Lunar Eclipse, Kama Dahana, and Kanuma >>>>> Tradition, Meaning and Balanced Understanding : Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

 Lunar Eclipse, Kama Dahana, and Kanuma

Tradition, Meaning and Balanced Understanding

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

When a Lunar Eclipse coincides with the sacred observance of Kama Dahana, tradition views the alignment as deeply symbolic and spiritually elevating. In Hindu thought, the Moon represents the mind (manas). A lunar eclipse, where the Moon is temporarily shadowed, is interpreted as a reminder that the mind too can undergo phases of obscuration. Kama Dahana marks the burning of Manmatha (the god of desire) by Lord Shiva, symbolizing the destruction of uncontrolled desire through higher awareness. When these two events coincide, and both occur together, elders see it not as a reason for fear, but as a profound opportunity, as a cosmic reminder to purify the mind and refine desire.

 Such timing is considered spiritually intense, and therefore some families adopt slightly heightened observances, not as rigid compulsion but as traditional desirability according to one’s ability. A lunar eclipse symbolically darkens the Moon (mind). Thus, when Kama Dahana and a lunar eclipse coincide, tradition sees a layered meaning: discipline over desire, clarity over confusion, purification over impulse.

In many traditional Hindu homes, especially in orthodox families, a lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahanam) is treated as a spiritually sensitive period. Scriptures describe eclipses as times when cosmic energies are unsettled. Therefore, people avoid eating, cooking, and temple rituals during the eclipse. This is not merely fear-based, but historically, before modern astronomy, eclipses were rare and awe-inspiring celestial events. Observing silence, fasting, and prayer during such times cultivated discipline and inward reflection.

Once the eclipse ends, a head bath (Overhead Snanam) is traditionally prescribed. The logic is symbolic as well as practical. Symbolically, water poured over the head represents complete purification of body and mind. Practically, in earlier times when hygiene conditions were basic, taking a full bath after long fasting or staying indoors helped restore freshness and alertness. So, the must according to strict tradition is that, after the eclipse ends, take a full head bath, change clothes, clean the house or prayer area lightly, and prepare fresh food. This marks closure of the eclipse period. However, beyond that first bath, there is no scriptural compulsion demanding continued ritual anxiety the next day. Once purification is done, normalcy is restored.

Kama Dahana commemorates the episode where Manmatha is reduced to ashes by Lord Shiva when he attempts to disturb Shiva’s meditation. Manmatha represents impulsive desire and Shiva represents supreme awareness and discipline. The burning signifies that desire must be guided, not suppressed blindly, but refined through wisdom. In several Indian orthodox families, the day following Kama Dahana is culturally observed as Kanuma, blending agricultural gratitude traditions with this deeper symbolic purification.

The Legend of Kama Dahana as narrated by Valmiki in Ramayana Bala Kanda is: Dasharatha sent Rama and Lakshmana with Vishwamitra to protect his Yaga. On the way, when Rama and Lakshmana saw the merited hermitage, Rama enquired Vishvamitra as to whose hermitage it was. Vishvamitra started to narrate. ‘At this place, that Love-God Kama (Manmatha), with his naughty intent confronted Lord Shiva, who was returning after his marriage along with Wind-Gods, and as a retaliation the wrathful third-eye of Shiva destroyed all his limbs to fall down from his body.’

‘Consequently, the body of Love-God was faded which was burnt down by Shiva, rendered as bodiless entity known as ‘Anang’ and the place where his body was given up became famous as Anga province. This hermitage belongs to Shiva and the sages here are his disciples at one time,’ concluded Vishvamitra.

If from childhood (like me) one has observed the following day with certain austerities, additional baths, or simple living practices, that Parampara (family lineage tradition) carries emotional and cultural strength. Preserving it with understanding is noble, but optional. Because of the rare coincidence of a Lunar Eclipse and Kama Dahana, some traditional households may Maintain mental restraint and calmness, Avoid indulgent or heavy foods the next day, Take a mindful head bath again the following morning as symbolic renewal, Offer simple prayers for clarity of mind, and may Perform charity or acts of kindness.

From a scientific perspective, eclipses are astronomical alignments of Earth, Moon, and Sun. They do not create physical impurity. The caution observed in olden days had practical roots: avoid stale food, maintain hygiene, stay calm, and avoid direct eye exposure (especially in solar eclipses). The ritual bath can be understood as a structured reset, both physically and psychologically. What should be avoided today is fear-based interpretation, such as thinking misfortune will occur if a specific bathing style is not followed the next morning. Dharma is not meant to create anxiety. It is meant to cultivate awareness, cleanliness, discipline, and inner control, exactly what the story of Manmatha teaches.

Spiritually, it becomes an opportunity for reflection. When such celestial timing coincides with Kama Dahana, tradition invites us to see it as a reminder that: The mind (Moon) may experience shadows, Desire (Kama) may arise strongly, and Awareness (Shiva principle) must illumine both. There are not rigid ‘Musts’ nor are they threats of misfortune. They are Traditional intensifications, when cosmic timing aligns, families heighten spiritual attentiveness. The emphasis is on ability, not anxiety. Dharma never demands beyond one’s health, age, or circumstance.

Therefore, observances during such a year are best understood not as superstition, but as a culturally encoded reminder for self-discipline and inner cleansing. If one has the strength and devotion, one may elevate the practice. If not, simple sincerity is enough. Thus, the coincidence does not increase fear, but it increases opportunity. And that is the true dignity of tradition. It does not produce physical impurity. The older restrictions had practical roots: avoid stale food, maintain hygiene, and observe calmness. The ritual bath functions as a structured reset for physically refreshing and psychologically grounding. Therefore, we may distinguish clearly:

Must (core discipline): Take a proper head bath after the eclipse ends, change clothes, and resume fresh cooking; Should (desirable refinement): Maintain simplicity, mental restraint, and reflection the next day, especially when it coincides with Kama Dahana; Optional (family Parampara): Observing the following day as Kanuma with additional bathing or austerity, according to inherited custom and personal capacity.

When the mind (Moon) experiences shadow and desire (Kama) is symbolically burnt, tradition gently reminds that awareness (the Shiva principle) must illumine both. The coincidence does not increase fear, but it increases opportunity for introspection. Thus, tradition and science need not oppose each other. So, in a balanced way: If you have taken a proper head bath after the eclipse, the following day you may take your normal bath.

If your family tradition observes Kanuma with a mindful head bath again, it is perfectly fine, as a mark of continuity, not compulsion. Health, age, and comfort always come first. Scriptures themselves emphasize intention over mechanical ritual. Thus, tradition + science + caution together teach us that, Cleanliness is good. Discipline is good. Reflection is good. Fear is unnecessary. And preserving Parampara with understanding, that is the highest harmony between old and modern.

SIMPLIFIED AND FAITHFUL RENDERING OF THE ADI KAVYA-12 >>>>> Rama and Lakshmana: The Journey with Vishvamitra >>> Rama Being Prepared to Eliminate Tataka : Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao:

 Rama and Lakshmana: The Journey with Vishvamitra

Rama Being Prepared to Eliminate Tataka

SIMPLIFIED AND FAITHFUL 

RENDERING OF THE ADI KAVYA-12

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

King Dasharatha, following persuasion by Vasishta, called for Rama and Lakshmana to travel with Sage Vishwamitra. Mother Kausalya, father Dasharatha, and Chief Priest Vashishta blessed them that included Vedic Hymns for a Victorious Journey. Then, Dasharatha kissed good-bye on his son's forehead and entrusted him to Vishwamitra. Thus, eventually, Dasharatha sent Rama and Lakshmana with Vishwamitra heralding not merely accompanying the Sage from Ayodhya to the forest, ostensibly to protect his Rituals, but the unfolding of a cosmic design for the Great ‘Rama Ravana War’ in future.

In fact, even today, parents often hesitate to let their children step into the unknown, whether it be a foreign land, a new career, or a spiritual quest. Like Dasharatha, every parent must learn to trust destiny (Though failed to do so in the beginning) when it calls their child toward a larger purpose. What appears as a simple journey may actually mark the beginning of greatness. Rama and Lakshmana, the superbly magnificent, promising, and unblameable ones, followed Vishvamitra, with their bows in their hands, bedecked with ornaments, fingers covered with leather gloves, and with their swords.

Vishvamitra revered by Rama and Lakshmana, after going one and half yojana distance reached the riverbank of Sarayu. There Vishvamitra told Rama to take waters without any lapse of time. The image of the two young princes, graceful, disciplined, and obedient, mirrors the kind of ideal youth every society aspires for. In times when distractions abound, the humility of Rama and Lakshmana before their Guru reminds that discipline and reverence to teachers remain timeless virtues.

Then Vishvamitra further said that he was going to teach Rama a group of hymns and thereby he will receive ‘Bala and Atibala,’ the mothers of all knowledge, to ensure no tiredness, no feverishness either, nor his personality will misshapen by practicing them. ‘Not in your sleep or in an unvigilant state, the demons dare not wish to annoy you. By your shoulder strength none whosoever on earth can equal you by reciting these hymns. Hunger and thirst will not be there to you,’ assured Vishvamitra.

In today’s world, when physical stamina and mental endurance are sought through modern science, the symbolic ‘Bala and Atibala’ represent holistic balance, the strength of the body and the calm of the mind. Every generation needs its own ‘Bala and Atibala,’ perhaps in the form of mindfulness, ethics, or yoga, to counter the fatigue of modern living. Then Rama touching waters, received those teachings from the sage. On obtaining those teachings, Rama reflected like Lord Sun, and became resplendent.

Later, all the three stayed that night there on the riverbank of Sarayu very happily. For Rama and Lakshmana, the ‘Grass Bed’ became pleasant with the well nestling words of Vishwamitra, and pleasant was that night. Learning, when approached with humility and gratitude, transforms the learner. The serenity of that night by the Sarayu reminds that true comfort does not always lie in luxury but in peace born of purpose and good company.

At dawn after that night, Vishvamitra addressed Rama as: ‘Kausalya Supraja Rama, Purva Sandhya Pravartate, Uthishta Nara Shardoola’ meaning ‘O Rama, the auspicious son of Kausalya, The eastern twilight is appearing indicating it was dawn, Wake up, O lion among men, It is time to perform the divine daily rituals.’ Sage Vishwamitra uttered this verse to wake Lord Rama at dawn for the start of their journey, urging him to perform his morning rituals. On hearing the benign words of the sage, Rama offered water oblation, meditated upon the supreme hymn Gayatri, and presented himself before Vishvamitra for further journey.

In fact, the verse is a powerful call to action, not just for Rama, but also for devotees, encouraging them to wake up and perform their daily duties with the dawn. Generations later, this verse continues to echo in Hindu Homes during dawn prayers. Its message transcends religion, a call for every human being to rise each day with purpose, purity, and renewed enthusiasm for one’s duties.

On travelling some distance, they saw the River Ganga that courses in three ways at the auspicious confluence of River Sarayu. There, when Rama and Lakshmana saw the merited hermitage of sages, Rama enquired Vishvamitra as to whose hermitage it was. The curiosity of Rama to learn about every sacred place mirrors the inquisitiveness of a true seeker. In today’s context, our journeys, whether through nature or history, must also become opportunities for learning and spiritual reflection.

Responding to the query, Vishvamitra started to narrate. ‘At this place, that Love-God Kama (Manmatha), with his naughty intent confronted Lord Shiva, who was returning after his marriage along with Wind-Gods, and as a retaliation the wrathful third-eye of Shiva destroyed all his limbs to fall down from his body. Consequently, the body of Love-God was faded which was burnt down by Shiva, rendered as bodiless entity known as ‘Anang’ and the place where his body was given up became famous as Anga province.

‘This hermitage belongs to Shiva and the sages here are his disciples at one time,’ concluded Vishvamitra. Every legend in the Ramayana, like this tale of Kama, conveys a moral dimension: that unchecked desire, when it challenges divine order, leads to dissolution. In an age driven by material temptations, the episode reminds of the need for inner restraint and respect for sacred boundaries. Vishvamitra desired to stay there for that night with Rama and Lakshmana, in the hermitage situated between Ganga and Sarayu Rivers, and to cross over the River Ganga the next morning.

As ordained by the sage, all three had their bath, performed meditations, offered daily oblations, before entering the hermitage for stay. Gladdened sages of that hermitage offered water for hands and feet wash, and then offered hospitality and reception to Vishvamitra, Rama, and Lakshmana. They entertained Rama and Lakshmana with myths, legends, and delightful stories in the night, before sleep. Hospitality, reverence, and storytelling, three pillars of Indian Culture, are beautifully reflected here. The sharing of stories by sages parallels how today’s families and teachers must pass on wisdom, ethics, and cultural memory to younger generations.

Next day morning, Rama and Lakshmana walked to the riverbank of Ganga with Vishvamitra leading them. Sages of Kama's hermitage arranged a ferryboat within the reach in the river. Thanking them, Vishvamitra voyaged the river that itself was journeying towards the ocean, along with both the princes. On coming to the midstream of water, Rama and Lakshmana heard an unusual and increasing noise of gushy waters, and desired to know its significance, asked Vishvamitra about the turbulent sound as though slashing water.

The Ganga here becomes a comparison for life itself, ever-flowing, converging, and merging into the vastness of existence. Every generation, especially those living away from their homeland, may see in this voyage the journey from roots to destiny and from faith to realization. Answering his inquisitive query, Vishvamitra told Rama that, ‘On Mount Kailash, Brahma created a great lake at his will, called Maanasa Lake. River Sarayu flows out of this. Because it flows from Brahma's Manasa Lake it is a Deserved River.

The remarkable noise of Sarayu River in its coursing towards River Ganga was generated by the collision of their waters’ and advised the brothers to offer regards to the rivers respectfully. On doing as advised by the Sage, they proceeded further on reaching the southern riverbank and entered the dreadful and abandoned forest. The reverence shown to rivers is symbolic of the Indian ecological ethos, where nature is divine and worthy of worship. For today’s readers, it is a gentle reminder that protecting our environment is not just duty but devotion.

On the request of Rama, Sage Vishvamitra began to explain the background of that uninhibited forest, the once vast provinces, designed by gods and known as Malada and Karusha. He said that ‘Once upon a time, the mortal impurities of filth and starvation completely blemished Indra when he killed demon Vritra, not knowing that he was a Brahmin. The companion gods then attempted to cleanse Indra with their handy vessels for the riddance of his desecration. This resulted in Indra leaving the filth and hunger emerged out of his body at this place.’

The myth of Indra’s purification reflects the moral truth that even the mightiest are not above ethical law. It invites reflection on how purification today lies not in rituals alone, but in ethical conduct and responsibility.

‘Delighted about this place Indra gave it an unexcelled boon that, these provinces that bear the impurity of his body shall become resourceful and they shall attain renown in world as Malada (that which abolishes excreta, but not filth itself) and Karusha (remover of hunger). For a long time, these habitations were affluent, and people were happy. Subsequently, a Yaksha female (Tataka) who is a guise changer at her wish with thousand elephants’ strength, and wife of Sunda (son of Jamba) came here. Her son is Mareecha (brother Subahu), the one equal to Indra in his bravery.’

Vishvamitra continued further and said: ‘Mareecha is round-shouldered, huge-headed, hollow-mouthed, and massive-bodied Demon. Along with him malicious Tataka has been terrifying the people, and destroying the inhabitations at Malada and Karusha. Tataka lives about one and half yojana distance from here, and hence known as Tataka Forest. None is able to enter this place, destroyed by Tataka, the hazardous and invincible unearthly being who turned into a demoness.’

Even the most blessed lands can fall into ruin when evil arises. The transformation from prosperity to fear caused by Tataka mirrors the way unchecked greed and violence can corrupt societies today. Every age has its own Tatakas, forces of ignorance, arrogance, or hatred that destroy harmony. The challenge for today’s generation is to recognize and overcome them through knowledge, courage, and compassion rather than fear.

Vishvamitra thus revealed the ambushing nature of demoness Tataka and prepared Rama to eliminate her, which would be the first step of the Vishnu Incarnation in the form of Rama to establish Righteousness, notwithstanding the unhappy beginning by killing a woman first. The slaying of Tataka a little later would be symbolic, not of gendered violence but of the inevitable moral choice between good and evil. It reminds that righteousness often begins with difficult decisions, and true strength lies in moral clarity, not cruelty.

In this episode, we witness the awakening of Rama’s divine mission, a journey that begins not with victory, but with learning, reflection, and courage. For readers of today, especially those far from their cultural roots, this story stands as an invitation to rediscover timeless values in modern forms, devotion to purpose, respect for nature, humility before knowledge, and readiness to act for the greater good.

(PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY AN ANONYMOUS RAMA BHAKTA)

పౌండ్రక వాసుదేవుడి చావు, హస్తినను గంగలో తోసే ప్రయత్నం >>>>> శ్రీ మహాభాగవత కథ-75 : వనం జ్వాలా నరసింహారావు

 పౌండ్రక వాసుదేవుడి చావు, హస్తినను గంగలో తోసే ప్రయత్నం 

శ్రీ మహాభాగవత కథ-75

వనం జ్వాలా నరసింహారావు

సూర్యదినపత్రిక (ఫిబ్రవరి 3, 2026)

కంII             చదివెడిది భాగవతమిది,

చదివించును కృష్ణు, డమృతఝరి పోతనయున్

                             చదివినను ముక్తి కలుగును,

చదివెద నిర్విఘ్నరీతి ‘జ్వాలా’ మతినై

పౌండ్రక వాసుదేవుడనే కరూశ దేశాధిపతి శ్రీకృష్ణుడి మీద అకారణంగా ద్వేషాన్ని పెంచుకున్నాడు. ఆ ద్వేషం పగగా మారింది. శ్రీకృష్ణుడిని జయించాలనే కోరిక పెరిగింది. తనకొక్కడికే భూమ్మీద ‘వాసుదేవుడు’ అన్న పేరుండాలి కాని మరెవ్వరికీ వుండకూడదని నిశ్చయించుకుని, తన దూతను పిలిచి, కృష్ణుడి దగ్గరికి పంపాడు. ఆయన తనను తాను వాసుదేవుడు అని పిలుచుకోవడం తప్పని చెప్పమన్నాడు దూతకు. దూత శ్రీకృష్ణుడున్న ద్వారకానగారానికి పోయి, ఆయన సభలో వున్నప్పుడు, రాజు తనకు చెప్పి పంపిన మాటలు అప్పచెప్పాడు. ‘సిగ్గు లేకుండా తన పేరు పెట్టుకుని కృష్ణుడు ఎలా వ్యవహరిస్తున్నాడని’ తన రాజైన పౌండ్రక వాసుదేవుడన్న వ్యాఖ్యలు వినిపించాడు. గోవులు మేపుకునే గోపాలుడికి తనతోటి పంతం ఎందుకని అన్నట్లు కూడా చెప్పాడు దూత. తన ఘనతను తెలుసుకుని తనని సేవించక పోతే యుద్ధరంగంలో తనను ఎదుర్కోవాల్సి వస్తుందనీ, అప్పుడు తన ప్రతాపం ఏమిటో తెలుస్తుందనీ పౌండ్రక వాసుదేవుడు హెచ్చరించినట్లు దూత చెప్పాడు శ్రీకృష్ణుడికి.     

తాను పౌండ్రక వాసుదేవుడికి ఇష్టం లేని శంఖచక్రాది చిహ్నాలను ధరించి వెంటనే యుద్ధానికి వస్తున్నట్లు ఆయనకు చెప్పమని దూతతో అన్నాడు కృష్ణుడు. ఘోర రణంలో వాడిని కుప్పకూలుస్తానని కూడా చెప్పమన్నాడు. ఈ మాటలకు పౌండ్రక వాసుదేవుడి దూత ఉలిక్కి పడ్డాడు. భయపడ్డాడు. తన రాజు దగ్గరికి పోయి జరిగినదంతా చెప్పాడు. దానితో పౌండ్రక వాసుదేవుడికి కృష్ణుడంటే పగ మరింత పెరిగింది. కృష్ణుడు పౌండ్రక వాసుదేవుడి మీదకు పరమోత్సాహంగా దండయాత్రకు బయల్దేరాడు. అతి వేగంగా కాశీనగరానికి చేరుకున్నాడు. పౌండ్రక వాసుదేవుడు కూడా రణోత్సాహంతో యుద్ధరంగానికి వచ్చాడు. ఆయన మిత్రుడు కాశీరాజు ఆయనకు సహాయంగా తన సైన్యాన్ని తీసుకుని వచ్చాడు.

కృత్రిమమైన శంఖం, చక్రం, గద, శార్జ్ఞ్గం, కౌస్తుభమణితో పౌండ్రక వాసుదేవుడు యుద్ధానికి వచ్చాడు. వాడిని తేరిపార చూశాడు కృష్ణుడు. వాడి వేషం చూసి కృష్ణుడు నవ్వడంతో పౌండ్రక వాసుదేవుడికి కోపం వచ్చింది. ధనుర్బాణాలు ధరించి కృష్ణుడిమీద బాణాలు కురిపించాడు. ఆయుధం వెంట ఆయుధాన్ని ప్రయోగించాడు. ఆ ఆయుధాలన్నిటినీ తుంచివేశాడు కృష్ణుడు. తన పాంచజన్యాన్ని పూరించాడు. సమస్త శత్రు సైన్యాన్ని హతం చేశాడు కృష్ణుడు. శ్రీకృష్ణ పౌండ్రకుల ఘోర సంగ్రామంలో రక్తం ప్రవాహం కట్టింది. పౌండ్రకుడిని తీవ్రంగా హెచ్చరిస్తూ, వాడి రథాన్ని విరగ గొట్టాడు కృష్ణుడు. సుదర్శన చక్రంతో పౌండ్రకుడిని సంహరించాడు. అంతటితో ఆగకుండా కాశీరాజును కూడా చంపాడు. వాడి తలను కాశీపట్టణంలో పడేట్లు కొట్టాడు.

పౌండ్రక వాసుదేవుడు శ్రీకృష్ణ పరమాత్మ ధరించే శంఖచక్రాది చిహ్నాలు ధరించి, అతడిమీద కోపంతో అనుక్షణం తలుస్తూ వుండడం వల్ల మోక్షసామ్రాజ్యాన్ని పొందగలిగాడు.

యుద్ధరంగంలో ఇలా జరుగుతే, అక్కడ కాశీనగరంలో పడిన తలను చూసి కాశీపతి పత్నులంతా దుఃఖించారు. కాశీరాజు కుమారుడు సుదక్షిణుడు శ్రీకృష్ణుడిని సంహరించడానికి ఉపాయం వెతక సాగాడు. పరమేశ్వరుడిని పూజించగా శంకరుడు అతడి పట్ల కరుణ వహించి ఏం కావాల్నో అడగమన్నాడు. కృష్ణుడిని యుద్ధంలో గెలిచే విధానం చెప్పమని ప్రార్థించాడు. అభిచార హోమం చేసి అగ్నిహోత్రుడిని సంతృప్తి పరిస్తే అతడు సుదక్షిణుడి కోరిక నేరవేరుస్తాడని చెప్పాడు శివుడు. సుదక్షిణుడు అలాగే చేయగా అగ్నికుండం నుండి ఒక కృత్య ఆవిర్భవించింది. అతి భయంకారాకారంతో బయల్దేరిందది. అతి వేగంగా కృష్ణుడి నగరానికి వచ్చింది. దాన్ని చూసి భయపడిన ద్వారాకావాసులు శ్రీకృష్ణుడి చెంతకు చేరారు. రక్షించమన్నారు. సుదక్షిణుడు పంపిన కృత్యను వధించాలని నిర్ణయించాడు కృష్ణుడు.

శ్రీకృష్ణుడు తన సుదర్శన చక్రాన్ని సుదక్షిణుడు ప్రయోగించిన కృత్య మీదకు పంపాడు. తన మీదకు వస్తున్న చక్రాన్ని చూసి భయపడకుండా దాని మీద పడపోయింది కృత్య. అప్పుడు సుదర్శన చక్రం కృత్యమీద అగ్నిజ్వాలలు కురిపించింది. ఆ మంటల వేడి తట్టుకోలేక కృత్య తన రౌద్రాన్ని విడిచి పెట్టి తిరుగు ముఖం పట్టింది. సుదర్శన చక్రం కాశీ పట్టణం ప్రవేశించి, అక్కడ అభిచార హోమం చేస్తున్న సుదక్షిణుడిని, చేయిస్తున్న ఋత్విజులను దగ్దం చేసింది. కాశీపురాన్ని భస్మం చేసింది. తృప్తి చెందిన చక్రం చివరకు తన రౌద్రాకారం వదిలి, తిరిగి వచ్చి శ్రీకృష్ణుడి పక్కనే నిలిచి ఆ పరమాత్ముడి సేవలో వుండిపోయింది.

ఇదిలా వుండగా, ద్వివిదుడనే వానర నాయకుడు నరకాసురుడిని చంపిన కృష్ణుడి మీద కోపంతో కృష్ణ పాలిత ప్రాంతాలను ధ్వంసం చేశాడు. ఒకనాడు ద్వివిదుడు రైవత పర్వతం దగ్గరికి వెళ్లి, అక్కడ జూదం ఆడుతున్న బలరాముడిని చూశాడు. చూసి వివిధ రకాల వానర చేష్టలు చేశాడు. వాడిని ఉపేక్షించి లాభం లేదని తలచిన బలరాముడు వాడితో యుద్ధానికి దిగాడు. చివరకు వాడిని సంహరించాడు.

ఇదిలా వుండగా, దుర్యోధనుడి కుమార్తె లక్షణ వివాహ సమయంలో శ్రీకృష్ణుడి (జాంబవతి) కుమారుడు సాంబుడు ఆమెను ఎత్తుకుపోయాడు. కౌరవులు అతడితో యుద్ధానికి దిగారు. ఆ యుద్ధంలో కౌరవుల పక్షాన కర్ణుడు మొదలైన మహా వీరులు కూడా వున్నారు. అయినప్పటికీ సాంబుడు అద్భుతమైన పరాక్రమాన్ని ప్రదర్శించాడు. కౌరవ వీరులు ఒక్కసారిగా సాంబుడిని చుట్టుముట్టారు. అతడిని బందీని చేశారు. లక్షణ సహితంగా అతడిని హస్తినాపురానికి తీసుకువచ్చారు కౌరవులు.

ఈ విషయమంతా నారదుడు యాదవులకు చెప్పగా వారంతా కౌరవుల మీదికి యుద్ధానికి బయల్దేరారు. బంధువుల మీద యుద్ధం వద్దని చెప్పి, వారిని యుద్ధం విరమింప చేసి, బలరాముడు హస్తినాపురానికి పోయి, వూరి బయటున్న ఉద్యానవనంలో విశ్రమించాడు. తాను వచ్చిన పని తెలియచేయడానికి ఉద్ధవుడిని కౌరవుల దగ్గరికి పంపాడు. బలరాముడు వచ్చిన సంగతి విన్న కౌరవులు ఉద్ధవుడి వెంట బలరాముడి దగ్గరికి ఆయన్ను చూడడానికి వెళ్లారు. సాంబుడిని బంధించడం తప్పని బలరాముడు చెప్పగా దుర్యోధనుడికి కోపం వచ్చింది. యాదవులను నిందించాడు. వారితో చుట్టరికం అక్కరలేదన్నాడు. సాంబుడిని విడిపించడం అసంభవమని చెప్పి ఆగ్రహంతో దుర్యోధనుడు అక్కడి నుండి వెళ్లిపోయాడు. బలరాముడు మండి పడ్డాడు. తన బలాన్ని, శౌర్యాన్ని యుద్ధంలో చూపాలనుకున్నాడు. శ్రీకృష్ణుడి మహిమ వారికి తెలియదు కదా అనుకున్నాడు.

ధారుణి మీద ఇక కౌరవ వంశమే లేకుండా చేయాలనుకున్న బలరాముడు ఉగ్రాకారుడై తన శక్తి సామర్థ్యాలను ప్రదర్శిస్తూ నాగలిని ఎత్తి పట్టుకున్నాడు. తన నాగలిని చొప్పించి, హస్తినాపురం ఉన్నంత మేరకు మొత్తం గడ్డను పెకలించి గంగానదిలో పడవేయబోయాడు. అప్పుడు హస్తినాపురం గడగడ వణికింది. గోపురాలు, ప్రాకారాలతో సహా సమస్తం తలకిందులై పట్టణం ఒరిగిపోయింది. హస్తిన ప్రజలు భూమ్మీద అడుగు మోపలేక ఆర్తిచెందారు. ఇదంతా బలరాముడి పనని కౌరవ నాథులు గుర్తించారు. కలవర పడ్డారు. బలరాముడి శరణు కోరాలని నిశ్చయించారు. సాంబుడిని, లక్షణను అలంకరించి బలరాముడి దగ్గరికి తీసుకు వచ్చి దుర్యోధనాదులు ఆయనకు సాష్టాంగనమస్కారం చేసి ఆయన్ను స్తుతించారు. తమ అజ్ఞానాన్ని మన్నించమని వేడుకున్నారు. ఆయన శరణు కోరుతున్నామని అన్నారు. తాను హస్తినను గంగలో ముంచనని, వారు నిశ్చింతగా వారి నివాసాలకు వెళ్లమని చెప్పాడు బలరాముడు.

లాంఛనంగా తన కూతురు లక్షణను అత్తవారింటికి పంపుతూ, యాదవులను సాగనంపాడు దుర్యోధనుడు. బలరాముడు పరమానందంతో కొడుకును, కోడలిని తీసుకుని ద్వారక చేరుకున్నాడు. ఇప్పటికీ హస్తినాపురం దక్షిణం వైపు కొంచెం పైకి లేచి, ఉత్తరం భాగం గంగానది వైపు కొంచెం కుంగి వున్నట్లుగా వుంటుంది.            

     (బమ్మెర పోతన శ్రీమహాభాగవతం, రామకృష్ణ మఠం ప్రచురణ ఆధారంగా)

Redundancy: The Signature of Success >>> The Individual Fades, but the work Continues : Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

 Redundancy: The Signature of Success

The Individual Fades, but the work Continues

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

The Hans India (March 1, 2026)

              {{Redundancy marks a shift from ego to ecosystem: the individual recedes, yet the work continues. That continuity is not absence, but it is permanence. To say, ‘I am successfully redundant’ is not withdrawal but fulfillment. It means responsibility has been transferred, capacity multiplied, and the future no longer rests on a single pair of shoulders. Few achieve this, but many resist it. Success is measured not by how long one remains at the center, but by how well the circle holds after one steps away}} – The Hans India Editor’s Synoptic Note

Globally acknowledged and accredited by the Thames Valley University, MP Sethy, the first Indian Master Trainer and pioneer behind the National Training Policies, profoundly influenced my understanding of ‘Leadership and Training.’ We worked together at the Dr MCR HRD State Training Institute. Earlier, I received rigorous training and mentoring from him, in Training Skills, Design, Development, and Management. He often repeated a powerful thought, ‘I feel successful when I sit in the back bench, ask questions, receive right answers from those I trained, and in that moment, I become happily redundant’: thus, trainer leading by example.

That insight stayed with me, and prompted me to expand this idea into a larger reflection, that, ‘Redundancy’ often misunderstood as irrelevance or excess, may in fact, represent the highest form of success in leadership, training, and institution-building. ‘Redundancy’ is often associated with loss of purpose, excess, replacement, irrelevance, or failure. Yet such an understanding is incomplete. When viewed through the larger lens of human development and leadership, redundancy is not a mark of defeat, but it may, in fact, be the most reliable evidence of success.

A mother succeeds when her child functions without her. Father’s role is fulfilled when his next generation decides and stands independently. A teacher’s triumph lies in students who no longer require constant guidance. A manager matures into a leader when decision-making is distributed rather than centralized. Leadership is proven not by personal brilliance, but by the number of capable leaders it produces. The same principle applies to trainers, coaches, mentors, managers, and leaders. Each role carries an implicit responsibility, to become progressively less necessary, and ultimately, constructively redundant.

At the highest levels, for CEOs, Heads of Institutions, Prime Ministers, Heads of State, the test is even clearer. If authority collapses upon an individual’s exit, it reflects dependence. If systems endure beyond the individual, it reflects accomplishment. The ability to withdraw from the mainstream without causing disruption is not abdication, it is validation. When an individual can step aside knowing that others are prepared to carry forward the values, discipline, and direction established, redundancy becomes a quiet declaration of success: ‘I am successfully redundant in my arena.’

Indispensability is not the same as importance. The real failure is not becoming redundant, but remaining indispensable. An indispensable teacher has not truly taught, an indispensable administrator has not built procedure, and an indispensable leader has not built leadership. Presence becomes a crutch where transmission should have occurred. History repeatedly affirms this distinction. Institutions that endure under successors, even unsympathetic ones, reveal maturity because their architects never confused significance with permanence.

When a system can meet a fundamental need independently of its creator, redundancy has been earned. The individual becomes unnecessary not because they were erased, but because they succeeded beyond themselves. This measure applies equally to governance and public life. When even opponents operate within a framework once resisted, irreversibility has replaced personality. This principle is civilizational. Parents raise children so they may leave. Founders build organizations so they may outlast founders. Statesmen frame laws hoping they will be followed without invoking their names. The highest ambition is not remembrance, but irreversibility.

Redundancy, in this sense, marks a shift from ego to ecosystem: the individual recedes, yet the work continues. That continuity is not absence, but it is permanence. To say, ‘I am successfully redundant’ is not withdrawal but fulfillment. It means responsibility has been transferred, capacity multiplied, and the future no longer rests on a single pair of shoulders. Few achieve this, but many resist it. Success is measured not by how long one remains at the center, but by how well the circle holds after one steps away.

India’s Economic Liberalization of 1991 succeeded because it became irreversible. Subsequent governments, regardless of ideology, continued within the same framework. PV Narasimha Rao, who initiated the shift, may have become politically dispensable, but the transformation endured. Irreversibility, not electoral longevity, marked its success. The 108 Emergency Ambulance Service, initiated in Hyderabad by Satyam Computers Chairman B Ramalinga Raju, evolved from personal philanthropy into a structured, technology-driven public utility. Its real achievement lay in surviving beyond its founder. The individual stepped aside, but the function remained. Redundancy was achieved by embedding necessity into structure.

Welfare systems that redefine state–citizen relationships survive political change because they institutionalize consensus rather than preference. Market reforms persist when reversal becomes impractical. Constitutional frameworks endure when authority rests in rules, not individuals. In each case, success is measured not by applause at inception, but by continuity after departure. Leadership styles dependent on charisma, control, or constant intervention collapse when the individual exits. Policies that require perpetual defense reveal conceptual fragility. Institutions that weaken in the absence of a single authority expose a failure to distribute competence. Dependence masquerading as loyalty is not success; it is deferred failure.

From this emerges a clear standard. Anyone entrusted with responsibility, be the parent, teacher, administrator, executive, political leader, must ask a simple but uncomfortable question: If I step away tomorrow, what continues unchanged? If the answer is confusion, vacuum, or regression, redundancy has not been earned. If the answer is continuity, refinement, and confident succession, success has already occurred. Therefore, it requires patience and perseverance to train, develop, and mentor successors in knowledge, skill, attitude, ethics, and values rather than command followers for self-validation.  It demands discipline and foresight to withdraw at the right moment.

History does not celebrate those who remained indispensable. It validates those who became replaceable without consequence. When continuity no longer depends on personal consent, redundancy moves from possibility to proof. In that moment, leadership fulfills its purpose. The individual steps back not diminished, but complete, having converted personal capacity into collective competence. That transformation is the highest form of success, and redundancy its unmistakable signature. To those who stand at the helm of corporations, governments, institutions, or movements, this reflection is offered not as instruction, but as observation born of experience.

Excellence earns authority. It does not entitle permanence. The higher the position, the greater the obligation to think in terms of withdrawal, not hurried or reluctant withdrawal, but prepared, dignified, and deliberate. The true measure of leadership is not how long one remains indispensable, but how confidently one can step aside without consequence. There comes a stage when staying on shifts from contribution to occupation. That moment is subtle and rarely announces itself. Over-centralized systems do not fail loudly. They simply stop growing. Talent does not always revolt. It waits, stagnates, or leaves.

What appears as stability may be arrested development. None is indispensable, not as a rebuke, but as a liberating truth. It frees leaders from the burden of personal continuity and directs attention to what truly matters: preparing others to carry forward what was built. To excel is admirable. To enable others to excel is completion. Withdrawal, when earned, is not disappearance but affirmation. It signals trust in the system and confidence in people. It protects against history’s unkind verdict on those who stayed too long, when past brilliance is overshadowed by prolonged presence.

The wisest leaders leave not when forced or fatigued, but when others are ready. They vacate space not in retreat, but in respect for continuity. Legacy is secured not by holding on, but by letting go at the right moment. Those who truly excel ensure that many others excel on the foundation they laid. They affirm, explicitly and implicitly, that none is indispensable. The moment indispensability is claimed, growth elsewhere is constrained. Sometimes, taking the back bench is the surest way to move the institution forward.

For leadership reaches its highest form not in command, but in continuity. When the work advances without you, your purpose has been fulfilled. 

Friday Evenings at Press Club Hyderabad Continue ..... Memory Deepens into Dialogue in Today’s Get-Together : Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

 Friday Evenings at Press Club Hyderabad Continue

Memory Deepens into Dialogue in Today’s Get-Together

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

(February 27, 2026)

If the first get-together at the Press Club Hyderabad was about planting a seed, the second Friday evening (February 27, 2026) proved that the seed had already begun to sprout. What was earlier described as a gentle experiment in collective memory, now unfolded with greater ease, deeper candor, and a widening circle of shared recollections. The idea remained simple: ‘Meet, Converse, Reflect, and Document.’ Yet, as often happens with meaningful initiatives, simplicity began revealing layers.

The familiar faces joined: Devulapalli Amar, GK Murthy, Bhandaru Srinivasa Rao, Press Club Secretary Ramesh Varikuppala, Vice-President Aruna Atthaluri, and myself. Joining us prominently this time was BS Ramakrishna, whose presence added a fresh rhythm to the evening’s reflections. Over a social drink and informal seating, pyramid dissolved once again into fellowship.

The evening opened on an unexpectedly playful note. BS Ramakrishna initiated what he called a ‘Photo Quiz.’ A photograph taken over fifty years ago was circulated among the group. It depicted a well-known personality, someone deeply familiar to all of us. Guesswork, laughter, teasing recollections, and half-remembered anecdotes filled the table. Interestingly, the quizmaster himself ultimately revealed the answer. The identity of the person, described affectionately as a ‘Friend in Need and Friend Indeed,’ was less important than what the exercise triggered: shared memory as collective ownership.

It was a reminder that journalism is not only about events, but about relationships built across decades. From there, the conversation flowed naturally into the evolution of print media. The transformation of print newspapers into predominantly digital platforms was observed without bitterness, but with curiosity. What truly defines ‘Largest Circulated’ in today’s context? Is it sheer printed copies? Is it digital reach? Is it influence? Or is it credibility?

The discussion, though light in tone, remained objective. The distinction between ‘Volume’ and ‘Issue’ numbers of publications surfaced as an unexpectedly technical yet significant point, particularly and especially in relation to government recognition and institutional benefits. What may appear as mere numbering carries structural implications for legitimacy and continuity.

The name of Andhra Prabha inevitably entered the discussion. There was a time when it was considered the most coveted Telugu newspaper for any aspiring journalist. To secure a position there was to earn professional validation. Some of those among us who had been associated with it, even briefly, or aspired to associate, recalled its editorial culture, discipline, and the pride it instilled. It was not merely employment, but it was apprenticeship in standards. The conversation gently evoked comparisons with present conditions, not as complaint, but in contemplation.

Mannerisms coupled with display of knowledge and skill of some senior journalists of earlier decades, and yester years, surfaced next, wondering as to how they carried themselves, how they edited copy with precision, how silence in the newsroom could be more instructive than lectures. There was mention of a group of three journalists fondly known as the ‘Three Musketeers’ whose camaraderie and intellectual sparring became part of newsroom folklore. Such recollections were not gossip, but they were unwritten chapters of institutional culture.

The dialogue inevitably touched upon the period of the Emergency under Indira Gandhi. The tone remained measured. The focus was not political accusation but professional memory, and how newspapers functioned, how pressures were navigated, and how editorial decisions were shaped by circumstance. References were made to figures such as Siddhartha Shankar Ray, DK Barooah, and AR Antulay, whose roles during that period had left impressions on media narratives of the time. The discussion remained reflective rather than rhetorical. Memory was treated as documentation, not debate. Just an objective critical appraisal.

Throughout the evening, contributions from BS Ramakrishna, Bhandaru Srinivasa Rao, and Devulapalli Amar anchored the discussion with historical clarity and contextual depth. My own role, as in the first meeting, was more of a listener and elicitor, nevertheless with occasional inputs, drawing out details that might otherwise remain unspoken. The pattern emerging from these gatherings is becoming clearer that, no single voice dominates, and instead, memory rotates.

GK Murthy then steered the evening toward a more personal recollection. He narrated, with warmth and detail, his long association with a Rajya Sabha member several times and TTD Chairman couple of times, from an initial acquaintance to close friendship. Through that association, he was able to assist several friends in obtaining darshan at Tirumala. The mention of a former Doordarsan Director known for his helpful disposition, added another strand to the tapestry of interconnected professional lives.

Such anecdotes illustrated how journalism, administration, public relations, and cultural institutions often intersect beyond formal boundaries. What distinguished this second meeting from the first was a subtle shift: from establishing the idea to inhabiting it. The first Friday proved that such a gathering could happen. The second demonstrated that it could sustain itself with fresh content, spontaneity, and intellectual seriousness without losing warmth. What is in store for next meeting is optimistic.

Once again, the meeting concluded not with formal resolutions but with quiet consensus. We would meet the following Friday. More members would be invited. More memoirs of public interest would be documented. The aim is not to create a closed circle, but an expanding forum: informal yet purposeful.

If the first article on Friday Meetings spoke of converting memory into meaning, the second meeting showed how meaning deepens through repetition. Institutions survive not merely through infrastructure but through conversation. The Press Club provides the venue, the participants provide continuity, but the idea provides life.

In an age when discourse often becomes fragmented and hurried, these Friday evenings offer a counter-model: unhurried dialogue, respectful disagreement, laughter sprinkled with learning, and documentation without dramatization.

The formula remains unchanged-

Meet. Reflect. Document. Continue.

But now, there is an added line born of experience-

Repeat, so that memory becomes tradition.

(As these evenings gradually find their rhythm, it is only natural that more like-minded journalists and Press Club members may, in due course, find themselves drawn into the circle, strengthening the continuity of shared professional memory.)