988 Musings and observations on some important subjects

Ms. Brinda Karat is Polit Bureau Member of Communist Party of India (Marxist), India. She has a reputation of being a Senior and sincere CPM Worker. It's all so good. But, what I wish to highlight is, that she cannot speak like Mr. Arvind Kejriwal, Chief Minister of Delhi, and President of the Aam Aadmi Party, who is now facing a defamation case for some crores from Mr. Arun Jaitley, Hon. Finance Minister, and is in a quandary on how to pay the hefty fee of his counsel Shri Ram Jet Malany, amounting to Rs. 3.4 crore (Rs. 34 million) from the Delhi Exchequer. In India, these days are very hard days, for the Opposition Leaders. In Telugu language spoken by 100 million people across the world, there is a proverb: "urumu urimi mangalam mIda paDi naTlu' (Approx. English: The thunder thundered, and fell on the kiln for making popped grains (similar to popcorn). This proverb is used when some misfortune befalls on a person or a thing, who/which is not much connected with the falling object. Context: Right now, the concentration of our Hon. Prime Minister, our Hon. Finance Minister, and the BJP President, is focused on hardnut-to-crack challengers like Arvind Kejriwal, and Ms. Mamata Banerjee. Our BJP trio seems to expect that Ms. Mamata Banerjee will take care of controlling the resurrection of CPIM in West Bengal. Ms. Brinda Karat is reported to have commented as under, while speaking at the "Meet the Press" Program organised by Telangana Working Journalists Federation, Hyderabad on 20th May 2017.

Relevant Links

Click here to go to http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/politics/200517/rs-72-thousand-crore-of-adani-loans-waived-cpm.html.

Quotes from Relevant Links

What Ms. Brinda Karat is reported to have said	=====yb-a-donkey=====
"...Party plans to increase women membership from the present 16 per cent to 25 per cent. Membership in the CPM is not the one like “missed call ...”	BJP has a separate parent organisation called RSS, and they educate BJP Workers, whatever that 'education' may mean. BUT CPIM cannot train its workers just to carry huge party flags, and get beaten by police with batons in processions Rallies, and dharnas. What is the use of having workers who will be ready to receive lathi (baton) blows, but who cannot convince their neighbors to vote for CPIM, without giving Rs. 1,500 per vote, and a liquor bottle? Stress should more be on votes and ballots, rather than flags and processions.
"...Modi government waived the Rs 72,000 crore bank loans of Adani group companies while waiver of loans for the entire farmer community in the country was Rs 75,000 crore. In the last three years, waiver of bank loans to the corporate sector touched Rs 6.8 lakh-crore. 70 per cent of loans waived were of corporates..."	Though this allegation may be factually correct, Ms. Karat has not given any details such as Names of the major borrowing Adani Companies, Names of Banks, Names of amounts. CPIM should have a data bank of this type on its website, to enable its leaders as well as public to have a look at the method of defaulting. Else, there will be risk of facing unnecessary defamation suits, and other court cases. In Telugu language, there is a proverb 'rAju talucukunTE debbalaku koduvA? Approx. English: If the king wills (and orders), can there be scarcity of blows? Implication is that: kings may not bestow gifts, but he can shower baton blows.
"...Gau rakshak dals in the BJP-ruled states were targeting Muslims and Dalits. CPM was also being targeted..."	CPIM cannot be like Congress and some other Regional Parties which are bent upon building Muslim and dalit vote banks. Though cow-protectors have become militant, prevention of cow, buffalo, camel, miltch-animal slaughter in the long run, makes India a gentler and nobler Nation, because cruelty to animals gets reduced. Beef, and some other meats which are being sold now in shops, and served in hotels, lack quality (quality neglected by everybody with eyes on profits), and such foods become 'rAjasa, tAmasa' Aharams. (Foods which make people arrogant, easily irritable, blood thirsty). When these foods get coupled with liquors, persons lose their self-control, and they will not hesitate to indulge in rapes, murders, tortures etc. CPIM can, NOT ON RELIGIOUS GROUNDS, but on SCARCITY OF RESOURCES grounds, try to convince people of all castes and religions to exercise some self-control in consuming beef.
"...There has been nothing to boast about in Modi’s three-year rule. It’s a rule of deceit. Modi promised 2 crore jobs but failed. All he managed was 2.3 lakh jobs. Due to problems in IT sector, we may lose 6 to 10 lakh jobs in next 4/5 years. ..."	People will know that whatever our Hon. Prime Minister and our BJP President promise are Election jumlas. But, people may not vote only in response to promises. Cash and Liquor, of course religious bigotry and fanatism, seem to be stronger than promises. Making unfulfillable promises, knowing them to be unfulfillable, is a trait of all political parties in India. Still, I wish that CPIM promises to people more hard-to-fulfill things like Removal of Private Property, Removal of Currency, State Capitalism, Treating every citizen as a Government Employee etc.
"...Centre has failed to handle the Kashmir issue and asserted that it needed a political solution. ..."	POlitical solutions may not work in Kashmir, because the militancy and terrorism in Kashmir, is propelled by money and men from not only Pakistan, but many other Gulf and Middle East countries. Military Action on POK is an important solution, even if it may be disastrous both to India and Pakistan.

Topic No.2. With no intent to hurt the sentiments of devotees and scholars

After studying the 'kalyANotsavam' program on SVBC TV channel, for about one year, from 12 noon to 1 pm, I am writing this. I appeal for forgiveness from devotees and scholars , if I am going to hurt their sentiments, by writing the following:

Submitting 'madhuparkams' during the wedding ceremony

SVBC channel, though broadcasts the ceremony live, 'commentary part', they seem to be playing recorded audio files. Two or three different commentators might have given these commentaries, as I hear, two or three different versions, on TV.

One commentator explains 'madhuparkams' are 'clothes/cloths (vastrams)'. Another commentator (example the commentary on 21.5.2017 wedding commentary) said that it is a preparation made of milk, honey, clarified butter etc.

Madhu means honey, and we can include preparations made of honey.
There is a general impression among the people of Andhra Pradesh, that 'madhuparkams' mean 'clothes/cloths'. During the ancient ages, madhuparkams seem to include even beef, as can be seen from the following quote:

Book: Sanskrit Drama Uttara Rama charitra, by Bhavabhuti mahAkavi, approx. 8th Century AD. Tritiya vishkambham. (3rd Intermission). Context: Disciples of Valmiki, by names Bhandayana and Saudamini were conversing with one another about the missing calf 'kalyANi kapili' and Sage vasishTha. These verses have been reproduced at our blog post No.124 Click here to go to post No. 124. I am quoting below the Uttara ramacharitram verses, for ready reference:

సౌధాతకి: తేన పారపతితేన ఇవ సా పరాకీ కల్యాణీ కపిలా మడ మడాయితా.

ఆయన వచ్చాడో లేదో, అప్పుడే ఆ అనాథ కల్యాణీ కపిల మడ మడాయించ బడింది.

నోట్స్: కల్యాణీ కపిల ఆవుదూడ పేరు. కల్యాణీ అంటే మంగళకరమైనది. కపిల అంటే నల్లనిది. అనాథ అనటంలో అయ్యో పాపం అనే అర్థం ద్యోతకం అవుతున్నది. మడమడాయించటం అంటే నమిలేయటం. చక్కటి ప్రయోగం. తెలుగుకి దగ్గరగా ఉన్నది. No sooner did he come, the orphan (poor) Kapila (black calf) Kalyaan`ii (auspicious name of the calf) was munched. (Meanings: parakikaa = orphan. Parapatiteena iva = the moment he came. Mad`a mad`aayita = was munched.).

భాండాయనుడు: Bhandayana (Senior disciple)
సమాంసో మధుపర్కం ఇతి అమ్నాయం samAmsO madhuparkam, iti AmnAyam
బహుమన్యమానా శ్రోత్రియా bahumanyamAnA SrOtriyA
యాభ్యాగతాయ వత్సతరీ మహోక్షంవా మహా అజం వా yAbhyAgatAya vatsatarI mahOksham vA mahA ajam vA
పచంతి గృహ మేథినా vachanti griha mEthinA
ఇతి ధర్మ సూత్ర కార సమామ్నతి. iti dharma sUtrakAra samAmnati.

అర్ధాలు: బహుమన్యమాన-- పలువురిచే మిక్కిలిగా గౌరవించబడే. ఆమ్నాయం-- వేదాలు. సమాంసో మధుపర్కం-- మాంసంతో కూడినది మధుపర్కం. శ్రోత్రియ -- పండితుడైన బ్రాహ్మణుడు. మూడు రకాల సంస్కారాలను పొందినవాడు. బ్రహ్మచర్యం, యజ్ఞోపవీతం, జ్ఞానోపదేశం మొ|| పొందినవాడు. అభ్యాగతుడు -- ముందు చెప్పకుండా వచ్చే అతిథి. ఒకరాత్రికన్నా ఎక్కువ ఉండడు. ఏక రాత్రం ఏవ పరగృహే నివసన్, అజ్ఞాతో బ్రాహ్మణః అతిథీ జ్ఞాతస్ తే అభ్యాగతః.

మిక్కిలి గౌరవనీయులు, శ్రోత్రియులైన బ్రాహ్మణులు, అతిథి అభ్యాగతులు విచ్చేసినపుడు ఒక ఆవు దూడనో, గొప్ప వృషభాన్నో, లేక గొప్ప మేకనో గృహస్థులు వండుతూ ఉంటారు. ఇలాగా ధర్మసూత్రకారులు నిర్ణయించారు.

Meanings: Bahumanyamaana = standardised, recognised by many people. Aamnaayam = Vedas. That which is accompanied by flesh as "Madhuparkam" - this, the Vedas and the Codemakers (such as Bodhayana and Apasthambha) have standardised. Srootriya = A well-learned Brahmin who has been anointed with all the purificatory ceremonies (sanskaaras: prescribed religious ceremonies and vows such as celibacy, sacred thread etc. Brahmano, gneeyaha, sanskarai)). Abhyagata = guest who arrives without notice and stays not more than one night. (Eeka raatram eeva paragrihee nivasan, agnaatoo brahmanaha atidhi gnaatastee abhyaagataha). Vatsatari = calf. Mahooksham = big bull. Maha ajam = big goat. Grihamethina nirrapanti = house holders feed. Gist: Householders feed venerable scholars and guests with calfs or big bull or big goat. Thus the code-makers prescribed.

ybrao-a-donkey's views which are not intended to be imposed on others.

Though it may be a custom during the days of Valmiki, or Bhavabhuti, to serve revered priests, sages with preparations made of beef, we need not do it now in 21st Century.

I pray to the TTD Scholars , commentators to study the whole issue of 'madhu parkams' afresh.

I suggest that the the word 'madhuparkams' may be totally avoided during the commentaries. I suggest that we may use the words and phrases like 'vastram' samarpayAmi. 'madhu samarpayAmi'. 'kshIram samarpayami'. 'dadhi samarpayAmi'.

I am unable to trace the word 'parkam' in Sanskrit dictionaries. The TTD scholars can retry. The word 'parkam' seems to mean '(animal) skin'. In ancient times, animal skins might have been used as garments (and also as paper rolls). Probably, we might have got the word 'parchment' to mean thick paper, from this word 'parkam', though 'parchment' may have several other etymological roots. Thus parkams can mean clothes. Madhu can mean honey preparations. Madhuparkams can mean both honey preparations + textiles/fabrics. (dvandva samAsam). Anyway better to avoid the phrase 'madhuparkams'.

Sacred chants recited at the time of wearing 'sacred threads' to SridEvi and bhUdEvi

Some priests seem to be reciting three times each 'mAngalyam tantunAnEnA loka rakshaNa hEtavE, kanThe Badhnami...." and 'mAngalyam tantunAnEnA jIva rakshaNa hEtavE, kanThe Badhnami....' for SrIdEvi and bhUdEvi respectively. It used to be very clear about the ceremony. This practice seems to have been discontinued by some priests. (Eg. 21.5.2017, 12.30 pm approx.). If so, scholars have to examine the relative merits of the two methods.

LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST

The premises/compound where the kalyANotsavam (wedding ceremony) is being conducted, does not seems to have AT PROMINENT PLACES FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT. This ceremony may be in vogue since several Centuries, and no fire mishap might not have occurred so far. Audience/Spectators seem to be sitting in a crowded and congested manner. But there seems to be no alternative. But, we can do one thing. The grill gates behind the spectators seem to be closed, and probably locked. If that is true, if a fire mishap or a rumor of anything dangerous nature spreads, there will be stampedes, resulting in loss of lives. I hope the new EO will look into this, and arrange for some FIRE DRILLS, installation of FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT WITH CO2 CYLINDERS, KEEP THE REAR GATES OPEN,TRAINING TO COMMENTATORS ON HOW TO GUIDE SPECTATORS IN THE EVENT OF MISHAPS/RUMORS OF MISHAPS.

To come back and continue adding / deleting / modifying. सशेष. ఇంకా ఉంది.