse. Karna's chariot suddenly bites into the ground and can not move. Karna also realized at this point that the curse of the old Brahmin had attacked him. However, Karna desperately tries to lift the chariot. Arjuna who is faithful to the chivalric spirit sees it and hesitates to attack. Krishna tells Arjuna. "What are you waiting for! Kill at once! Do your duty as Kshatriyas without hesitation. Kill Karna!"

 The author of Mahabharata speaks of the sorrow of Karna.

 "His chariot bites into the ground, and his arrows have been cut by Arjuna. So, Karna's heart was full of sadness. He could not bear his sad luck and hurled the word of the curse. That is, the virtue itself was about to betray him though he had always practiced virtue as much as knowledge and power. Like a great tree that would give anything to noisy birds, Karna always said to the petitioners,"I will give it" and never said no. People with virtue knew that Karna was always pious. He always shared the treasures to a Brahmin, not refusing to give even his life.

 Arjuna finally decided to kill Karna, and Angela's arrow on Gandhiva shot Karna's head off. That was the moment. A ray of light ran through Karna's body and was absorbed by the sun across the sky. The scene burnt into the hearts of all the warriors in line."

 Thus, also Karna was killed.

 On the 18th day, after the heroes of Bhishma, Drona and Karna left Kuru's army, Supreme commander Duryodhana comes out in front of the battle. Even though they lost their heroes, Kuru's army was still superior to Pandava's army as the size of the corps. The clashes between the elephant corps are so dangerous that they step on the fallen warrior hit by the arrow. Duryodhana hereupon demonstrates demonic power. He challenges the final battle with the second son of Pandava's family, Bhima. Although Bhima was good at handling the stick, he was inferior to Duryodhana's vigor. Krishna who saw it considers concrete measures again. It was an operation of smashing the belly under the navel of the opponent, which was originally prohibited in the battle between knights. Bhima sees the signal from Arjuna. So, Bhima beats Duryodhana's belly and causes Duryodhana fatal wounds. That is, Krishna had to beat Duryodhanawith any hand. So, Arjuna nodded at Krishna's intention and gave Bhima the signal to smash Duryodhana's belly under the navel.

 Krishna's elder brother, Palarama, cannot cool his anger against Krishna's measures and accuses them. "You all used cowardly attack against Duryodhana who has been fighting with normal attack. As a result, the sons of Pandu will be called cunning men from now on."

 Also Duryodhana who is on the verge of death blames Krishna. "I know that you have instigated Arjuna to signal Bhima. You used Shikhandin as a barrier to kill Bhishma. You made Pandava's princes to pretend to shout the death of Ashwatthama. So, Drona lost his fighting spirit and you all didn't stop Dhristadymuna from killing Drona in a cruel way. And you also led Karna to use the pike given from the god of Indra to kill Ghatotkacha. It was you that made Arjuna to kill Karna who tried to pull out the chariot whose wheels had not moved. No one is as sinful as you!"

 It is a strong criticism of Duryodhana against Krishna.

 The sound of Gandharva's strange ease and the chorus of Apsaras who praises Duryodhana resounded. On hearing that, Pandava's five princes feel a pang of remorse. Krishna who saw it speaks with a heavy voice. "They are all great warriors and you could not defeat them in a decent fight even if you use your full strength against them. So I used various magics to defeat the enemies. There is nothing to worry about just because you cheated an enemy. It is natural to exert tricks on a large number of enemies."

 Pandava's army seems to have been able to sufficiently compete with Kuru's army without using various sneaky techniques. The problem is that Krishna still made the five princes use techniques that would be criticized by anyone around them. What does that mean? Would Krishna have wanted to show that he is a Kara God who freely manipulates the fate of each human being?

 Thus, the Great Battle of Kurukshetra ended with the victory of Pandava's five princes. As for soldiers of Kuru's army, all the 100 sons of the Kuru family were killed except for Duryodhana who was dying. Hundreds of thousands of forces of both armies were almost destroyed without a trace.

 But, at that night, surviving Ashwatthama who visited dying Duryodhana was furious when he heard Bhima's sneaky battle from Duryodhana. "My father Drona was killed by Dhristadymuna despite discarding his weapon. Karna was killed by Arjuna when he suffered from stuck wheels. And when Bhishma abandoned his weapon, he also was killed by Arjuna who used Shikhandin as a shield. What ugly tactics Pandava's warriors used! It's inexcusable!"

 Then, Ashwatthama attacked Pandava's camp with several friends at night. Ashwatthama first killed Dhristadymuna who was an enemy of his father. And he killed the sons of five princes, and Shikhandin one after another. Generals of Pandava's army were almost wiped out except Krishna and five princes who were out at that time. It's a huge grief for Pandava's army. Their situation is far from intoxication with victory.

 Dying Duryodhana passed away after receiving a report from Ashwatthama that the night attack had been successful. Five princes who returned to the camp were stunned with disastrous consequences. Five princes were overwhelmed by the bitter taste of their victory. After Karna's death, their mother Kunti informed them that Karna had been their real elder brother. Because five princes had suffered such a shock, this disastrous consequences beat up them more. After such disasters happened, it is impossible to know who is the winner. This may be also what Krishna intended.

 Krishna comforts the five princes. "The universe acts and transforms by the power of Mahadeva (Shiva). He is the beginning, the middle, the end of all the creatures. He created a lot of creatures including Daksha who created human beings framed by Caste. Mahadeva had appreciated Ashwatthama, so he was able to kill your son and many warriors. You should think that such a miracle was done not by Ashwatthama, but by Mahadeva. Now, do what you should do next! " 　

 Having managed to recover from sadness, Yudhishthira governs the re-integrated Hastinapura country, with his brothers. Bhima is named the first successor, and Arjuna is the general commander of the army and the foreign minister to defend the enemy. King Dhritarashtra and his wife Gandhari live quietly with five princes, despite being enemies. However, eventually they leave the country of Hastinapura and go to the forest. Five princes' mother Kunti also follows the two.

 One day, Krishna visited Gandhari, the wife of Dhritarashtra. She told Krishna. "I have no malice against the five princes of Pandava. But, because Bhima was inferior to my son Duryodhana in the technique, he hit my son's belly in the lower part of the navel, with the stick. I could not forgive such Bhima. Is it alright to forget the warrior's bounden duty only because he wants to live?"

 Krishna answered. "I certainly did for fear and my loveliness. So please forgive me here. There was no way to constantly fight and to win over your son, so we had no choice but to use the dirty trick. He had so far made us awful by unfair means. If he had won, we would have been robbed of the kingdom."

 But, Gandhari poses an ultimatum to Krishna. "Though Pandava and Kuru have been destroyed, why can you be so cold-hearted. You had a mighty army and worshipers, so you should have stopped this genocide. You must have been eloquent and must have had a force to make peace. However, you were consciously indifferent to the destruction of this world. So you should receive the penalty. I will curse you. 36 years later, all your clan will die in the woods in a horrible way."

 Krishna says,"There is nothing to destroy the family other than me. I am fully aware of that. I will try to fulfill your curse. Stand up, oh, Gandhari, this great tragedy is also due to your fault. Your son Duryodhana, was wicked, hatred, and very arrogant. You praised his acts and thought that it had been good."

 "You humans attack my unfaithful acts, but you humans also have something to be accused. Anyway I will leave the world from now on. I will accept your curse sincerely." Krishna who told her so, had the following events in the past.

 One day, Brahmin Durvahsas visited Krishna and said that he wanted to eat flour and milk gruel. When Krishna gave it out, Brahmin told Krishna to coat his whole body with the gruel. Brahmin told Krishna that from the part coated with flour gruel, death would not hit him and that he would live as much as he want to live. However, Krishna did not coat only the bottom of his feet. Seeing that, Brahmin said, "Krishna, you will have not coated there on purpose because you knew that I won't admit that."

 As long as Krishna also takes on human form, sooner or later, he also cannot escape from death. And he can not but be compelled to receive criticism from human beings for what Krishna did. Brahmin might have tried to say so then.

 After living for a while in the woods, Gandhari and Kunti got caught in a forest fire and left the world. Also Krishna was meditating in a yoga position to leave the world. At that time, a hunter named Jara shot the bottom of his foot, with a misdirected arrow. The bottom of his foot has not been coated with flour gruel, as was said from the Brahmin. So he passed away.

When 36 years of the rule of Yudhishthira had passed, five princes received the news that Yadu clan of Krishna's family had been all destroyed by killing each other, as Gandhari had cursed. Krishna himself had already passed away with his elder brother, Palarama. Five princes knew the death of irreplaceable people, and were overwhelmed with absence of absolutes of the world. Yudhishthira takes over the kingdom to Arjuna's grandson, Palyxit (the son born between Arjuna's dead son, Abhimanyu, and his wife Uttara), and goes to the Himalayas with Arjuna, his other brothers, and Draupadi. The younger brothers fall one after another, but Yudhishthira survives alone. However, he eventually went up to the heavens, where he reunited with nostalgic people such as Arjuna, his other brothers, Draupadi, Bhishma, Drona, Krishna, etc and moreover, Karna.

   ***************       ****************      ****************     ****************      **********

 This is the end of my talk about the long story of ancient India, Mahabharata. There are a lot of interesting stories inserted in Mahabharata. Please read them when you grow up.

 I think that it is a sentence of religious teaching to try to tell the truth while holding contradictions of various expressions. Mahabharata tried to tell the future how people should live by means of a story based on the religion of ancient India. It might be of no use that I interpret Mahabharata arbitrarily without a religious experience. Nevertheless, I have talked to you until now because I thought I would like to clarify what I still have to learn, by speaking to you who are the generations who will shoulder the human future.

 Finally, I summarized what I had to think about in the future, by reading Mahabharata.

1, The four life stages (Ashrama)

 As we have seen so far, the ancient Indian teachings preach that humans should live the pilgrimage of the four life stages (Ashrama). It is also the process of reaching the true self over time. From now on, you who live in the middle stages, such as a Brahmacharya (student period) or Grihastha (householder period) will be caught up in the society and live as a human who has three fundamental feeling, Guna that everyone has. You'll be full of self-esteem, sometimes express anger, and compete for status and honor with others. That is an unavoidable act to live in society. But if you lead only such a life, you have no choice but to reach to death in a way that is undesirable for humans. If we eventually reach Vanaprastha (retired period) or Sannyasa (renunciate period), it is told ideal to live alone quietly, avoiding various desires and conflicts with other people.

 Among Mahabharata, Kuru's King, Dhritarashtra one day calls a minister, Kanika who is good at political tactics and hears a story from him. The minister says.

 "The greatest elements of life, Darma (moral), Alta (actual benefit), and Kama (sexual desire), are mixed with three elements of good and evil. People who seek only pleasure can not be happy. We should seek to bring out good aspects from the three elements (virtue, wealth and pleasure) and to get these elements in a balanced manner. That is because a human being who has never experienced a setback can not be a human being with a rich heart."

 Until the middle stage of the four stages of living in social relationships with people, all of morality, property and lust are necessary for a person, but he can not be happy if he adheres to only one of them. It is important to incorporate each element into your life in a balanced manner without becoming excessive. But such a life is achieved after doing various experiences in the middle of social friction. Therefore, he says, "A person who has never experienced a setback can not be a person with a rich heart."

2, About Dharma

 Dharma generally also means morality, but here, as Krishna preached in Gita, it also refers to the standard of behavior that dwells in the mind of the individual, and the way of life given to the individual as fate. Sometimes it is related to the word Karma. Individuals have their own Karma given as born. However, we can not know everything about another's Karma. As Bhishma also said, we cannot know well inside the heart even of our family members. Of course, we know others a certain degree in character. Because we can generally grasp the image and expression of other person , we can establish social relationships as a daily basis. But Veda says that if you think that you know the other person completely, or if you try to search the other person's mind with your own belief, you will have a terrible experience.

 Then, should we concentrate only on our own mind and associate with others with such attitude as we really do not know about the other person? I don't think Bhishma said so. He stated that self-control, which is important for human beings, is essential to have a condition to be kind to others, to forgive others, not to hurt others and to be compassionate to others. Such a self-control is just based on Dharma. Furtheremore, compassion for others is often found in Namaste, the language used to exchange Indian traditional greetings. I will think about Namaste later.

3, The soul or god

 Bhishma also described the soul by quoting the words of Vyasa, who is said to be the author of Mahabharata. I did not talk about Vyasa up until now, but he was born between a saint and Satyavati who was a second wife of Bhishma's father, Shantanu. And in this Vyasa's support, the brothers of Dhritarashtra and Pandu were born. In that sense, we can say that it is also the parent of the story of Mahabharata. Vyasa says. "The soul that dwells in each person has its source in the only supreme soul. The only supreme soul is the truth of the whole universe, and the sources that have generated countless Purushas (individuals), so if those Purushas can cut off the predispositions, they can become one with the truths of the Universe."

 This is the same idea that Krishna told in Gita. That is, each person can recognize the soul that is ubiquitously given to all existences after getting over the act and gaining true knowledge. Since ancient times, such a thought has been expressed as unity of Brahman (the truth of the universe), and Atman (the true self).

 It is a difficult idea, but Gandhi tried to capture the supreme soul empirically and sensuously. He thinks that the supreme soul is like a divine being who governs our destiny. So what is God? Gandhi says I have never seen God. But he says he thinks that there is a fact that God is involved in his own destiny. When he fought against white man's racism in South Africa or struggled for the independence in India, he often became aware of his inability as an ordinary man, and was troubled in severe loneliness without finding how he should advance in the future. At that time, Gandhi encountered a certain event or came up with a way of thinking. And such an event or thinking led him to the next step.

 He says, " Each human being is a weak being, and can never open up the difficulties in his own way of thinking and his own decision. However, when encountering an intractable difficulty, we sometimes experience the road in front of us open up. At that time, I feel the guidance of God. I feel something that is not my power. Is that something that is God who governs our destiny, and is not some action based on the only supreme soul?" Of course it may be Gandhi's conviction. However, I feel like we can understand it.

 You may experience it from now on, but I have had similar experiences. When I get stuck in a certain predicament and can't be helped, I sometimes come across the events and feelings that will open my way ahead of me. It is clear that it's not the result of my own effort or my own will. Still, I feel like that something inside me tells me that it is good to walk this path. For example, when receiving an unfair evaluation or punishment from another person, or being dropped down by tricks, nevertheless, I have come across something that made me think I can live for myself, or such a thing has come to my mind. I wondered what it had been? It was a strange phenomenon as if it led me in a certain direction. It is clear that it is not at least the result of my own free will or effort. It may be said that the fact that it is clear is the contact point with God. Gandhi seems to have thought so.

4, Being called Deknobo

 In the story that Bhishma told the warriors in a state of dying, there was a story that people who can control themselves are thought to be wimps or low brains. So I said that I thought it was the "Deknobo" which was Kenji Miyazawa's ideal. At the end of the poem "Amenimo machez", Kenji spells "He is called Deknobo (a useless man) from everyone. He is not praised at all. He causes no one anxiety. I would like to become such a person." As we generally live with other people in society, we are often in the midst of praise and censure. In particular, you may want the public to evaluate what you have achieved through your best efforts, and you may think that you will be evaluated deservedly. Or you may think you can not endure it unless you are evaluated. The status and honor earned in this way will surely temporarily satisfy you and your family. If you are asked what kind of person you are, then you will imply your evaluation in the public and satisfied with doing so.

 However, you should graduate such a life someday. Kenji also thought so. Seeing a Deknobo, people may question," What kind of guy he is? " Somehow, he seems to be seen far away from the people. Still, isn't it good? If you are such a Denobo, you can always find a little joy in your heart, live a peaceful life, and if there are people in trouble, you may be able to help them gently. Kenji thought so.

5, About Namaste

 Then, is it true that human beings only need to face the truth inside of them by self-control? Indeed, others are beings that we can not enter. That is why there may have been an idea of ​​Namaste since ancient times in India. Namaste is a greeting word of Hindu. People who have visited India come across this word. It is an original greeting of Hinduism to put both hands together, to look at a partner gently and to utter this word. This word was originated with Sanskrit. Mr.Iyer, who is my teacher of ancient Indian thought as I said before, explained to me in letters many times about its true meaning. Therefore, I would like to introduce the deep meaning directly in the words of Mr.Iyer. He says as follows.

 "Namaste. We begin all our letters in this word. Nama means 'I bow'. Te means 'to you'. With these words we greet a person, whether he is in front of us or when we write to him a letter."  

 "Namaste. By saying this, I say that I worship the Almighty residing in your heart. Thus by greeting any one with putting my hands together and with these words 'Namaste', I worship the Almighty residing in the heart of the person. Here, Namaste means that I prostrate on you."

 "Na means 'not', Mah means 'mine' and Te means 'yours'. Therefore, Namaste means that what I have is not mine but it belongs to you who are the creator and have created everything that I see around me. We utter these words with putting our hands together, facing each other and joined together, displaying a prayerful mood and humility."

 "The word 'Namah' is a mantra, called Ankura mantra. Ankura means 'sprout'. The palms with both hands closed are called Ankula Mudra, and Mudra means gesture. Both these denote that, as the plant sprouts from its seed and grows. The spiritual development of us human emanates from the humility and the prayerful attitude towards the Almighty who lives in the mind of the other person in front of me. That is the meaning of the greeting word 'Namaste'.

 The same humility and a prayerful attitude are seen in the manner of Japanese greeting, in which they bow deeply. Such custom is seen largely in East Asian countries. People in these countries emphasize humility and see divinity inside of the other person. It implies a culture from the ancient times of these countries. However, with the passage of the time and by the blending with external societies, these noble ideals are becoming less and less."

 In this way, Mr.Iyer explained to me the meaning of Namaste every time he sent me a letter. The spirit of Namaste is the respect for others. And the compassion for others guided from there seems to be common to ancient civilizations, and also common to all humanity in general. Everyone is a precious being who lives with his or her Dharma. Everybody shoulders something sacred. So, as Gandhi wrote at the end of the autobiography, we should have the humble feeling of putting ourselves in the last row of people. At the same time, we should have the severity against ourselves. That is Namaste.

 During 18 days of the great battle in Kurukshetra, there would have been a lot of young soldiers who came out of the country, dreaming of the success in life. In addition, there would have been many unnamed warriors who participated in the thought that they have no choice but to fight here for parents and lovers or for feeding their families. The author of Mahabharata also did not forget to draw the scene that the souls of such warriors who had fallen to waste in the battle ascended to the heaven.

 Now, I will end what I wanted to talk to the generation of you who will be responsible for the future, through Mahabharata, the classic of India.

Have a great life, goodbye!

A long story of ancient India (Part3)

    13/08/2019         

（ 前回はマハーバーラタの中のヴァガバッド・ギータについて考えてみました。今回はアルジュナの大叔父ビーシュマが語る教訓の意味するところを考えてみました。クルクシェートラでの両軍の戦いも佳境に入ります。）

 Last time I talked about Gita. It became a little longer. That is because Gita is filled with important ideas. So, it was difficult for me to talk about Gita though it was a relatively short story in Mahabharata. Now, I will return to the battle scene again.
 The photo is a battle scene of the Ramayana story carved in the Kailasanatha temple in Ellora caves in India. Ramayana is introduced in Mahabharata, as it was created a little earlier than Mahabharata. As you can see, chariots, warriors with bows and also elephants are engraved. I think a similar battle scene was waged in Mahabharata.
 Incidentally, the first photo (Part1) is a sculpture carved on a large rock wall in Mahabalipuram, South India. It is a large sculpture called The Descent of the Ganges or Arjuna's Penance depicting the scene of Mahabharata. The previous photo (Part2) is a scene in the middle of the same sculpture, where Arjuna is practicing yoga while standing.

 Now, the battle between Pandava's army of five princes and Kuru's army of Duryodhana for 18 days started at the huge battlefield, Kurukshetra. At the beginning of the battle, Arjuna blows a sacred trumpet shell to the whole battlefield. As I mentioned in the first episode (Part1), hundreds of thousands of troops together are facing with cavalries, chariots, elephants and foot soldiers.
 On the first day, Arjuna's great uncle Bhishma, as general of Kuru's army, stood at the forefront on his own initiative and overthrew Pandava's army one after another. But the battle is just the beginning. Both warriors raise the flag high, call their own names and attack. Some chariots collide and become immobile, or elephants collide with each other and become immobile. Eventually the battlefield becomes full of fallen warriors, horses and elephants.
 On the third day, Arjuna jumped on the battlefield with Krishna who was his charioteer, but Krishna thought that Arjuna appeared to be fighting slightly with his great uncle Bhishma and his teacher Drona, even though Bhishma was fighting bravely. And Krishna thought that Arjuna didn't know what to do on the battlefield because he respected Bhishma even if he was shot by Bhishma with a sharp arrow. Arjuna also shows mercy to Ashwatthama who is a son of Drona. As a result, however, Ashwatthama will cause irreparable damage to Pandava's army after this huge battle.
 The battle continues until sunset. After sunset, warriors return to each other's camp, and they clean their wounds, take a bath, and enjoy the instrumental music and songs played by the band who accompanies the army. "The great warriors didn't talk about the fight at all there. People of both armies were tired and fell asleep with elephants and horses. It was a sight worth seeing." said the author of Mahabharata.

 The battle of Pandava and Kuru continues. Even on the ninth day, Arjuna still struggles with a complex mindset. "I have to kill people who need not to be killed on the battlefield, for regaining the kingdom. Or, I might have to leave the battlefield and to experience the sorrows of exile again. I have not found out which is really right, any more." he said. Krishna can not stand such Arjuna, and he angrily jumps down from the chariot and tries to stand up to Bhishma, personally. Arjuna who saw it says, "O brave warrior, turn back. Krishna, don't ignore the truth that you have said before. You told me you focused entirely on a charioteer and wouldn't fight. This burden is all on me. I will kill Bhishma."
 In fact, after 10 days of intensely afflicting Pandava's army, Bhishma was disgusted with himself for his fighting life. He came to think that he wouldn't want to kill any more warriors who were facing against him at the battle field. On this day, between an interval for a break of both armies, five princes of Pandava's army and Krishna payed a courtesy visit to the general commander Bhishma. At that time, Bhishma talked to them about his past. As I mentioned in the first round (Part1), Shantanu, who was a King of Hastinapura, produced Bhishma with the goddess Ganga. Shantanu also married another woman, Satyavati, but she asked King Shantanu to make her son the next king. So, Bhishma who was affectionate to his parents gave the throne to the son of Satyavati by making a vow that he would never marry.

 He not only didn't marry, but imposed an affliction on himself that he would not associate with women. Therefore, he rejects the woman who loved him. So, she cursed him and was reborn as Shikhandini, the daughter of King Drupada. (Therefore, the General of Pandava's army, Dristadimuna and Arjuna's wife Draupadi are her brother and sister.) However, she transsexualed to a male and called herself Shikhandin. Shikhandin sweared revenge on Bhishma. Bhishma has realized that he has been destined to be killed by Shikhandin of Pandava's army. So, he said to Krishna and Arjuna, "Let Shikhandin deploy at the front of your army. And fight against me!"

 On the tenth day, the final battle between Arjuna and his great uncle Bhishma begins. It is written that Bhishma wears a white turban, rides on a white horse, gets on a white armor, and stands with an immortal form like a rising moon. Bhishma who found Arjuna behind Shikhandin was delighted. The battle was fierce. Shikhandin shoots Bhishma's chest with nine sharp arrows. Now Arjuna draws the bow of holy Ghandiva given by God and shoots 100 arrows and hits all vital spots of Bhishma's whole body. Bhishma says,"Brave warrior Arjuna! that's the boy! Oh, son of Pandu, how admirable! Such a deed is worthy for you. I am very glad. These arrows are not of Shikhandin but of Arjuna."
 Saying so, the great hero Bhishma with huge body falls on his back, leaving a lot of arrows shot like a beehive on his back. People of enemy and ally shout aloud and feel sadness for the defeat of the great hero. But Bhishma does not die immediately after falling down. He tells Arjuna, enduring the pain for the arrow stuck on his back.
 "Arjuna, my neck is hanging down. Bring a pillow to my floor." Responding to the offer, Aljuna takes Gandhiva bow with full of tears in his eyes, blows a mantra into it and shoots three arrows into the ground to support Bhishma's head. Kuru's and Pandava's warriors stop the battle in unison, take their armors off, put up their weapons, and gather at Bhishma who lies on the mat of arrows. Bhishma says, "My body suffers with arrows, and the pain of these arrows makes me feel faint. I want water."
 Arjuna fixed an arrow to Gandhiva bow, cast spells, and stroke the ground on the southern side of Bhishma, with the arrow, before all the people were watching. Then cold water with divine scent and taste was spouting from there. Seeing Arjuna's superhuman and marvelous act, kings of both armies who were present "waved their coats in the air, in astonishment".
 As I mentioned last time, Arjuna was in a relationship called Narra against Narayana in Krishna. Nara also means water. Arjuna was able to manipulate the water freely in difficult times without being aware of it.
 Karna, who sat with Arjuna, tells Bhishma.
"I fully know that Pandava's five princes and Krishna will not be defeated by others, but we dare to face them. Bhishma, I didn't fight them as long as you were. But please forgive me for making this decision now, I hope to come to a fight after getting your forgiveness, and I beg your pardon for the previous rants against you."
 Bhishma answers Karna. "Forgive you and fight to go to heaven. Take away your anger and evil, do your best, and do justice for the king's command."

 In Mahabharata, there is a long story where Bhishma who is dying, tells warriors various lessons. Bhishma says.
 "All human beings can live happily if they are protected by the king who exerts the duty of Kshatriyas. If the king does not pay attention, the caste system, Veda, the four stages of life (Ashrama), etc. will become confused and faded."
 "There is a story about a mouse and a cat. One day a mouse who helped a cats out of the pinch is appreciated by the cat. The mouse is aware of the kind heart of the cat who tried to touch with the mouse as a friend. However, the mouse rejected the wishes of the cat, and the mouse carefully considered the danger of the cat attacking him from the desire. Recall the story of this mouse and cat, and hone wisdom about peace and fight. A king is always surrounded by the enemy."
 Here Bhishma firmly preaches the role of the king.

 Next, Bhishma talks about self-control which is most important for human beings.
 "There is a great variety of obligations that the great Holy hermits (Rishi) have preached, but among them the most highly valued is self-control. It is the eternal duty of Brahmins. It is superior to charity, offering and Vedic learning.
 Self-control is formed by various dispositions such as forgiveness, patience, no laceration, fairness, truth, sincerity, control of senses, cleverness, gentleness, humility, firmness, generosity, no anger, fulfillment, gentle words, compassion, no wicked heart. The only drawback of self-control is that a person who has self-control is believed to be wimpy or silly. However, such a person of generosity can reach the land of countless blessings."
 This talk about self-control was frequently mentioned in Gita. It is one of the important teachings of Mahabharata. In particular, it is important to say here that "the only drawback of self-regulation is that a person who has self-control is believed to be wimpy or silly." A person who has self-control, that is, who has patience, fairness, humility, and generosity towards anyone, appears to be respected and rewarded by anyone. However, here, rather, such a person sometimes is thought that he is wimpy or silly.

 When I read this Bhishma's teachings, I remembered Kenji Miyazawa's famous "Amenimo makezu" poem. You know it too, don't you? It is a poem that Kenji wrote in his notebook. "Amenimo makezu (Without a defeat against rain), Kazenimo makezu (Without a defeat against wind)…". At the end of this poem, Kenji spells out as follows. "Minnani Deknobo to yobare (He is called useless by everybody), Homeraremo sezu,(He is not praised at all.) Kunimo sarezu (He causes no one anxiety) , Sauiumononi Watashiwa naritai.(I would like to become such a person.)"
 Bhishma says, "A person who has self-control is believed to be wimpy or silly." I think that such a person is "Deknobo" (a useless person) which was Kenji's ideal. A person who is kind to people and who doesn't boast about himself may sometimes be used by people or be fooled. But that is the ideal state for human beings to live. Bhishma says so. Such a person has a small peaceful place in his heart no matter how he is treated by others. He does not mind even called Deknobo. So he will be a good target for bullies in his childhood. A bully lives only in the public image because there is no place where his heart really feels relieved. That is why he enjoys making fun of a child who is far from the public. If a child who is bullied has nothing but the public image in his mind like a bully and relies only on the external values ​​of the world, he will be in a serious situation or he may be forced to commit suicide.  
 However, as Deknobo, no matter how he is thought by the public, if he has something quiet that he can live in without bothering the public, he can find something irreplaceable in his heart, through patience against harassment and persecution.  Bhishma who had suffered from his young age may have experienced such a thing.

 "You will give birth to your children, bring up them, make them become independent, and get them married off. However, after that, you should abandon your attachment to your children and live freely. If you want to attain Moksha (ultimate liberty from the public world), you must not care immensely about your family members, for example, about what would happen to them if you died. Keep in mind that all living things protect themselves and assign rewards for their actions, for themselves. People are nothing but a clod of earth and rely entirely on the power of destiny. With what rational motives will such fragile beings protect and support their family members? If your family members can live by the reward of their actions, whether you are alive or dead, shouldn't you live in search of what is your own happiness?"
 This is also an important teaching. In the Grihastha (householder), second stage of the four ashramas, which we have discussed so far, a person must have a family and live for the family. We also need to bring up our children well. But we should not adhere to it forever. According to Vedic teaching, we don't know the mind of each person truely, even if he is one of our family members. As stated in Gita, each lives with his own Dharma. So a person should leave the family gradually in the latter half of the four ashramas, in order to reach the original one's own world. It is ideal to enter the forest. It is important to make the family happy, but it is not the ideal human figure to live with the family members forever while depending on the outside world, such as status, honor or private property. Bhishma says so.

 "Is there a single soul or various? Vyasa （a Holy hermit）answers it as follows. The idea that many souls have a source in one and only supreme soul shows that this whole universe is one with a soul with outstanding attributes. And because its only soul is the source of countless Purushas (individuals), if those Purushas can cut off various predispositions, it is identical to the universe, and is possible to melt into the only soul. The only soul is ubiquitous, but can not be seen even by me. Individual active souls are different from this only soul. Such individual souls often devote themselves to action. However, it is not until Individual souls give up their actions that they can attain Moksha and can unite with the only soul of the highest."
 This was a problem that was explained in Gita last time. The idea that every person has a soul and that each soul has its roots in the only supreme soul is a problem that has been considered from ancient times, not only by thinkers in India but by various thinkers in the world. The appearance of soul as an outstanding entity in the whole universe is Brahman in Veda, and as the counterpart, the appearance of original soul in the interior of the individual is Atman. Individuals can achieve unity with Brahman if they can get rid of all emotions beyond actions and can attain Moksha. Bhishma say so.
 In this way, Bhishma told the whole warrior who sits around him what Krishna had said in Gita, in an easy-to-understand manner. After he taught them the lesson for a long time, finally he ascended to the heaven while being watched by warriors.

 The battle continues, with Drona becoming the general of Kuru's army, after Bhishma's defeat. Also, Pandava's army is tormented by Karna who has come out in front of the battle actively. Yudhishthira who is Arjuna's elder brother and King of Pandava, thinks that a warrior who defeats Karna is no other than Arjuna. So, he orders Arjuna to defeat Karna. However, Arjuna decides that it is the top priority to prevent the 14,000 elite corps, the special units formed by Kuru's army, from coming in, and Arjuna is caught up in the battle with the elite corps. However, Yudhishthira, who knew that Karna was still alive, scolds Arjuna vehemently. "Arjuna, why did you fear Karna and return. What a coward you are! For fuck sake! You have fled from the battlefield!"
 Arjuna is unbearable to his scorch, and stands up with a sword to kill him. Against Arjuna's deed, Krishna intervenes there. "Arjuna, you are trying to kill this superior brother without knowing the profound path of virtue. When you get married and get sexual pleasure, or when your life is in danger and you lose all your property, you will sometimes lie. It can't be helped. It is not easy to be right. Only those who can gain insight into the subtleness of difference between truth and falsehood can understand what morality is. Arjuna, if you are going to walk such a profound road of virtue, you must bear his scorch, because he is the king of a nation."
 But Arjuna answers to Yudhishthira. "Yudhishthira, I don't agree with the fact that you are in the throne, because you have a strong tendency to gamble. You committed the sin on which only the inferior person gets fixated, and you are trying to escape the enemy thanks to us. While bringing about all these calamities, you are trying to attack me."
 Arjuna's fierce wrath overwhelms his king, Yudhishthira. "Oh, Arjuna, the wrong act I've committed has brought you a great disaster. We all live by relying on your strength. But, I am the cause of extermination of our family. So, cut my head off. I am a sinful man, or now I will return to the woods." But Krishna interposes, and the scene settles down.

 On the 13th day, this time King Yudhishthira sends Abhimanyu, the son of Arjuna to the army of Drona. His charioteer advises Abhimanyu. "The king has imposed you an overburden. It is better to think carefully before fighting. Drona is training on the best weapons. But you spend all the time comfortably. So, you are not familiar with fighting so much" Even so, Abhimanyu faces the fighting as a warrior who is inherited the fighting spirit from his father. However, he is dropped from the chariot and stands against the enemy alone. Karna and others pour mercilessly the rain of arrows against a young man who has lost a chariot. But he still has a sword and a shield and faces to Drona. Drona cuts off his sword and Karna smashes his shield with a sharp arrow. The author of Mahabharata says, "He lost his shield and sword, got arrows in his whole body, got down from the air and stood on the ground again, and shook the disc and attacked Drona. As beautiful as the moon night, Abhimanyu was shining on the battlefield. He was wearing a blazing red clothes stained by his blood and was roaring out, with a frown. Prince Abhimanyu was shining so much in the battlefield. A bunch of his hair turned over by the wind. Even gods haven't been able to see such a brave figure as he so far."
 Arjuna, who has returned to the battlefield after fighting with the elite corps formed by Kuru's army, knew the death of his beloved son. Abhimanyu's young wife, Uttara, was in pain for his death. Arjuna sees the son's body and mutters. "He was always loved by Subhadra (his mother), Draupadi and Krishna (his uncle). He was a boy with soft, curled hair and grew like a shorea tree, with a fawn-like eye. He was a child who always talks with a smile, controls himself and follows the words of superiors. What kind of benefit on earth can I get by killing the same clan? Now I feel profound remorse. O, most detestable life of Kshatriyas! Such a life is of no big deal! ''
 But he tells Krishna. "I am going to overcome the sea of this disgusted battle. But, Krishna, I cannot overcome it without your power. I will get over this sea with your power. There is no use complaining now."
 Arjuna swears to kill King of Sindu, Jayadrada who surrounded Abhimanyu who was alone in the battlefield.

 On the 14th day, Kuru's army heard Arjuna's oath and took the form of defending Jayadrada, King of Shindu. Drona and his warriors were desperately defending, but they couldn't endure against the pressure of Arjuna who dashed against them. After all, Jayadrada was killed by Arjuna. Duryodhana blamed General Commander Drona who had made Arjuna avenge the killing of his son. From now on, Drona decided to fight also at night. Both armies have promised that the battle continues until the sun goes down , so far. But, eventually the battle continued even at night. It was an exhausting battle, fighting each other without a certain amount of rest.
 Arjuna saw both armies sleepy and almost losing consciousness because of heavy fatigue. So, he cried out on the battlefield to rest each other. Both armies heard it and rejoiced. "Everyone slept on the ground, and when the moonlight slowly darkened and illuminated in all directions, the battle began again." This shows how fierce the battle was.
 Karna afflicted Pandava's army with his overwhelming strength. So, Krishna made Ghatotkacha, who is the son of Bhima and a strong magician, to face against Karna for defeating him. The soldiers of Kuru's army see the horrible magic of Ghatotkacha and say, "Karna, kill Ghatotkacha with a pike immediately. Kill the horrible-looking magician with the pike given by God Indra." So, Karna killed Ghatotkacha with the best pike given by Indra in exchange for Karna's earring. It was the pike that Karna has kept with great care in order to kill Arjuna. Krishna who saw it tells Arjuna with great pleasure. "Karna has now lost the pike given to him by Indra and has become an ordinary human being. There is a way to kill him. Kill him when he's not careful and the wheels of his chariot are stuck in the hole."
 Here you can see the figure of Krishna as God Kalah (God who governs the individual destiny). Krishna knew that Karna had received the pike from Indra, to defeat Arjuna. And he also knew that the pike was used before it was used for Arjuna, and that his chariot would not move and Arjuna would attack him. Karna, on the other hand, does not seem to have regretted that he had used up his best pike that he should use for killing Arjuna. There was a pride that he could fight Aljuna in a fair and honest manner without such a divine pike.
 When Karna was told from Arjuna's mother, Kunti, that she was the mother of Karna and that he was an elder brother of Pandava's 5 brothers, he still told her that he would fight against the Pandava's 5 brothers. In that case, Kunti asked for him that, among the five brothers, he never kills the other four brothers when fighting against Karna's rival, Arjuna. Karna also promised that for her. There is a scene that Karna chases Yudhishthira, the eldest son of five brothers who are distressed by Karna on the battlefield and retreat, but Karna did not kill Yudhishthira. His only hope was to fight Arjuna fairly even if he doesn't know which one would win.
 Karna once accidentally killed the calf of a certain Brahmin. Then the Brahmin cursed Karna, "When you fight on the battlefield and get scared in a narrow road, the wheels of your chariot will fall into the holes." However, at that time, Karna still never thought that it would be realized. Only Krishna knew all.
 The battle is still miserable. Under such circumstances, "neckless corpses rose up as if it were still alive" from among the warriors who had been killed.

 On the 15th day, Drona finally reaches his end. In this battle, it is stated that "the 85-year-old Drona had a dark face and was gray-haired to the edge of his ear, but he was active on the battlefield like a 16-year-old young man." Drona was also obsessed with his own destiny, as was Karna. As I mentioned at the beginning, Drona had a childhood friend called Drupada. However, when Drupada became king of the country of Panchala, he kept away Drona who was raised in poor families. Drona got angry and attacked Panchala, making some of it his own. Drupada's son, Dhristadymuna , hates Drona who has made light of his father, and vows to defeat Drona as a General of Pandava's army in this battle. However, Drona himself took Panchara's prince, Dhristadymuna , to his residence and instructed martial arts to Dhristadymuna. The smart Drona believed that the future fate that Dhristadymuna would kill Drona could not be avoided.
 Krishna again gives a trick to the five princes. The trick is as follows. That is, Drona loves his son Ashwatthama so much. So, Pandava's five princes should spread the rumor that Drona's son has died in the war, so as to lose Drona's will to fight. Arjuna was not pleased with such a trick, but Yudhishthira reluctantly agreed about it. And while being shameful, Bhima approaches Drona and screams that an elephant named Ashwatthama has been killed. Furthermore, Drona is told by Yudhishthira that not an elephant but his real son was killed. Therefore, Drona loses his hope of living. He then throws away his weapons, sits in the chariot seat, devotes himself to the yoga, and gives all creatures innocence (no danger, no fear). At that moment, Dhristadymuna grabbed his head and cut off his head.
 Arjuna accuses Dhristadymuna, "I have ordered you, Drupada's son, to bring your master alive and not to kill him." Furthermore, Arjuna says, "As for love, Drona was like our father's. The old master always did useful things for us, but foolishly we desperately killed him for getting kingship. It is better to die than to live now, because, for the sake of a royal right, we killed the master who is an old Brahmin and who laid down his weapons as a holy man."
 Saying so, Arjuna regrets having killed Drona by a trick. However, Bhima, and Dhristadymuna who is a killer of Drona condemn Arjuna. On the other hand, Arjuna's disciple Shatyaki defends Arjuna, and the upper part of Pandava's army exposes to a state of jeopardy. However, the youngest of the five princes, Sahadeva, intervenes in a dispute and the dispute didn't become serious.
 Bhishma and Drona fell, and the battle will be in the final phase. I will talk about the next story in the final part (Part4).

A long story of ancient India (Part2)

    26/07/2019         

（ ようやく梅雨が明けて夏らしくなりました。今回はマハーバーラタの中の

　ヴァガバッド・ギータの部分を考えてみました。日本語版は「やまぼうしブログ」　で見ることができます。）

 Then, I will start from the scene that Krishna persuades Arjuna, seeing that Arjuna suddenly lost his willingness to fight just before the fatal battle. This scene is described in the Mahabharata, but it is still being read all over the world, in particular as "Bhagavad Gita", as a brief introduction to Vedic thought of ancient India. Bhagavad means holy or noble in Sanskrit. Gita means song. So it is important that Gita is also a song. It is originally sung in the Sanskrit rhyme. There is also a translation in literary Japanese that considers elements of song of Gita. It is a translation of Mr.Yoroi. (Kodansha scholarly paperback). I would like to introduce the contents of Gita while referring to this book and the text of Mahabharata.

 Gita has many additions and various interpretations associated with it over time, as with the main part Mahabharata which was put together in the period from the beginning of first century to several hundred years, but it has become popular as an important classic of Indian thought. It may not be appropriate for an ordinary person like me to talk to you about Gita, which has been interpreted by many saints and wise men since ancient times. However, you are still a student, and I am a human being who just have a lot of things not to understand yet. Such us may have something to say about Gita. Let me tell you what I felt in Gita.

 To briefly summarize what Gita is trying to talk to, it will be as follows.

Arjuna appeals to Krishna for the emptiness of fighting because there are relatives whom he sincerely respects among the enemies facing the battlefield Kurukshetra. Then, Krishna persuades Arjuna of his following idea. That is, Arjuna, you were born as a warrior. So, it is the only option for you to fight here. Without being obsessed with the outcome of the battle, fighting is all that you live. Killing the opponent does not mean that his soul will be lost either. Because soul is eternal. Therefore, be bold and push for action. The knowledge and wisdom that can be obtained from it is the fulfillment of the life you acquire. The attachment to worldly affairs such as praise and misunderstanding and to the effects of actions are the evidence that you can only depend on something outside of yourself. Instead, seek self-subsistent fulfillment and happiness, inside yourself.

 The contents above of this summary are spoken throughout 18 chapters of Gita.

 In the first chapter, Arjuna tells Krishna the reasons for giving up the fight decidedly. "Krishna, I don't want victory. I don't need a royal right. What kind of meaning on earth is there when I stick to such things and live?"

 On the other hand, Krishna, in Chapter 2, persuades Arjuna with a bit of scorn. This way of saying "with a bit of scorn" means as follows. "Arjuna, you should fight because you are a member of Kshatriyas (a rank of warriors), so it is natural that Pandava clan's destiny depends on your fight. It's not just the fight only for you. What’s the matter? Fight well!" There is a meaning of scolding in this Krishna's talk. The author of Mahabharata also described Arjuna's mentality as saying, "He suddenly weakened his hands. His hands and mouth were dry. And he shook like a leaf so that he could not stand." However, from the previous talk, it is clear that Arjuna isn't simply scared. As I mentioned last time, Arjuna has been fighting with the warriors of Kuru before this war. In addition, he struggled alone in the Himalayas. So, he must have acquired the wisdom to overcome the various difficulties of life. He has already reached middle age and has a 18-year-old son Abhimanyu, with his wife Subhadra. And Abhimanyu is already married. It seems that he had more meaningful reason to give up the fight here. It is a question as to what is the status of Kshatriyas, why it was destined for him, and whether he is able to choose other way of life. He hit it against Krishna.

 However, Krishna persuades Arjuna, thinking that Arjuna's hesitation means that he lost his spirit in battle. As I mentioned earlier, Krishna has a tendency that he confronts humans from the point of view that he is originally a god. In other words, I think it is possible to see the fundamental difference and confrontation between human Arjuna and God Krishna in Gita.

 Krishna preaches to Arjuna. "In this world, the contact with the cause of matter creates cold and warm, pain and joy. These does not stop moving. Endure this bravely. Soul is immortal against body. Even if body is destroyed, soul will last. So fight manly, soul will enter another new body."

 A lot of things are discussed here. First, what does the contact with the cause of matter mean? It is explained in detail in Chapter 3, but the cause of matter means the movement of human body which is influenced by various emotions, and the contact means that our actions are routinely determined by such a body. Krishna describes the main human emotions that arise from matter as three predispositions (gunas) in later Chapter 14. Three predispositions are purity (sattva), excitation (rajas), and darkness (tamas). These three arise from matter and bind immortal soul to body. So, "The human world always drifts in a state of confusion because these three are intertwined in the human body."

 Of the three predispositions (gunas), purity (sattva) is based on emotions that seek genuine knowledge. It is innocent and radiant. Excitation (rajas) is based on emotions that always adhere to action with the heat of passion. And darkness (tamas) comes from ignorance, perturbs everything in body, and is based on laziness and apathy. Therefore, it is only necessary to make purity project out of these three predispositions (gunas), but human beings do not go that way. Every human being who lives in the world has three predispositions (gunas) inevitably, no matter how different. Arjuna is a man who is filled with purity (sattva) , but there is still a scene in which he is obsessed with excitation (rajas) in Mahabharata. In order to fight as a warrior, excitation (rajas) is also an essential element. On the other hand, if only excitation (rajas) emerges in a person, he becomes a man of personality who wants to realize his claim as action in a lordly manner. When darkness (tamas) is added to it, the possibility of becoming a criminal or a hypocrite increases.

 However, for a human being, there is no practice or measure that he can become a person who has only purity (sattva) or who has decent excitation (rajas) and darkness (tamas) with a focus on purity (sattva). There is no way to change the inborn temperament, which is the basis of Vedic teaching or Krishna teaching.  Arjuna's enemy, Duryodhana is jealous and selfish. He is possessed by a desire to stand at the top and rule his subordinates, even with clever tricks. So, we might say that he is a human being who is biased towards excitation (rajas) and darkness (tamas) rather than purity (sattva). His father, King Dhritarashtra and his wife Gandhari know such shortcomings of his son. Furthermore, there is a scene that even Duryodhana himself bothers about his cursed character. It is decided for each human being how three predispositions (gunas) get entangled in his body. In addition, it is human society that such various people are related, cooperate or fight against each other, and we have no choice but to take some action while being restricted by the predispositions (gunas) given to us. The human being lives like that. Krishna seems to say so.

 And one more thing he says here is that Arjuna was born as Kshatriyas, so he has to fulfill his mission. As you have learned somewhere, there was a traditional social class system called Caste in India. Generally, as the hierarchy, there are Brahmins, Kshatriyas Vaishyas and Shudras. Each action and role is described in the last Chapter18 of Gita.

 That is, "Brahmins have a self-control, do hardship, have purity and honesty. they live in knowledge, learning and the faith. Kshatriyas protect the country by holding power. They have courage, majesty, and firmness. They practice martial arts and make an offering to Brahmins. Vaishyas are the main actors of economic activities such as cultivating, stockbreeding and trading. And Shudras are workers who mainly serve people such as by household chores. Basically, these classes should be inherited from generation to generation.

 As for Caste, Gandhi, the father of the founding of India, spoke a lot. It is now generally considered that Caste is a feudal system that ties people into the hierarchy as they are born. However, Gandhi said that Caste that had been native to India was the wisdom to build a stable society by mutual aid which was the social participation made use of each characteristic. The frame of Caste makes people do so, but it doesn't easily ties the characteristics of people to the hierarchy. Old Vedic teachings preached as follows. That is, even in the case of Brahmins, if a person fails to work in academic studies, he will fall into Shudras at a stretch. On the contrary, in spite of Shudras, if a person finds different characteristics of himself and studies hard, he will be able to be a member of Brahmins. Of course, there is also a fact that Caste has been operated extremely to cause various discriminations and negative effects. But Gandhi said that it was not a problem that comes from the nature of Caste.

 Gandhi debated about Caste with the Minister of Justice, Ambedkar who drafted the Constitution at the time of Independence in India. Ambedkar was from Untouchability (Dalit), a member of the lowest rank. He considered Caste as India's negative legacy and aimed at the European liberal legislation. However, Gandhi rather emphasized the negative aspects hidden in the modern democratic society itself by evaluating the positive aspects of Caste in India. People in poor countries who are rushing to developed countries such as Europe and the United States are more likely to satisfy the lives of people in rich democratic society by cheap wages and at the lower position such as household chores or cleaning work. They have supported the democratic society of developed countries. Gandhi himself experienced racial discrimination from white people while working as a lawyer in South Africa. Gandhi experienced that even in democratic states in the West, any hidden hierarchy can be seen under the name of "the free economy". I talked a bit about Caste, because it is an important issue in Gita's teaching. "Arjuna, you were born in Caste called Kshatriyas. Accomplish the duties!" There is Caste behind Krishna's remarks. But the problem which Arjuna faces seems to lie more ahead.

 Another big problem is that of soul against body. Arjuna feels unbearable to kill his great uncle Bhishma and his martial arts master Drona in the enemy's side. However, Krishna says to Arjuna, "You will destroy the bodies of Bhishma and Drona in battle, ​​but the souls that lived in them will not die out. That's why you should fight with them violently."

 But this is also a difficult problem. Although it is only body that will die out, the bodies of Bhishma and Drona are full of expressions and memories familiar to Arjuna. When Arjuna was a child, Bhishma gave Arjuna lots of love, holding Arjuna in his knees. Drona taught Arjuna both academics and martial arts hard. Arjuna doesn't want to let their bodies die because he has a lot of memories through their bodies. Far from it, it seems that their souls that never die out do not continue to live with their names and personalities of Bhishma and Drona. According to Krishna, soul dwells in each one, but it seems to be inherited to the next generation and to dwell in the personality of the person who inherits it. Then after all, the particular Bhishma and Drona that Arjuna loved will disappear even if their souls survive. If so, what on earth is soul that dwells in such an individual?

 According to the personality formation by three predispositions (gunas) mentioned above, it is natural that an undesirable personality is also born. However, soul is in every human being including such an undesirable person. Krishna doesn't talk about how the souls of such different personalities will be inherited to the next generation out and about what kind of person will inherit the particular soul. Body will die but soul will never die. For the time being, let's keep this idea in your mind here.

 In Chapter 2, Krishna also insists on Arjuna that, although a fierce battle will begin, Arjuna should concentrate only on actions of fighting violently and should not stick to the outcome of actions. This is also a difficult way of saying. We try to do something because we strive and act in expectation of the outcome of action or to achieve good results. So, of course Arjuna, as one of Pandava's family, intends to win the battle against Kuru's family, to regain their country and to live in peace with the people there. So, it is natural for him to fight aiming at such a goal. But that is not always the case. Pandava's army may be defeated by Kuru's army, or Arjuna himself may be killed before the battle ends. Without adhering to such things, does he have to fight violently?  Krishna seems to say as follows, in relation to soul. That is, if you do an action for some great purpose, you will worry about the outcome of action. If so, you will expect that the result goes well by something outside of yourself or by good luck. You don't have confidence about steadfast things inside yourself or about something good as soul in your mind, do you? Because you always rely on events and good luck outside of you. You shouldn't worry or stick to the outcomes of your actions.

 Then, Arjuna asks. "What should I do to reach the true myself where such soul lives?" Krishna answers, "As I mentioned earlier, souls of individuals are already bound by three predispositions (gunas) of body, but speaking of a demand on human beings in general, you should concentrate on yoga, without adhering to all actions, so as to be sufficient with only the self."

 What is yoga? I think you know something like meditation or gymnastic exercises carried out by various body poses. Of course, I do not deny such elements, but in order to reach the true self here, I think that it may be a spiritual attitude by which a person remove bad vapor and by which he quietly concentrates on his consciousness and mind inside himself. If you concentrate on such yoga, you will be able to reach true knowledge overcoming action, Krishna says.

 So, in Chapter 3, of course, Arjuna questions. "If true knowledge outweighs action, why do you recommend action strongly for me? You praise action first and then praise knowledge. Krishna, your description confuses me more and more."

 Krishna seems to answer as follows.That is, "As I already mentioned to you, every human being leads a life while being bound by three predispositions (gunas). In particular, while living on a social mission that occupies a student period or a householder period during the four stages (Ashramas), you are obliged to act inevitably. Therefore you have no choice but to fulfill the obligations given to you as Kshatriyas. Because if you stop such an action, you can not maintain your body. As I say many times, no matter how the result turns, if you believe in your inner things and push forwards with action, you will be able to open the way to naturally acquire true knowledge ahead of that. Act first according to your own duty. Even if the result is inadequate, you will know that it is also your own.

 And Krishna tells Arjuna an important idea. That's about Dharma. He says,"As a result of action, even if your own Dharma (the original duty) is carried out incompletely, it is superior to the Dharma carried out well by others. Dharma of others is full of danger."  This is one of the quite important teachings of Veda. That is, each person who is bound by three predispositions (gunas) of body has a respective Dharma (a state of fate that each person has). People can not enter such a Dharma of another person. In other words, there is a wall that each of us can not understand the existence of another person fully. It is said that if you try to meddle in another person by thinking that he is a person of that revel, you will have a terrible experience. Others have their respective worlds we do not know. So, concentrate on looking at your own world. Even if you die with it inadequate, it is enough. Veda says so.

 However, Krishna has meddled in a Dharma of another person called Arjuna. But it also shows that he is not a human being. Can Krishna who is not a human being appeal to the heart of Arjuna? He says to Arjuna, "Even if the result of your actions are inadequate, it makes sense for your world. From there you should see the meaning of the result firmly, and then you will be able to touch the true knowledge."

 But Arjuna asks. "Then, Krishna, why do people commit sin as if they were driven by something? Cannot we intervene in another's Dharma so as not to commit sin?" This is also an essential question as a human being. On the other hand, Krishna emphasizes the existence of three predispositions (gunas) in the human body.

 "A demoniac person doesn't know the true knowledge because excitation (rajas) stands out inside him. So Arjuna, you have no choice but to fight him. All human actions come from three predispositions (gunas). You should know that these gunas all come from me (Krishna), but I am not in these gunas, these are in me. People in the whole world become confused by these gunas and they do not know me who transcends these gunas and is immortal. People are forced to act because of three predispositions (gunas). In fact, If I didn't act, too, this world would be destroyed."

 What is action for Krishna here? Does it mean to persuade Arjuna to fight? For Arjuna? Or for Pandava's family? I don't think his action is just for that. I said that Gita had a conflict between Arjuna as human and Krishna as God. It gradually appears until the last Chapter 18, but I think that this is one of the conflicts, too. Krishna's actions are God's actions, but human actions are bound by physical things, that is, three gunas. So those who know such truth think that actions among people are forced to get entangled in their gunas. Therefore, they do not stick to the results of action, or do not expect to the results of action blindly. Here again, in a different sense, Krishna tell Aljuna that people with true knowledge do not stick to the result of action.

 Chapter 4 and Chapter 5 are the chapters that Mr.Ayer printed in the booklet given to the children of Africa, under the order of Mahacharya.

 In Chapter 4, Krishna speaks to Arjuna, "You and I have been through life and death many times. I know all that, but you do not know." This is also a difficult way of saying. According to his explanation so far, repeated life and death is not the continuation of body. Each physical body has taken over soul from the past. But that soul does not have the name of Arjuna. Furthermore, Krishna says that Caste was created by Krishna himself, based on different predispositions and responsibilities. In that case, the continuation of soul and Caste may be closely linked.

 And Krishna tells about action again. "The wise men in old days also wondered which was action and which was the state that destroyed action. Here, I will explain to you the necessity of action in an easy-to-understand manner. A man who seeks to look at action in inaction or to look at inaction in action is a man of wisdom. He practices yoga and performs all actions."

 It is a difficult way of saying, too. Because Krishna explains that the ultimate action is to do yoga. Yoga seemed to have been explained so far as the state of inaction to break away from action. But, here, Krishna says that entering the state of inaction and acquiring true knowledge is the ultimate of action.

 Furthermore, he says, "In order to do so, first of all, you should be aware of your Ashrama (stage) and your Caste's status and should concentrate on action. After that, only through the various bonds of action, you can learn the wisdom to reach the state of inaction. In other words, knowledge overcoming action can only be gained through actions. If you acquire such knowledge, you can overcome all sins with the help of knowledge, even if you become a villain among all the wicked. The fire of knowledge returns all actions to ash. Because, in this world, there is no tool of purification except knowledge, and a person who has achieved success in the action of yoga finds knowledge in himself." This may not be teachings for you as a student, but it should be a lesson for those who reach the forest dwelling period or the last stage of the four ashramas.

 In Chapter 5, Arjuna seeks further explanation about the yoga of action. Krishna answers, "A person who practices yoga does not cling to worldly affairs and deposits the effect of his actions with Brahman (the truth of the universe), and he is not polluted by bad behavior. If he gets a favorite thing, he doesn't rejoice. Or if he comes across bad affairs, he isn't tremulous. He has steady wisdom and has no illusion. Such a person knows Brahman and rest on it. When he isn't disturbed by contact with the outside world and finds happiness in himself, the self plays the unity with Brahman. Pleasure through contact with the outside world is only a source of pain. It has beginning and end. A person who lives in the true knowledge finds no joy in it."

 This is also important but difficult. This is a thought that is generally preached as a unity between Brahman (the truth of the universe) and Atman (the true self). Arjuna who has his family is in the middle of the four ashramas. So, he has to contact with the outside world, that is, life in social relationships in the secular world. Naturally, he experiences various joy and sorrow there. As I mentioned earlier, we do not know inside of others' hearts. We cannot enter there. Nevertheless, we live in the expectation of the actions of others. So is friendship and love affair. Living in the expectation to the outside world is a life that can not be stopped for the people who pass through the first half of the four ashramas. But one day, some of them begin to think that it is an illusion and that they have to find fulfillment in the inner self. Thus, people who can look to the inner self under the intertwining between Ashrama and the fate of individuals due to three predispositions (gunas) can eventually move towards the withdrawal from action and the acquisition of true knowledge. Krishna seems to preach so.

 In this way, in chapters 4 and 5 in the booklet that Mr. Iyer gave to African children, Gita shows that we should found out our own duties along the life flow of Ashrama, and should make efforts to achieve our own duties through severe experiences. Follow your present position and act gallantly without expecting external phenomena! If so, you can learn various things from it and find out true knowledge in yourself. This is the path human beings should walk. Krishna seems to have told Arjuna so.

 In Chapter 6, Gita mentions about the state of the person who trained yoga, too. However, there is no concrete statement about what kind of action yoga is in essence. Krishna says. "Anyone who breaks away all intentions and does not stick to the object of the senses or the effect of action can reach yoga. We come across various people such as a friend, an ally, an enemy, a neutral person, an opportunistic one, a hatred person, a good person and an evil person. It is an excellent practice to treat such people with an equal heart. Yoga practitioners stay in remote places and are practicing yoga alone, without expectation, without possession."

 This is also an important teaching. Why are we obsessed with the effects of action ? That is because we stick to external events, people and things forever and cannot relax alone inside of the self. But is it necessary to tell Arjuna this kind of thing, before fighting? Is that because he studied in the Himalayas? Then Krishna seems to tell Arjuna, in a sense, the emptiness of the battle and the way of his life after the battle. Focus your heart on the self and not think of anything else! This is also the state of yoga. But, is it necessary to talk to Arjuna about that now? If Krishna talk to Arjuna so, I feel like that Arjuna may give up the fight and come to the mountain right away. In spite of that, Krishna preaches important things one after another to Arjuna.

 "A person who practices yoga and sees all equally, sees himself in all sentient beings and sees all sentient beings in himself." That is, those who gain true knowledge through yoga and can see everything that happens in the world equally, find themselves in all people, and conversely find all people in themselves. However, this seems to contradict the earlier statement of Krishna's claim that we can not see another's Dharma or inside the mind of another. But seeing everything equally is the opposite of thinking that you are the only special or superior being. That is because you can not make a firm judgment that you are superior to others. You also have weak parts, bad parts, and gloomy parts as three predispositions (gunas). You also have partial predispositions which each person has. Each person lives in their own way of life. The way of life of all sentient beings makes sense, and such elements can be found in yourself as much. I think that's the kind of human society, even if it is complicated.

 But Arjuna tells. "I can not do the yoga that you preach as an equal mind, because my mind shakes." Krishna says," A practitioner of yoga is superior to an ascetic or to an intellect. Then Arjuna, you should be a practitioner of yoga."

 But why do yoga practitioners have to fight to slay the other party? Arjuna can not solve his questions. Against Arjuna's relentless questions, Krishna gradually reveals his image as a god.

 In Chapter 9, Krishna comes to show a part of his divine nature.

 He says,"All sentient beings with various elements of good and evil that form this society are what I created. So there are all sentient beings in me, but I am not in them at all. That's why I never feel sadness, hate, joy, or jealousy like all sentient beings. I always have an empty mind. So on the contrary, it can be said that I am equal to all sentient beings, no matter how good or bad they are. Therefore, Arjuna, belong to faith of me, with a feeling of intimacy. If you practice yoga by yourself, you should come to me, and then you will be liberated from action and lead to bliss."

 Here, Krishna tells Arjuna that he is different from Arjuna who is a human being and that Arjuna should depend on him who can support all sentient beings equally. This is also a thought known as Bhakti (absolute devotion to God) among Indian people.

 However, in Chapter 10, Arjuna questions Krishna furthermore, "If your ability to demand devotion to you is ubiquitous in this world where all sentient beings live, what kind of being you are?" Arjuna urges Krishna to show the true image of Krishna as a god.

 In Chapter 11, Krishna finally shows his true figure to Arjuna. Krishna answers,"No one can see my true figure. But I will show it to you specially." Saying so, he reveals his original figure as god different from his human figure which is a good looking man. It was a grotesque and huge figure that horrified Arjuna involuntarily.

 There are many limbs protruding from the body, and there are many mouths and eyes on the face. And teeth like fangs protrude from the mouth. We may recollect strange shapes such as the eleven-faced Kannon image and the thousand-handed Kannon image in Japanese Buddha statues, and an angry image such as Zao Gongen of Zao-do hall in Yoshino, west Japan. Many faces and hands represent mercy to save people all around, and statues of anger are said to punish the evil that nests inside us. However, those figures are rather humanistic, and gives a sense of familiarity to us though Zao Gongen jumps out of the dark.  

 However, the figure of Krishna here was more bizarre and horrible. Arjuna saw it and the hair of his whole body stands up with fear. Nevertheless, Krishna showed his true figure only because of Arjuna. And only because of Arjuna himself, Arjuna was able to endure it. If a person was a normal human being, maybe he would have fallen and died. And I imagine that Krishna himself, who appeared in the image of god, was also quavering little by little at that time. His many eyes are like compound eyes of insects such as dragonflies and mantis. If we express that such eyes appeared on the human face, or on the face larger than that of human, you will understand that it is the face brought incredible sensation of fear. Krishna endures to stand still to show Arjuna the whole body of such features and innumerable limbs. So I think Krishna himself was shaking.

 Here, I also imagine a scene where Krishna who lives in a void without human emotions as a true god envies a human being rich in emotion like Arjuna. In Mahabharata, Arjuna and Krishna are told that since ancient times, both have been brought up in a united relationship called Nara and Narayana. Nara means human beings or early people in Sanskrit. Narayana represents the god that appeared in human form. Nahra means water besides people. Water is the source of life. In other words, it seems as if god and human were one in such a long time ago as life was just born. Someday such one thing broke up into god and human. Therefore, Nara and Narayana are located at the origin. So, Krishna as Narayana could show his true figure which is not shown to anyone only to Arjuna which is Nara.

 As Krishna expected, Arjuna was overwhelmed by fear and squatted in vain. The giant Krishna who kept standing was shaking continuously as if shaking the space itself. At that time, something hit Arjuna's mind for the first time. He thought his karma (the fate given to him) might have been produced by Krishna. And Arjuna says his words from the mouth towards Krishna unintentionally.

 "Please lead the warriors such as children of King Dhritarashtra, Bhishma, Drona, Karna, all other warriors who I will fight, and all those who are the famous warriors of my army, to heaven by your work as well." That is, Arjuna asked the god Krishna who controls the fate of this overwhelming mystery so that all the warriors might reach to heaven regardless of the result of the battle.

 Krishna says while keeping the form of god. "I am a great time that can destroy the world, and I have appeared here to recover the world from destruction." Here, time is not just an expression of time. Just as Arjuna said that he accepted his fate, it is the time to be in charge of the life and death of all beings. It is called Kalah in Sanskrit. Krishna even says that he is indeed Kalah itself. Kalah can destroy everything on earth, and it can also revive everything. We do not know why Kalah does such a deed. Therefore, Krishna uses following wording as if he pushed each human destiny away from him.

 "Arjuna, even if you are not present, all the warriors in the enemy can not survive. If so, you must resolutely defeat the enemy and gain fame, and enjoy your country's prosperity. Only if you're my puppet, it's sufficient, because Drona, Bhishma, Jayadrada, Karna and other enemies are also destined to be killed by me. Fight without any worries, Arjuna!"

 Here, Krishna's true intention comes out. According to Krishna's explanation, wasn't honor or glory of the kingdom the negative aspect that a person depends on the outside of him? Anyway, here Krishna is saying that Arjuna should be a puppet of Krishna who will make Kalah of this world complete. Recall the words that Karna told Krishna when Krishna confessed a birth secret to Karna previous time (Part1). Karna said, "Krishna, you know that both Kuru and Pandava will be destroyed in the forthcoming battle, don't you?" It was a remark like he understood Krishna as a god who governs Kalah (time as destiny).

 However, from the human point of view, we do not want to be a mere puppet for god's selfish speculation, and in this tale, not only Karna but some characters come to know various fateful times set by Krishna. Sometimes, it appears as the fierce anger against Krishna. Specifically, Gandhari, the wife of King Dhritarashtra will curse Krishna, which will lead to Krishna's own end. I will talk about the details next time. Mahabharata is also a battle between humans and gods.

 However, Arjuna answers without looking up. "I have always thought of you as a friend. Until now, I have not known your greatness as god. I will ask for forgiveness to you who govern the destiny of the world."

 Then, Krishna returned to his original form and released Arjuna from fear. Chapter 11 really brings a tremendous impression to us.

 In Chapter 13, Krishna says that those who know soul and matter with predispositions do not live in this world again. There is a word called reincarnation or a cycle of reincarnation. In Buddhism, it is used to mean that the dead soul will return to this world again. And it is also said that it is the way which the soul, who can not live properly, by relying on matter, will follow forever. Here, in a similar interpretation, it is assumed that those who know the relationship between soul and matter are released from a cycle of reincarnation.Those who can not get out of action because they are involved in the three predispositions will be born again in a different form in the world after dying. However, it is said that those who know soul and matter with the predispositions are never reborn in this world. 　

 In the last Chapter 18, Krishna tells Arjuna to fight, again.

 He says, "You are a member of Kshatriyas. So, the nature as a warrior should drive you. You hesitated to fight because you were lost in illusion, but you still have to fight."  Arjuna answers. "I have already been free from the illusion. Now, my willingness to fight has been firm. Krishna, I would like to do what you intend."

 Thus Arjuna stood on the front stage of the battle again. Arjuna eventually decided to fight. However, after that, he felt the emptiness of fighting many times and wanted to seclude himself in the forest. That was because he was a human being unlike Krishna. He was a human being whom Krishna as god sometimes envied.
 

A long story of ancient India (Part1)

    09/07/2019

（ ご無沙汰しています。今年の梅雨は本当に雨ばかりでタラの芽庵の傷んだログの補修が思うように進みません。雨の日は室内にパソコンを持ってきて、インドのアイアーさんから託された宿題について考えてきました。その成果の第一弾を書かせていただきました。これもタラの芽庵での作業の一環になると思います。日本語版は「やまぼうしブログ」で見ることができます。）

 I would like to talk to you about the extremely long Indian story named Mahabharata. I am a mere pensioner who retired from a local government employee nearly 10 years ago. And, who are 'you' whom I talk to? Please think of 'you' as a students from junior high school students to high school first graders. So, first of all, in advance of the main story, let me tell you why I have to talk to you about India's famous classical literature.
  If you study from now on and finish your studies, you have to work in society. If you get married and have a family, you will have to work hard for your family's happiness, not just for yourself. However, as for me, when I thought what I should really think and what I should do from now on after I worked for more than 30 years and retired, I thought that such a question was a serious matter. For most people around the world today, in order to earn a fair income, they have to work from morning to evening or late at night, apart from holidays and vacations given to them. Aside from whether it is good for human society, most workers are working daily with limited free time. So when they retire and get free time in the future, they will enjoy a wonderful sense of fulfillment. But that doesn't mean it will last forever. Rather, they have been able to live on the basis of the given norms every day until now, but from now on they have to think about how to live a fulfilling life for themselves. Some people can get a comfortable life based on status and honor as before even if they retire. However, I think most people who were released from their long life jobs can not keep such a status and will become mere ordinary people like me.
  In India, there is a way of thinking of four life stages (Ashrama). Student life is that he studies hard in school days. Household life is that he works hard as a member of the family. Retired life is that he thinks about his own life as a retired man like me. And Renounced life is that he lives in a remote area like the woods freely. This is a way of thinking in not only India, it may be the way we humans should follow. I wanted to go to India where people have given birth to the idea of the four life stages. As I was about to retire, I took a half month vacation and headed to South India, alone.
 
  In South India, I was able to learn about Veda (the ancient thought of India) at the training facility in Kanchipuram which is one of the seven major Hindu sacred sites. Kanchipuram is located about an hour and a half by car west from Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu in South India. In the city there is a simple building called Peetha, where people practice Hinduism. A saint called Acharya as a leader of Peetha from generation to generation was preaching to people and was hearing people's troubles there. The elders also comment on Vedic teachings and hold Homa rituals (Goma of Buddhism) there. When I entered there from the bustles of the city, it suddenly became quiet and I felt soothing healing. A child's elephant stood in the hallway and the children were preparing for the festival.
 There I met Mr.Iyer who was Hindu in his eighties. He spoke English and Sanskrit fluently. He taught me about Indian ancient thought. Even after returning to Japan, I have received his teaching by e-mail so far. Also, at Peetha, I was able to meet the present Acharya and to talk to him. Acharya is a spiritual anchorage for the people of Kanchipuram. They are well aware of the religious events he does and they also know when he comes back from his pilgrimage to Peetha. Acharya's predecessor called Mahacharya (Great Acharya) was one who had talked with Gandhi. Mahacharya preached all over India with poor clothes and barefoot. He was able to complete his life until 100 years old. When Mahacharya was still 70 years old or so and Mr.Iyer was in the middle age, Mahacharya gave a certain mission to Mr.Iyer and other disciples. The mission was that the booklet of two chapters of Bhagavad Gita (hereinafter called 'Gita') should be distributed to African children. Gita is a part of Mahabharata. It has a story that incorporates the various important ideas of ancient India. Mahacharya ordered disciples that they should make tens of thousands of booklets of Gita (chapter 4 and 5 of the 18 chapters of Gita) and distribute them to African children.
  Mr.Iyer was surprised and suffered. He asked himself. "How should I distribute the booklet of Gita which is difficult even for adults to children? And how I should make the booklet and find enough money for the purpose of it?" However, Mahacharya said to him "Of the tens of thousands of African children, if one of them flips pages of the booklet and gets some interest on it, that would be enough to accomplish this task." So, Mr.Iyer immediately consulted with other disciples for printing and funding. And they managed to make tens of thousands of booklets contained about 30 pages and distributed it to about 70,000 African children. After that, Mr.Iyer and other disciples still keep printing and distributing booklets from thousands to10,000.
 Mr.Iyer visited Japan as a member of delegate for cultural exchange between India and Japan, right before he receives this mission from Mahacharya. Mr.Iyer is a vegetarian and does not eat any meat or fish. However, the wife of Japanese family who hosted him at that time worked hard to devise and cook only with vegetables. He told me that he could not forget the warm hospitality of the Japanese people. He said "I like Japan. As the only A-bombed country, Japanese people should play an important role in aiming for a world without nuclear weapons. So, I ask you to distribute Gita's booklet to Japanese young people who will shoulder such a peaceful future, by all means. The English translation is Edwin Arnold's, but there is no copyright already, so please translate it into Japanese" He asked me for that by e-mail many times.
 I answered to him, "Gita already has a Japanese translation. It is difficult for children. It may be possible to distribute it if it is published in the form of an easy-to-understand fairy tale." However, Mr. Iyer does not accept it. He knows that it is difficult for children to understand. He said, "Still, I want children to question what on earth this book written in English and in Sanskrit is. I want them to taste the feeling of the book, and to look at the characters and pictures to feel something. I hope children try to read out aloud as they grow up, and I hope them try to find what is written there. Furthermore, I hope children learn Sanskrit as well. Edwin Arnold also uses old English for the purpose of the joy of reading aloud."
 Mr.Iyer's master, Mahacharya, said in his lecture notes that it was important not only to read and interpret only the meaning of the letters, but to read the letters aloud and sing the letters. He also said that the characters that became sounds were transmitted through space and reached deeply to people's hearts. But I answered Mr.Iyer. I cannot do such a translation that I give joy of reading aloud to people, even if I write both in Japanese and in Sanskrit. Furthermore, even if I understand the intention of Mahacharya and Mr.Iyer, it is also difficult to distribute the booklet translated into Japanese to elementary schools, junior high schools, or high schools. Public schools in developed countries think that it is difficult to distribute reference documents on their own, in addition to selected textbooks managed by the nation.
 Still, Mr.Iyer sends me a few emails asking me to do something about it. I can not reject everything against Mr.Iyer who has taught me ancient Indian thought for many years. Also, making it a fairy tale and publishing it, though my self-responsibility, might result to violate the sacred Indian classics. I was troubled, but anyway, I decided to read again the Japanese translation of Mahabharata, which I once read. We have two fine Japanese translations of Mahabharata. Each translator is Uemura Katsuhiko (Chikuma Gakugei Bunko) and Yamagishi Nobuo (Sanichi Shobo), though both have passed away. In addition, Mr. Iyer introduced me the English translation of the old Indian philosopher, Madhusudana, who also described the original Sanskrit language of Gita.  Having made these books reference, I decided to do my best to explain what I felt Mahabharata to you, on my homepage. Homepage is available to all over the world via the Internet, but there are few people viewing my homepage, so there is no degree of publicity like publishing a book. However, I would like you, young people who will shoulder the future of human, to see my homepage a little more. Of course, I would like Mr.Iyer to see it, too. Now, let's get started.
 
 Mahabharata is a story about the battle between kingdoms in India, when kingdoms were standing in India around the beginning of the first century. However, in the hundreds of years after the beginning of the first century, many old ideas of India and other stories were inserted, and it became a long story that is rare in the world. Like the title of Mahabharata (the Great Bharata's Story), the story centers on the conflict with relatives of Pandava family and Kuru family using tactics and armed forces, about the succession of the Bharata kingdom's throne.

 Shantanu was a king of Hastinapura who was a Bharata's descendant at that time. He got married to the goddess Ganga and had a son named Bhishma. Shantanu also married other women (Satyavati), but Satyavati asked King Shantanu to make the son born by her the next king. So, Bhishma was such affectionate son that he gave the throne to the son of Satyavati by making a vow that he would never marry. As a result, from the descendants between King Shantanu and Satyavati, Kuru's Dhritarashtra and Pandava's Pandu received the throne right.
 Kuru's Dhritarashtra was blind though he was older than Pandu, so Pandava's Pandu took over the throne of the Hastinapura country. However, while hunting, King Pandu accidentally killed Brahmin, who was a high priest of that time. He abdicated from the throne and eventually died. So the blind Dhritarashtra who is responsible for Kuru's family, took over the status of the king with the assistance of Bhishma who was uncle-like for him. Bhishma also protects the deceased King Pandu's five princes under King Dhritarashtra. However, the 100 princes of King Dhritarashtra always struggle with the five princes of Pandava family. So Bhishma, who was the great uncle of the princes, decided to let the five princes rule Indraprastha, a remote area separated from the country of Hastinapura, in consideration of the future.
  Indraprastha of the five princes prospered through their efforts. The five princes are Kunti's eldest son Yudhishthira, the second son Bhima, the third son Arjuna, furthermore, Nakura and Sahadeva as Madri's son. As the eldest son, Yudhishthira rules Indraprastha as king. He is a sincere personality, but a timid spirit in some degree and lacking in determination. The second son, Bhima is a possessor of brute strength, who is kind but enthusiastic and aggressive. The third son, Arjuna is a main character of this story, with good looks and courage, patience and insight. He was loved by his great uncle Bhishma, in his childhood. And he learned various things as a warrior from a Brahmin called Drona who is excellent in martial arts. Krishna is a young friend of Arjuna. Krishna is generally popular among the people of India as the incarnation (God in human form) of God Vishnu. He is from Yadu family. Arjuna's mother, Kunti is also from Yadu and she is Krishna's aunt. Arjuna and Krishna grew up like brothers, but eventually Arjuna is informed that Krishna is the incarnation of the great God.
 On the other hand, under Kuru's Dhritarashtra (a prospering Hastinapura King), the following characters come on the stage of this story. That is, Duryodhana (the eldest son of the 100 princes), the warrior Karna who rivals Arjuna, Drona (a martial art teacher of Arjuna), his son Ashwatthama and Bhishma (the great uncle of princes of both families).
 I introduced various characters to you at a time. So, that will confuse you. However, along with the flow of the story, I will describe each character in more detail.
 
  Arjuna's martial arts master, Drona had a close friend called Drupada when he was a child. However, when Drupada became a king of the country of Panchara, Drupada kept away Drona because Drona was from poor family. So, Drona got angry and attacked Panchara and made some of it his own territory. One day, in the country of Panchara, king Drupada hosted a martial arts competition to choose a husband for his daughter, Draupadi who is gifted everlasting beauty. Arjuna won among the warriors who gathered from all over India. Arjuna reported that to her mother Kunti, but Kunti misunderstood that he had won something material. So, she ordered him to share it with his brothers equally. Arjuna took it seriously and made Draupadi a common wife of five princes. Draupadi was a rare woman in the world who had the charm that could answer such marriage. At the same time, she had the heart to love the five princes equally.
  The five princes consulted and determined the rules of their relationship with their common wife Draupadi. That is, no one brother should interfere with the other brother who rests with Draupadi. If a brother breaks this rule, he has to be expelled from the country for 12 years. One day, a man asked Arjuna for help. His male cow was robbed. He hoped the cow would be back soon. So, Arjuna wanted to immediately to chase after the robber, with his weapons, but his weapons were placed in a room where Yudhishthira rested with Draupadi. If Arjuna enters the room to get his weapons, he gets banished for 12 years. But he took his weapons and recovered the cow from the robber. So, he was about to go out to wander for 12 years because he broke the rule. Other brothers persuaded him to keep staying in the country of Indraprastha, saying that Arjuna's deed had been unavoidable because he had helped the man in need. However, Arjuna went out on a wandering journey alone.
 During his journey, Arjuna went through various hardships. But, while traveling across different countries, Arjuna who is good-looking and has superior qualities was captured by the country's daughters and he married them. This is a pattern found in old stories around the world. In Japan, there is a story in which the main character of The Tale of Genji is expelled from the capital. He wanders in remote area and marries a woman whom he encounters.

 At the end of his journey, Arjuna got married to Krishna's sister Subhadra at the house of Krishna and returned to Indraprastha.
 
 Indraprastha of Pandava family which was a branch family prospered and became recognized in the surrounding countries against Hastinapura of Kuru family which was a head family. So, the sons of Dhritarashtra who was the king of Kuru family, came to hate the five princes of Pandava family. Originally Dhritarashtra's eldest son, Duryodhana, was an ambitious person who tried to stand on the top even though he degrades others. So he tried to annex Indraprastha of the five princes to his own country, Hastinapura again. He invited the five princes to a gambling place, taking advantage of the fact that Indraprastha's king, Yudhishthira was a passionate devotee of betting, and there he made Yudhishthira bet everything and tried to rob Yudhishthira's territory, Indraprastha. As a result, Yudhishthira lost all bets and lost everything, but Bhishma, the great uncle of both families, entered the arbitration and nullified the result of betting for the five princes. However, Duryodhana invited Yudhishthira to bet again. Yudhishthira, who succumbed to temptation, was once again caught in a trap and lost all bets, and lost his territory and property. Far from it, even his wife, Draupadi , who is common to the five princes, was humiliated. In the presence of Duryodhana who won the bet and his warriors, she was swung around only in underwear. And the five princes were forced to live in a remote forest for 13 years. In the last year of the 13th year, they were forbidden from being found by Kuru's family. If they were found in the last one year, they had to live in the forest again for 12 years. Or if they led their life in the forest without such a problem for 13 years, it was possible to regain the territory (Indraprastha) again.
 
 The five princes and their family members were expelled from their kingdom. They entered the forest without any belongings, with some servants. They felt intense anger and humiliation due to Draupadi's agony that she was humiliated in front of Kuru's family members. Yudhishthira who fell into the temptation to bet, felt guilty of his own inability. However, the five princes sweared revenge on Kuru's family 13 years later, to one another. The five princes, Draupadi and others wandered the forest and pilgrimaged the holy place, but those who had served them in Indraprastha also began to gather around the five princes. By getting the advice of Holy sages, Arjuna decided to go to the Himalayas alone to receive weapons from the gods in order to win the battle against Kuru's family of Duryodhana.
 In the Himalayas, he only ate tree roots and nuts, and fasted. At the end of such hard work, Arjuna met God Indra. Indra advised him to meet God Shiva who was the best god. Arjuna met Shiva and received weapons such as bows and arrows. On the other hand, Arjuna's wife Draupadi had a strong desire to meet Arjuna. So, she headed to the Himalayas, being protected by Arjuna's other brothers. After five years, Arjuna finished a tough training course in the Himalayas. So, he was able to be reunified with Draupadi and his brothers at the foot of Mount Kailas.
 The 13-year deadline for spending time in the woods had not yet passed, but more and more people came to the five princes to count on or support them. Kuru's Duryodhana knew that and in order to destroy the five princes in the forest, his army fired the forest and he rushed in with his army, but Duryodhana and Karna were defeated by Arjuna and his brothers. Duryodhana and his army retreated from the forest in a miserable appearance.
 
 Over time, the 13th year came. the five princes disguised themselves so as not to be found by Kuru's family and worked as servants of other countries. And finally, 13 years passed safely. So, Yudhishthira negotiated with Duryodhana to regain his kingdom. However, Duryodhana didn't try to return it. Bhishma and Krishna exerted themselves to avoid the armed battle between Kuru's family and Pandava's family, but the negotiations eventually broke down.
 Krishna was with Karna before coming back to the five princes' Pandava family from negotiations with Kuru's family. He revealed the secret of Karna's birth. That is, Karna was a true child of Kunti. Before Kunti got married to King Pandu, she received a son of God of sun by casting a spell. So, Karna was the real brother of the five princes. Kunti was afraid that it became public. She put newborn Karna in the basket and let it flow into the river. It was picked up by Adirata who was a charioteer of King Dhritarashtra. His wife, Lader, brought up Karna with her own milk. Krishna who told the truth to Karna proposed to Karna that if Karna returned to the five princes, and if he fought together with them, Yudhishthira would hand over the throne to Karna as an older brother.
 But Karna answered, "Even if I got the throne, I could not reward my foster parents. I can't betray King Dhritarashtra and Duryodhana who supported me. I am aware that Yudhishthira's army win the victory, but the battle will be a great misery, and in this place of the battle, Kurukshetra, we, Kshatriyas (the class of the royal and nobles who fight as warriors) will go to extinction. Krishna, you know it, don't you? Please make sure that we fight well and that all warriors rise to heaven, in order to be able to meet you again in heaven." Saying so, Karna embraced Krishna tightly. This is a quite moving scene.   Karna told Krishna that he would fight as a warrior of Kuru's family, even though he was informed of his sad background. And Karna asked Krishna not to reveal the secret of his birth to anyone.
 
 Thus, both families came to make a major battle on the land of Kurukshetra, which was a suburb of Hastinapura. Kuru's army is on the west side and Pandava's army is on the east side. Allies gather from countries all over India. Pandava's army of the five princes, led by Yudhishthira who is the eldest son of the late Pandu, is made up of 7 corps (Krishna's ally Satiyaki, Maghada's Sahadeva, South India's King Pandiya, King Drupada and various tribes). The general commander of the entire army is Drupada's son, Dhristadymuna (Draupadi's brother), and Arjuna is appointed the army commander.  On the other hand, Klu's army, headed by Kuru's family's eldest son, Duryodhana, is composed of 11 corps (Shakuni brothers, Bengal king Bagadatta, Kings of Bactoriya tribe in northern India, and other tribes in northwest India). The general commander is Arjuna's great uncle Bhishma.
 Hundreds of thousands of soldiers from both sides gathered from all India on the land of Kurukshetra. At that time there were no firearms such as guns yet. The leading role was a chariot connected to two horses. A charioteer and a warrior ride on a chariot. The warriors harden themselves with their armors. Their weapons are bows and arrows, swords, and pikes. Chariots are accompanied by several elephants, and many foot soldiers follow the elephants. Both chariots and elephants are lavishly decorated and the flags of each country are raised. At the time of battle, the warriors of both armies cleaned themselves in the bath, put on a new uniform and faced the battlefield.
 As compared to Japanese history, it may be the image of the battle of Sekigahara where Toyotomi and Tokugawa fought each other as a fateful battle.

 Hundreds of thousands of troops face the vast battlefield and are waiting for the start of the battle. Army commander Arjuna makes his friend Krishna the charioteer of his chariot. Then, he advances the chariot to the forefront and looks over the enemy's army. Arjuna, with a glittering crown, standing on a white horse chariot that Krishna takes the reins was shining.
 
 However, Arjuna was very depressed to see that his great uncle Bhishma, his martial arts master Drona and many relatives who lived together were in line on the enemy's side. He confessed to Krishna who was a charioteer of his chariot. "Oh, why do we have to start fighting involving a large number of slaughters here with those who have shared joys and sorrows until now? Krishna, I won't fight" Arjuna said, throwing out weapons and squatted on the chariot. It shocks us, doesn't it? That is because Arjuna who is the most reliable General of Pandava's army gives up the battle, right before the fatal battle. As mentioned above, even before this battle, Kuru's army and Pandava's army have fought many times in the woods and so on, and in each case Arjuna fought boldly, and defeated Kuru's family members. He has already fought boldly also with his great uncle Bhishma and his master Drona. However, I wonder why Arjuna abandoned the fatal fight here suddenly.
 As a matter of course, Krishna who is his friend and charioteer, persuades him to fight as a warrior. Though Arjuna is supposed to fight under Krishna's persuasion in the end, the questions and answers between Krishna and Arjuna that lead there are contained in Mahabharata as the story of Bhagavad Gita that is quite famous for ancient Indian thought. Next time, I am going forward the story along Gita.
 
 

Tara and my life

    10/11/2018

（ 一年ぶりの寄稿です。タラの芽庵での生活もほぼ三十年を迎えました。私の残り少ない人生にとってもまだまだ心のよりどころとなる場所です。無理をせず、少しずつ修繕し、維持管理を行いながら、タラの芽庵を基点に、会員たち、地元の人々、そして海外の友人たちと今までのように交流を続けていけたらと思っています。。）

 I have maintained a log house named Tara almost for 30 years. So, most of my life has been related to Tara, physically and mentally. In the beginning of construction of Tara, almost 20 members participated in the construction and maintenance of Tara. And we performed various events at Tara. For example, we cultivated upland rice, green tea in the pasture site around Tara and had a barbecue, etc. However, the number of members who visit Tara decreased gradually. Almost members lived far from Tara. So, they had to take a lot of time to visit Tara. Hard work and a lot of money were necessary for the construction and maintenance of Tara, as used to be. Therefore, it was very difficult problem to cooperate each other for the work at Tara. Especially, each member participated in the event at Tara by each intention or each idea. Under such situation, only a few members came to visit Tara. And after a few years, I became an only member who visits Tara for maintenance regularly.
 I played an important role about member's cooperation for the work of Tara. Therefore, I am responsible for the fact that many members were not able to participate in Tara's work. Current Tara's situation almost has been caused by my fault. But, in a sense, that might have been inevitable. To make organization for some recreation maintain for a long time is quite difficult. If such an organization maintained for a long time, some hypocrisy might be hidden there. That is, one of members might have cohered other members with a heavy hand. Or, one of members have a lot of money or have a great fame. In such a case, other members might have got together due to their profit. It is quite difficult for a lot of members to share a common thought for a common aim without severe discussion. Most of members of Tara were ordinary people with ordinary public mind. It cannot be helped.
 As a result, I worked alone in order to maintain Tara for these years, I don't mind it. I learned the meaning of loneliness truly at Tara. In the pure air of Tara, I have been able to think what I ought to think. And I have been able to contact with Indian Guru on Internet from Tara and to send e-mail to Esperantists from Tara. Tara has become one of best places for me to create a significant work in my own way.
 One of such works was a collaborative work with Indian friends. We published our proposal for a review of current UN for future generation, on Internet.
  We would be very happy if you could see IOMRProposal for the contents of our suggestion. Of course, our path for the realization of our proposal is very hard. We must not be satisfied with mere theory. We won't be proud of showing our proposal ostentatiously only on Internet. We should think how our daily sufferings are connected to agony of people who lead a miserable life in developing countries such as that of Africa. We should visit such countries. We should see the current situation which is different from our situation, with our eye firsthand. That is, our activity has just still started.  

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