Fads and idiosyncracies of monarchs and politicians, extend to their Governments, bureaucrats and State patronised Media, worldwide, throughout the World History. Some monarchs and politicians have come out openly with their whims and fancies and spent public monies, in satisfying their own fantasies. Dictators like Adolph Hitler, Napoleon, Idi Amin, Kim of North Korea had enforced their caprices with a jesuit like zeal, unmindful of the sufferings of the people. Problems exacerbate when, in a extremely poor country like India (Business persons and politicians may be billionnaires, but people are poor), when resources are squandered on wild-goose-chases.
EXAMPLEs
From 1991 to 2004, the HRD Minister of the BJP-1 Government, spent millions of Rupees on dredging the Arabian Sea at the Gulf of Khambhat,at a depth of 40 meters on Gujarat Coast. Some pieces of pottery were recovered and sent to labs in Europe for dating. What happened later nobody knows. Now in 2016, that Mr. Murali Manohar Joshi, having been nearly condemned to a sort of premature retirement (dust bin?), nobody knows the progress of the effort so far.
Between 1999 and 2004, Madhya Pradesh Government appointed a Special Committee to trace the route of the movement of Shri Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita, of Valmiki Ramayana, in the Madhya Pradesh Forests. What happened for the work of the Committee to trace the trail of ShriRam Forest Exile in Madhya Pradesh, I am unable to trace any thing.
Indians seem to believe that India is the Greatest country in the World, and like the practitioners and preachers of Christianity and Islam, who believe that theirs are the Greatest Religions in the world.
There are many beliefs in India, pertaining to the Legendary / Mythological River Saraswati, which is said to have disappeared into sands of Thar Desert in Rajasthan State, or that it started flowing underground along the path of Ganga and Yamuna Rivers and merges with them at Allahabad (Prayag), called Triveni Sangam (Confluence of Three Rivers).
At least four States seem to believe that Saraswati River flowed through their lands-- 1) Punjab 2) Hariyana 3) Rajasthan 4) Uttar Pradesh.
Hariyana State Government is said to be spending Rs. 600 million on digging out the Vedic River Saraswati, which is believed to have disappeared in the Thar Desert, Rajasthan.
Beliefs regarding Saraswati River can also be funny. As usual, the Four Caste System (cAtur varNa) enforced by the White Aryan Immigrants, and their scriptures, sometimes containing ugly references to the lowest castes-- SUdrAs and the Tribes. We shall take up three verses from the Largest Indian Epic Sanskrit Mahabharata, by Krishna Dvaipayana Vyasa (popularly called Vyasa).
EXAMPLE FROM INDIAN SANSKRIT EPIC VYASA MAHABHARATA
Salya036 001
vaiSampAyana uvAca
tato vinASanam rAjann AjagAma halAyudhah-
SUdrAbhIrAn prati dvEshAd yatra nashTA sarasvatI
036 002 yasmAt sA bharataSrEshTha dvEshAn nashTA sarasvatI-
tasmAt tad rishayo nityam prAhur vinaSanEti ha
036 003 tac cApy upaspriSya balah sarasvatyAm mahAbalah-
subhUmikam tato agacchat sarasvatyAs taTE varE
Ganguli's English Translation of the above Verses (approx.): "...Vaishampayana said, 'Then Balarama , proceeded to VinAsana where the Sarasvati has become invisible in consequence of her contempt for Sudras and Abhiras. And since the Sarasvati, in consequence of such contempt, is lost at that spot, the Rishis, for that reason, O chief of the Bharatas, always name the place as VinAsana. ...' "
CONTEXT IN MAHABHARATA
Vyasa Mahabharata has 18 volumes, called 'parvas'. Out of these five volumes directly deal with the Mahabharata War. They are: 6. Bhishma Parva, 7. Drona Parva 8. Karna Parva 9. Salya Parva 10. Sauptika Parva.
Our above verses are from the Salya Parva, Chapter 036. By the end of the Salya Parva, Mahabharata War was nearly complete after 18 days.
Lord Balarama did not like all these happenings and went on pilgrimage of India, after telling his younger brother Lord Krishna.
During the pilgrimage, Balarama covered almost entire India. During his pilgrimage, Balarama visited Rajasthan-Hariyana Thar Desert Area. He also visited a place called 'VinASani or VinASana', the place where the Legendary River Saraswati was said to have disappeared (into sands).
WHY SHOULD A RIVER HATE SUDRAS AND ABHIRAS?
The reason given for the disappearance of Saraswati River in Mahabharata was funny. Saraswati had contempt (prati dvEshAd) towards SUdrAs (4th caste in the four caste System =caturvarna vyavastha). Hence, she was said to have disappeared. Abhiras were tribals dwelling in the Rajasthan-Gujarat-Hariyana Thar Desert Area. In those days, they might have earned their livelihood by indulging in robberies.
For that matter, almost all the Races, Religions, Tribes, Castes, Cults, Cultures etc. in the World indulged/indulge/are going to continue to indulge in stealth / robberies. Alexander was a Great Robber! Wherever he invaded, he plundered the conquered kingdoms. British Governor Generals were Robbers! Turkish and Arab Sultans were robbers. Otherwise how does Tipu Sultan's Swords, Peacock Throne, Kohinoor Diamond, hundreds of tons of gold and precious stones go to London? In Mahabharata, Arjuna called himself Dhananjaya as a title, saying that he stands in the midst of Conquered Treasures. If these treasures are robbed / stolen, when an enemies invade a kingdom and the King fights a war in defence, wins it, repels the enemies, chases them, collects reparations and damages from them, it is understandable. The purpose of battles itself, is plundering and robbing!
Abhiras might have lived by stealth and robberies. Sudras might have been working as servants. They might have tried to rebel against the white/red Brahmins and Kshatriyas (warrior caste) of those days. They may probably deserve to be repelled by Kings whose duty is to protect their own kingdoms. But, why should a River develop hatred towards some castes and tribes, and disappear into sands?
Now, if the Rajasthan Government or the Hariyana Government digs spending millions, will the River of those days re-appear? Won't Sudras and Abhiras exist in 21st Century India? Won't Saraswati River be angry with them? Will the River be angry with the 21st Century Brahmins, because they have stopped acquiring spiritual discriminative abilities, and are wasting their time in idol worship, and are converting worship into a trade with the Gods and Goddesses? Won't the Saraswati River be angry with Hariyana, Rajasthan politicians, and All India Politicians in Delhi?
OTHER REFERENCES TO ABHIRAS IN RAMAYANA AND MAHABHARATA
In Valmiki Ramayana, when Shri Rama wanted to build a bridge across Ocean, the God of Ocean did not give a way. Then Rama has chanted Brahmastra mantra (chant of Creator's Weapon) and set his arrow in his bow towards the Ocean. Then the God of Ocean (Samudra) appeared before Rama and gave him pathway to Lanka. At that time, there was a belief an arrow+chant (astram) once 'set for use' cannot be taken back. Rama's advisors ask him to redirect the BrahmAstra towards Abhiras who were criminals. Rama did accordingly. Brahmastra is extremely powerful. Abhiras ought to have died with the Brahmastra. But Abhiras did not die. They have reappeared in Mahabharata Epic.
After the demise of Balarama, and Krishna, the Dvaraka City was said to have been devored by the Sea (sunk into the Sea). Arjuna taking the left over Yadava Women (Rukmini, Jambavati entered into funeral pire of Lord Krishna) proceeded towards Hastinapura in Hariyana -UP Border. In the Thar Desert AbhIras attacked Arjuna's entourage. Arjuna could not fight because he forgot his magic chants of weapons (astras), and exhausted his shafts (arrows/darts) which were till then inexhaustible.
These two items, we shall cover some other day.
So !!!! Rivers can be angry with castes and tribes, whom Aryans do not like. Will Yamuna River disappear if she is angry with our Hon. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, and our Chief Minister Shri Arvind Kejriwal? Will Ganga disappear, if she is angry with our Mulayam Singh and Lalu Prasad Yadavs? Will Krishna and Godavari Rivers disappear, if they are angry with KCR and Chandra Babu Naidu?
To continue. सशेष. ఇంకా ఉంది.
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