"I am the conscience in the heart of all creatures
I am their beginning, their being, their end
I am the mind of the senses,
I am the radiant sun among lights
I am the song in sacred lore,
I am the king of deities
I am the priest of great seers…"
This is how Lord Krishna narrates the godly features and described god in Geeta, he is the god himself, the Supreme Being, or even addressed as Purna Purushottam.
Today is Krishna Janmashtami, my hundred thousand salutations to Lord Krishna, I won't dare to describe Krishna today but allow me to explain the importance of being Krishna, in today's context.
Krishna has been an enigma to some, but God to millions, people go ecstatic just by hearing his name, Krishna is probably the most used and addressed name in eastern philosophy. People perceive Krishna as their best friend, hero, leader, protector, guide, driver, and a major catalyst of their life, Krishna Tatwo resides strongly inside every heart and the warmth of our being, the warmth of our heart which manifests love and compassion comes from the Krishna Tatwa.
Krishna inspires in myriad ways, beyond religion and culture, Krishna Tatwa is the major influencer in literature and mysticism, sculpture, dance, music all aspect of Nepali folklore. The period between 3200 to 3100 BC is considered as Krishna's physical presence on this planet, a lot of things happened during this time which still has a significant impact on society. The eighth day of Krishna Paksha or the dark fortnight of Shrawan Month is the birthday of Krishna. The night of this day is the most enigmatic, ecstatic, and attractive night of the day, Krishna Janmasthami is celebrated across the globe with a huge commemoration and excitement.
The birth of Krishna is a transcendental phenomenon that generates persistent and sustainable awe among Sanatana followers and overwhelms one and all with its supra mundane happenings. Today I won't talk more on the aspect and importance of Lord Krishna, these default facts are largely available over the internet. Today, I shall write about the unfair aspect of Krishna's life and his acceptance of those odds of his own life. Krishna was a creator yet the life he undertook in this world was a miserable and struggling nature of living. Let me present the conversation between Krishna and Karna here.
Life is not the same for anyone, let's listen today to Krishna's practical answers to Karna's question.
Karna asks Krishna, "O Krishna, is it my fault for being born as an illegitimate child?" My mother abandoned me at birth. Why is this Krishna? I could not learn from Guru Dronacharya because I was not a Kshatriya. Realizing this, Parashuram taught me to be a non-Kshatriya, but when he found out that I was Kunti's son, he cursed me forgetting everything I had learned. After all, why this injustice, Krishna?
My arrow hit a cow unintentionally and accidentally. The owner of that cow did not understand me and cursed me without understanding the meaning of my arrow. Even in Draupadi's Swambar, I became involved unintentionally. Mother Kunti also begged me to save her other sons but she didn't acknowledge my life as her son, my biological mother ignored the value of my life largely. I got all the respect and self-esteem I got only when I was on Duryodhana's side. Am I wrong now? Krishna, please answer me, will you?
Krishna gracefully answers,
O Karna, even before I was born, my death was guarding my life. I was born in a prison. With birth I had to abandon my birth parents, I grew up in a family and environment other than theirs.
Karna, you grew up listening to the sound of horses, swords, chariots, and war, but I grew up listening to the sounds of cow dung, straw, cowsheds, and cattle.
Do you know Karna Before I was born and before I was able to walk, there were many assassination plots and conspiracies to kill me. No army or military exercises or formal education in my childhood, even all the villagers accused me of being the root of their problem.
When you were called all over the village for your bravery, it was Karna. At that time, I did not even get an education from anywhere.
I got the chance to enroll in Guru Sandipani's Gurukul only at the age of 16. Karna, you married the girl you liked, but my marriage was not with the one I wanted, but with the one I saved with the demons. I had to move all my communities from the banks of the Yamuna to the shores of the sea for fear of Jarasand. Everyone called me a coward.
If Duryodhana wins this war, you will be given a lot of respect Karna, but I think if Dharmaraj wins, I will not get anything. Instead, history will condemn me for thousands of years for all the negative effects of war.
Remember one thing, Karna, this is a different kind of challenge for everyone in life. Your consciousness needs to choose the path of religion and truth. No one has the right to choose the wrong path because of the challenges and inequalities of life. Always remember that life is always in jeopardy but the destination of life is not determined by the shoes we wear but by the steps we take in life.
After saying this, Karna became silent.
I warp up today by the verse from Srimad Bhagwat Geeta, quoted by Krishna himself.
"यदा यदा ही धर्मस्य, ग्लानिर्भवति भारत |
अभ्युत्थानम् धर्मस्य, तदात्मनं सृजाम्यहम् ||"
Whenever religion is lost in the world and iniquity prevails, Then I will come to this earth with a new incarnation for the protection of religion. " The world needs Krishna again, hail Lord Krishna.
Gaura Parwa: A festive thread to unify the entire Nepal.
Gaura Parwa has its roots deeply associated with the origin of the Nepali language and Khas kingdom. The search for the roots of Nepal's language and culture is of great importance in the Far Western landscape and its ancient background. In the far west, which is the origin of the Khas kingdom and the roots of language, culture, and civilization, the Gaura festival is celebrated by organizing various religious activities from the 6th to the 8th of Bhadra Shukla Paksha. Especially in Doti and Kumaon, Gauraparva has been celebrated since time immemorial.
Ancient significance of Gaura Parwa
After Sahastrarjuna, one of the ancient Haihyavanshi kings, killed a Brahmin while demanding his money back from the Bhriguvanshi Brahmins, the widowed Brahmins went on a fast to protect their chastity. As a result of worship, a Brahmin got a glorious son and the king named Sahastrarjuna, who was blinded by the glory of that son, had to apologize, so Gauri, i.e. Parvati, is considered to be the almighty, and Gaura festival is celebrated in her memory.
On the first day of Gaura Parva, the women of the Gaura Parva community go on a fast and soak 'Biruda' i.e. five kinds of nuts in a copper or brass vessel in their house and accept it as an offering. On the second day after soaking the biruda, they wash the 'biruda' at the community water source (pandhera) at an auspicious time and make an idol of Gaura and enter the house. After Gaura enters the Gauraghar, Shiva and Gauri (Gaura) are worshiped by devout women.
After entering Gaura, men and women enjoy playing deuda, chait, dhamari, etc. in separate local folk languages. Through such songs with special and utmost Nepaliness, they share each other's sorrows and joys as well as love. This festival is celebrated as one of the biggest festivals in the far western region. It is customary for the head of state to wish the countrymen on the occasion of the Gaura festival.
It is important to take the Gaura festival not only with the Far West but also as a festival of the entire nation and Nepali identity. East or west, the hearts of Nepali are the same. Happy Gaura festival to Nepalis from Mechi to Mahakali! Celebrate with so much fun, Hail!!
Durbasthami
Durvasthami is also celebrated on the day of Gaura festival. People of the Far West and Midwest are celebrating Ujyali Gaura and Durvasthami festivals today by worshiping Uma Maheshwar and Duvo. Bhadra Shukla Ashtami as Durvashtami is celebrated as Durvasthami and ujelo Gaura.
It is customary to celebrate Bhadra Shukla Ashtami as the Light Gaura and Bhadra Krishna Ashtami as the Dark Gaura. If one is fasting Gaura for the first time, then one has to fast from the bright Gaura.
It is believed that this festival was started in the western part of the country to commemorate the fulfillment of the desire of Parvati, the daughter of the Himalayas, in the Satya Yuga after she did penance in the rainy season of Bhadra without fear of water, forest, land, and animals.
This vow is called Durvasthami as it is worshiped. There is a religious rule to worship, adore and fast Uma Maheshwar in Durvasthami with the desire to spread children and raise a family like Duvo. Gaura and Durvasthami festivals are also celebrated with the wish that the children are good and have good qualities, age, and health.
International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances
The heavy price of war and movement has to be paid and the return of the disappeared citizen shows the agony of the old wounds inflicted while paying the same price. Every year on August 30, the United Nations and MNST International around the world celebrate the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.
The world has a bloody history, even the developed cities and nations now were once flooded with blood. In Europe, America, Australia, Asia, at one time or another, for some reason or another, war and destruction were raging.
Enforced disappearance has frequently been used as a strategy to spread terror within society. The feeling of insecurity generated by this practice is not limited to the close relatives of the disappeared but also affects their communities and society as a whole.
Enforced disappearance has become a global problem and is not restricted to a specific region of the world. Once largely the product of military dictatorships, enforced disappearances can nowadays be perpetrated in complex situations of internal conflict, especially as a means of political repression of opponents. Of particular concern are:
the ongoing harassment of human rights defenders, relatives of victims, witnesses, and legal counsel dealing with cases of enforced disappearance;
the use by States of counter-terrorist activities as an excuse for breaching their obligations;
and the still widespread impunity for enforced disappearance.
Special attention must also be paid to specific groups of especially vulnerable people, like children and people with disabilities.
Hundreds of thousands of people have vanished during conflicts or periods of repression in at least 85 countries around the world.
It is shocking that even today, in many parts of the world, the rights of people to freely adopt and peacefully practice their religion or belief continue to be framed as national security threats, anti-blasphemy laws are used to suppress dissent, and racist, misogynistic and homophobic laws, policies or discourses are used to stigmatize and dehumanize individuals and groups. These practices enable and legitimize appalling abuses and crimes committed by State and non-State actors, such as extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, torture and sexual and gender-based violence, as well as arbitrary detentions, and discrimination in education, employment, and participation in public and cultural life.
Religious or other ideologies and beliefs can never be evoked to justify attacks against life, human dignity, and rights, and in no circumstances should be used for suppressing critical and dissenting opinions and views, and undermining rule of law, peace, and democratic principles, as has been reiterated by the experts in past statements, including the latest one regarding the critical situation in Afghanistan.
Individual States and the international community as a whole should take all appropriate measures to ensure the promotion of peaceful, just and inclusive societies, in line with the global commitments under the 2030 Development Agenda, to effectively address impunity and to develop and implement mechanisms for redress, support, and rehabilitation for past and present atrocities, following the international law.
A meaningful society-wide engagement and the role and responsibility of religious and belief actors and political leaders in tackling hate speech and incitement to hatred constitute important elements in this effort.
Today, perhaps, questions will be asked again in Nepal. The death of a relative is extremely painful and even more tragic is the fact that they are lost and their condition and whereabouts are unknown, which is why the United Nations has started this day since 2011.
Millions of people have lost their lives in wars, crimes, movements, and natural disasters around the world. May this day bring justice to all. The state should at least be able to provide responsible guardianship to the disappeared and the families of the disappeared. Remember that there is nothing as precious as human life on this earth.
Suyog Dhakal
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