Today was a very uneventful day except if you wanna consider the two presentations on Indian Pharma Industry and the ERP presentation on Change Management can be termed as "Events"- these things have long been out of the events list. Now there is Bandh today here with all the shops closed to protest the arrest of Uma Bharati. With all the shops closed there isnt any great thing to do on a Saturday Night. I am reading the book "Myths and Symbols in Indian Art and Civilisation". After reading the book it is very clear how meaningful and philosophical our tradition and vedic hymns been. In a particular hymn - "SriSuktam" I think if I remember the name exactly, We tell about the qualities of Lakshmi- the divine mother of all earth. There the hymn goes as "Padmakshi, Padmalini...."etc., This is infant the worship of Lotus- the Lotus being taken for the fertility of the earth. To choose Lotus as the sign of fertility itself is a very great symbolism according to the author. Lotus grows only in the marsh lands and that too it blossoms only with the advent of Sun. This explains the nature of life in the world. The life needs both Water and Sun for its sustenance. Also, In the western civilisation too there was reference to the Serpent and the God as opposing forces as it does in Hindu Mythology- remember Kalinga and Krishna? But the main difference between the two is that while in Western Philosophy, serpent and god are viewed as two completely opposing principles, in Indian Philosophy they are understood to be the two different part of the same Infinite Power. Remember the conversation between Kalinga and Krishna when the later dances on his head and then former pleads telling that he had acted as He had decreed him to do and it is by his very nature that Kalinga behaved in the way. Had he not behaved in that way, then he would have not followed the laws of Nature which is still bigger fault. And for this Krishna replies understandingly and let him to go the Ocean and also grants him protection from Garuda. Also only in Hindu Mythology would one find both the Serpent and the enemy of it – Garuda with the god.
Many more mysteries to be deciphered. Still reading the book…….