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Muslim invasions and other mysteries

From the Bhakti List Archives

Jaganath.Bharadwaj • January 28, 1996 


Mani wrote:
The person of wisdom, however, is aware of the
true nature of these actions and objects and does not
get personally affected by them.
End of quote:

There is scope in this statement in the context of what what was
written before it to confuse material detachment with spiritual
detachment.  As one progresses spiritually one fails to bother about
loss of wealth and other things not connected with Narayana.  But it
will only be the materialistically attached person who will remain
spiritually detached when Narayana's devotees have been slaughtered,
and Narayana's kainkaryam has been interrupted.  E.g. The Ramayana
was being narrated to Kulasekhara Azhwar nearly two million years
later (even those who dispute the time of this event will not
disagree that Kulasekhara Azhwar lived much after the Ramayana time).
 Suddenly Kulasekhara Azhwar got up and ordered His army to prepare
for war.  When a perplexed general asked the King why was there a
preparation for war, Kulasekhara Azhwar replied: "We are going to
help Rama fight the Rakshasas in Lanka."  Attachment to Narayana is
the perfection of spiritual existence and His pure devotees act in
ways that are incomprehensible to the average person.

None of this is intended to contradict Mani's conclusion that we
should not be judgemental.

Only the place where Sita stayed in Lanka was called Ashoka Vana.
Shoka means mourning or grieving.  Ashoka means where there is no
grief or mourning.  Hanuman burnt most of Lanka ashes except Ashoka
Vana.  The remaining Rakshasas were killed in battle.  Yet these
people who lost their property or kith or kin did not directly harass
Sita in the way the Rakshasis did in Ashoka Vana.  Yet when Trijata
(one of the Rakshasis) condemned the rest of the Rakshasis for
behaving in the way they did and did Prapatti on her own behalf as
well as on behalf of the other Rakshasis, these people alone were
saved.  In the same way a prapanna displaying negative qualities is
superior to a person leading a "normal good life".  One can never say
when someone will have the Bhagyam of getting Prapatti amd what kind
of person Narayana will consider fit to give Moksha.  Dasharatha was
never good to Kausalya, yet Rama was born to him.

Jaganath.