Our educated parents should learn from Ravan so as not to force the planets into submission.
21.1.24
On the eve of Ram Lala Pran Pratishtha at Ayodhya.
As I turned into the main road from my lane, a newly erected huge bill board blocked my view. A huge picture of Dashanan looked straight into my eyes with his mighty arrows aimed straight into my Ajna Chakra ( at the centre of my forehead.)
I was dumb stuck because, Ravana is not venerated in this part of world. But the gigantic figure definitely has ten heads at the same time also has the robes of the lord Sri ram. I was sure I am getting early cataract. Lately, my sugar level has gone awry. I need to meet my ophthalmologist the first thing tomorrow.
As I neared the bill board, the picture became clear. It is not Ravana, but our very dear lord shri Ram. And Yes, our dear lord has 10 additional heads, 5 on each side. They are the divine faces of the honourable Minister, MP, MLA, state President, our Chairman, Corporator and Councillor in that order. They have joined their heads in the huge hoarding that has reduced the beautiful figure of the divine Sri Ram into the unholy Dashanan. So much for the self advertisement of our time in the name of the Lord.
The billboard also reminded me that both the centre and state governments have declared tomorrow as a Holy Holiday. I started to grin widely at the stroke of luck of getting an unexpected holy holiday. Hardly have I opened my lips to a wide grin, when the phone rang. It was my colleague Gynecologist. I am a Paediatrician in a government hospital.
“We have three CS lined up tomorrow. Please come early.”
“But tomorrow has been declared as a holiday.”
“ These 3 cases have already been scheduled for tomorrow.”
“But last time when I had a peek at your OT list, we did not have a single case scheduled this week.”
“They all had come up just now.”
“Wow, Three, three emergency CS in a single day ! Why are you in such a demand today ? I know that all your cases are pre-booked and your surgeries are planned well in advance. How come we are getting three, three emergences out of blue ? That too unplanned.”
“Non of them have any obstetric emergency.
“Don’t you know that tomorrow is the most auspicious Tithi to beget a son. Tomorrow is Somvaar, Pausha Shukla Paksha Dwadasi.”
“So, what is the deal ? In my 35 years in paediatric, I must have gone through 34 Pausha Shukla Dwadasi earlier. What is so special this year ?”
“Don’t be so naive ? Tomorrow is RLPP Day. ( Ram Lala Pran Pratisthan at Ayodhya.) It has occurred for the first time in 500 years. Don’t be obstinate. Please come to the OT before time tomorrow. I am not sure how many more Ramalalas will be on their way. ”
“ All these three mothers are sure that they are having Ramas only ! Is it not Strange ? Fetal sex determination is illegal.”
“It is none of our business. Lord Ram can take any form, girl or boy. It is his sweet will. After all, Vishnu has taken the form of Mohini during the Sagara Manthan days.”
“But the effects of Graha and Nakshatra will be applicable only when a child comes to this earth naturally. The tithi when these children were conceived inside the womb of the mother are already decided. Can You change that by a forced premature cesarean ? Ravan has tried this at the time of the birth of his eldest son, Indrajit. What happened to him?’
“What is the story of Indrajit’s birth ?’
My Gynaecologist must be relaxing ahead of a heavy day. So I narrated the story of the birth of Indrajit.
“Those were the days when the powerful Ravan had conquered the three worlds of Manav, Danav and Devas. All the Devas and planets were enslaved by him.” I continued.
Ravana was a great astrologer. To make his son immortal, he ( like your clients ) commanded all the planets and constellations to remain in the most auspicious combination. Thus when the time of birth of Ravan’s first-born arrived, all the auspicious planets aligned in such a way that they came in the 11th house of Indrajit’s horoscope. Ravana with his Chandrahas ( the invincible sword given to him by Mahadev) stood in guard in front of the birthing room where Mandodari had gone into labour. Then Mandodari’s sharp cry of birthing pain pierced the air. In the anxiety, Ravan forget about the position of the planets and rushed in. But the ladies drove him out. It was only a false pain. The son had not yet come. Next moment the luscious cry of a vigorous baby came. Meghanada ( Rhumble of the Rolling clouds) also known as Indrajita (conqueror of Indra) was born.
In that moments of confusion, Shanidev (Saturn) the most malevolent planets of all, had slipped from the house of Eleven to the next house and had settled in the 12th house of Meghanada’s horoscope. Saturn at 12th house spelled an early death of Indrajit at the most important duel of his life.
Ravana became furious at this and threw Shani into the solitary confinement inside a blind dungeon in the Ashoka vatika. It is only when Hanuman visited the Ashok vatika in search of Maa Sita, he could hear the whimpers of Shani coming from this dungeon. He broke open the walls of the prison and released Shani dev from years of solitary confinement. On that day, Shani had blessed Hanuman that whoever preys to hanuman will not suffer during his Shani dasha. Since then we have been taught to recite Hanuman chalisa when afflicted by Shani dasha.”
Our educated parents should learn from Ravan so as not to force the planets into submission.”
“Sir, it doesn’t matter what you think. Please come to OT sharp at 8 am even though both the governments have declared tomorrow as a holiday.” Said my Gynecologist and flicked his mobile off.
I stared at the ten heads of lord Rama in the gigantic hoarding in front of me and thought about those faces that have surrounded the divine face.
So powerful yet so contemporary.
This time I grinned.
( This is a work of fiction.)
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