My Rainbow - seven riveting short stories | The Legend of Zalim Khan by Khush Agrawal.

Rainbow is called Meghdhanush, Ramdhanu or Indra-dhanuSha in Sanskrit. It symbolizes hope. Sunlight is white light that is composed of all the colours of the visible spectrum. A rainbow is proof. We can't see the colours of sunlight except when atmospheric conditions bend the light rays and create a rainbow. One can also use a prism to demonstrate this. Light appears colourless or white. White is also the colour of fresh snow. White light contains light of all frequencies. In that sense, white is a combination of all colours. Thus the sum of all the colours of light adds up to white.

My Rainbow - seven riveting short stories are thought provoking and engaging stories; they also have a Panchatantra and Hitopadesha flavour to them. Khush Agrawal, Isha Setia, Dhritika Dhawan, Harshavardhini Pareek, Aditya Agarwal, Isha Rautela and Shivangi Singh - take a bow! Congratulations to each colour in this interesting rainbow.

The youngest of these writers is not even a teenager and the oldest perhaps just a tad older than 15. And yet their confidence, patience, discipline, enthusiasm, literary skills, perspective, depth of understanding, ability to channelise and structure their thoughts and weave various aspects together, is remarkable. They have engaged with literature, the art of reading and writing... and emerged immeasurably enriched. One can say they have taken a draught from or rather a (proverbial) dip in a perennial knowledge stream. Nicola Tesla, the extraordinary scientist and inventor, who specialized in the field of electricity and is father of electricity, as we know it today, said, "My brain is only a receiver. In the Universe there is a core from which we obtain knowledge, strength, inspiration. I have not penetrated into the secrets of this core, but I know that it exists." Steve Jobs spent much time on the banks of the Ganga - seeking inspiration. (And this perhaps conclusively proves that a certain fruit and the Supreme Druid are not incompatible after all). These budding writers are sitting on the ghat of a vast unfathomable reservoir of timeless wisdom, knowledge, inspiration and consciousness. Let's give them our well-wishes.

Quill Club Writers is a publishing house with a difference; they are not only making an effort to instill the art of storytelling among schoolchildren, they are also helping schoolchildren become published authors of mainstream fiction. Journalist and the author of Prey by the Ganges, Hemant Kumar, publisher at the Quill Club Writers, is mentoring (nurturing) these remarkably gifted writers - seven students of DPS Jaipur, who have delved into their imagination and thoughts to weave a beautiful fabric of words; this anthology marks his publishing debut. He has helped these budding writers to unfurl their first-ever rainbow of insightful stories. This is perhaps a pioneering endeavour, at least in India. I tip my hat to you, sir.

Creating a reading culture: reading the literature (including short stories and folktales), poetry, classics etc in any language that one may be proficient in, is helpful. It is the very antithesis of intellectual regimentation, straitjacketing, learning by rote, specious discourse and so on... that contribute towards intellectual decline and stagnation, narrow or unifocal/blinkered world-view (~ the proverbial "dreary desert sand of dead habit"). "The fish in the water is silent, the animals on the earth is noisy, the bird in the air is singing. But man has in him the silence of the sea, the noise of the earth and the music of the air." – Rabindranath Tagore.

1. The Legend of Zalim Khan (by Khush Agrawal): "Poot kapoot toh kyon dhan sanchay; Poot sapoot toh kyon dhan sanchay" ~ is the underlying message. Education is important. It brings culture. Health is wealth. But above all, it is important to be a good human being. Parents should, therefore, endeavour to prepare their children for the road, not prepare the road for their children. In other words: it is necessary to empower students to handle different life situations and become good citizens. Also, that sAmya or śamaḥ (inclusiveness, integration, cohesion, calmness, tranquility), mayitree (camaraderie) and aikya (unity, harmony) was necessary for collective pragati (progress, prosperity). The way forward was (thus) that of shantih (peace, co-existence). Creating a vibrant, progressive and prosperous society is about re-building people; man-making and character building education (individual and shared values, camaraderie, collaboration, cogitation, clear-headedness, foresight, common sense, scientific temper, contentment, work ethic etc). A critical thinking process (that overrides inanities and platitudes, utopian discoures leading to utopian solutions, redundant/moribund/specious discourses, archaic thought processes or cynical gestures) help to overcome selfish, short-sighted thinking (crab mentality) and kupa-mandup syndrome (a frog in a well imagines the little well to be the whole world). That is how the wheel of evolution moves on and the ideas and dreams of one nation are bequeathed to the next. It is also necessary to understand and possess a willingness to work hard. "Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime." This old Chinese proverb could not be truer. It is a simple concept. Hard work is the key to success. If only luck is to be considered, everyone will just wait till his or her luck shines up. Unfortunately, hard work sometimes seems to be a dying art form. We often hear "Work smart, not hard" or some similar cliché, as if hard work is some form of hard labour only bestowed on the underprivileged or the less fortunate. The truth is, there is great value in hard work. It teaches life lessons. It teaches perseverance, persistence, and determination. It teaches enthusiasm, resourcefulness/ingenuity and resilience (courage of the mind, dhirah). There is great satisfaction in hard work; it brings a sense of accomplishment and pride that cannot be replaced by anything else. There is hard work behind the technological strides the world has made. People like the Wright brothers and Henry Ford invented modern means of transportation, it is the result of their hard-work and great efforts. Taking the initiative or being enterprising helps turn great ideas into action. The Bhagavad Gita talks about reviving dharma (dharmic principles ~ dharma-samsthapanarthaya) and also advises against succumbing to inaction (indifference, inertia, torpor, apathy, intellectual ennui, quick-fix or ad hoc fixes, etc). BG 2.47: || karmaNi eva adhikaaraste maa phaleshu kadaachana, maa karma phala hetuH bhuH maa sanghaH astu akarmaNi || ~ Imbibe the spirit of steadfast karm-yog; embrace toil (whether intellectual or physical) to the best of your ability. Overcome your limitations. Concentrate on your convergences. Do not highlight your divergences. Shun lethargy. Overcome inertia. Be positive. Never lose hope.

Dharma is not morality or idealism; humanity (and by extension, society) is not quite the epitome of righteousness. Never is. That is a utopian concept. This world is a human world; humans are not perfect. Therefore, to expect humanity (human society) to be full of idealism or propriety or utopian ideals is futile. It is important to understand the collective strengths and shortcomings, instead. Utopian discourses will only lead to rhetoric, not tangible, sustainable solutions. The purpose, goals and objectives are important. Raaj-dharma does not mean utopian idealism; it means: the duties and responsibilities of a ruler/sovereign/leader. A problem-solver or change-maker (Vaidyanatha or the Supreme Druid/Dhanvantari) solves real problems, not imaginary ones... by understanding the genesis, and emerging with sustainable, longer term and organic solutions, not quick-fix or ad hoc fixes (that is what 'quacks' would do). Dharma is responsibility, duty, foresight, forethought, common sense, clarity of thought and purpose, the ability to take a broader/holistic view, the ability to comprehend, take cognisance and prioritize. It is also a 'way of life' based on noble (sattvic) values and principles, shared civilisational values and ideals (including shared knowledge, know-how, literature, history, folktales, music, festivities, etc). This helps to forge affinity and cohesion... and sustain the cherished/treasured societal/civilisational values. Our enlightened ancestors, the inheritors, representatives and expositors of India's age-old heritage (civilisational values and ideals), developed a unique world-view blending material prosperity with spirituality and a scientific temper (knowledge, innovation and creativity). Spirituality (not to be misconstrued for ritualism, etc) and contentment constituted the core of the accepted (cherished, treasured) value system. Collaboration also provides a national sense of direction, of collective achievement; it helps build character and mettle, otherwise a glorious past is no guarantee for a great future. 

This story attempts to bring out the value of education, collaboration (working together to achieve shared goals), good health and hard-work... through a posthumous lesson from a (long deceased) dreaded bandit, Zalim Khan, to his uncaring and laggard sons, Azam, Mohammad and Abdul. Azam, the eldest, sharp and quick-witted like his father, has no interest in reading or writing. The youngest, Mohammad, though strong and well-built, was plain and dull, and stammered badly. The middle son, Abdul, a strikingly handsome young man, was blind (Dhritarashtra analogy or Kanha?) The three strapping boys on the cusp of adulthood bicker and squabble endlessly, a burden on their aging, tired and despairing mother Fasiha, a kind and brave woman who had worked hard to bring them up alone, after Zalim Khan succumbed to an injury sustained during his days of banditry, and one he thought had healed. Mohammad was the only one who went to school, and as a result could read and write. But Azam and Abdul hated him for that.

Zalim Khan, tall and built like a bull (thick neck, broad bulging shoulders and hands that were forged in steel), was a ruthless and cunning bandit, hailing from a remote village in Rajasthan. He roamed the countryside, robbing people and stashing away the loot. He was no Robin Hood. He rode a horse and carried a huge double-barrel shotgun with ammunition belts that criss-crossed his burly chest. He also had a foot-long dagger tucked into his waistband and a long, thick, carved leather scabbard, lashed to the horse's saddle. Inside it, sat a heavy steel sword. Its polished blade flared like sunlight whenever Zalim Khan drew it out. There were stories about how he had plunged the blade into scheming rivals and petrified victims, and then wiped the blood off calmly, before replacing the weapon into its sheath.

One day he went to a place far from Rajasthan, in the plains of central India. There he married, worked hard, made a modest living, built a small house and sired three sons. Before he breathed his last, however, he told Fasiha all about his life as a bandit, and about the legend of his treasure. Many years later, while wasting time at a fair in a nearby village, Abdul and Mohammad came upon a bent, old man (Manthara analogy?) who told the riveted duo about Abdul's striking resemblance to Zalim Khan. He also told them about their father's life as a feared bandit, and about his fabled treasure. The boys went home immediately and berated their mother for not having told them about their father and his treasure, and for living like paupers. The idea that their father was a dacoit, and one with a formidable reputation, had fired their imagination. They longed for a life where they could just laze about and make merry. Though disheartened, Fasiha was wise. She understood human character, especially that of her children. Appearing to give in to their tantrums, she handed each one of them a scrap of paper (given to her by the now-deceased Zalim Khan). The three boys left home quietly and under some pretext or the other; each happy and determined to find his bandit father's hidden loot. Fasiha waited, although it hurt her to think that her sons were so selfish and untrusting. ... The boys went in different directions. (Fasiha, though, had taken care not to let Abdul stray too far from the village). One long year passed. The boys (individually) expended considerable effort, but found nothing. Tired, they missed the comfort of home. One day Azam and Mohammed bumped into each other, discovered each had been given a scrap of paper, and headed home. Abdul had returned long ago. The year had not brought them any closer to finding the treasure, but it had bred a sense of camaraderie (sAmya, mayitree and aikya) among the brothers, and for that, Fasiha was grateful to Allah. When they urged their mother to make it easier for them by explaining it all and putting everything in context, she calmly advised them to learn to trust and work together (sAmya, mayitree and aikya). All three heeded her advice and compared notes, while Fasiha observed with satisfaction the growing sense of camaraderie between them. She marveled at the wisdom of her departed husband, wondering what he had foreseen years before it were to happen.

The three scraps of paper contained three clues. The one in possession of Mohammed said: 'In Udaipur, find the blue beard.' Azam's clue was: 'Ask the blue beard of Bohrawadi, how many pigeons does Ameena Bai have - eleven or twelve?' Abdul's clue was: 'Ask the locksmith the one key question - what honest lock did your first honest key open?' On Azam's suggestion they put their papers together, and after reading the clues, found a clear set of instructions. To visit Udaipur, and in Udaipur, go to Bohrawadi, in Bohrawadi, find the Blue Beard. Once they have met the Blue Beard, to ask him or her about Ameena Bai and her dozen or so pigeons. When they meet Ameena Bai, she will tell them about the locksmith and his lock and key. ... The three boys decide to go to Udaipur. When Fasiha heard their plans, her heart began to beat with renewed hope. Mohammed and Azam not only carried their bags, they also took turns to hold Abdul's hand. Abdul could not help but think how much easier it was for him to travel with his brothers. He had a strange feeling of joy.

They located Bohrawadi. And with some effort - by visiting all the barbershops there (after all, who would know a man with blue hair better than a barber?) - they chanced upon an old barber, Salim, who nervously told them about the Blue Beard of Bohrawadi. Nearly 80, Hakim Imtiaaz Ul Haq - the supposed Blue Beard of Bohrawadi - was actually not a Blue Beard. He had fiery red beard. On a cold wintry evening, almost 20 years ago, he received word that Zalim Khan was hiding inside Salim's shop and asking for the man with the red beard. In a rush of panic, and wanting to hide his give-away beard, and not finding a razor at home to shave it off, he had run to the dyer next door. It was pitch dark. Thinking he'd dye his beard black (Black beard?) with his neighbour's paint, the dye he laid his hands on was bright blue! [shyAmaH or kRiShNa means black - kaalah, all-absorbing. Black does not reflect light. In the case of black, all the colours making up white (sveta) light are absorbed which makes that object appear black. Pitch dark (shyamah, kaalah, krishna, ghanshyam) and bright blue. NIla. Shyam (dark blue). Ghanshyam (black). Time is Kaalah in Sanskrit. BG 10.33: || aham evākṣayaḥ kālo || ~ "I am also inexhaustible time".]

Zalim Khan found him stranded in his funny bright blue beard. Though amused, the grievously injured bandit asked the hakim to attend to his bleeding stomach. He had taken half-a-dozen bullets on his arms and legs and one in his stomach. The hakim could remove all the others, but the one in the stomach was embedded deep inside, and he was no surgeon. The muscular wounds began healing in a few days but the lead in his belly damaged his liver. It was taking him down. To survive, Zalim Khan either needed a well-equipped hospital or he needed Ameena Bai - a special woman with a heart of gold (bhaskara, derived from the Sanskrit bhas [light] and kara [making]: hence, "making light, shining, the sun"), gifted with the ability to suck out poison from a person's body. [Vaidyanatha and the "Neelkanth" imagery?] Ameena Bai lived in Barmer and communicated through a lovely white messenger pigeon. She suffered from arthritis and contacted the hakim for medicines (whenever the pain got worse). Her house had fluttering, hovering pigeons of all hues. There the boys were accosted by a frail, withering old woman with thick glasses and bunched up hair (jata?) She noticed Abdul's striking resemblance with Zalim Khan, with a mixture of surprise, recognition and disbelief (reminiscent of Scar and Kovu, Scar's adoptive son and the deuteragonist of 'The Lion King II'). After a while she began telling them about Zalim Khan coming to her a dying man, with a bullet or shrapnel buried deep inside his body, it was spreading poison through his veins. She didn't quite know whether to be scared of him (given his reputation) or empathise with him (given his condition). But looking at him lying in a crumpled heap in a corner, and clearly dying, she decided to help him. Though it was an excruciatingly slow and frustrating process, Zalim Khan did recover. But little did Ameena know, that in the process of drawing the poison from his blood, she had also (in a manner of speaking) cleansed his soul of the need to commit crime. It was as if she had drawn out the demon that lived in his body. No one ever heard of any stories about Zalim Khan again. His reign of terror stopped all too suddenly. Ameena sensed in her heart that he had reformed. [This, in a figurative sense, could describe 'triumph of good over evil', Tamaso mā jyotir gamaya - dispelling of the tamas (allegoric 'fog') of negativism residing in the dark depths of the hearts and minds of humans, and the emergence of a new dawn. BG 10.33: || dhātāhaḿ viśvato-mukhaḥ || ~ "and of creators (support/dhātā) I am Brahmā" (implying harbinger/creator/initiator of a new dawn). | Zalim Khan also reminds us of the notorious brigand Ratnakara. Due to Devi SarasvatI's blessings, he overcame his prarabda (negative) karma and became the revered Maharshi Valmiki. The Sanskrit sita simply means white - signifying inner perfection (Self-realisation), purity of the mind - absence of selfish concerns and narrow perspective. Possessor of true/eternal/non-transient knowledge. In other words: One who is truly enlightened. Devi SarasvatI is attired in pristine white garments, and seated on a Pure White Lotus.]

On being asked how many pigeons she had, eleven (the 11 Rudras?) or twelve (the 12 Adityas?), Ameena Bai told the boys about her most trusted and beloved homing pigeon, a white wonder that she fondly called Kabootar. She used him only for long haul flights, especially to Hakim sahib's place. The morning that Zalim Khan knocked on her door, Kabootar also returned from Udaipur, carrying her medicines and bearing the news that the bandit was on his way. Rather man and bird arrived at almost the same time. [Udai - does Udaipur derive its name from the rising sun, a new dawn? The goddess of the rising sun, more accurately the Sun's light, which is the life force of all things, and which is seen as an aspect of Sri Hayagriva or Hayaśirṣa - the horse-headed Vishnu?] However, as Kabootar descended into her backyard, an evil hunter shot him down. He fluttered and faltered but loyal as he was, he didn't give up and covered the last few feet even as the hunter's arrow tore through his beating heart. To Ameena Bai, it seemed as if death was hovering over Zalim Khan, Kabootar had absorbed its wrath. She interpreted it as a message from Allah, and knew Zalim Khan would live. [This has some parallels with Puru taking on Yayati's old age, thereby giving him (in a manner of speaking) a fresh lease of life, and Babar praying to Allah to exchange his life for Humayun's. And, in some way, even that of Rudra-Siva as "Byomkesh", absorbing the allegoric tide (force and intensity) of the 'Ganga'... for the good of humankind - to allow it to transform and evolve (to replenish, to rejuvenate).] As for Kabootar, she could never bear to replace him. And so, she now had 11 birds. ~ BG 10.21: || adityanam aham visnur jyotisam ravir amsuman maricir marutam asmi naksatranam aham sasi || "Of the 12 Adityas I am Visnu, of lights I am the radiant sun, of the 7 Maruts (wind gods of the Rig Veda) I am Marici, and among the stars I am the moon." [Of the 12 Adityas, Vishnu is the principal. 'Of lights I am the radiant sun' is a reference to the Summer Solstice, it therefore (allegorically) implies 'harbinger/creator/initiator of a new dawn' and personification, manifestation or embodiment of the effulgent Sun-god (Surya-dev/Savitr). BG 10.33: || dhātāhaḿ viśvato-mukhaḥ || ~ "and of creators (dhātā/support) I am Brahmā (implying harbinger/creator/initiator of a new dawn)." BG 10.34: || mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham udbhavaś ca bhaviṣyatām || ~ "I am all-consuming time, and I am the generating principle/cause/energy of all that is yet to be." (Alternatively: "I am all-consuming time, and I am too the birth of all that shall come into being.") BG 10.35: || gāyatrī chandasām aham || ~ "I am Gayatri mantra among the Vedic mantras. The auspicious Gayatri Mantra, also known as Savitr Mantra - a 24-syllable hymn from the Rig Veda, is one of the most auspicious and oldest of mantras, and is also considered one of the most universal and greatest of  mantras. Devi SarasvatI is Savitri, the goddess of dawn who dispels the 'fog' of ignorance and confusion and lights the diya or lamp of Eternal Knowledge (Para Vidya). Devi SarasvatI, the Goddess of Learning, is also the deity of Gayatri, the fountain of fine arts and science, and the symbol of supreme Vedantic knowledge. | Marici: Marici is one of the Saptarishi (the seven enlightened personages). In Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism, Marici is a deva or bodhisattva associated with light and the sun. Marici has also sometimes been included as one of the Twelve Heavenly Generals associated with Bhaiṣajyaguru, the Buddha of Medicine. Her depiction, whether on an open lotus, or as a multi-armed woman standing or sitting on the back of a boar, or when she is shown riding a chariot pulled by seven boars or sows, is reminiscent of Devi Varahi and/or the Varaha-avatar - the great one-tusked boar - believed to be the Supreme form of Sri Vishnu.] BG 10.23: || rudrāṇāṁ śaṅkaraś cāsmi vitteśo yakṣa-rakṣasām vasūnāṁ pāvakaś cāsmi meruḥ śikhariṇām aham || ~ "Of all the Rudras I am Sankara [Rudra-Śiva], of the Yakshas and Rakshasas [small-sized beings, the Lilliputians of Gulliver's Travels?] I am the Lord of wealth [Kubera], of the Vasus I am fire [Agni], and of mountains I am Meru." [There are 11 Rudras, of whom Rudra-Siva (Sankara) is preeminent. Vasus: there are eight elemental gods (called "Aṣṭa-vasu", 'Eight Vasus') representing aspects of nature. Prithvi (earth), Agni (fire), Vayu (wind, air), Antariksha (space), Aditya (luminous/radiance, usually used for the Sun-god/Savitr), Dyaus (sky), Chandramas (moon) and Nakstrani (stars, could also be Constellations/Lunar Mansions) - according to the Brhad-Aranyaka Upanishad. Dhara (earth), Anala (fire), Anila (wind), Aha ('pervading'; possibly meaning apa - 'water'), Pratyusha (pre-dawn or light), Prabhasa (glorious dawn), Soma (moon) and Dhruva (Pole Star or the Guiding Star) - as per the Mahabharata. 'Of mountains I am Meru' can also be indicative of the gentle and complete 'awakening' or 'rousing' of the latent spiritual energy - kundalini - that lies dormant in the sacrum bone (a large, triangular bone) at the base of the spine (Meru-danda). Upon 'awakening', kundalini rises in a sensation akin to a slithering reptile, up the spinal column (Meru-danda) - also represented by the (allegoric) Mt Meru in the samudra-manthan or kshira-sagar manthan story. When kundalini is fully 'roused' or 'awakened', it (in a manner of speaking) causes enlightenment of the brain cells. In other words: enflaming the Kundalini 'Fire' 'expand' the mind or 'ignite' the brain cells.]

The boys quietly took their leave and filed out of Ameena Bai's house. Their lives seemed to be changing at each step of their momentous journey, each was lost in his thoughts. They were overwhelmed to meet people who recounted meeting their father with such fondness, even though they confessed to have been mortally afraid of him. They wondered about the man Zalim Khan must have been - one who could inspire both fear and respect in people. They also asked Ameena Bai about the locksmith. Despite her failing memory, she was quite certain that Zalim Khan's accomplice (Alauddin Khan) was a lock-picker, who said there wasn't a lock he could not pick. But that, before leaving Ameena's place Zalim Khan gave him some money, and asked him to leave Rajasthan and return to Gwalior. A lock-picker is just the other side of a locksmith, Ameena reasoned. The boys agreed. In Gwalior, they found Alauddin Khan, the lock maker, now in his seventies, healthy and happy. Once again, Abdul's face worked like magic. They asked the old man "What honest lock did your first honest key open?" Alauddin told them that after recovering from his injury, Zalim Khan left Rajasthan forever and came away with him. Here, he rested, recuperated, learned to be a mason and moved to Jabalpur. However, before he left, Alauddin made him a special chest. And so, the first honest lock and key he ever made were for Zalim Khan. It was his gift to him. He fitted that lock into the chest. The boys looked at each other, amazed. "Do you know what he did with it?" asked Abdul, unable to contain his excitement anymore. "With the chest, you mean? He said he would take it home." The boys took their leave. It was a long way back to Jabalpur. Alauddin's words hung in the air around them. "He took it home! Zalim Khan took the chest home," whispered Abdul. "And we have traveled half way around the country looking for his treasure."

Each of them sat up all night, thinking about all the events that had unfolded in the past weeks. They missed their mother, too. And yet, they walked home with heavy steps but light hearts. Fasiha was in the kitchen (Kunti analogy?) She heard them and called out to them. All three boys stood at the kitchen door, gazing inside. Right before their eyes, on the top shelf of the only almirah in the kitchen, sat an imperious looking carved metal chest, secured with a big brass lock. "How did you...?" Azam began to say, but his words got caught in his throat. "The moment you started working together, I knew," Fasiha said, smiling, her eyes filled to the brim with tears of joy. "You would never have found it anyway. I had it buried deep under the guava tree in the backyard soon after your father passed away." "And you dug it out in anticipation of this?" asked Azam, stepping closer to examine the chest. "It was time for it, this way or that. The old man at the village fair just hastened it, that's all. Even I don't know what's inside it. Go ahead, open it. The key is right there," she said. With a wildly thumping heart and under the collective gaze of Abdul and Mohammed, Azam unlocked the chest. But all it had inside was an oilskin bag with a weathered envelope wrapped in a muslin cloth. It contained a sheaf of papers. In silence, Azam handed the envelope to Mohammed... who opened it and with a deep breath, began reading a letter.

Zalim Khan spoke to his sons through that letter: he talked about the three notes he had left for each one of them. And about them (by now) having met the only people who taught him humanism, that they were the only ones who ever meant anything to him in the many years he spent before meeting their mother. That Fasiha is the most wonderful person he had ever known. Zalim Khan also talked about his life of banditry, about him paying for his sins. And that while Hakim sahib healed his body (the symptoms, wounds); Ameena Bai healed his soul (the cause). He talked about being ambushed in Udaipur, hiding in Bohrawadi, of never returning to his hideout (after he healed), and leaving all his loot behind; his coming to Jabalpur leaving his life of crime; that he left Gwalior empty-handed, and rebuilt his life with honest, hard work. He talked about his pledge (Bheeshma analogy?) to never go back to a life of banditry, ever. Not even in any other life. The once-dreaded bandit, Zalim Khan, posthumously advises his sons that a life of honest hard-work is what they must follow, that is the only way to live. 'Stay together, help each other, and above all, look after your mother. She is your salvation.' Zalim Khan, through his letter, also says that it was important for his sons to learn about him, his life and his mistakes, since only then will they be able to comprehend why their mother and him are so eager that they become fine young men (good human beings). And that there was no need for the treasure they looked for. Because: "Poot kapoot toh kyon dhan sanchay; Poot sapoot toh kyon dhan sanchay" ~ old Indian saying: why save for a wayward child - he or she will squander it away; and why save for a meritorious one.

My twopenceworth: Kabootar's heroics and loyalty bring to mind Maharana Pratap Singh's horse, Chetak. During the Battle of Haldighati (June 18, 1576), the famed warhorse Chetak fell... and has since been immortalized in the ballads of Rajasthan. Folklore has it that Chetak's coat had a blue tinge. Hence Rana Pratap is sometimes referred as the Rider of the Blue Horse in ballads. Chetak is said to have lost a leg in the battle of Haldighati. Maybe, he lost the use of one of his legs due to a grievous injury sustained in the battlefield. [The Jaipur Foot, also known as the Jaipur Leg, is designed in and named after Jaipur. The artificial foot was invented in 1968 in Jaipur by Master craftsman Pandit Ram Chandra Sharma under the guidance of orthopaedic surgeon Dr. P.K. Sethi, who brought it to the world's attention, and got the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1981. Dr. Sethi was then the head of the Department of Orthopedics at Sawai Man Singh Medical College in Jaipur. Ever the experimenter, Masterji (as Pandit Ram Chandra Sharma is widely known) created a foot made of vulcanised rubber hinged to a wooden limb; and the Jaipur foot was born. It has been continually innovated ever since with his active involvement. Its essence has however remained: ease and speed of fabrication, lightness in weight, low cost and suitability for working people in the developing world.] ... The exhausted and seriously wounded Chetak is said to have collapsed while trying to leap across a stream. [Sarasa means stream, pool, fountain or spring in Sanskrit; here, it could be a reference to Pushkara - meaning 'blue lotus'). The SarasvatI is an important river goddess in the Rig Veda. The Sanskrit name means, "having many pools". The lake-bird - the Sarus Crane (Sanskrit: Sarasa) - is much-venerated in our culture and is also associated with Maharshi Valmiki.] The Maharana erected a small monument for his horse at the place where Chetak fell. However, could 'horse' be an allusion to equine features? Who really was Chetak? 

 

On being asked, "Chacha, do you know a man with a blue beard?" the old barber, Salim, had admonished the boys. "Aren't you old enough not to believe in fairy stories. Now don't waste my time." However, Einstein said, 'If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.' Couldn't agree more.

Note: "Bluebeard" is a French literary folktale. It tells the story of a violent nobleman in the habit of murdering his wives and the attempts of one wife to avoid the fate of her predecessors. (Some parallels with Sheherazade, the heroine of 'The Thousand and One Nights', perhaps). "The White Dove", "Mister Fox" and "Fitcher's Bird" (Also called "Fowler's Fowl") is tales similar to "Bluebeard". | Bluebeard - a wealthy aristocrat, is feared and shunned because of his blue beard, which made him frightfully ugly. He has been married several times, but no one knows what became of his wives. The local girls therefore avoid him. One of his neighbours, a lady of quality, had two daughters who were perfect beauties. One day Bluebeard visited her and asked for the hand of one of her two daughters, leaving to her choice which of the two she would bestow on him. The girls are understandably terrified. Eventually he persuades the younger daughter into marrying him. After the ceremony, she goes to live with him in his château. Shortly thereafter, Bluebeard announces that he must leave the country for a while; he gives all the keys of the château to his new wife, telling her they open the doors to rooms that contain his treasures. He tells her to use the keys freely and enjoy herself whilst he is away. However, he also gives her the key to one small room beneath the castle, stressing to her that she must not enter this room under any circumstances. She promises to never enter the room. He then goes away and leaves the house in her hands. Immediately, she is overcome with the desire to see what the forbidden room holds; and, despite warnings from her visiting sister, Anne, the girl abandons her guests during a house party and takes the key to the room. Bluebeard's new wife immediately discovers the room's horrible secret: its floor is awash with blood and the murdered bodies of her husband's former wives hang from hooks on the walls. Horrified, she drops the key into the pool of blood. She flees the room, but the blood staining the key will not wash off. She reveals her murderous husband's secret to her sister Anne, and both plan to flee the castle the next day; but, Bluebeard returns home unexpectedly the next morning and, noticing the blood on the key, immediately knows his wife has broken her promise. In a blind rage, he threatens to behead her on the spot, but she implores him to give her a quarter of an hour to say her prayers. He consents, so she locks herself in the highest tower with Anne. While Bluebeard, sword in hand, tries to break down the door, the sisters wait for two horsemen - their two brothers (one a dragoon, the other a musketeer) - to arrive. As Bluebeard is about to deliver the fatal blow, the brothers break into the castle; and, as Bluebeard attempts to flee, they pursue and overtake him before he can get to the steps of the porch. Then they run their swords through his body leaving him dead. Bluebeard had no heirs; his wife inherits all of his fortune and all his estate. First, Bluebeard's dead wives are buried. Then she makes use of one part of her newly acquired wealth to marry her sister Anne to a young gentleman who had loved her a long while; another part to buy captains' commissions for her brothers, and the rest to marry a very worthy gentleman, who makes her forget her horrible encounter with Bluebeard.

Blackbeard: Edward Teach (also Edward Thatch) - a tall, broad-shouldered man with a very black beard that he wore very long - was a notorious 18^th century English pirate who operated around the West Indies and the eastern coast of the American colonies. He became a renowned pirate, his nickname derived from his thick black beard and fearsome appearance. He wore knee-length boots and dark clothing, topped with a wide hat and sometimes a long coat of brightly coloured silk or velvet. In times of battle he is said to have worn a sling over his shoulders, with three brace of pistols, hanging in holsters like bandoliers, and stuck lighted matches under his hat - to frighten his enemies. He formed an alliance of pirates and blockaded the port of Charleston, South Carolina. He could almost certainly read and write, and may have been born into a respectable, wealthy family. Teach may have arrived in the Caribbean in the last years of the 17th century, on a merchant vessel (possibly a slave ship). He was (perhaps) for some time a sailor operating from Jamaica on privateer ships during the War of the Spanish Succession, and is believed to have often distinguished himself for his uncommon boldness and personal courage. However, at what point during the war Teach joined the fighting is not known. On 22 November 1718, during a ferocious battle, a small force of sailors led by Lieutenant Robert Maynard killed Teach and several of his crew. A shrewd and calculating leader, Teach spurned the use of force, relying instead on his fearsome image to elicit the response he desired from those he robbed. Contrary to the modern-day picture of the traditional tyrannical pirate, he commanded his vessels with the permission of their crews and is believed to have never harmed those he held captive. Teach's flag depicted a skeleton spearing a heart, while toasting the devil. Flying such a flag was designed to intimidate one's enemies. He was romanticised after his death and became the inspiration for a number of pirate-themed works of fiction across a range of genres.

Zalim Khan's story also brings to mind a Chirokee legend, Tale of Two wolves: One evening, an elderly Cherokee brave told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between two 'wolves' inside us all. One is evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, greed, arrogance, self-pity, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith." The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?..." The old Cherokee simply replied, "the one that you feed."

In the Cherokee world, the story ends this way:  The old Cherokee simply replied, "They both win."

... and the story goes on,

"You see, if I only choose to feed the white wolf, the black one will be hiding around every corner waiting for me to become distracted or weak and jump to get the attention he craves. He will always be angry and always fighting the white wolf. But if I acknowledge him, he is happy and the white wolf is happy and we all win. For the black wolf has many qualities - tenacity, courage, fearlessness, strong-willed and great strategic thinking - that I have need of at times and that the white wolf lacks. But the white wolf has compassion, caring, strength and the ability to recognise what is in the best interest of all. You see son, the white wolf needs the black wolf at his side. To feed only one would starve the other and they will become uncontrollable. To feed and care for both means they will serve you well and do nothing that is not a part of something greater, something good, something of life. Feed them both and there will be no more internal struggle for your attention. And when there is no battle inside, you can listen to the voices of deeper knowing that will guide you in choosing what is right in every circumstance. Peace, my son, is the Cherokee mission is life. A man who has peace inside has everything. A man who is pulled apart by the war inside him has nothing. How you choose to interact with the opposing forces within you will determine your life. Starve one or the other or guide them both." [The Lion King II: Simba: "Scar couldn't let go of his hate, and in the end, it destroyed him." Kovu: "I've never heard the story of Scar that way. He truly was a killer." Simba: "Fire is a killer. Sometimes, what's left behind can grow better than the generation before...if given the chance."]

Here is The Wolves Within: An old Grandfather said to his grandson, who came to him with anger at a friend who had done him an injustice, "Let me tell you a story. I too, at times, have felt a great hate for those that have taken so much, with no sorrow for what they do. But hate wears you down, and does not hurt your enemy. It is like taking poison and wishing your enemy would die. I have struggled with these feelings many times." He continued, "It is as if there are two wolves inside me. One is good and does no harm. He lives in harmony with all around him, and does not take offense when no offense was intended. He will only fight when it is right to do so, and in the right way. But the other wolf, ah! He is full of anger. The littlest thing will set him into a fit of temper. He fights everyone, all the time, for no reason. He cannot think because his anger and hate are so great. It is helpless anger, for his anger will change nothing. Sometimes, it is hard to live with these two wolves inside me, for both of them try to dominate my spirit." The boy looked intently into his Grandfather's eyes and asked, "Which one wins, Grandfather?" The Grandfather smiled and quietly said, "The one I feed."

BG 10.4-5: || buddhir jñānam asammohaḥ kṣamā satyaṁ damaḥ śamaḥ sukhaṁ duḥkhaṁ bhavo 'bhāvo bhayaṁ cābhayam eva ca

ahiṁsā samatā tuṣṭis tapo dānaṁ yaśo 'yaśaḥ bhavanti bhāvā bhūtānāṁ matta eva pṛthag-vidhāḥ ||

"Intelligence, knowledge, freedom from delusion, forgiveness (magnanimity), truthfulness, self-control (control of the senses - from unnecessary sense enjoyment or sense gratification) and calmness (tranquility), pleasure and pain, birth (indicative of the outer shell or mortal coil, since as far as the soul is concerned there is neither birth nor death), death, fear (illusory energy), fearlessness (confidence, lack of illusory energy), nonviolence (that one should not do anything which will put others into misery or confusion; spiritual realization, spiritual happiness, Self-realisation), equanimity, satisfaction, austerity (non-extravagance and non-attachment to sense pleasures), charity, fame and infamy - all these various qualities of living beings are created by Me alone."

Notes on the Indus seals (Part-I)

The first Indus Valley seal found at Harappa in 1872. [A fish-shaped glyph is also seen. The 'Matsya-avatara' is the first-avatara of the Dasavatara. Is it an allusion to a possible birth-mark on the face of the 'Unicorn'? The next glyph probably indicates Mithuna Rāśi (Gemini - the twins). The first glyph - is that a heart-shaped glyph?] The Unicorn (eka-shringa or one-horned horse) ~ It is imagery - to signify blue lotus (krishna kamal), implying rarity or uniqueness. [Horse implies equine features, horse-jawed or horse-faced.] The Eternal Divine/Cosmic Being (the Primordial Being) is vishama (unequaled), atulah (incomparable), ekah (the one), naikah (the many), ekaatmaa (the one self), asankhyeyah (with countless names and forms), shoorah-veerah (the valiant; shoorah = shauryah implying intrepid, possessing courage of convictions and strong dharmic principles), vikramee (the most daring), saattvikah (one who is full of sattvic or noble traits and qualities), kartaa (the doer), maargah (the path), neyah (the guide), keshavah (one who is the three: kah (Brahma), ah (Vishnu) and Isa (Shiva-Rudra): Satyam-Sivam-Sundaram); vishvam (one who is the universe); Vishvaroopa (one whose body/form is the Universe - the Universal Form - the Vishva-roop or Viraat-roop); Vishvaatma (Soul of the Universe - guiding spirit); vanamaalee (one who wears a garland of forest flowers); sragvee (one who always wears a garland of undecaying flowers); Mayur (the Lord Who Has A Peacock Feathered-Crest) and Shikhandee: One who wears a peacock feather.

BG 9.29: || samo 'ham sarva-bhutesu na me dvesyo 'sti na priyahye bhajanti tu mam bhaktya mayi te tesu capy aham || ~ "I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. However, whosoever prays to Me with a pure (unselfish) heart (or renders selfless/nishkam service to humanity or possesses strong dharmic/sattvic/noble principles and virtues - for the greater good) I am also a well-wisher."

Swami Vivekananda's words too draw from it. || Bohu-rupe sammukhe tomaar aami, kotha khunjichho Ishvar? Jibe prem kare jei jan, Shei jan shebichhe Ishvar || ~ The divine is present in everything (the Universal Form of the Primordial - the Vishva-roop or Viraat-roop - incorporates everything). | Service to mankind (not restricted to humankind alone) is service to God. That is true worship.

Tagore's 'Padapraantey Rakho Sebakay':

The Rig Veda refers to the SarasvatI as a mighty river flowing from the mountains to the sea (giribhyah asamudrat). The abundance and tremendous force of its water had an enchanting impact on the minds of the poets who repeatedly described it as: 'abounding in waters' - maho-arnah; 'flowing rapidly' - pra-sasre; 'moving faultlessly' - akuvari; 'possessing unlimited strength' - yasyah amah ananto; 'roaring' - charati roruvat, and 'fierce' - ghora. ~ Thus, the realistic picture in the Rig Veda is that of a mighty and highly glorified river named SarasvatI descending from the Himalayas (manifestation, personification or embodiment of the Himalayas - Himalaya-putri, an allusion to Devi Parvati?) [Parvat = mountain; Parvati = of the mountains. However, is this 'parvat' a reference to the Himalayas or Mandar Parvat (Mt. Meru) or both?] ... The river is said to have disappeared at a place called Vinasana (literally 'disappearance'), though many believe it still flows below the ground. | The River SarasvatI very likely is an allegoric river. sarasam asmi sagarah ~ can also mean: the SarasvatI and the Sindhu are one, inseparable. BG 10.24: || sarasam asmi sagarah || sarasam indicates SarasvatI. Sagarah refers to Sindhu Sagara (the A. Sea was earlier known as Sindhu Sagara). Asmi means, I am or is. Thus, SarasvatI (aka the Krishna-avatara) is Sindhu (Samudradeva). In other words:  Devi Lakshmi/Bhudevi (aka the Krishna-avatar) is Garbodakshayi Vishnu (reclining on the 'ocean of Garbha'). While Samudradeva (Devi SarasvatI) is Ksirodakshayi Vishnu (who reclines on the Shesh on Kshir Sagar - Sindhu Sagara). ~ And so, Devi Lakshmi/Bhudevi (aka the Krishna-avatar) is the avatara (manifestation - with earthly form) of the Param-atma (Ksirodakshayi Vishnu, Samudradeva, Devi SarasvatI - the Eternal Divine/Cosmic Being who has no earthly form or gender).

The concept of "Hiranyagarbhah" (Sanskrit: Hiraṇyagarbha): Hiranya = diamond. Satyajit Ray's 'Hirak Rajar Deshe' ('In the land of the Diamond king')? Manipura? Garbha = womb. Hiranyagarbha can also mean: One who dwells in the womb (garbhah) of the world (Hiranya). This being is Svayambhu - uncreated or Self-manifested Being. | However, can "Hiranyagarbhah" also mean, the 'diamond' born from the womb? And if so, is this 'diamond' the real 'koh-i-noor'? Personification/manifestation of 'kundalini' and/or of the final state of  Kundalini 'Fire'? BG 10.28: sarpāṇām asmi vāsukiḥ ~ "and of serpents (implying the complete 'awakening' or 'rousing' of kundalini energy) I am Vāsuki". [Vasuki = the gentle and complete 'awakening' of the living and conscious energy - kundalini - the latent spiritual energy that lies dormant in the sacrum bone (a large, triangular bone) at the base of the spine. "Vasuki" can thus also indicate the crown chakra or Sahasrara chakra - the highest chakra. In the final state of the Kundalini 'Fire' - when kundalini passes through the top of the head, at the fontanel area, when the kundalini reaches the Sahasrara (the 7th chakra or crown chakra - the highest chakra) it (allegorically) shines forth like a diamond disc/chakra (symbolically depicted by brilliant white). [Refer link - for Kundalini 'Fire', Sahasrara chakra, two-petalled lotus and Manas-sarovara.] ~ "Vasuki" could also be the allegoric churning "rope" - is this an allusion to Shikhandee? - (wound around Mt. Meru, rather, a part of it - Mandar Parvat supported on the back of the Kurma-[tortoise]-avatar - the second avatara of the Dasavatara) in the samudra-manthan or Kshira-sagara manthan ('churning of the ocean of milk') stories. BG 10.23: || meruh sikharinam aham || ~ "and of mountains I am Meru." It is an allegoric mountain, can also be an allegory for the process of kundalini awakening ~ intellectual manthan.] | Hiranyagarbhah is the term used in the Vedanta for the "creator" [Garbodakshayi Vishnu - the one who reclines on the 'ocean of Garbhah' (implying 'womb'; in other words: 'born of the womb' - with earthly form - implying avatara). ~ Therefore, this Vishnu is the physical Vishnu (with earthly form - saakar; visible to mortal eyes - vyaktah) ~ Devi Lakshmi/Bhudevi aka the Krishna-avatar aka Kalika. [If we understand this, we will also understand what the cosmic trimurti of SarasvatI-Lakshmi-Parvati implies.] Thus, Garbodakshayi Vishnu is the Vishnu in gross body (sthula sharira).] | Satyajit Ray's 'Hirak Rajar Deshe' ('In the Land of the Diamond King') is most interesting. Goopi Gayen says "Baro kashte pawa gyachhe Keshto" (song: Paye PoRi Baghmama). A white tiger is seen.

Besides, a diamond eye (Rudraksha or eye of Rudra? The (symbolic) Third Eye, or the third eye chakra? Refer link) is a constant presence. [Sanskrit: rudrākşa = rudra and akşa = eye. Rudraksha and Virupaksha are non-different. Virupaksha = with oblique eyes. Lokkhi-tyara also means: with oblique eyes. Lokkhi = Lakshmi.]

Tagore's 'Suneel Saagorer Shyamal Kinaarey':

'Pathohaara Tumi Pathiik':

[Shukhey dhaldhal bibashaa bibhal = happy, smiling, hypnotic. Pagal nayaney = smouldering eyes. Tumi chao = gaze intensely.]


'Aami Chini Go Chini Tomaare': the iconic song from Satyajit Ray's 'Charulata'. Soumitra Chattopadhyay - perfectly cast as the young Tagore. Charu = moon, Lata = Vasuki. (In Bengali, a serpent is also called 'lata'). 'Charulata' also alludes to SarasvatI and Rudra. | The English translation is like embroidery seen from the back. | Soumitra's actions (gestures) are reminiscent of the mudra-s of Krishnaleela dance. | Charulata: Released: 17 April 1964: 50 years.]

"Not to have seen the cinema of Satyajit Ray means existing in the world without seeing the sun or the moon" - Akira Kurosawa.

Couldn't agree more. Joi Baba Maniknath! 

 
[Note: Devi Lakshmi/Bhudevi (aka the Krishna-avatar) is Garbodakshayi Vishnu (reclining on the 'ocean of Garbha' - also implying amniotic fluid, present in the womb (garbhah). | The famed Garba dance is part of Navaratri, associated with Devi Durga. The name is derived from the Sanskrit term Garbha ("womb"). Many traditional garbas are performed around a centrally lit lamp or a picture or statue of Devi Shakti. | Ksirodakshayi Vishnu (who reclines on the Shesh on Kshir Sagar) is the subtle or astral body - sukshma sharira (Devi SarasvatI). This Vishnu is Param-atma. Ksirodakshayi Vishnu lives in Svetadvipa - where there is an 'ocean' (samudra) of milk (kshira or kheer) ~ Sindhu Sagara (modern A. Sea). Incidentally, the current kalpa is known as "Svhetavaraha Kalpa". (Svheta = white. Varaha = the great one-tusked boar; Varaha - the third avatara of the Dasavatara is also regarded as the Supreme form of Sri Vishnu - the (cosmic) Preserver.)]

[Pic: Hiraker Raja Bhagaban. The Brilliant and versatile Utpal Dutt. Utpala = the rare blue lotus, Sanskrit: pushkara or Indivara. Is 'Hirak Rajar Desh' an allusion to Manipura? There is a diamond eye with star-shaped iris behind Utpal Dutt - Rudraksha?] | Master auteur Satyajit Ray's adaptation of Puss in Boots in "Goopy Gayen Bagha Bayen" and "Hirak Rajar Deshe" is top-class. He also incorporated the *Sleeping Beauty analogy and possibly 'Humpty Dumpty' and, perhaps, even a whiff of Tagore's 'Red Oleanders'. Rather, Hirak Rajar Deshe ('In the Land of the Diamond King') brilliantly captures the essence of Tagore's "Where the mind is without fear [...]" (Refer link.) | Jantarmantar Ghaar, magajdholai (brainwashing) etc is a reference to intellectual regimentation, straitjacketing, cynical or moribund aspects, ennui, tardiness, stagnation, narrow or blinkered world-view, and so on (~ the proverbial "dreary desert sand of dead habit"). 

*In Sleeping Beauty the princess was cursed by the evil fairy Maleficent, who foretold that on her 16th birthday, she would prick her finger on a spinning wheel's spindle and die. [Somewhat similar to the supposed curse on Dasarath?] | Incidentally, Tagore was never taken by the spinning wheel. He did not agree that spinning a wheel could bring about a great personal improvement. To him, spinning a wheel consists of endlessly turning the wheel of an antiquated machine with a minimum of imagination and a maximum of boredom.

Spinning wheel is not to be confused with the Kalachakra ('Wheel of Time'), the pinnacle of Buddhist wisdom, nor should it be misconstrued for the Buddhist Dharma Chakra (found on our national flag). The fabled Buddhist land or mythical kingdom of Shambhala is a mystical kingdom that guards the most sacred spiritual teachings of the world, including the Kalachakra ('Wheel of Time'), the pinnacle of Buddhist wisdom. [Note: The correct spelling is cakra, though pronounced with a ch. The word was also a metaphor for the sun, which "traverses the world like the triumphant chariot of a cakravartin." | A Chakravartin (Sanskrit: Cakravartin) is a 'wheel-turning' king - chakravarti-raja - a wise and benevolent ruler, and an ideal king... for whom dharma (here, the duties and responsibilities of a ruler) and karm-yog (tangible actions - for the larger/collective good, progress, etc) gained primacy.]

[Pic: The Lion Capital of Emperor Ashoka.] | The Ashoka Pillar is the symbol of India. India's national emblem is a rendering of a sculpture erected by Samraat Aśoka in the third century B.C. The emblem shows three lions mounted on an abacus decorated with a bull, a wheel and a galloping horse. Below it appear the words: Satyameva Jayate - "Truth alone triumphs." | The Aśoka Pillar is at Sarnath - place of Sri Gautam Buddh's first sermon. Originally a wheel (Wheel of Dharma, Ashoka Chakra, a wheel with **24 spokes) was placed over the lion capital and was mounted on a stone pillar near Dhamek Stupa, Sarnath. It has four back-to-back Indian lions. Below this are representations of a lion, an elephant, a horse and the bull. The pillar bears three inscriptions in Brahmi script. [There is a replica of the Ashoka pillar at Wat U Mong near Chiang Mai, Thailand, built by King Mangrai in the 13th century.] The great Mauryan Emperor Aśoka - a benevolent ruler and an able administrator - is also known as: Priyadarshi or Piyadasi. [Pharaoh may have been a variation of Priyadarshi, which means: pleasant-looking or blessed by the Eternal Divine Being (Param-atma). It could even mean: one who traversed the path show by the Eternal Divine Being.]

** The Gayatri Mantra, also known as Savitr Mantra, is a 24-syllable hymn from the Rig Veda; it is one of the most auspicious and oldest of mantras. The auspicious Gayatri Mantra is also considered one of the most universal and greatest of  mantras. ~ BG 10.35: || gāyatrī chandasām aham || ~ "I am Gayatri mantra among the Vedic mantras."

.................................................  

The Eternal Divine/Cosmic Being (Param-atma, Primordial Being) is eternal and uncreated - Svayambhu - Self-manifested Being.

The Upaṇiṣad calls it the Soul of the Universe or Brahmn. | Soul of the Universe = Param Vishva Atma - the motive power and guiding spirit behind the mathematically precise universe. [Atma is energy, and hence has no earthly form or gender. Therefore it.]

The Bhagavata says || eko vai nārāyaṇa āsīn na brahmā na īśāno nāpo nāgni-samau neme dyāv-āp ṛthivī na nakṣatrāṇi na sūryaḥ || ~ "In the beginning of the creation there was only the Primal/Primeval Being Nārāyaṇa. There was no Brahmā, no Śiva, no water, no fire, no moon, no stars in the sky, no sun."

|| nārāyaṇaḥ paro devas tasmāj jātaś caturmukhaḥ tasmād rudro 'bhavad devaḥ sa ca sarva-jñatāḿ gataḥ || ~ "Nārāyaṇa is the Supreme/Primordial/Primeval Being - from whom Brahmā was born, from whom Śiva was born." [Here Brahmā and Śiva refer to various aspects and to creation.] | Supreme/Primordial/Primeval Being = The Eternal Divine/Cosmic Being - Purusha or Param-atma. 

And so, e.g. the Krishna-avatar departed or discarded the outer shell or mortal coil - Krishna deha visarjan. [Words like 'death,' etc is never used. The Eternal Divine Being cannot die.] There are two aspects to the Eternal Cosmic Being: the metaphysical and the physical (avatara) i.e. the metaphysical Param-atma, and the earthly form or manifestation (avatāra). Once the outer shell is discarded, the avatara reverts to Param-atma. [Param-atma has no earthly form or gender, since atma is energy. This Being belongs to all - as the Creator, Cosmic Ruler and Cosmic Teacher. The Param-atma is also adhaataa (above whom there is no other).]

BG: 10.6: || maharsayah sapta purve catvaro manavas tatha mad-bhava manasa jata || ~ "The seven great sages (the Sapta-Rishi) and before them the four other great sages (Sanaka, Sanandan, Sanatana and Sanat, collectively known as the four Kumaras) and the Manu-s (law-givers) come from Me, born from My mind (manasa-jata or brain-child)."

It is a square seal depicting a deity with three faces, seated in yogic position on a throne, with the hands resting on the knees, wearing bangles on both arms and an elaborate headdress. Five symbols of the Indus script (hieroglyphs) appear on either side of the headdress, which is made of two outward projecting curved horns, with two upward projecting points. The horned headdress has a branch with three prongs or peepal leaves emerging from the center. 

The heels are pressed together and the feet project beyond the edge of the throne (vajrasana?). The feet of the throne are carved with the hoof of a bovine as is seen on the bull and unicorn seals. The seal may not have been fired, but the stone is very hard. A grooved and perforated boss is present on the back of the seal.

This seal (probably) depicts Garbodakshayi Vishnu.

The three faces: keshavah - one who is the three: kah (Brahma), ah (Vishnu) and Isa (Shiva-Rudra): Satyam-Sivam-Sundaram.

The feet of the throne are carved with the hoof of a bovine as is seen on the bull and unicorn seals.

BG 10.28: || dhenunam asmi kamadhuk || ~ "among cows I am the surabhi" (also known as kamadhenu - the allegoric "wish-fulfilling cow" ~ possibly a metaphor for prosperity, progress, auspiciousness, luck etc.) ~ Rivers and cows are often poetically correlated in the Rig Veda. Devi SarasvatI is also known as "Varadey Kaamarupinee" implying kamadhenu (the allegoric "wish-fulfilling cow" - the fulfiller of wishes ~ indicative of 'Destiny' or 'Lady Luck'. Vara = wish). [The avatar is merely Devi SarasvatI in earthly form.] 

The horned headdress has a branch with three prongs or peepal leaves emerging from the center. 

BG 10.25: || aśvatthaḥ sarva-vṛkṣāṇāḿ || ~ "Of all trees I am the Peepal (asvatthah)" - fig tree (it can mean: banyan tree as well as the Peepal [aśvatthaḥ], or maybe both).

BG 10.27: || narāṇāḿ ca narādhipam || ~ "and among humans I am the monarch" (Cakravartin). 

[For a Cakravartin, dharma and karm-yog gained primacy. | The central concepts of dharma and karm-yog elude translation. It is performative (karmic). It has to be experienced to be understood, since it lies beyond the domain of scriptural description or academic definition (terminologies, etc).]

The peepal tree (the Bodhi tree, the 'tree of enlightenment') or the transpersonal World Tree is the personification of Sri Vishnu/Keshava/Narayana/Hari. The Bodhi tree, the Tree of Enlightenment, is also the symbol of Bhagavan Sri Gautam Buddh's message in general (since he had overcome his human boundaries [petty, mundane, shallow or selfish aspects] and become one with the world spirit ~ Supreme or highest Enlightenment or the stage where nirvana is attained). The holy fig tree therefore, holds a very important place in Indian civilization (be it with respect to faith, medicinal and social point of views), and hence is worthy of worship. It is the tree of eternal life. The ashvattha symbolizes the continuity of life because the tree itself lives and grows for hundreds of years. The heart-shaped leaves on long, thin stems shimmer easily in a light breeze. This sacred tree stands for wisdom, knowledge, enlightenment, happiness, prosperity, peace, longevity and good luck. Every peepal tree is a reservoir of oxygen. People who stay near it have a plentiful supply of oxygen. This majestic tree gives ample shade to humans and animals alike. It is also home to a lot of birds and insects. The holy fig tree has medicinal properties as well.

Ashvatha literally means, "Where horses stood" (ashva + tha). [Is horse or ashva a reference to Unicorn?] In Sanskrit, this tree is known as Ashvattha, Bodhivriksha and Plaksha. This tree represents the entire cosmos: 'Shva' in Sanskrit means tomorrow, 'a' indicates negation, and 'tha' means one that stands or remains. Hence, Ashvatha can indicate: "One which does not remain the same tomorrow" (lack of stasis/stagnation), or the universe itself. The Ashvatha tree is quite remarkable because it grows both upwards as well as vice versa. The branches themselves morph into roots, so even if the original tree decays and perishes, its branches underneath are young and continue to enclose the parent. This eternal life of the Peepal tree has inspired many Indian philosophers; this tree has its own symbolic meaning of enlightenment and peace... all of which has enriched Sanaatan Dharma. In the Upanishads, the fruit of the peepal is thus used as an example to explain the difference between the body and the soul. The body (the outer shell or mortal coil) is like the fruit which, being outside, feels and enjoys things, while the soul (jiva-atma) is like the seed, which is inside and therefore witnesses things. | Tree of Roots above; branches below; this Ashvattha is reputed to be imperishable; whose leaves are the Vedas; One who knows this is a knower of all the vedas. [Kathopanishad and the Srimad Bhagavad Gita.]
   

Popularly known as the Pashupati Seal. ~ This seal depicts a three-faced figure seated in yogic position, wearing bangles on both arms. A pair of bullhorns crowns the head. A rhino, a buffalo, an elephant and a tiger surround this figure. Under the throne are two deer.

The three faces: keshavah - one who is the three: kah (Brahma), ah (Vishnu) and Isa (Shiva-Rudra), implying Satyam-Sivam-Sundaram. 

In Sanaatan Dharmic thought, the bull or Vrisha (also Vṛṣabha) represents Dharma (courage of convictions, adherence to one's karm for the larger good, sattvic or noble aspects/qualities etc). The illustrious god of gods (Mahadeva) is known as Vrisha Uttamam (Supreme Dharma or personification of dharma). However, could this figure also represent the Rishabha-avatar (one of the 24 avatars)? ~ Rishabha or Rshabha is derived from Vṛṣabha or Vrishabha, the great bull. The Eternal Divine/Cosmic Being is called Vṛṣabha (Vrishabha) - the Great Bull. ~ The Supreme Lord (Eternal Cosmic Being) is also known as Vrishaakritih (embodiment or personification of Dharma) or Vrishaparvaa and Dharmadhyaksha - Lord of Dharma (Supreme Dharma - for whom dharma gains primacy). | Various Indus glyphs appear on either side of the headdress. The glyphs also show a fish (matsya - the first avatara/manifestation of the Dasavatara?) ~ A rhino (indicative of one-horned or eka-shringa ~ implying the real Manipura?), a buffalo (mahisasura-mardini?), an elephant (signifying elephant-head or Sri Ganesh - indicative of a set of qualities, that if imbibed, would help in overcoming all sorts of odds or obstacles in the path of dharma? Elephant - implying Vighna Vinashak or Vignesh - the remover of obstacles in the path of dharma or actions for the larger good?) and a tiger (to depict valiance, courage of convictions?) surround the yogi figure. Under the throne are two deer (signifying 'destiny' and/or the Orion constellation?) ~ The Rig Veda refers to the Orion Constellation as Mriga (The Deer).

BG 10.35: || māsānāḿ mārga-śīrṣo 'ham ṛtūnāḿ kusumākaraḥ || ~ "Of months I am Mārgaśīrṣa [November-December], and of seasons I am spring."

Agrahāyaṇa or Mārgaśīrṣa [November-December]: Since Vedic times, this month is known as Mārgaśīrṣa after the Nakṣatra (asterisms) Mṛgaśiras. [Note: The aligning of this name with the Mṛgaśiras Nakṣatra, gives rise to speculation that this name may have been given when the sun was near Orion at the time of vernal equinox, i.e. around 7000 years ago.] | Kālabhairava Aṣṭamī (or Kālabhairava Jayanti) falls on Kṛṣṇa Pakṣa Aṣṭamī of the month of Mārgaśīrṣa (also spelled Mṛgaśira/Mrigashīrsha ~ November-December). On this day it is said that Lord Rudra-Śiva appeared on earth in the manifestation (avatāra) as Śrī Kālabhairava. [In Sanskrit, Kāla or kaalah = time (can also indicate Mahakali or Kalika); Bhairava = the Primordial Sound, the Shabda Brahmn - pranavah/Omkaara/pranava naad - very likely a reference to the voice of the Avatara (the Primordial Being in earthly form); OM or AUM - is very auspicious. | Maha Vishnu (Absolute OM or Absolute Brahmn) - the impersonal [nirguna - without qualities], unmanifested [avyaktah], niraakar [without form] Cosmic Light or Divine Effulgence - the self-existent impersonal spirit, the Divine Essence, from which all things emanate, by which they are sustained, and to which they return is Omprakash. The Avatara is Omswaroop. ~ All creation-related work is the work of Fire (i.e. Cosmic Fire - Cosmic Light, Light Divine - Divine Effulgence or Brahm-jyotih - the impersonal, unmanifested Primal Creative Energy ~ Maha Vishnu. 'Maha Vishnu' is thus revered as the Supreme Creator (Srashtaa). Maha Vishnu (Karanodakshayi Vishnu - reclining on the 'causal ocean' or the Karanodak/Karana Ocean) - originally a cloudlike darkness in one corner of the spiritual sky in 'Vaikuntha' - from which the material world (Material Nature or Manifested Cosmos) is created; is this a reference to 'dark energy' or invisible 'dark matter' - Brahm-jyotih or Primal Creative Energy (also known to our ancients as Aadi Shakti or Kali?) ~ of which all jiva-atma, etc is a part?) | The impersonal cosmic trimurti of 'Brahma-Vishnu-Shivah' is simply the names of the three aspects of the cosmic phenomenon of Creation, Maintenance and Dissolution, respectively.]

Mrigashīrsha: Sanskrit mṛgaśiras (also spelled Mārgaśīrṣa/Mṛgaśira) - the *5th nakṣatra or lunar mansion - as used in Vedic astronomy and astrology, is the constellation Orion (also known as Kaalpurush, meaning: Timeless, Eternal or Ancient; kaal or kaalah = time, in Sanskrit). The Rig Veda refers to the Orion Constellation as Mriga/Mṛga (The Deer - possibly implying "destiny"). ~ The term Mṛgaśira is a composite of two Sanskrit words, mṛga meaning animal (can also mean: deer - symbolizing destiny) and śira meaning head or precisely, the top of the head. [In earlier times, perhaps events and aspects (including the commencement and impending "closure" of yugs etc) were conveyed (by the Param-atma) through the Orion Constellation (~ perhaps this is what our ancients referred to as 'daiva-vaani' or 'aakash-vaani'). And so, (maybe) the earlier emperors had great scholars (astronomers and astrologers) - who in turn (in a manner of speaking) had their eyes riveted to the sky.]

*The first two carana/pada (quarters) of this nakṣatra are part of Vṛṣabha Rāśi or Taurus (bull). [Dharma (dharmic principles, courage of convictions, adherence to one's karm for the larger good, sattvic or noble aspects/qualities etc) is denoted in Sanaatan Dharmic thought by the bull (Vṛṣabha). The illustrious god of gods is Vrisha Uttamam (Supreme Dharma or personification of dharma).] The latter half of this star belongs to Mithuna Rāśi (Gemini - the twins ~ Sridevi/Bhudevi).

BG 10.35: || ṛtūnāḿ kusumākaraḥ || ~ "and of seasons I am spring." [Spring = sarasa ~ pool, fountain, knowledge stream, and SarasvatI; spring can also indicate Makara Sankranti and the Nandan-kanan (the fabled Garden of Eden?)]     

The Indus seal depicting twin unicorns: possibly representing Sridevi and Bhudevi. [Aka the Krishna-avatar.] Could also represent Puruṣa and Prākṛti: the nirakaar (without earthly form - since atma has no gender or earthly form; atma is energy), avyaktah (not visible to mortal eyes) Param-atma (the Supreme Hari - Devi SarasvatI). Aka Puruṣa. And the saguna (with qualities), saakar (with earthly form), vyaktah (visible to mortal eyes), savikaar (sentient) Prakriti (Bhudevi - 'Mother' Earth or 'Mother' Nature - Vasudeva/Vasudha/Vasundhara/Dharitri) - and Sri Devi - Devi Lakshmi. Aka the Krishna-avatar. In other words: Hari-krishna. [Sridevi and Bhudevi are non-different ~ Mithuna Rāśi (Gemini - the twins).] | Puruṣa and Prākṛti probably indicate the avayktah - metaphysical (the subtle or astral body - sukshma sharira Param-atma) and the vyaktah - sthula sharira, with gross body (avatara). In other words: the metaphysical (sukshma sharira) Kshirodakshayi Vishnu (Param-atma) and the earthly manifestation (avatāra - in sthula sharira) Garbodakshayi Vishnu - Sri Kalabhairava or PaTalaH Bhairava (Sridevi/Bhudevi aka the Krishna-avatar). (PaTalaH = pale-red in Sanskrit. Refer link - for the pale-red lotus (known as padma in Sanskrit).]

The Krishna-avatara is Hari or Hari-Krishna (haritaH or PalashaH means green in Sanskrit). Haritah implies association with nature. ~ We say, 'Mother' Earth or 'Mother' Nature (Dharitri Mata or Bhudevi). ['Mother' or Mataram is a respectful honorific.]

There is a fish-shaped glyph, a triangle and a wheel. Kalachakra ('Wheel of Time'), the pinnacle of Buddhist wisdom? *Nine Peepal leaves are also seen.

BG 10.25: || aśvatthaḥ sarva-vṛkṣāṇāḿ || ~ "Of all trees I am the Peepal (asvatthah)" - fig tree (it can mean: banyan tree as well as the Peepal [aśvatthaḥ], or maybe both).

*Are the 9 Peepal leaves indicative of the Navaratna? What is the Kaustubham (divine jewel - believed to be adorning the neck of Sri Vishnu who lives in the Kshira Sagara)? [Sri Vishnu is also known as Kaustubha (one who wears the Kaustubham). | Vishnu is also Srivatsankita or SrIvatsa-vakshAh, the one who bears the sign of Srivatsa. The Śrīvatsa mark on Vishnu's chest, symbolizes Devi Lakshmi as well as the eternal aspect. So, is this Vishnu - Srivatsankita - a reference to the Garbodakshayi Vishnu aka the Krishna-avatar (Devi Lakshmi and Bhudevi)? [The Krishna-avatar also bears the mark of Srivatsa.] Is the eternal aspect a reference to the Param-atma - Ksirodakshayi Vishnu (Devi SarasvatI/Satya/Eternal Truth/Eternal Divine or Cosmic Being)? Is the Srivatsa mark indicative of the Kaustubham?] What is the exceptionally lustrous Symantaka mani (associated with the Sun-god/Surya-deva and the Krishna-avatar)? Is it the 'Seemanto-Heera' of the Byomkesh titles? Is the Krishna-avatar - the manifestation/personification/embodiment of the effulgent Sun-god/Surya-deva/Savitr - the Syamantaka mani Herself? The real Koh-i-Noor? BG 10.28: sarpāṇām asmi vāsukiḥ ~ "and of serpents (implying the complete 'awakening' or 'rousing' of kundalini energy) I am Vāsuki". [Personification/manifestation of 'kundalini' and/or the final state of Kundalini 'Fire'? ~ In the final state of the Kundalini 'Fire' - when kundalini passes through the top of the head, at the fontanel area, when the kundalini reaches the Sahasrara (the 7th chakra or crown chakra - the highest chakra) it (allegorically) shines forth like a diamond disc/chakra (symbolically depicted by brilliant white).] ... What is the philosophers' stone (said to be capable of turning base metals such as lead or iron into gold or silver)? Also believed to be an elixir of life, useful for rejuvenation. Is this 'elixir of life' an allusion to the metaphoric piyush of the samudra-manthan stories? Is samudra-manthan or kshirasagara-manthan ('churning of the ocean of milk') - indicative of medha (memory, clarity of thought, knowledgeable) or intellectual manthan? Is the philosophers' stone the same as cintā-maṇI or cintāmaṇi-ratna? Is Cintāmaṇi (or the Chintamani Stone) the same as Kaustubham? | The 108 Krishna mantra: OM Srivatsa Kaustubha Dharaya Namaha. SrI vishNu sahasranAmam: Om SrIvatsa vakshase namah. SrI vishNu purANam: SrIvatsa samsthAna dharam anante ca samASritam (1.22.67). In this description, the SrIvatsa mark is described as the pradhAna seated in the Eternal. The chief principle of things, (pradhAna) is seated on the Eternal, as the SrI vatsa mark. [Therefore, is the SrIvatsa mark indicative of Brihaspati - Devaguru?] SrImad bhAgavatam (12.11.10) where the SrIvatsa mark is described as the reflection of the Kaustubha mani that bhagavAn wears, representing the Eternal Being's Atma-jyoti: kaustubha vyapadeSena svAtma jyotih bibharti ajah | tat-prabhA vyApinI sAkshAt SrIvatsam urasA prabhuh || | What is the Buddhist mańipadma or maṇipadme? "Jewel in the Lotus"? Or is it a reference to the gentle and complete 'awakening' or 'rousing' of the living and conscious energy - kundalini - the latent spiritual energy that lies dormant in the sacrum bone (a large, triangular bone: 'Adrishyo trikon' of the Byomkesh titles? allegoric 'manas-sarovara'? Feluda's Gyanpeeth and 'Dhakuria Lake'?) at the base of the spine. ~ To raise the coiled serpentine, your sleeping divinity, from the lowermost bone of your body, the mańipadma, the lowermost seat, to elevate the sleeping divinity in your body to the status, or to the stance, of Parama Puruśa. | Is Manasa Devi an allusion to Vasuki? Is Phani Manasa a variant of this? Manasa or Mansa is derived from 'manasa' or 'manas' implying the (cosmic, universal) mind and/or wish. Therefore, 'Vasuki' is none other than Devi SarasvatI.] 

Avatar comes from the Sanskrit 'Avatarana' or 'Avatirna' (manifest or descent of the Eternal Divine/Cosmic Being [Param-atma] into earthly form - sthula sharira). Avatar = manifestation. 

Tagore's 'Aanandaloke Mangalaaloke' is sublime. Bide in joy, glow auspicious, reign in grace, truth beauteous. Satyam-Sivam-Sundaram. ~ Universe in celebration, a world prays to thee, a world celebrates thee. | Sat/Satya (Shaashvata, the Sanaatana Purusha) = the Eternal (Ultimate/Primordial/Primeval) Truth; in other words: the Eternal Divine/Cosmic Being - the higher power embedded in the fabric of the universe and responsible for its continuing existence and operation. Sundar or Sundaram = sattvic and auspicious aspects. [It is also a reference to the Avatara - the Param-atma in earthly form.] Sivam = auspiciousness; one who is eternally auspicious and pure (inner perfection; dharmic principles, inner joy, sattvic aspects/qualities and tranquility). [Rabi Thakur is the pride of this world, his translations into English are like embroidery seen from the back. He possessed a unique ability to turn a phrase; his genius lies in his choice of words and ability to make the words flow together.]

'Aanandaloke Mangalaaloke':

Leela = events through which the avatara imparts lessons, guidance and/or sets examples for others to imbibe, and/or takes longer term measure(s) to roll back, mitigate and/or curb unpleasant aspects - for a better society to emerge, as well as to elevate the human consciousness (for introspection, thoughtful action, to overcome egocentricity, etc). Leela is (therefore) also part of course correction. As the cosmic teacher, the avatara imparts lessons or instructs through acharan (own behaviour, words and actions). That is the mark of a true guru. It is for humanity to comprehend the lessons imparted. The avatara may also bring to the fore ignored or undiscussed aspects of human nature or social issues and so on - for people to see, introspect and discuss... and emerge with organic and sustainable corrective measures. When avatars arrive, they bring forth or accelerate karmas - thus, that which may have been latent comes to the fore. ~ The avatars also hold a mirror to society, and therefore create situations - opportunity - that bring forth both the positive (good, enduring, essential) and the negative (trivial, transient, unpleasant and/or degenerative aspects that require corrective measures) - to urge/advise humanity into (collective) introspection ~ so that it leads to a natural process of unraveling (from ignorance to discovery and from reformation to [organic] transformation). Avatars are also reformers and endeavour to bring about (long-lasting, organic) change vis-a-vis regressive or negative perception or mindset. E.g. Sri Ram. | There is no alternative to sustained karm-yog (tangible and sustainable actions) to bring forth a positive turnaround, mere royal decrees would not have achieved anything, especially when well-entrenched perception(s) or social conditioning is involved.

[The Param-atma descends in earthly form (avatara) to experience, to teach (through words and actions - acharan), to set examples, to hold a mirror to society (to dispel confusion, indifference, ignorance, ennui and so on - for clear-eyedness to emerge), to bring to the fore ignored/undiscussed aspects of human nature or issues plaguing society (to reform - to change perception or mindset), to share the larger vision (goals and objectives), set priorities, provide guidance and reset or correct the course (organic change or root-and-branch transformation and evolution; in other words: to rejuvenate the doctrine of dharma and karm-yog). | The Param-atma comes down to the level of humans - since humankind does not have the same level of intelligence, wisdom, caliber, sagacity, discerning abilities etc.]

The purpose of the avatara is to help and guide humankind - whenever adharma - negativism or malevolence becomes a bane or gains the upper-hand (i.e. when negativism, confusion, avarice, ignorance, etc becomes a bane). BG 4.7 || yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata abhyutthanam adharmasya tadatmanam srjamy aham || 

yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati = whenever and wherever there is an alarming decline or degeneration (glanir bhavati) in dharma (dharmic principles, sattvic aspects). Bharata = addressing Arjun - who belonged to the Bharatvansh - the lineage (vansh) of Bharata (Dushyant's son and/or descendent of Puru - Yayati's youngest-born). abhyutthanam adharmasya tadatmanam srjamy aham = only then I manifest Myself (indicative of avatara - earthly form). [Bharata could also imply Bharatavarsha.]

BG 4.8 || paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam dharma-samsthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge-yuge || 

paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam = to curb malevolence/negativities (including the negativism that resides in the hearts and minds of humankind, viz., lethargy, apathy, perfunctoryness, ignorance, moribund discourse, finger-pointing, inertia, and other members of that brood), for the collective good of humanity, sambhavami yuge-yuge = I manifest Myself (sambhavami) yuge-yuge - yug/era after yug/era (time and time again). The focus/objective is to revive/rejuvenate dharma - sattvic or noble aspects/qualities (dharma-samsthapanarthaya) and karm-yog (tangible actions, including selfless/nishkam actions - individual or collaborative - for the larger /collective good ~ for a progressive and vibrant society to emerge). 

... Whenever humankind is bewildered - unable to find a solution or direction, or is hurtling towards the proverbial 'quicksand' (quagmire)... only then, the Eternal Divine Being (Param-atma) manifests (avatara - in earthly form) - to stem the degeneration/downward slide, to stabilize and to revive or rejuvenate (i.e. to bring forth a change of course or a turn-around). To prevent a collapse of basic structure of mankind (or to pull it out from quagmire), and/or to mitigate unpleasant aspects. | In other words: the avatars manifest themselves to help, provide guidance - to correct or reset the course. 

 

The seal bearing the motif of a 3-headed animal representing the bull, unicorn and goat is the seal of Dvarkadheesh Vasudeva Krishna (also known as Keshavah). [Vasudeva = Deity/deva of the Earth (Vasundhara).] The symbology of the Bull: represents Dharma (sattvic aspects, courage of convictions - for the larger good) in Sanaatan Dharmic thought, as well as insignia of the Vrishni. (Vasudeva Krishna, the Lord of Mathura and Dvarka, is also known as Varshneya). The Unicorn (eka-shringa or one-horned horse) is imagery, the 'one-horn' signifies blue lotus (krishna kamal), implying rarity or uniqueness. The goat probably indicates Aries (or maybe, the Mṛgaśira - the constellation Orion - also known as Kaalpurush, meaning: Timeless, Eternal or Ancient; kaal or kaalah = time, in Sanskrit; can also mean: Mahakali or Kalika). ~ The Rig Veda refers to the Orion Constellation as Mriga/Mṛga (The Deer - probably implying "destiny"). 

Keshavah: One whose rays illumine the cosmos (possibly indicative of: motive power and guiding spirit behind the mathematically precise universe; also highest cosmic intelligence [cosmic mind], and supreme or highest enlightenment - the stage where nirvana is attained, the state of a Buddha). Keshavah also means: one who is the three: kah (Brahma), ah (Vishnu) and Isa (Shiva). [Implying 'Satyam-Sivam-Sundaram'.] | Buddha means 'the Enlightened One'. [It implies Supreme or Highest Enlightenment.]

The Srimad Bhagavad Gita is an integrated knowledge stream; it is the enlightening words and wisdom emanating from the greatest of karm-yogi, who is also the highest cosmic intelligence (Feluda's Gyanpeeth and 'Dhakuria Lake'). The greatest of guru. It is soaked in supreme nectar ('amrit' - pijush/piyush). Reading and reflection (adequate cogitation) will lead to comprehension; one can then understand the larger canvas, the greater whole, the big vision (patchy reading or reading it by fits and starts will not do). This way, one can also solve the many puzzles and riddles. And once it is transcribed, or the solution is arrived at, that's it. However, applying logic is essential. One will have to eschew frivolity or trivial aspects and take a broader/holistic view (like the swan [hamsah] that is supposed to possess the ability to separate the water from the cream (in milk). The hamsa's ability to separate milk and water symbolizes the need to intellectually discriminate or differentiate between positive (enduring/durable/essential) aspects and negative/unpleasant (evanescent/ephemeral/trivial) aspects.

BG 10.32: || vādaḥ pravadatām aham || ~ "I am logic of the logician." Can also be interpreted as "and among logicians I am the conclusive truth". 

There are various kinds of books of knowledge, such as the four Vedas, their six supplements, the Vedanta-sutra, books of logic, the Puranas, etc. Adhyatma-vidya, spiritual knowledge - in particular, the Vedanta-sutra - represents the Krishna-avatara. | Among logicians there are different kinds of argument (logic). Supporting one's argument with evidence that also supports the opposing side is called jalpa. Merely trying to defeat one's opponent is called vitanda. [The word vitanda indicates that a logician, not touching the main point or establishing own point of view, merely tries to refute others' viewpoints. It is argument for the sake of argument. Also known as nigraha.] When one merely tries to divert attention by misinterpretation, one engages in chala. | The actual conclusion is called vada (Sanskrit: vādaḥ). This conclusive truth (vādaḥ) is a representation of the Krishna-avatara (Hari-Krishna).