Dear friends, As students or adherents of Vedantic faith and philosophy, we may often find ourselves asking the question: is there anywhere in the "paurANic" tradition -- i.e. in the wealth of stories and fables therein -- can we find anywhere there a character or characters who may be said to typify, one-hundred per cent, the Ideal Man described as "sthitha-pragnya" in the Bhagavath-Gita? Someone who is out-and-out, un-adulterated, absolute personification of a "sthitha-pragnya"? If we did find such a character perhaps then we may be able to better understand and appreciate the definitive description given in Gita Verses 54-72 of the true "sthitha-pragnya"? ******************** In the scriptural treatises and various exegetic traditions of Vedanta in India, it is not often easy to point out to a "paurAnic" character and say definitively or categorically that he represents, personifies or symbolizes a certain Vedantic concept, ideal or principle -- such as saying, this character is the quintessential "gnyAni", typical "bhakta", pr archetypical "karma-yOgi" or that he is the perfect "prapanna". Usually, in the story of the "itihAsa" or "purAna", a particular character may exhibit traits and behaviour-patterns of more than one nature. The characteristics of BhismAchArya in the Mahabharata, for example, are several and various in nature. These are demonstrated at several different points of time in the dramatic sequence of the narrative flow of the epic. In one situation Bhishma appears to conform to the Vedantic mould of the true devotee i.e. the "bhakta". At other points of time in the story, he seems to exhibit the characteristic behaviour of a true and authentic "gnyAni". And at yet other points of time in the story --- especially in the terminal moments of his life when he prepares to depart from the world on the battle-field of Kurukshetra -- the words and actions of Bhishma seem so touchingly reflective of the ideal "prapanna" "surrendering all" at the feet of the Almighty appearing before him in the form of Lord Krishna. Doctrinaire commentators of "paurAnic" tradition however usually look at the major or predominant behavioural pattern of Bhishma's character in the "itihAsa" and are wont to hold it up as the perfect illustration of the model (or rather "role-model") of either an ideal "bhakta" or alternatively, as an ideal "gnyAni" as alluded to in pure philosophical terms in the "Bhagavath-gita". *************** The point of the matter is, few "paurANic" characters may thus be said to be 100% "gnyAni" or 100% "karma-yOgi" or 100% "prappana" etc. These separate and individual "role-model" ideals are generally found as a composite of elements collectively constituting the overall character in the "itihAsa" or "purAna"; and this may well be what it ought to be, since human behaviour-moulds, as we all know from common-sense, is rarely, if ever, made up of any one single element. It is always complex, it is always an amalgam of several traits, of several motivational drives, of more than one urge or aspiration. So, the question still worth pursuing and examining is this: Where in the "paurANic" tradition -- i.e. in the wealth of stories and fables therein -- can we find the character or characters who typify the Ideal Man described as "sthitha-pragnya" by the Bhagavath-Gita? **************** (to be continued) daasan sudarshan m.k. Warm Regards, Sudarshan " A life is perhaps worth nothing; but nothing certainly is worth as much as life". (Andre Malraux) Chat on a cool, new interface. No download required. Go to http://in.messenger.yahoo.com/webmessengerpromo.php Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan http://www.sadagopan.org Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Oppiliappan/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Oppiliappan/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:Oppiliappan-digest@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx mailto:Oppiliappan-fullfeatured@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: Oppiliappan-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
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