New President of India Shrimati Draupadi Murmu’s personal life - how it demonstrates a Gita 6th chapter verse and Sankara's commentary
Sundar Rajan
Sundar Rajan
Namaskar,
Here is the message I intended to send:
I am not much of a political person and living abroad, don’t have much insight into Indian politics.
One thing that did struck me while reading the newly appointed President’s personal life, overcoming tragedies was her reference to how meditation cushioned the jolt (see highlighted below under Quote-End Quote).
I am referring to the following section of the verse in the Sixth chapter
यस्मिन्स्थितो न दुःखेन गुरुणापि विचाल्यते।।6.22।।
being established in which (Samadhi) one is not perturbed even by great sorrow
Of course what is spoken of here is the highest state of Samadhi as Sankara clarifies The yoga that has been spoken of as a particular state of the Self
Quote
Shrimati Draupadi Murmu’s personal life is a story of resilience and ‘self-pride’. There was an unforgettable moment for her in 2009 when her 25-year-old son Lakshman died unexpectedly after attending a gathering in Bhubaneshwar. His death broke her. Supriya Kumari, head of the Brahma Kumari ashram in Rairangpaur, Odisha says, “She was completely shattered. She wasn’t having any life within her to even talk.”
In one of the talks on Brahma Kumari’s television programme, Draupadi Murmu herself narrated this event, “The tsunami came into my life in 2009. It was a huge jolt to me. I couldn’t hear anything for a few days. I slipped into depression. Log kehte the ye to mar jaegi (People thought I will not survive). But, no, I wanted to live.”
After two months, she visited Supriya Kumari in the Brahma Kumaris ashram, completed a course and learnt Sahaj Rajyog. She recovered by changing her life. Since then, she gets up every day around 3.30 am and retires to bed by 9.30 pm. She does yoga and meditation unfailingly and is punctual as well. The spiritual bent of life not only survived her but stabilized her too.
But tragedy be fell Murmu again when her younger son, Shipun, died in a road accident. When his body was brought home, she was broken completely, once again.
Rajesh Sharma, a local journalist who was present at her home, says, “She was crying uncontrollably. She broke down before her son’s body. She raised her hands to the sky, asking, ‘God, what more do you want from me? What is left now?’” The catastrophe came in droves.
In an indescribable series of events, her mother and a younger brother died within a month. And a year later, due to deep depression, her husband, Shyam Charan Murmu, died as well.
At that point, Droupadi Murmu told a TV anchor with pain in her voice: “When my second son died, the jolt was a little less than before because I was doing meditation. My husband wasn’t as strong as me, so he couldn’t survive.” She insisted on her only daughter, Itishree, to marry and lead a normal life. After the deaths of five family members, she turned to spirituality and vegetarianism. When she was the governor of Jharkhand (2015-2021), she made the kitchen completely vegetarian. She is likely to bring many fundamental changes in the running of the government in the Rashtrapati Bhavan if she becomes the President.
Draupadi Murmu has donated her family’s land in Pahadpur for public causes. She runs the SLS residential school in memory of her husband and two sons. At the exact location, she has made samadhis in their memory. It’s a heart-wrenching sight.
At the same time when you see tribal girls and boys getting free education and decent surroundings around samadhis, you can visualise carving out a beautiful future out of a deathly past.
Take a bow Her Excellency Droupadi Murmu, to be the President of India!
End Quote
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putran M
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Sundar Rajan
Today “meditation” is enjoying unprecedented popularity in the East and the West alike. A form of spiritual practice once restricted to a small number of fairly qualified aspirants is now being followed by large numbers of people and applied to a wide variety of human situations. To satisfy the spiritual needs of different types of aspirants, ancient techniques of meditation are being modified and new techniques are being evolved by spiritual directors. Indeed, so diverse has meditation become that it now stands for a generic term denoting several forms of concentration rather than a specific spiritual technique.
The various types of meditation now prevalent all over the world may be divided into two broad groups: secular and religious. To the former group belong all forms of concentration practiced for the sake of health. It has been scientifically proven that certain types of meditation relax the body, reduce blood pressure and mental tension, and cure psychosomatic disorders. They have thus become a boon to a large number of people living under conditions of stress, especially in the West. There is nothing wrong in practising meditation for its therapeutic effects, but one should not think this is all that meditation means or can do.
Sundar Rajan
None of these are my own, these are interpretations from the news items about Ms Murmu and the words of the Gita.
Indian Rediff
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Srini Nagul
It is easier to describe Brahman than describe the knower of Brahman, as Brahman will not object or say anything no matter what the description might be, unlike knower of Brahman.
entire group including Swamiji consoled the person and missed the departed soul. My friend and I were novices and had no idea who that Mission member was, who the departed soul was,
or anything about their association and contributions, but still felt very sad even though we do not know any one involved in the loss.
before Swamiji was ushered into the next room where dining table was being prepared for the Bhiksha. Just in those few seconds, Swamiji looked at both of us, realized our predicament
of being sad for reasons unknown for us, snapped his fingers exclaiming as if sharing a great secret only to just both of us saying in hushed voice:
promptness with which Swamiji taught the truth both with his words and actions has been a living lesson. He grieves, or not grieves, laughs, or cries, not out of his predicament, but only out of
compassion to console and lift the others. Even his tears, whether out of sorrow or even joy, are only to help others and teach and not a barometer of his inner loss, as inwardly they always seem to be
experiencing the fullness- "poornamadah poornamidam"
Subu
Thanks for sharing this Amazing experience Srinivas Ji !
And the entire thread is so uplifting , so thanks to all
Namo Namaha
regards
Subu
Sundar Rajan
Sundar Rajan
Of course, if you put the data in Excel, it charts nicely (you have to downplay Samadhi and assign it a large number instead
)