A question for the founder, silent soul?

[Guest guest]

pLEASE answer me? is manliness about fighting? or is manliness about

upholding dharma?

 

if manliness is about fighting then the demon Ravana is the most

manly one? LOL! SMILES!!

 

In my humble opinion, LALA GIRIDHARA GOPA is the most manly one ! He

incarnated on this planet to uphold dharma!!!

 

Durga mata is also the most manly 'warrior' goddess -she upheld

dharma by destroying the demon Mahisasur WHO REPRESENTS THE 'EGO' IN

ALL OF US.

 

please help me in understanding the concept of 'manliness. '

 

hari om!

[Guest guest]

, parama_rahasya <no_reply> wrote:

hrmm..what an interesting question! Although i have not taken a

man's body in this life may i pose a reply?

 

i use to be a US soldier before i retired and a high ranking one at

that. There are some who believe that women have no place in this

profession but that is another question. Sri Krsna had much to say

to Arjuna about dharma, paraphrased - DO THE RIGHT THING. But how do

we know what is right and wrong for us? Arjuna was going to give up

his place as a soldier and take up the life of a mendicant rather

than fight against his family members. In Gita, Krsna reminded him

that he was a soldier and that his job was to do the right thing.

 

Surely if Arjun wanted to leave the battlefield Krsna was NOT going

to stop him. After all, we have free will to make our decisions; be

they right or wrong. But Krsna told him the consequences of that

decision he pondered. What would Krsna say to a sadhu who wanted to

join in? i bet it is DO NOT FIGHT. YOUR PLACE IS ELSEWHERE.

 

My point here is that Krsna reminds us that it is better to do our

own job and do it badly than anothers and do that well. There is

much psychological truth here when we pose ourselves as something we

are not. The stress we place upon ourselves in posing to be

something we are not is enormous and dangerous to our mental health.

 

So i guess my answer here is this 'manliness' has nothing to do with

fighting. It has more to do with bravery. To DO THE RIGHT THING

THAT IS RIGHT FOR YOU. Not what is right for others, for ego, fame,

name, etc. Just do the right thing.

 

om tat sat

 

>:*)

 

> pLEASE answer me? is manliness about fighting? or is manliness

about

> upholding dharma?

[Guest guest]

>>is manliness about fighting? or is manliness about upholding

dharma? <<

 

Let's see what manliness actually is at the end of the following

story:

 

One day a clever fox began wondering, "Why is man considered the acme

of creation and in what way is he superior to animals? Both man and

beast have emotions and passions. Both have their own good and bad

qualities. Why then this superiority? Let me go to the king lion and

seek his advice." Thinking thus, the fox hurried to the lion's

den. "How nice to see you after so many days! Come tell me what is it

that you want?" said the lion. The fox said in all humility, "Oh,

King! Man is growing all-powerful and is claiming sovereignty over

the entire creation! I cannot tolerate man's arrogance and his claim

of superiority over all animals. In what way are we inferior? Can we

not establish our superiority? We must do something about it." The

lion nodded its head and said: "True dear, what shall we do?" The

lion and the fox discussed the problem for a long time and decided

finally to call for a conference of all animals in the forest. They

would discuss thoroughly the relative merits and demerits of man

versus animals. The lion then said to the fox: "Go and make all

arrangements for the conference. Invite all animals, big and small

without any exception. But, who will preside over the conference?"

The fox replied: "There is a sage in our forest who has been doing

penance since a long time. He is a friend of both man and animals. He

will certainly have no preference or prejudices. Why not request him

to be the Chairman?Do so", replied the lion.

 

In a week's time the fox executed the whole plan. A vast area in the

forest was cleared to hold the conference. On the appointed day the

animals began filling up towards the conference venue. Very soon, all

the animals were seated in their respective places. The sage arrived

in time and took his presidential seat. The lion and the elephant

stood on either side of the sage, while the fox stood in front of the

gathering.

 

The fox being the Secretary of the conference welcomed the gathering

and said: "I welcome you all and thank you all for attending this

conference". Referring to the Agenda of the conference, the fox

said: "I am pleased to place before you four major points over which

we have to deliberate. You have to think well and come forth with

your opinions as these points have a vital bearing on our self-

respect.

 

Man as well as the animals are born alike, of the womb of the mother.

Then why should animals be called 'janthu' and man as 'manava'? They

should be addressed alike.

There is a fantastic notion that man is wise and animals are foolish.

We cannot accept this humiliation and baseless stigma.

It is claimed that man has the most blessed faculty of speech. But

what is the reason for pride when man is only abusing this faculty?

In what way do we suffer for want of this faculty? Though we are

dumb, we are able to procure food, find shelter, rear our children

and live happily. So, man cannot be considered as superior to us only

because of this rare faculty of which he boasts.

Finally, they say that we are cruel and that man is kind and

compassionate. In fact, we are more kind and considerate than man.

So, we have to refute this allegation, as well.

Having read out the agenda, the fox went and sat in its place. The

lion stepped forward and raising his head, said in a dignified

manner: "I totally approve of all the points of the agenda. I cannot

consider man superior to us in any way. Let us first of all take up

the point of valour and strength. Is there one among men who can

excel me in strength and valour? Even though I am the sole monarch of

the forest, I do not indulge in any act of injustice and corruption.

I don't kill any animal unless I am hungry. Such being the case, can

man claim to be superior to us?Never, never", roared the whole

assembly.

 

The lion then resumed its seat beside the sage. The elephant got up

and trumpeted its own glory. "In form, stature, and strength, I am

far superior to man. He is a pigmy beside me. As for intelligence, I

am reputed for my subtle intellect. Since time immemorial, for every

important and auspicious function in the temple or in the palace my

presence is considered auspicious. In fact pious men offer me fruits

and flowers with deep feelings of reverence. How can man call himself

superior to us?" The whole assembly roared: "He can't, he can't". The

elephant went back to its seat by the side of the sage.

 

Then came forward the dog and saluting one and all in the assembly

said aloud: "I have sound reason to claim that the animals are

certainly superior to mankind. Take for example, the quality of love,

faithfulness and loyalty. Can any man boast of himself being superior

to the dog in these qualities? Man himself keeps us and treats us as

a member of his family because of these rare qualities. But, what

about men? They have no sense of gratitude even. They keep us on

cheap food or on the left over bits at their meal. Man, in his

relation to his own master whom he serves is ungrateful to the core.

Sir, I am sure, we animals are far superior in these characteristics

to man." Having spoken thus, it went and sat in its place.

 

It was now the turn of the President to give out his decision on the

mater under dispute. The sage got up and said: "My dear friends, what

the dog has said is true. Man often says one thing and does another.

This inconsistency is not to be found in animals". All the animals

clapped for long with joy. The sage continued: "In the matter of

food, sleep and allied habits of living, there is absolutely no

difference between man and animals. But, there is one fundamental

difference. The animals cannot transform themselves, while man can

transform himself through education, company and emulation. The

animals cannot even change their food habits". The fox at once got up

and questioned, "Oh Master! What you have said is true. But do you

think that all men transform themselves?" The sage said: "Why,

without doubt, such men who do not, are worse than animals." At once

all the animals clapped and cheered the President. The sage

continued: "Men have got another virtue, discrimination". The fox

said: "It is true that they have discrimination, but what is the use?

They put even animals to shame in their bad conduct. Oh, what a pity!

Man spends all his time, talents, strength and money to earn his

bread, while we animals procure food without any labour." The sage

could see that the fox was trying to exceed the limits and make much

of their instinctive nature. So, he said: "Oh, dear animals! You must

also be told about another important distinction. Man can conquer

illusion. He can realise the self or atma and attain immortality. In

fact the very word "man" indicates these attributes.

 

M - means Maya;

A - means the Atmic vision and

N - means Nirvana.

By getting rid of illusion and attaining Atmic vision, man can become

God. Why don't you own and admit your limitations?" The animals asked

him: "Oh Wise one! Do you mean to say that all men make use of these

three attributes?No, not all of them," replied the sage. "Then

those who do not attain nirvana by conquering illusion and having

atmic vision must be treated as our comrades" asserted the animals,

in one voice. "Oh, Dear ones!" replied the sage, "I have come to this

forest only to be your friend and prove myself a true Man".

 

---------------------------

 

>From this story we can see that what makes man special in all of

God's creations is the fact that he can attain Nirvana or Liberation

if he seeks the appropriate path sincerely.

 

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa used to say : This human birth is unique and

rare. So waste not this precious time in seeking the ephemeral sense

pleasures. If all you require is sense pleasure gratification, then

you could have taken a birth of a dog or a pig. Why waste a human

birth for acquisition of sensual pleasures ?

 

Adi Shankaracharya has said in the vivekachudamani, that rare indeed

is the human birth.

 

Hence manliness is NOT fighting, but being able to transform oneself,

and develop the attitude of discrimination and dispassion (vairagya)

towards all that is Non-Self, and finally attaining Maha Samadhi

(Liberation).

 

Hari Aum !!!