Radha Saptami and Astronomical Insights .... Veda Vyasa and Potanna Shrimad Bhagavatam : Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

 Radha Saptami and Astronomical Insights

Veda Vyasa and Potanna Shrimad Bhagavatam

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

Radha Saptami marks the sacred occasion on which Surya Narayana is worshipped not merely as a source of light, but as the very embodiment of time, motion, and cosmic order. In the Bharatiya (Indian) Tradition, this reverence is never isolated from knowledge, because ritual and understanding move together. It is precisely this integration that Maharshi Veda Vyasa accomplished in Shrimad Bhagavatam, where astronomy is not presented as abstraction, but transformed into living narrative, making cosmic principles accessible to human comprehension.

The distinct greatness of Maharshi Veda Vyasa is that, he transformed astronomy into stories, comprehensible to human life, envisioned time as sons, the axis as Dhruva, motion as a kingdom, and stability as a cosmic realm as the eternal legacy bestowed upon humanity in his great Shri Madhbaghavatam. In the modern era, Padmashri Garikipati Narasimha Rao in his most interesting and celebrated discourses, touching every aspect of ancient literature, in his inimitable style, provided an amazing interpretation, asserting that, within the traditions of Purana, Astronomy, and Philosophy, there exist clear and strong foundations on these perspectives.

In this context, the remarkable fact-based astronomical insights incorporated by Bummera Potanna in his Telugu Shrimad Bhagavatam are extremely fascinating. The annual movement of the Sun at the center of the universe is described as UTTARAYANA, DAKSHINAYANA, and VISHUVA, signifying Sun’s apparent movements to northward (UTTARAYANA) and southward (DAKSHINAYANA). Sun’s apparent movement is slower, resulting in longer days and shorter nights in UTTARAYANA. In DAKSHINAYANA, the movement is faster, leading to shorter days and longer nights. During VISHUVA (Equinox), day and nights are equal, with no increase or decrease.

When the Sun enters the zodiac signs of Aries (Mesha) and Libra (Tula), day and nights are equal in duration. From the day following the Sun’s entry into Aries, daylight gradually increases while night decreases day by day. As the Sun enters Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, and Virgo, each month witnesses an incremental increase of one Ghadi in daytime and a corresponding decrease in nighttime. Conversely, when the Sun enters Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces, each month sees a reduction of one Ghadi in daytime and an increase in nighttime.

The Sun, riding upon his chariot, takes one full day and night to complete a circuit around the Manasottara Mountain, which has a circumference of 98,51,00, 000 Yojanas. To the east of Manasottara lies Devadhani the city of Indra, to the south is Samyamani the city of Yama, to the west is Nimlochani the city of Varuna, and to the north lies Vibhavari the city of the Moon. In accordance with the visible movement of the celestial wheel, morning, midday, sunset, and night come into being. Sunrise and Sunset serve as causes for activity and rest in living beings.

While traveling from the city of Indra to the city of Yama, the Sun traverses a distance of 2,37,75,000 Yojanas in fifteen Ghadis. From Yama’s city he proceeds to Varuna’s city, and from there to Soma’s city. Thus, moving along with the Moon, Planets, and Stars, the only Single Wheel called the Year, of the Sun’s Chariot possesses Twelve Spokes, Six Rims, and Three Hubs. Thus. this single-wheeled chariot travels a distance of 3,408,000 Yojanas in the span of one Muhurta.

Mount Meru, the Polar Center located at the middle of the Earth, functions as the Axle of the Sun’s Chariot. The Puranas describe the Sun as revolving around this Axle and Dhruva Loka exists there, thus carrying a profound astronomical implication. The Sun revolving around Meru symbolically conveys the Earth’s rotation around its own axis. Dhruva star remains fixed above Mount Meru. The surrounding constellations appear to revolve around it. This is a direct astronomical observation. Since Dhruva does not move, it is called ‘The Immovable One.’ The principle that stability is the foundation of cosmic motion is expressed in the Puranas as well.

The winds bound to the Sun’s Chariot regulate the flow of life across the worlds. These winds influence the movement of clouds, rainfall, and changes in temperature. The Puranas clearly state that celestial forces exert a direct influence on physical life. The constellations that revolve around the Sun signify divisions of time. The movement of stars itself constitutes time. Time is not an independent entity, and motion itself is time.

Maharshi Veda Vyasa conveyed this subtle principle through the form of Puranic narrative. Puranas are not tales meant for ignorance. They are metaphors for knowledge. This is the marvel of the Indian intellect, which made cosmic principles comprehensible even to the common person without knowledge of mathematics. Thus, the story of Dhruva also stands as an answer to fundamental questions such as what supports time, how cosmic motion occurs, and why stability is essential. In Vyasa Maharshi’s vision, a Purana is the axis that sustains time. Vyasa shaped this principle of Dhruva into a narrative. That is the eternal legacy he has bestowed upon humanity.

Jyeshtha, Shatabhisha, Agastya, Yama, Agarak (the Mars), Shani (the Saturn), Guru (the Jupiter), Ravi (the Sun), Shukra (the Venus), Chandra (the Moon), the Ashwini deities, Budha (the Mercury), Rahu, Ketu, rest of all the stars, and in the heart Narayana, is the divine body of Pundarikaksha who is composed of all deities. This Shinshu Mara chakra is very sacred, and hence its form that shines in this astrological form should be praised saying ‘Vandanam, Vandanam’ (Salutations, Salutations).

Below the Sun, at a distance of ten thousand Yojanas, the planet Rahu, the lowest among demons and is not fit for immortality, exists in a reverse path. The diameter of the solar sphere has a spread of ten thousand Yojanas. The diameter of the Lunar Sphere is 12000 Yojanas. During certain times, Rahu completely covers either the solar sphere or the lunar sphere. Seeing that, the people living on the Earth say that an eclipse has occurred. Fearing that Vishnu’s Sudarshana Chakra may come, Rahu leaves the eclipse within five or six Ghadis. Below Rahu, at a distance of ten thousand yojanas, Pisachas and Rakshasas remain serving, while Yakshas and ghosts and spirits move about. Below the region where Yakshas, ghosts, and spirits move, there exists the cloud sphere. This moves along with the wind. Below the cloud sphere exists the Earth sphere.

Bhagavata by Vedavyasa and its faithful rendering into Telugu by Bummera Potanna, explains such wonderful, interesting, astronomical matters briefly, beautifully, and in a manner easily understandable to all. It begins with the verse the meaning of which is that, the creation, sustenance, and dissolution of the universe are established only by that Supreme Being. Creation itself comes into existence only because of the existence of the Supreme Being.

Shrimad Bhagavata is the essence of the story of Lord Mahavishnu and his incarnations, discoursed by Sage Suta. The Universe has only one Supreme Being, who alone performs the acts of Creation, Stabilization, and Destruction (Srushti, Sthiti, Laya) in the form of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. The Lord Vishnu who took 21 incarnations such as Sri Rama, Sri Krishna, Vamana, Narasimha etc. granted auspiciousness to all. The next and 22^nd incarnation ‘Kalki’ is said to be due at the end of Kali Yuga, to be born to a Brahmin named Vishnu Yasha.

Vedavyasa and Potanna narrated the complete history of these incarnations in the Bhagavata text of twelve skandhas (parts). Vedavyasa made his son Shuka Maharshi to study it in its entirety, and he narrated it to King Parikshit. Even if the Vedas are read a thousand times, liberation may not be obtained, but either by reading or by merely hearing Bhagavata, liberation is attained. On the sacred occasion of Radha Saptami, Sage Vyasa’s vision of the axis of time and the vast expanse of astronomical knowledge stands par excellence, supreme and outstanding, for discerning followers of Sanatana Dharma.

(PHOTOS COURTESY RAMA BHAKTA JOGESH)

SOCIEITES PROSPER FROM PRESERVATION OF DIGNITY NOT BY DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH: TRIJATA’S STORY By Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

 SOCIEITES PROSPER FROM PRESERVATION OF DIGNITY

NOT BY DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH: TRIJATA’S STORY

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

The Hans India (25-01-2026)

              {{In a world where assistance often creates silent hierarchies between the giver and the receiver, Rama’s approach stands apart. He recognized poverty without romanticizing it, acknowledged weakness without exploiting it, and offered support without humiliation}}-Editor’s Synoptic Note

The Supreme Court’s recent observation on January 21, 2026, regarding “Distribution of State Largesse to individuals at a large scale which is different from investing it in public welfare schemes, and questioning governments, why there was no dedicated diversion of revenue surplus for developmental purposes” prompted me to recapitulate an interesting story in Valmiki Ramayana and in its faithful rendering in ‘Telugu Mandaram’ by Andhra Valmiki Vasudasa Swamy.

Lord Rama before leaving for forests with his wife Sita Devi, instructed his brother Lakshmana who was also to accompany him that, all his wealth must be distributed carefully, among the needy only, and by thus, honoring every worthy soul, like Brahmanas, Vedic Scholars, Servants, Students, Ascetics, Dependents etc. Rama adored and adorned Suyajna son of Vasishta with precious ornaments and valuables. Agastya and Kausika with generous gifts were honored. To gratify their father’s long-standing charioteer, Chitraratha he gave gifts. Lakshmana distributed wealth and remaining riches accordingly. Rama ensured that no one associated with him felt abandoned. True leadership departs only after securing the wellbeing of all.

Meanwhile, by divine ordinance, a Brahmin named Trijata happened to be residing in the city of Ayodhya at that time. Andhra Valmiki Vavilikolanu Subbarau, in his timeless Ramayana Mandaram, narrated this episode so vividly that its true essence can be grasped only by reading it in full. Trijata lived in utter poverty. He did not even possess a plough. His body was unclean, his nails long and hardened like sickles used for cutting fruits. He had taken up to ‘Unchavṛtti,’ living by gleaning grains, a specific ancient practice of austerity or a method of livelihood in Hinduism.

‘Gleaning’ literally refers to the practice of subsisting only upon the stray grains of corn or seeds that have dropped on the ground around barns or threshing floors, rather than actively harvesting or begging for food. He wandered through forests all day, immersed in destitution. Having grown extremely old, he could not walk steadily and moved about swaying. Born in the Garga lineage, he struggled with great difficulty to protect his devoted wife and young children. Owing to prolonged poverty, his body appeared emaciated and decayed, resembling a worm-eaten frame.

His ‘Pativrata Wife’ filled with concern, offered him counsel. She advised him to abandon his digging tools and go to seek the Darshana of Sri Ramachandra, asking him to state humbly that he was a poor man burdened with wife and children.

‘Pativrata’ refers to a concept in Hinduism describing a wife's supreme loyalty, devotion, and fidelity to her husband, viewing him as a divine figure (Paramatma), and dedicating her mind, body, and speech to his service, embodying chastity, and unwavering commitment, like legendary figures such as Sita or Savitri. It signified an ideal of marital devotion, but interpretations vary, focusing on deep emotional connection and commitment rather than mere subservience. 

She assured Trijata that the righteous and compassionate Rama would certainly grant some assistance. Accepting her words, Trijata attempted to conceal the tears in his tattered garment but failed. Just as he was, he set out for Rama’s residence. Though poor in sustenance, his ascetic radiance, earned through penance and comparable to that of Angiirasa and Bhrugu, ensured that no one obstructed him. Moreover, Sri Rama had already issued a command that no visitor should be stopped from entering up to the fifth inner chamber of the palace. Thus, Trijata passed through unhindered. Reaching the presence of Sri Rama, Trijata humbly submitted that he was an exceedingly poor Brahmin, burdened with wife and many children, living by Unchavṛtti, and sought compassion.

For sustaining the body and protecting the family, a householder may acquire wealth through means not forbidden by Sastra. Since accepting gifts was included among Brahmin duties, it was not prohibited. Further, Trijata’s request, made solely for bodily maintenance and family protection, was therefore not sinful. Though a Brahmin should neither hoard wealth nor habitually beg for it, Manu enjoins that aged parents, a devoted wife, and tender children must be protected, even by undertaking a hundred tasks if necessary. Hence, Trijata’s appeal was not improper. Kuchela (Srikrishna’s childhood friend) was cited as an example of restraint, yet necessity justified Trijata’s supplication.

Seeing that such an aged ascetic had been compelled to seek assistance for the sake of his family, Rama resolved to test his spiritual power and at the same time remove the ‘blemish of begging.’

Addressing Trijata as a noble soul, He stated that there were still thousands of cows in the royal herds awaiting donation. He directed that a stick be taken and hurled toward the herd, declaring that all the cows lying between the point where it fell, and His (Rama) presence, would be granted, and asked that physical strength be displayed.

Trijata tightened the frayed ends of his hanging garment so that they would not slip. Holding the stick firmly in his right hand, placing his feet securely, clenching his teeth, and summoning all his life force, he spun the staff and hurled it forcefully toward the cattle. Although Sri Rama had already resolved in His heart to bestow all the cows, He wished to reveal the ‘Brahmin’s hidden potency.’ His words were not spoken in mockery, nor did they cause Trijata any pain. By requiring effort, Sri Rama ‘transformed the act of charity into earned merit,’ thereby removing the stigma of solicitation.

The stick hurled by the Brahmin flew past the cow herds grazing near the Sarayu River and fell close to the bulls beyond. Overcome with affection, Sri Rama embraced the foremost of Brahmins. He instructed the cowherds to drive all the cows grazing along the banks of the Sarayu to Trijata’s hermitage and release them there. Sri Rama then sought forgiveness, explaining that although Trijata’s body was weakened by age and lack of nourishment, the words spoken were intended only to reveal his divine brilliance to all and were uttered in gentle sport, not to deny the gift of cows.

Rama further declared that, royal wealth existed solely for the protection of needy including Brahmins, but not for personal enjoyment, and even if it were entirely bestowed upon exalted souls such as Trijata, it would only bring renown and joy. In response, Trijata stated that, he had no attachment to wealth. He blessed Sri Rama with fame, strength, joy, and incomparable happiness, and departed with his wife and the cows to his hermitage.

Thus, Rama’s conduct unfolds and perfectly reveals leadership grounded in compassion, and Sita’s silent participation sanctifies every act. In an age driven by haste and self-interest, this episode teaches that true change must first be just, inclusive, and humane.

The episode of Trijata, when viewed in a contemporary light, offers a timeless lesson in how compassion must be exercised without diminishing dignity. Rama did not merely give charity, and instead, he restored self-respect. By transforming alms into effort, and need into opportunity, he ensured that the recipient remained a participant, not a dependent.

In a world where assistance often creates silent hierarchies between the giver and the receiver, Rama’s approach stands apart. He recognized poverty without romanticizing it, acknowledged weakness without exploiting it, and offered support without humiliation. The Trijata episode thus becomes more than an act of generosity. It becomes a template for ethical leadership, where responsibility is shouldered by the strong, effort is honored in the weak, and compassion uplifts without condescension.

In every age, societies prosper not merely by the distribution of wealth, but by the preservation of dignity. When public generosity degenerates into competitive promises rather than moral commitment, and when ‘Ramarajya’ is invoked endlessly in speech but abandoned in practice, the spirit of Rama’s compassion is reduced to slogan rather than governance. (PHOTOS COURTESY RAMA BHAKTA JOGESH)

A Quiet, Unsettling Study of Integrity Under Pressure ..... (Taskaree: The Smuggler's Web on Netflix) : Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

 A Quiet, Unsettling Study of Integrity Under Pressure

(Taskaree: The Smuggler's Web on Netflix)

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

(January 23, 2026)

‘Taskaree: The Smuggler’s Web Series’ (January 14, 2026 release on Netflix) watched by me and my wife on my daughter Kinnera’s suggestion, in appearance as a crime thriller, messages how integrity erodes under pressure, corruption seduces rather than threatens, and how honest individuals can fall to persistent personal temptation. The series places gold smuggling through Mumabi Airport at its core, not merely as an illegal activity, but as a sophisticated psychological game between smugglers and officers. The real conflict is not between law and crime, but between conscience and compromise.

The central idea of Taskaree is deceptively simple. Smugglers do not break systems. They bend people. Episodes (directed by either Neeraj Pandey, or Raghav M Jairath, or BA Fida, written by Vipul K Rawal, Neeraj Pandey) explores a variation of this idea, showing how Customs Officers in Airports, tasked with protecting national interest, are approached, and tempted. The smugglers operate with intelligence not with brute force. They observe weaknesses such as financial stress, ego, loneliness, professional frustration, family pressure of officers. Corruption was depicted only subtly.

Characteristically, Taskaree presents Customs Officials as deeply human, competent, disciplined, and aware of their responsibilities, but are also vulnerable. Some officers stand firm, refusing bribes despite repeated lures. Their honesty however, is not portrayed as heroic glamour. It is lonely. It comes with personal cost, missed opportunities, financial strain, tense family relationships, and professional isolation. The series shows how corruption rarely begins with greed, but it begins with justification in its own way.

The brilliance lies in how Taskaree shows honesty and dishonesty coexisting within the same individual, long before any visible crime is committed. The smugglers too are not loud or theatrical. They are calm, polite, and disturbingly reasonable. They understand that force invites resistance, but temptation invites participation. They study officers like chess pieces, never rushing a move, never pushing too hard. When an officer refuses, they retreat politely, only to return later under different circumstances. The series subtly suggests that smuggling survives not because of weak laws, but because human beings are predictable under pressure.

For officers who spend years enforcing the law with modest salaries and high responsibility, gold represents a shortcut to stability. The show never justifies accepting bribes, but it forces the viewer to understand why the offer is tempting. The most powerful and tragic curve in the series belongs to the character Prakash Kumar (Anurag Sinha) an IRS Officer, regarded as the best and most principled officer; disciplined, respected, and appears immune to compromise. Early episodes almost position him as a moral anchor, the proof that integrity can survive. Prakash does not fall suddenly. He resisted. But over time, isolation, professional fatigue, subtle manipulation, and the quiet belief that he is smarter than the system begin to take hold. When he is finally caught, it does not feel triumphant. It feels tragic.

Fall of Prakash serves as the series’ central warning that, if even the best can fall, no one is untouchable. The series portrays his corruption self-deception rather betrayal. Taskaree does not offer comforting conclusions about justice. Some corrupt officers are caught, but others are not. Some honest officers are rewarded and many are sidelined. The system is shown as reactive, not omnipotent. Enforcement depends on individuals, and individuals are flawed. This realism gives the series its emotional weight. The final episodes do not resolve corruption, but they expose it. The message is clear that, systems survive, but integrity depends on personal vigilance.

The first Episode, ‘Customs Vs Popat’: Amid mounting pressure to curb smuggling at Mumabi Airport, IRS Officer Prakash Kumar takes charge and ends Customs Superintendent Arjun Meena’s (Syed Emraan Anwar Hashmi) suspension so that he can lead the team. Thus, the series opens inside the disciplined yet pressured world of Customs Enforcement. Officers are shown as professionals, but also as men with families, financial limits, and silent anxieties. Gold smuggling is introduced not as spectacle, but as an invisible current flowing through airports and ports. Smugglers are depicted as watching, learning, and waiting. Officers, some idealistic, some cautious, some quietly frustrated are seen on the screen. Among them stands Prakash, respected for his integrity and methodical work.

In the second Episode titled ‘Bada Choudhary’ Arjun forms his A-Team with formerly suspended officers, Meena as the strategist, Mitali Kamat (Amruta Khanvilkar) as specialist in tracking high-value goods, and Ravinder Gujjar (Nandish Sandhu), as the fearless and principled muscle. Prakash tasks them with taking down the Bada Choudhary (Sharad Kelkar) Syndicate. Smugglers begin their engagement with familiarity not bribes, such as casual conversations, shared spaces, small favors. The officers sense something, but nothing is explicit enough to report. Honesty is shown as a conscious effort. Prakash notices these shifts but believes discipline alone can hold the line. Gold seizures occur, reminding everyone of the stakes.  

In ‘The Priya Story’ in third Episode, caught smuggling gold by Arjun, flight attendant Priya Khubchandani (Zoya Afroz) goes undercover for him. The ‘World Customs Conference’ offers a chance to trap the smugglers. This episode marks the first moral slip. One officer, burdened by personal pressure, rationalizes a small compromise. Meanwhile, honest officers begin to feel isolated. Their refusal brings no reward, only suspicion and stalled growth. Prakash remains upright, but cracks begin to show as he shoulders increasing responsibility.

In the fourth Episode, ‘Operation Longshot’ the customs team mounts a large-scale sting to intercept gold smugglers converging on Mumbai. Bada Choudhary senses something wrong. In fact, by then, corruption has become procedural. Some officers actively assist smuggling, others remain silent. The system continues to function, but hollowed from within. Honest officers are sidelined, and are subtly labeled ‘difficult.’ Enforcement appears successful on paper, but reality says otherwise. The episode highlights how corruption thrives not through rebellion, but through accommodation.

The Fifth Episode ‘Hum Coin Hain’ centers on Prakash. Long resistant, he now stands at the crossroads. In a sudden twist, Prakash is sent to Bangkok where he meets Bada Choudhary. The offer made to Prakash is not crude. Instead, it appeals to logic, experience, and entitlement. He convinces himself he can control the outcome. Once he crosses the line, even slightly, the shift is immediate. The smugglers gain confidence. Others follow his lead. Meanwhile, the search of a suspect’s home leads the officers to a troubling incident.

In the sixth Episode ‘Darr Ka Dhanda’ the Choudhary Syndicate strikes back with violence and intimidation against the Customs Officers and Ravinder’s reckless move drags him deeper into trouble. Pressure mounts. Surveillance intensifies. Those who once felt safe now in panic. Trust collapses. Prakash struggles to maintain control, but the very intelligence that protected him now traps him. Honest officers watch silently. The smugglers retreat, leaving compromised officers exposed. Loyalty proves one-sided.

In the seventh and final Episode ‘Kahani Khatam’ Arjun gets crucial information from Shrikant Saxena (Virendra Saxena). As the syndicate tries one final gold smuggling run, the Officer Arjun stops them despite Prakash supporting the smugglers. The final episode avoids drama and embraces truth. Prakash is caught, not as a villain, but as a warning. His reputation collapses faster than his career. The system moves on, largely unchanged. Some honest officers remain, bruised but intact. Others resign themselves to survival over ideals. Smuggling continues, altered but alive.

Taskaree is a powerful meditation on the fragile balance between honesty and dishonesty, survival and integrity, duty, and desire. Through the world of Customs Officers and Gold Smuggling, it reveals how corruption rarely begins with greed, but it begins with pressure, justification, and silence. Smugglers succeed not by breaking laws, but by bending people. Hence, integrity is not permanent. Some officers choose honesty and pay its price. Others choose survival and live with consequence.

(PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY INTERNET GOOGLE SEARCH)

ప్రద్యుమ్న కుమార, సత్రాజిత్తు, శ్యమంతకమణి వృత్తాంతం ...... శ్రీ మహాభాగవత కథ-69 : వనం జ్వాలా నరసింహారావు

 ప్రద్యుమ్న కుమార, సత్రాజిత్తు, శ్యమంతకమణి వృత్తాంతం

 శ్రీ మహాభాగవత కథ-69

వనం జ్వాలా నరసింహారావు

సూర్యదినపత్రిక (19-01-2026)

కంII             చదివెడిది భాగవతమిది,

చదివించును కృష్ణు, డమృతఝరి పోతనయున్

                             చదివినను ముక్తి కలుగును,

చదివెద నిర్విఘ్నరీతి ‘జ్వాలా’ మతినై

విష్ణుమూర్తి అంశతో జన్మించిన మన్మథుడు పరమశివుడి కంటి మంటలకు ఆహుతై, శరీరాన్ని కోల్పోయి, ఆయన్నే మళ్లీ ప్రార్థించి, ఆయన కృపాకటాక్షంతో రుక్మిణీ శ్రీకృష్ణులకు కుమారుడిగా జన్మించాడు. ప్రద్యుమ్నుడు అనే పేరుతో అతిలోక సుందరుడిగా వెలుగొందాడు. అతడు బాలుడిగా పురిటి గదిలో వున్నప్పుడే, శంబరుడనే రాక్షసుడు శిశువుని అపహరించి సముద్రంలో పారవేయగా ఆ శిశువును ఒక పెద్ద చేప మింగింది. ఆ చేపను జాలరులు పట్టుకున్నారు. దాన్ని తెచ్చి రాక్షసరాజైన శంబరాసురుడికి కానుకగా ఇచ్చారు. చేపను వండమని వంటశాలకు పంపాడు రాజు. వంటవాళ్లు దాన్ని కోసేసరికి అందులో రాచబిడ్డ (ప్రద్యుమ్నుడు) కనిపించాడు. వారా విషయాన్ని రతీదేవి (మన్మథుడి భార్య) కి చెప్పారు. ఆమెకేమీ అర్థం కాలేదు. అదే సమయంలో నారదుడు వచ్చి అసలు విషయం ఆమెకు చెప్పాడు. మాయావతి అనే పేరుతో రతీదేవి, ఆ శిశువును (తన భర్తను) పెంచి పెద్ద చేయడానికి శంబరాసురుడి అనుమతి తీసుకుంది.

రతీదేవి పెంచుతున్న ప్రద్యుమ్నుడు శీఘ్రకాలంలోనే పెరిగి పెద్దవాడయ్యాడు. మన్మథుడి లాగా, వర్ణనాతీతమైన సౌందర్యంతో ప్రద్యుమ్నుడు ప్రకాశించాడు. మాయావతి పేరుతో మెలగుతున్న రతీదేవి ప్రద్యుమ్నుడిని మోహించి, తన కోరికను చూపులతో ప్రకటించింది. ఆమెను మోహ దృష్టి నుండి మరల్చడానికి ప్రద్యుమ్నుడు ప్రయత్నించాడు. తాను ఆమెకు కొడుకుననీ, తనను మోహించడం ధర్మం కాదనీ అన్నాడు. రతీదేవి జరిగిన విషయమంతా చెప్పింది. పూర్వం తామిద్దరం భార్యాభర్తలమని అప్పటి వరకు జరిగినందంతా వివరించింది. మాయావైన శంబరాసురుడిని వధించమంటుంది. శత్రువుల మాయలు నశింపజేసే ‘మహామాయా విద్య’ను ఉపదేశించింది ప్రద్యుమ్నుడికి. ఆయన వెంటనే శంబరాసురుడి మీదికి యుద్ధానికి పోయాడు. యుద్ధంలో ప్రద్యుమ్నుడు శంబరాసురుడిని సంహరించాడు.

శంబరాసురుడిని చంపిన తన భర్త ప్రద్యుమ్నుడితో రతీదేవి ఆకాశమార్గంలో ద్వారకానగరం పైభాగం వద్దకు వచ్చింది. అక్కడి నుండి అంతఃపురానికి వచ్చారు. అక్కడున్న అంతఃపుర కాంతలు అందగాడైన ప్రద్యుమ్నుడిని చూసి అతడు శ్రీకృష్ణుడే అనుకున్నారు. చివరకు అతడు కృష్ణుడి లాగానే వున్నాడు కాని కృష్ణుడు కాదని నిర్ణయించారు. ఈ విషయం రుక్మిణీదేవికి తెలిసింది. ఆమె కూడా ప్రద్యుమ్నుడిని చూడడానికి వెళ్లింది. చూసి, ఒక్క నిమిషం పుత్ర వాత్సల్యంతో తొట్రుపడి, తన మనోభావాన్ని చెలికత్తెకు చెప్పింది. తనకు ఎక్కడలేని సంతోషం కలుగుతున్నదని అన్నది. పాలిండ్ల నుండి పాలు స్రవిస్తున్నాయని చెప్పింది. అతడు తన కుమారుడేమో అని తర్కించడం మొదలుపెట్టింది. ఏం చేయాల్నో తోచలేదు.

శ్రీకృష్ణుడికి సమస్తం తెలిసినా ఏమీ అనలేదు బయటకు. తల్లిదండ్రులైన దేవకీవసుదేవులను వెంటబెట్టుకుని ప్రద్యుమ్నుడున్న ప్రదేశానికి వచ్చాడు. ఆ సమయంలో నారదుడు అక్కడికి వచ్చి, శంబరుడు శిశువును ఎత్తుకు పోయిన దగ్గరి నుండి సమస్త విషయాలు తెలియచేశాడు అందరికి. రుక్మిణీదేవి కుమారుడిని కౌగలించుకుని పరమానందం పొందింది. ఆనందాశ్రువులు రాల్చింది.

ఇదిలా వుండగా, సత్రాజిత్తు అనే వాడు సూర్యభగవానుడి వరప్రసాదం వల్ల శ్యమంతకమణిని పొందాడు. దాన్ని మెడలో ధరించి, ప్రకాశిస్తూ, ద్వారకనగరానికి వచ్చిన అతడిని చూసి ద్వారకావాసులంతా సూర్యుడని భ్రమించి, అ ఆవిషయాన్ని కృష్ణుడికి చెప్పారు. అతడు సూర్యుడు కాదని, మణి ధరించి వున్న సత్రాజిత్తని, చెప్పాడు వారికి కృష్ణుడు. అనర్ఘమైన శ్యమంతకమణి ప్రతి దినం ఎనిమిది బారువుల బంగారం ఇస్తుంది. ఆ మణిని యాదవ ప్రభువుకు ఇమ్మని అడిగాడు కృష్ణుడు. సత్రాజిత్తు దానికి అంగీకరించలేదు.

ఒకనాడు సత్రాజిత్తు తమ్ముడైన ప్రసేనుడు మణిని ధరించి వేటకు పోయాడు. అతడిని అడవిలో ఒక సింహం చంపి, మణిని తీసుకుని పరుగెత్తుతుంటే, భల్లూక రాజైన జాంబవంతుడు సింహాన్ని వధించి మణిని తీసుకునిపోయి ఆయన వుంటున్న కొండ గుహలో తన కూతురు ఆడుకోవడానికి ఇచ్చాడు. ప్రసేనుడు తిరిగి రాకపోవడంతో కృష్ణుడే మణిని అపహరించాడని నింద మోపాడు సత్రాజిత్తు. తన మీద పడ్డ నిందను తుడిచేసుకోవడానికి శ్రీకృష్ణుడు ప్రసేనుడిని వెతుక్కుంటూ పోయాడు. అడవిలో ప్రసేనుడి శవాన్ని, అతడిని చంపిన సింహాన్ని చూసి, ఆ తరువాత గుహలోకి పోయిన ఎలుగుబంటి నివాసాన్ని చూశాడు. గుహలోకి ఒక్కడే ప్రవేశించాడు. అందులో ఒక బాలిక ఆట వస్తువుగా వేలాడుతున్న శ్యమంతకమణిని చూసి, దాన్ని తీసుకుపోవడానికి ప్రయత్నించాడు. కృష్ణుడిని చూసిన ఆ బాలిక అరచింది. అది విని జాంబవంతుడు అక్కడికి వచ్చి కృష్ణుడిని చూశాడు.

కృష్ణుడు త్రేతాయుగంలో తన ప్రభువైన శ్రీరామచంద్రమూర్తేనని గ్రహించలేక యుద్ధానికి తలపడ్డాడు. ఘోరాతిఘోరంగా ఇరువురు 28 రోజులపాటు యుద్ధం చేశారు. శరీరం అంతా పిండి పిండై పోయి, పూర్తిగా అలసిపోయిన జాంబవంతుడు, కృష్ణుడే శ్రీరాముడు అన్న నిర్ణయానికి వచ్చాడు. వెంటనే స్తోత్రం చేయసాగాడు. ఆయన్ను గుర్తించలేక అపరాధం చేశానని క్షమించమని వేడుకున్నాడు. ప్రసన్నుడైన కృష్ణుడు జాంబవంతుడి శరీరాన్ని తుడిచి, గాయాలను మాన్పి, తనపై పడ్డ నిందను గురించి చెప్పాడు. శ్యమంతకమణిని, దానితో పాటు తన కుమార్తె జాంబవతిని కృష్ణుడికి కానుకగా ఇచ్చాడు జాంబవంతుడు. శ్యమంతకమణిని, కన్యామణిని తీసుకుని శ్రీకృష్ణుడు ద్వారకా నగరానికి చేరుకున్నాడు.

కృష్ణుడు జాంబవతీ దేవిని పత్నిగా స్వీకరించాడు. తరువాత సత్రాజిత్తును రాజసభకు పిలిపించి జరిగిన వృత్తాంతాన్ని చెప్పి మణిని ఇచ్చాడు. సత్రాజిత్తు తానన్న మాటలకు పశ్చాత్తాప పడ్డాడు. తాను చేసిన తప్పును గురించి పరిపరి విధాలుగా ఆలోచించిన సత్రాజిత్తు దానికి పరిహారంగా, శ్యమంతకమణితో పాటు తన కూతురు సత్యభామను శ్రీకృష్ణుడికి సమర్పించాడు. సత్యభామను శ్రీకృష్ణుడు వివాహమాడాడు. కృష్ణుడు మణిని తిరిగి సత్రాజిత్తుకు ఇచ్చివేశాడు.

ఇది జరుగుతున్న సమయంలోనే పాండవులు తల్లితో సహా లక్క ఇంట్లో దగ్ధమైపోయారన్న వార్త కృష్ణుడికి తెలిసింది. శ్రీకృష్ణుడు బలరాముడితో కలిసి హస్తినాపురానికి వెళ్ళాడు. ఆయన లేని సమయంలో అక్రూరుడు, కృతవర్మ మొదలైన కొందరు యాదవ ప్రముఖులు శతధన్వుడి దగ్గరికి వెళ్లి, సత్రాజిత్తు దగ్గర వున్న మణిని సంగ్రహించమని ప్రేరేపించారు. అతడు ఒకనాడు సత్రాజిత్తును క్రూరంగా చంపి, శ్యమంతకమణిని తీసుకుని పారిపోయాడు. తండ్రిని చంపిన విషయాన్ని కృష్ణుడికి చెప్పడానికి సత్యభామ హస్తినకు వెళ్లింది. సవిస్తరంగా విన్న కృష్ణుడు, ద్వారకకు పోయి శతధన్వుడిని చంపుతానన్నాడు. శతధన్వుడు భయపడి కృతవర్మ, అక్రూరుల సహాయం కోరాడు. వారు తమ నిస్సహాయతను వ్యక్తపరిచారు. మణిని అక్రూరుడి దగ్గర దాచిపెట్టి, పారిపోయాడు శతధన్వుడు. పారిపోతున్న వాడిని తన సుదర్శన చక్రంతో సంహరించాడు కృష్ణుడు. వాడి దగ్గర కృష్ణుడికి మణి కనిపించలేదు. వెతకమని చెప్పి బలరాముడు, విదేహదేశాదిపతిని చూడడానికి మిథిలానగరం పోయాడు. కొన్ని సంవత్సరాలపాటు అక్కడే వుండిపోయాడు బలరాముడు. అప్పుడే దుర్యోధనుడు అతడి శిష్యరికంలో గదా విద్యను నేర్చుకున్నాడు.

ద్వారకకు చేరుకున్న కృష్ణుడు సత్యభామకు అన్ని విషయాలు చెప్పాడు. సత్రాజిత్తుకు పరలోక క్రియలు చేయించాడు. ఈ లోగా అక్రూరుడు, కృతవర్మ కృష్ణుడికి భయపడి పారిపోయారు. అక్రూరుడు లేని ద్వారకలో వర్షాలు పడకపోవడంతో ఆయన్ను క్షమించి పిలిపించమని కృష్ణుడిని కోరారు వృద్ధజనులు. కృష్ణుడు దూతలను పంపించి అక్రూరుడిని పిలిపించాడు. అక్రూరుడు తన దగ్గర దాచి వుంచిన శ్యమంతకమణిని కృష్ణుడి చేతిలో పెట్టాడు. కృష్ణుడు దాన్ని బంధువులందరికీ చూపించాడు. తిరిగి దాన్ని అక్రూరిడికే ఇచ్చివేశాడు.                        

          (బమ్మెర పోతన శ్రీమహాభాగవతం, రామకృష్ణ మఠం ప్రచురణ ఆధారంగా)

The Great Communist Party of India: A Cry for Revitalization {THE CPI CENTENARY PUBLIC MEETING IS TO BE HELD TODAY AT KHAMMAM} : Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

 The Great Communist Party of India 

A Cry for Revitalization

{THE CPI CENTENARY PUBLIC MEETING 

IS TO BE HELD TODAY AT KHAMMAM}

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

The Hans India (January 18, 2026)

{{Communism in India stands today at crossroads where memory competes with forgetfulness, ritual with renewal, and organizational survival with ideological relevance. The centenary therefore demands alongside self-congratulation and ritualistic nostalgia, a serious engagement with the CPI great journey through its genesis, historical necessity, philosophical depth, heroic evolution, painful degeneration, and above all, the compelling need for its resurrection as a people’s movement, for which it was known}} – Editor’s Synoptic Note

As an academic observer and political commentator, my emotional, academic, and political formation has been inseparable from the soil, struggles, and sacrifices by the less known left-right comrades, especially in the villages including mine in Mudigonda Mandal of Khammam District. There, once upon a time, communism was not an imported ideology, but a culture absorbed through people, movements, and lived experience over decades.

My engagement with the Communist Movement evolved through study, association, agreement, disagreement, satisfaction, disappointment, with enduring commitment. Every time Contemporary Indian Communist Rich History inspired me with hope, wielded influence, or suffered decline I became a critique.

Hence, the announcement of the ‘Massive CPI Centenary Public Meeting’ in Khammam, on January 18, 2026, in which delegates from nearly 40 countries are expected to attend, propels me to place these reflections together contextualizing. Yet another reason is, CPI TG State Secretary referring to global and national political developments, hinting at Communist Party adapting to changing conditions while remaining committed to fundamental ideology. 

Hence this reflection is to caution, not to criticize, and to subtly warn it against self-inflicted erosion, with no intention absolutely to weaken the CPI movement. I unequivocally believe that, when communism falters, society moves to static from dynamic, giving way to inequality, authoritarianism, and communal hatred. Come what may, the Communist Ideology, especially, in practice must not be allowed to wither away into ritual, irrelevance, or resignation. 

CPI Centenary Grandeur shall be viewed as a historical summons. Hundred years of an extraordinary political journey is both a matter of celebration and a moment of reckoning. Communism in India stands today at crossroads where memory competes with forgetfulness, ritual with renewal, and organizational survival with ideological relevance. The centenary therefore demands alongside self-congratulation and ritualistic nostalgia, a serious engagement with the CPI Great journey through its genesis, historical necessity, philosophical depth, heroic evolution, painful degeneration, and above all, the compelling need for its resurrection as a people’s movement, for which it was known.

This is not an exercise in factional arithmetic, Left, Right, Centre, Moderate or Extreme, but a conscious attempt to reclaim the communist idea as a civilizational intervention rooted in human emancipation. When communism weakens, the vacuum is never neutral and It is filled by unrestrained capital. The Communist Movement did not arise as a conspiracy. It was not an abstract ideological imposition, but born out of the concrete suffering of humanity.

Karl Marx did not invent exploitation. He analyzed it, and offered not a dogma, but a method, a scientific and ethical framework to understand society and transform it. At its core Communism lay a profoundly humanist vision. Communism in India emerged as part of the broader anti-imperialist and anti-feudal struggle. It spoke to a society crushed under colonial exploitation, landlordism, caste oppression, and mass poverty. Communists of yester years, whether Leaders or Frontline Cadre, were not armchair theoreticians. They were essentially organizers, underground revolutionaries, trade unionists, peasant leaders, freedom fighters, and much more.

 The Communist Party was conceived not as an electoral machine but as a moral and political vanguard of the oppressed. Its early cadres embodied austerity, courage, and discipline. They believed, sometimes with tragic excesses, that history could be accelerated through conscious action guided by theory. Marxism offered more than slogans. Dialectical Materialism provided a way to comprehend change, not as a linear progression but as a process driven by contradictions. Society was understood as a dynamic totality where economic relations shaped politics, culture, and ideology. History was depicted as class struggles.

In the Indian context, this framework was adapted to analyze colonial capitalism, semi-feudal agrarian relations and the complex realities of caste and community. The idea of a People’s Democratic Revolution, preceding socialism, sought to address India’s specific conditions. Land to the tiller, rights to labor, dignity to the oppressed, and these were not abstract ideals but immediate tasks. Equally important was the communist conception of the Party itself. Democratic centralism, collective leadership, ideological struggle within organizational unity, and a continuous process of self-rectification has been the core practical theology.

The history of the Communist Movement in India from the Internationally Acclaimed Telangana Armed Struggle to Historic Trade Union Battles, from Peasant Uprisings to Anti-Emergency Resistance as well as organizing Civil Liberites Movements, communists consistently placed themselves on the frontlines of popular resistance.

Through the Party’s entry into parliamentary politics for decades, communists demonstrated that electoral participation need not dilute class politics. In several aspects, in all the Left-Governed states, there have been tangible achievements by communists including the Party retaining mass organizations, such as Trade Unions. Despite occurring of the splits and even when paths diverged, the seriousness of purpose remained, but not without riders.

History is demanding all those who refuse to learn from it. The decline of the Communist Movement has been solely the self-inflicted. Reasons or umpteen. Electoral Opportunism through alliances with bourgeois parties blurred ideological boundaries. Alien class influences penetrated the organization. Leadership structures increasingly reflected middle-class dominance, while workers and peasants were underrepresented in decision-making bodies. The culture of sacrifice gave way to careerism. Lavish lifestyles, accumulation of assets, and proximity to money power eroded moral authority. Rectification campaigns were announced but seldom internalized at the top.

Unfortunately, new entrants were absorbed without adequate political grounding and Ideological Education. Marxism was reduced to ritual quotations. Internal factionalism replaced principled debate. The decline of mass movements created vacuum that was filled either by adventurist extremism or by right-wing populism. The tragic irony is that, the weakening of communism strengthened precisely forces most hostile to democratic and secular values. Extremist paths that reject mass politics and embrace isolated violence proved disastrous.  

The Great Communist Party of India must be reclaimed not as brand or legacy organization, but as a movement of the people which requires a ruthless honesty. The Party must acknowledge its failures without defensiveness. Rectification cannot be episodic, but it must become a permanent culture. Leadership must be accountable, modest, and organically connected to mass struggles. Electoral politics must be subordinated, once again, to movement-building. Ideological renewal is equally essential.

Marxism must engage with contemporary realities, informal labor, digital capitalism, environmental crisis, gender oppression, and caste injustice. The Party must become a site of intellectual ferment, not doctrinal stagnation. Organizationally, the rebuilding of trade unions, peasant organizations and youth movements is non-negotiable. Without people’s movements, communism becomes a slogan without substance. The Party must learn to listen again to the anxieties of the unemployed youth, the worry of indebted farmers, the anger of marginalized communities.

The centenary should therefore be seen as a warning bell. History does not wait for institutions to reform at their convenience. When communism abdicates its role, the choice before society is not neutrality but regression. The resurrection of the Great Communist Party is not for the sake of communists alone, but a democratic indispensability. If the Communist Movement can rediscover its ethical core, its mass character, and its intellectual courage, it can once again become a force of hope. The centenary will have meaning only if it marks not the celebration of survival, but the beginning of renewal.

Great Communist Leaders, whose shared moral universe was synonym for ‘Credibility Communism’ like Pucchalapalli Sundarayya, SA Dange, Chandra Rajeshwara Rao, Muzaffar Ahmed, Mohit Sen, Namboodiripad, Ranadive, Ravi Narayana Reddy, Indrajit Gupta, Bhupesh Gupta, HKS Surjeet, AK Gopalan, Jyoti Basu, Promode Dasgupta, Somnath Chatterjee, Charu Mazumdar, Kanu Sanyal, Tarimela Nagi Reddy, Devulapalli Venkateshwara Rao, Kondapalli Seetharamaiah, Nagabhushan Patnaik, Akkiraju Ramakrishna, Dr YRK Murthy, Manchikanti, Chirravuri, Gandluri Kishan Rao, Vanam Narsing Rao, Sarvadevabhatla, Rajab Ali, Giriprasad, Bodepudi etc. They symbolized a rare synthesis of personal integrity and political commitment. Greetings to TGCPI Secretary Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao and CPI General Secretary D Raja.

(Wishing Great Success of CPI Public Meeting in Khammam)