Mythological Analogies

The more traditional and religious among us deeply believe in mythological tales literally. This, to the educated mind, is a rather difficult thing to do. As we see yes or no as the only two options, we tend to choose not to believe in our history, the way it is told. I seek to find a third way, a way made of reasoning and not merely trying to make choices.

I agree, in the way things are shown - arrows multiplying to 20 times, people flying etc., they are  not believable. Brushing aside everything is a mistake I would not do either - for what reason is there for people to write these epic tales in jest. They say that  truth is stranger than fiction and these tales are so complex and full of strange occurrences that it would seem more probable that they are the renditions of actual happenings rather than figments of someone's imagination. And there are too many half evidences to support these tales for them to be not true.

The thing most people don't realize is that there is a third answer, a more realistic and sensible interpretation of all these tales. For example there is mention of things like Brahma Astra, the description of which fits the modern day atomic bombs. In fact the descriptions mention of widespread environmental damage, infertility among people,  land being rendered barren etc. It seems more destructive than the atom bombs modern science has given to us yet. Most probably this refers to a fusion based atomic bomb. Similarly the relatively less powerful Indra Astra seems more to match in description to the modern day atom bomb. The description of ultimate warriors, archers hitting an arrow that multiplies manifold would perhaps be more likely be something like a automatic firing weapon possibly similar to ones we have today. Reference to warriors chanting divine words to summon these weapons is something similar to voice activation or perhaps even remote controlled delivery of missiles. When they speak of a Guru giving his favorite pupil these weapons, it smacks of a similarity to modern day nuclear proliferation. When the tales speak of immaculate conception with the sage giving the princess his fruit, it probably is just an attempt at censorship gone real bad.

The tales are enormous and the impossibilities described in them are countless as well, there is hardly any reason to justify such an enormous effort. It is suffice to say that there are many that we can find analogies to modern achievements, for the rest perhaps modern science has still a long way to go. It is easy to accept things blindly, easier still to reject them as unbelievable but hardest to uncover the true meaning of things.
I see it more as a case of the meaning of words being lost over the years.

Selfless

However much we may want to deny it, but fact remains that man is mostly a selfish creature and human relationships under all the sugar coating and emotional melodrama, are made of selfish intentions primarily. We may say that we love/care about our friends and family, but is it not for some gain or the other always! I won't go into how each of these relationships are for gain - we all know other than the rare exceptions there are sufficient reasons for our love. I tend to not take into account relationships we are born into - i.e. our family. I think trying to evaluate them is somewhat unfair and unrealistic. That being said, I am not saying that each of us has a sinister side that schemes and plots behind relationships on how to exploit them for gains. It is something that we do sub-consciously and often do not realize. So, basically, man is not structured to be selfless towards other people.

Life is the most complex thing there can be and as in all things relating to life in general, there is an exception - a 'but'. There are relationships from which we do not expect anything and in fact after a while we just want to give our everything to it. There are not many people who can claim to having such a relationship - and a person with even one such relationship should consider himself to be very lucky. The feeling you get from a selfless relationship is happiness that doesn't need anything to go your way or for you to gain in any way. You are happy just because the person exists and that there is a bond between you. It doesn't even need the person on the other end to reciprocate. Funnily enough, as mushy as this sounds - it doesn't have to be love. It can also be a platonic friendship too !!

This piece, unlike all my other pieces, doesn't seek to arrive at a solution for a problem or to convey my ideals  or philosophy. It is more of a celebration and acknowledgment of my good fortune on having such a relationship :)