Stories or Folktales

[Guest guest]

I know in the Hindu religion you have many stories and folktales. What is your favorite story, or folktale? Also what are some of the most important events in the Hindu religion that you think are important to know about.

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

This was moved from Letters to the Editor so that others could reply.

 

[Guest guest]

My favorite story is the one of Ajamila. Somehow it captures for me the state of life we all face. We come into the world with so much potential, and even if we fall, there is still a chance of recuperation.

[gHari]

Perhaps the most important thing about this religion based on the Vedas is the story of the source of the Vedas themselves. The Vedas are produced by the breathing of God. As God breathes, the sound of the Vedas emanates from His lips. This explanation of the source is even found in the perfect Vedas themselves. The Vedic scriptures are therefore described as uncreated.

 

Thus the transcendental scriptures upon which the religious heritage is built are authoritative and potent. While our following of the instructions from God may not be perfect, at least the instructions themselves are.

 

As the guru, Prabhupada writes:<blockquote>Dharma is not actually manufactured by NArAyaNa. As stated in the Vedas, asya mahato bhUtasya nizvasitam etad yad Rg-vedaH iti: the injunctions of dharma emanate from the breathing of NArAyaNa, the supreme living entity. NArAyaNa exists eternally and breathes eternally, and therefore dharma, the injunctions of NArAyaNa, also exist eternally. SrIla MadhvAcArya, the original AcArya for those who belong to the MAdhva-GauDIya-sampradAya, says:

 

<center>vedAnAM prathamo vaktA

harir eva yato vibhuH

ato viSNv-AtmakA vedA

ity Ahur veda-vAdinaH

</center>

The transcendental words of the Vedas emanated from the mouth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore the Vedic principles should be understood to be VaiSNava principles because ViSNu is the origin of the Vedas. The Vedas contain nothing besides the instructions of ViSNu, and one who follows the Vedic principles is a VaiSNava. </blockquote>

gHari

[theist]

Here is one story, of probable Sufi origin, that teachers in Northern India have told their pupils for centuries. The idea was to

help them focus on the most essential and vital of all subject matter, the of understanding one's true identity.

 

The Boatman and the Scholar

 

A scholar asked a boatman to row him across the river. The journey was long and slow. The scholar was bored. "Boatman."

he called out, "Let's have a coversation." Suggesting a topic of special interest to himself, he asked, "Have you ever studied

sanskrit grammer?"

"No," said the boatman, "I've no use for those tools."

"Too bad," said the scholar, "You've wasted 1/4 of your life. Its useful to know the rules."

"Mathematics then?"

"No sir my family has always been poor. I had no time for school as I had to help earning rupees for food."

"A shame to be sure. Fully 1/2 of your life has been frivilously wasted," said the scholar as he shook his head."

"The scholar then shook his head, "Perhaps then you know something of astrology or astronomy?"

"No sir. I only know the sky from my boat the sky from my boat." replied the boatman.

"A useless life. 3/4 of your life is gone," the scholar said and picked up a book to read."

 

The boatman quietly rowed on until they noticed the middle of the Ganges.

Looking into the horizon, the boatman noticed the signs of a fast appraoaching storm. he turned to the scholar and

asked,"Pardon my humble mind that to you must seem dim, but, wise man, tell me, have you ever learned to swim?"

"No" the scholar answered, "I've never learned. I've immersed myself in thinking."

"In that case," said the boatman, you've wasted all your life."