The launch of The Shackles of the Warrior - Tidbits from the Media Part XI

The launch of the Shackles of the Warrior was very successful. The media had quite a few questions to ask. Here, I share with you a few of them with my replies.

11. Mythology or History

Q:-  Is Mahabharat – a History or Mythology

It is a controversial question. Let me take it. There are groups of people – Believers – Non Believers
– Mid group. Each has their own views.

Our story The Shackles of the Warrior happened in the era 3100 BC and 15 creative characters of the story moved with Mahabharat real characters. Now is it mythology or History can be addressed from –

1. Purans       
2. History       
3. Astronomy      
4. Archeology.

Purans are not considered as history by rationalists or western historians. From the research carried out by us for our book, we address this issue from the other three – Archeology, Astronomy and History.

Archeology –

Dr.S.R.Rao, Marine Archeologist – ‘Lost city of Dwarka’ writes about his under sea findings. These tallies with the Dwarka mentioned in the epic/Bahgwat/Vishnu Puran/Harivansh. The headed seals found confirm the existence of passport system to enter/exit Dwarka.

Astronomy –
 

War : 3067BC 22/Nov
On the day of war Sun, Moon, Rahu/Saturn, Guru, Mangala, Sukra positions are defined by Vyasa.

- Strange phenomenon occurred during war 

• Lunar cycle (Paksha 15 days) some time happens in 14 days, it may happen in 16 days also. But rare thing happened. Paksha got compressed to 13 days. This was mentioned in Bhisma purana. This condensation of that was described as a sign of destruction by Vyasa.
• Amavasya falling on the 13th day of Paksha - I have never seen before - says Vysya.
  Comet appearances.
• Full moon and lunar eclipse/solar eclipse 3 eclipses in a matter of one month – Lunar eclipse pairs.
• Several positive of stars derived.

Based on planetarium software simulations made. Dating was arrived at. (Research papers Dr.S.Balakrishnan of NASA)

History –

• Frist Recorded evidence 900 BC Chandogya Upanishad.
• Megasthenes recorded that 138 generations (4century) passed between Krishna & Chandragupta Maurya.
• Panini 5BC explains the word “Vasudevaka”
• Grammarian Patanjali 150 BC recalls Lord Krishna.
• 180 BC Greek Ruler Agathocles issued coins with images of vasudeva with chakra.
• Hellodorus – Greek 140/150 BC corrected a column praising Krishna.

Hence the fiction ‘The Shackles of the Warrior’ considered Mahabharat as History viz., events actually happened. ‘Ithihas’ means “writing as it happens” by a person living at the time of occurrence.

The launch of The Shackles of the Warrior - Tidbits from the Media Part X

The launch of the Shackles of the Warrior was very successful. The media had quite a few questions to ask. Here, I share with you a few of them with my replies.

10. Calculating Reward - Duty

Q:- Calculating the Reward before putting our effort- Is it bad?

Work is virtue, work is worship, do your duty without any attachment thereof. Does that mean that we have a right to our duty and not to its fruits thereof? How is it possible? A student works hard to get a top rank. A farmer works hard to get a good harvest. An executive works hard to go up the corporate ladder. Without an objective there is no incentive to work hard.

Do note that the verse does not say that you have no right to the fruits of labor! It urges you to do your duty but learn to accept the result. You may expect but you should have the realization to accept the result of whichever nature. You cannot control the result. Hence give priority to your duty and not to the result. The same thing was said by Confucius (551 – 479 BC). The mind of the superior man is conversant with righteousness, the mind of the mean man is conversant with gain.

Since many of us  seek an affirming view coming  from the Western world on anything that the East propagates, let me quote from William Shakespeare. He said,“Three sentences for achieving success: know more than others; work more than others; expect less than others. Therefore you should stay focused on the purpose not on outcome.

Being dedicated to work has to mean ‘working for the sake of work, generating excellence for its own sake’. If we are always calculating the date of promotion or the rate of commission before putting in our efforts, then such work is not detached. It is no ‘generating excellence for its own sake’, but working only for the extrinsic reward that may (or may not) come by. Working with an eye  on  anticipated benefits, means that the quality of performance of the current job or duty suffers – through anxiety for the future. In fact,  events may  not always respond positively to our calculations and hence expected fruits may not always be forthcoming. We should not mortgage our present commitments to an uncertain future.

It has been held that this principle of detachment leads to lack of incentive for effort, striking at the very root of work ethics. To the contrary, concentration on the task for its own sake leads to the achievement of excellence – and indeed to the true mental happiness of the worker. Thus, while commonplace theories of motivation may be said to lead us to the bondage of extrinsic rewards, the detachment principle leads us to the intrinsic rewards of mental and indeed moral satisfaction.

The result can crown you with a kingdom or can crucify you on a cross. You should have the readiness to accept the result, while doing your duty.

Therefore you should stay focused on the purpose not on outcome – chase as far as your passion, but learn to face as far as the outcome. Be passionate at input stage and learn to be philosophical at output stage.

...to be contd.

The launch of The Shackles of the Warrior - Tidbits from the Media Part IX

The launch of the Shackles of the Warrior was very successful. The media had quite a few questions to ask. Here, I share with you a few of them with my replies.

9. Destiny or Disposition 

Q:- Destiny or disposition that determines success?

Fate is like a game of cards where you cannot influence the cards that will be thrown at you, but how to play them is in your hands. You may get good cards but if you play badly, you will lose and you may get bad cards and still may win if you play carefully. The roadmap is to give you direction, but it is you who should take the right turns at the right times!’

Though growing on the same earth and same soil, two plants from the same mother plant have different characteristics. Even if the seed of the same plant is sown with the same manure and same water, there will still be difference between them. Same applies to man. The way one absorbs the knowledge from the same teacher and same parent differs from person to person. A living thing is not metal piece of mass production. A living thing goes through changes from time to time. These are works of nature. These are nature’s wonders. Man is made by his own beliefs. As he believes, so is he. Unless you perceive your worth, you cannot achieve.

Take for instance, two men who look through the prison bars, one sees the mud, the other sees the stars. Your thoughts are the architects of your destiny. A positive mind emits harmonious waves of thoughts, a negative mind send discordant signals. The lock is outside the prison, but the lock is inside for many of us. It is the ‘thoughts’ that lock you in. When you want to reach the top of the mountain, your attention should be focused on it. If you stumble on a small stone at the foot of the hill and you are irritated by that and give up your quest, then clearly your focus is not on reaching the top. You should continue to focus on the top.

Everyone has talent. Everyone on the planet is a wonder of the world. Everyone has the potential for extraordinary achievement. Small achievements lead to great victories. Positive habits create results. Opportunity is under one’s feet. We do not have to keep brooding that we are less fortunate. All we need to do is to recognize the opportunity. We need to build a positive attitude rather than complain about temporary stress and uncertainties of change.

Dwelling only on your destiny deprives you of your dues. The unexamined life is not worth living (Socrates). The problem with most of us is that we always brood over  the  closed doors of opportunities. You never see so many windows of opportunities open for you. A  pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity: an optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty (Winston Churchill).

You need to have the courage and conviction to face adversities.Without doing things with full conviction, we call ourselves unlucky and brood our failures.

...to be contd.

The Shackles of the Warrior is now available in Mumbai.

 Now the book The Shackles of the Warrior is available in the following book shops in Mumbai.

Sr. No.	Name Of The Co.	Area
1	Modern Book Stall	Fort
2	Strand Book Stall	Fort
3	Ashish Book Centre	Fort
4	Book Zone	Fort
5	SHREE MAHAVIR BOOK HOUSE	Fort
6	PARLE BOOK CENTRE	Vile Parle
7	THE BOOK SHOP	Vile Parle
8	VIJAY BOOK CENTRE	Andheri
9	BHAVNA BOOK HOUSE	Breach Candy
10	SEARCH WORD	Colaba
11	Varsha Book Centre	Vashi
12	THE SHOWCASE BOOK CAFE & EXHIBITIONS	Vashi
13	CHEMBUR BOOK CENTRE & JAYESH BOOK AGENCY	Chembur
14	ROXY CIRCULATING LIBRARY BOOK SHOP	Mulund
15	CHETAN EXPORTS	Wadala
16	JYOTI BOOK CENTRE	Thane
17	V. S. MANI BOOK STALL	Vashi
18	MODERN BOOK PLAZA	Malad
19	READER'S PARADISE RADIONICS AGENCIES	Breach Candy
20	Green Leaf	Malad
21	Kwench Library Solutions Pvt. Ltd.	Borivali
22	Ensign Books	Khar
23	Title Waves	Bandra
24	Novelty Book Centre	Vashi
25	Granth The Book Store	Santacruz
26	Oxford Book Store	Churchgate
27	Books Plaza	Borivali
28	Raj Distributors	Dahisar
29	Kitab Khana	Fort
30	N Book	Sea Wood
31	Rahul Books	Goregaon
32	Sarvoday Book Stall	Bombay Central