--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Richard M" <compost...@...> wrote: > > Thanks - I enjoyed that. Brilliant. > > And yet... > > How do you get to this? > > "It's tough being the good guys....It gets wearing, having to be > the bigger person all the time." > > Can I become "a good guy"? What's the secret? The technique? > > Do you ever entertain any self-doubt? That perhaps you are NOT the > "good guy"? Or have you found a way to overcome that? > > Perhaps I misunderstand you (Dang! There's that irritating self-doubt > again!). OK, I know, it was "just for fun".
Those are interesting questions indeed. Perhaps however, it isn´t beyond you to notice that I wasn´t the author of the piece - as the attribution at the end clearly indicates. > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "do.rflex" <do.rflex@> wrote: > > > > > > > > The benefits and perils of bipartisanship are described in the story > > of Lakshmi, the Hindu Goddess of good fortune. > > > > > > Hindu theology is complicated, and has many different branches (and > > even has atheistic forms). One deity may have many manifestations > > (for instance, Radha and Tulsi are both said to be aspects of > > Lakshmi), but in most forms of Hinduism all deities are ultimately > > part of a single divine force. In the stories, however, they are > > usually treated as separate entities. > > > > Lakshmi is the bringer of all forms of good fortune: health, wealth, > > and love. She's much beloved by my Hindu sister-in-law, which may > > explain why there's a gorgeous Lakshmi statuette in her Jewish > > mother's home. (We are, to put it mildly, an ecumenical family.) > > Lakshmi is sometimes said to be fickle, as good fortune comes and goes > > at odd times. > > > > Lakshmi's story begins at a time when the lesser divinities (devas), > > led by Indra , were faring poorly in their ongoing conflicts with the > > demons. (Yes, in this post-partisan era, it's bad manners for me to > > cast the Republicans as demons but if the shoe fits the cloven hoof, > > may as well wear it.*) In desperate need of help, the devas spent > > many days in prayer to Vishnu , the Preserver. > > > > Vishnu appeared in a radiant blue light. He told them that they could > > have the greatest gift of all: the Elixir of Immortality. But they > > would have to get it by churning the entire Ocean of Milk (the Milky > > Way). To accomplish this, they would have to call a truce with the > > demons and work together. And that was the easy part. > > > > When Indra explained the plan to the demons, their first response was, > > "Are you f'ing kidding me?" But Indra pointed out that there was > > something in it for them. Both sides wanted the elixir, and neither > > side could accomplish it alone. So, the rivals struck a bipartisan > > compromise. > > > > First, they cut off the top of Mount Meru, the pillar of the universe, > > to use as a stick to churn the ocean. Vishnu took the form of a giant > > turtle and then swam underneath to keep it from sinking. > > > > No rope in the universe was strong enough for this task. So Vishnu > > sent for Vasuki, the king of the serpents. The great snake coiled his > > body around the mountain. The devas held onto his head, the demons > > held his tail, and they took turns pulling the mountain back and > forth. > > > > [Illustration, if you're having trouble picturing this: > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kurma_Avatar_of_Vishnu._ca_1870.jpg ] > > > > And the Ocean of Milk began to churn. > > > > Soon a great silvery orb arose from the ocean, bathing them all in its > > soft light. It glided up into the sky, and became the moon. They all > > stared in wonder at the shiny object. But it was not the Elixir of > > Immortality, so they set back to work. > > > > Over the hours and days that followed, fourteen treasures were churned > > forth from the Ocean of Milk, including Surabhi (the sacred cow), > > Kalpavriksha (the wish-granting tree), Kaustubha (the word's most > > precious jewel), and Varuni, the Goddess of alcohol (which, > > surprisingly, is not the Elixir of Immortality). > > > > Finally the great serpent could take no more. He had been pushed, > > pulled, turned and squeezed for days. He opened his mouth and vomited > > his poison into the sea. Vasuki's poison was so toxic that it could > > end all life in the universe. > > > > The devas and demons cried out to the only on who could save them: > > Shiva , the Destroyer. Shiva came from heaven, bent down and drank > > all the venom. The poison was so strong that Shiva's neck turned > > blue. But the universe was saved. > > > > The devas and demons were exhausted. They had been churning the ocean > > for days, and still did not have the elixir. And now they were > > afraid: what if they brought forth more poison? > > > > Vishnu urged them to continue. This was the greatest task they had > > ever undertaken; it wasn't supposed to be easy. The goal was worth > > it. And so, slowly at first, they once again began to pull the > > mountain back and forth. > > > > After hours of their labor, a Goddess emerged from the sea of milk, > > enthroned on a giant red lotus. She was incomparably beautiful, > > dressed in red silk and dazzling jewels. Her body glowed with a > > golden radiance. Her dark eyes shone with joy and compassion. Two of > > her four hands made gestures of blessing and protection. A third > > scattered gold coins to the crowd. In her fourth hand, she held a > > vial with the Elixir of Immortality. > > > > Vishnu changed from his turtle guise back into his godly form. The > > Goddess's eyes met his, and they knew they were two halves of the same > > whole. > > > > Indra and the devas bowed with reverence. "Welcome, Lakshmi, Goddess > > of good fortune." > > > > The demons snatched the vial away, and took off running. > > > > "Quickly," Lakshmi said to Vishnu, "distract them with a shiny object." > > > > Vishnu went one better. He disguised himself as Mohini, the divine > > enchantress, and appeared in front of the demons. Naturally, the > > demons were already fighting over who got the first drops of the > > heavenly elixir. But they stopped when they saw "Mohini," a most > > voluptuous and graceful woman, wearing sparkling jewelry and very > > little else. The demons stood with their tongues hanging out. ** > > > > "Hello," s/he said to them. "Would you like me to dance for you?" > > > > "Mohini" began to dance, and the demons watched with undisguised > > ecstasy. Finally, one of the demons remembered the elixir, and spoke. > > "Beautiful lady, would you settle an argument for us? I am sure > > everyone here will accept your judgment." > > > > "Of course. Whatever pleases you." > > > > "Who should be first to drink from the Elixir of Immortality?" > > > > "What elixir?" > > > > The vial was gone. Lakshmi had slipped in and stolen it back while > > the demons were watching "Mohini." And now s/he also disappeared. > > > > By the time the demons returned, Lakshmi had given the vial to the > > devas, and every last drop of the elixir was gone. Realizing they'd > > been had, the demons attacked which is a bad idea when your opponent > > is now immortal. > > > > And that, in a lotus leaf, is bipartisanship. > > > > It's tough being the good guys. We know how it's supposed to work: > > we pull our end, they pull their end, and together we can create > > things that benefit us all. Instead we wind up getting backstabbed, > > over and over, by people who have no interest in bipartisanship when > > they think they have the upper hand. It gets wearing, having to be > > the bigger person all the time. > > > > At the same time, we don't want to turn into what the Republicans > > became when they imagined they had a permanent majority. Just > > opposing anything they do for the sake of party hostility isn't going > > to impress the Goddess of Fortune (or the voters). Or as John Cole > > put it: > > > > The majority of the Republicans can be counted on to act in bad > > faith, so bipartisanship should not be giving them symbolic nods just > > to get their votes. Bipartisanship should be including their good > > ideas when they have them. > > > > Trust me. That will be so rare, it will be obvious when they have > > a good idea. It will look as out of place as a whale in a salad bowl. > > > > Or a Goddess on a giant lotus rising out of a sea being churned with a > > snake and a mountaintop. Hey, it could happen. > > > > - written by Tara the Antisocial Social Worker's diary > > > > *I'm pretty sure Hindu demons don't actually have cloven hoofs. > > > > ** Had these been actual Republicans, Vishnu would probably have > > remained in male form and hinted that there was an airport restroom > > nearby. > > >
