CULTURAL QA 10-2023-31 Q1 In the Mahabharata, how many people heard the Gita said by Krishna to Arjun?
KR: As a matter of fact, B G is revealed only by the Lord to the Bhakthan and ONLY IN BETWEEN THE TWO; no one else knew it then; Veda Vyasa knew it only after the hitopadesam; Sanjaya had vision only to recite the battle and so he does not know; Hanuman was the flag emblem; as Chiranjeevi he might have been there but GOD teaching was only to Arjuna; in so many places in B G it is said. The Gita was only told as a doctor to the mentally imbalanced patient to invigored the spirits of the melancholic. Therefore, the Answer in the Q and A is wrong. *Bg. 4.3* स एवायं मया तेऽद्य योगः प्रोक्तः पुरातनः । भक्तोऽसि मे सखा चेति रहस्यं ह्येतदुत्तमम् ॥ ३ ॥ *sa evāyaṁ mayā te ’dya yogaḥ proktaḥ purātanaḥ bhakto ’si me sakhā ceti rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam* *saḥ* <https://vedabase.io/en/search/synonyms/?original=sa%E1%B8%A5> — the same; *eva* <https://vedabase.io/en/search/synonyms/?original=eva> — certainly; *ayam* <https://vedabase.io/en/search/synonyms/?original=ayam> — this; *mayā* <https://vedabase.io/en/search/synonyms/?original=may%C4%81> — by Me; *te* <https://vedabase.io/en/search/synonyms/?original=te> — unto you; *adya* <https://vedabase.io/en/search/synonyms/?original=adya> — today; *yogaḥ* <https://vedabase.io/en/search/synonyms/?original=yoga%E1%B8%A5> — the science of *yoga*; *proktaḥ* <https://vedabase.io/en/search/synonyms/?original=prokta%E1%B8%A5> — spoken; *purātanaḥ* <https://vedabase.io/en/search/synonyms/?original=pur%C4%81tana%E1%B8%A5> — very old; *bhaktaḥ* <https://vedabase.io/en/search/synonyms/?original=bhakta%E1%B8%A5> — devotee; *asi* <https://vedabase.io/en/search/synonyms/?original=asi> — you are; *me* <https://vedabase.io/en/search/synonyms/?original=me> — My; *sakhā* <https://vedabase.io/en/search/synonyms/?original=sakh%C4%81> — friend; *ca* <https://vedabase.io/en/search/synonyms/?original=ca> — also; *iti* <https://vedabase.io/en/search/synonyms/?original=iti> — therefore; *rahasyam* <https://vedabase.io/en/search/synonyms/?original=rahasyam> — mystery; *hi* <https://vedabase.io/en/search/synonyms/?original=hi> — certainly; *etat* <https://vedabase.io/en/search/synonyms/?original=etat> — this; *uttamam* <https://vedabase.io/en/search/synonyms/?original=uttamam> — transcendental. That very ancient science of the relationship with the Supreme is today told by Me to you because you are My devotee as well as My friend and can therefore understand the transcendental mystery of this science. Lord Krishna encourages Arjuna not to get dejected but upgrade himself so that he can deliver his duties with a clear mind and soul, – his biggest friend. At the same time, he reminds him that the same mind, if contaminated, can become his biggest enemy. Urging Arjuna, the Lord says. *“tad viddhi pranipätena pariprasnena sevayä, upadeksyanti te jnänam jnäninas tattva-darsinah.”* *4:34* “try to understand the true nature of ----knowledge by approaching illumined soul. Asking him to question them with an open and guileless heart, suggesting those wise seers of Truth will instruct him in that knowledge. In a way he urges to continue upgradation with a humble mind with the no purifier as great as knowledge: ------” *“shraddhävällabhate jnyanam tat-parah saàyatendriyaha, jnanàm labdhvä paräm säntim achirenädhigacchati…”* *4:39* “He who has mastered his sense, is exclusively devoted to his practice and is full of faith, attains Knowledge; he Lord reminds us that a doctor should continue to work for patient betterment in an unbiased manner. *“suhrn-miträry-udäsina madhyastha-dvesya-bandhusu, sädhusv api cha päpesu sama-buddhir visisyate”* *12:13-14* “He who is free from malice towards all beings, friendly and compassionate, rid of 'I' and mine balanced in joy and sorrow, forgiving by nature, ever-contented and mentally united with Me, --has a firm resolve, ---is dear to Me.” KR People think differently out of the box and so no one takes it seriously; it is something like, brahmam is all of us in one; if Brahmam knew the Veda, does it mean that all of us knew it together being one? Like that only people wrote out of love for the Gnanam. But the truth is Brahmam told the Veda only to Brahma; so too, B G was told only to Arjuna. Q4 Why was salt so valuable in ancient times and even used as a currency, when all you have to do to get it is let sea water evaporate in the sun? KR Salt is important and it is important more in cold sector as sea in cold may not produce the required salt. Then science simulation of weather did not exist. And why it is important to the USA replier, I can understand; but why it is relevant to an Indian reproducing the irrelevant to us, a matter unconnected, is a wonder! There is a proverb UPPITAVARAI ULLALAVUM NINAI=MEANS ONE WHO HELPED YOUR SURVIVAL ONE SHALL NOT FORGET AS IT IS EQUIVALENT TO A SALT TO FOOD. In the province of Jayapura <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/jayapura#history> (in Rajputana), there is a salt-water lake, named Shakambhara, now called Sambar. Its water is as saline as sea-water. The salt, produced from the water of this lake, is called “romaka <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/romaka#rasashastra>”. In ancient times, a river named “Romavati” (now extinct) flowed from this lake. The salt which was produced from the water of this river was also called ‘romaka’ salt. In the vicinity of this lake, there was, in ancient times, a famous town, called ‘Roma’. It was perhaps located somewhere near the modem town of Jaypore (built by king Jaysinha), There is another town in the neighbourhood, named Ambar, which is a corrupted form of Sam bar (the modern name of the lake). Romaka or sambara <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/shambara#ayurveda> salt is bitter, pungent, and saline. It is acrid, warm, light, digestive, and laxative. It gives rise to pitta <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/pitta#ayurveda>, inflammation, and waste. It helps the emission of phlegm (through nostrils and eyes). It is capable of passing even through the finest and minutest passages of the system, and is a pacifier of vayu <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/vayu#ayurveda>. (Rasa jala nidhim) Salt is purifier, increaser of relish in food, digestive, increaser of kapha <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/kapha#ayurveda> and pitta <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/pitta#ayurveda>, destroyer of manliness and of vayu <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/vayu#ayurveda>. It slackens and softens the body, impairs strength, induces shedding of water through the mouth, and causes inflammation in the cheeck and the neck. Salt, taken in excess, causes opthalmia, rakta <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/rakta#ayurveda>-pitta, intestinal ulcer, falling off of teeth, greyness of hair, baldness, leprosy, erysipelaus, and thirst. WE NEVER PAID SALARY AS IN THE WEST. KR IRS 1 11 23 ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: 'gopala krishnan' via iyer123 <[email protected]> Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2023 at 18:53 Subject: [iyer123] CULTURAL QA 10-2023-31 To: Patty Thatha <[email protected]>, Iyer < [email protected]>, Kerala Iyer <[email protected]> *CULTURAL QA 10-2023-31* *All the BELOW QA are from Quora digest to me on 31-10- 2023.* *Quora answers need not be 100% correct answers * *.Compiled* *and posted by R. Gopala krishnan, on 31-10-2023* *Q1 In the Mahabharata, how many people heard the Gita said by Krishna to Arjun?* *A1 Amit Nishad, Best lines of Bhagwat Gita.............6h* *In the Mahabharata, There are total 4 People heard the Gita Said by Krishna………….* *1Arjun When Lord Shri Krishna was preaching** Geeta to Arjun, two more people were listening to the same Geeta.* *2. Sanjay :- When Lord Krishna was preaching** Geeta to Arjuna, Sanjaya (Dhritarashtra's charioteer) was seeing all this with his divine vision (which was given by Maharishi Vedvyas)and Sanjay preached Geeta to Dhritarashtra.* *3. Hanuman :- Pandavas got victory in the war of** Mahabharata because of Hanuman ji. On the advice of Shri Krishna, Hanuman ji had decided to participate in the Mahabharata war. However, Pawanputra had put a condition before Shri Krishna before participating in the war and it is believed that to fulfill this condition, Lord Shri Krishna explained the essence of Geeta to Arjun.* *Before the Mahabharata war, once Shri Krishna called both Hanuman ji and Arjun to the city of Dwarka. When Shri Krishna was engrossed in meditation, Arjun and Hanuman ji started waiting outside the palace on the sea shore for him to come out of meditation.* *Meanwhile, Arjun told Hanuman ji that he was the best archer in the world, after which Hanuman ji realized that Arjun had become proud of his archery skills. Arjun ridiculed Lord Shri Ram and even said that building a stone bridge was like wasting time, Ram ji should have built a bridge of arrows.* *Hearing these words towards his Lord, Hanuman ji made a condition to Arjun that he should build a bridge of arrows and if Arjun's foot did not destroy the bridge then he would accept that Arjun is a greater archer than Shri Ram and would burn his body in the fire. Will give up. Arjun made a bridge of arrows three times and all three times the bridge broke. With the breaking of the bridge, Arjun's pride was also shattered.* *After this incident, Shri Krishna appeared to both of them. While on one hand Shri Krishna made Arjun realize his mistake, on the other hand he requested Hanuman ji to be installed on Arjun's chariot as a flag. Hanuman ji obeyed the Lord but put a condition.* *The condition was that just as he had given knowledge to Hanuman along with the war in the Ram incarnation, similarly he wanted the essence of knowledge in the Mahabharata war also. It is believed that Shri Krishna narrated the essence of Geeta (Benefits of reading Bhagavad Geeta) in the guise of Arjun on the request of Hanuman ji.* *During the Mahabharata war, Hanuman ji was seated on Arjun's chariot as a flag for 18 days.** According to the Mahabharata text, Arjun and his chariot were protected by Hanuman ji.* *It is believed that Arjun's chariot would have been destroyed long ago due to divine and explosive arrows, but due to the presence of Hanuman ji, Arjun and his chariot remained safe in the war.* *4. Barbarik :- Barbarik was the son of Ghatotkach** and Ahilavati and the grandson of Bhima. When the Mahabharata war was going on, he got a boon from Lord Shri Krishna that he could see this fierce war between Kauravas and Pandavas.* *Barbarik was a very brave warrior, it is said that he had acquired divine power through penance, Barbarik had three such arrows, with which the entire army could be destroyed in the battlefield in a minute. These were such arrows which would hit their target and return back to it. That's why no one could ever defeat him* *Barbarik wanted to fight the war of Mahabharata, that is why he had set out for Kurukshetra. When Shri Krishna came to know about this, he felt that if Barbarik came, the outcome of the war would be reversed. Shri Krishna disguised himself as a Brahmin and reached in front of Barbarik.* *Shri Krishna, in the guise of a Brahmin, asked for alms from Barbarik. When Barbarik asked what he wanted in alms, Lord Shri Krishna asked for his head in alms and Barbarik came to know that he was not an ordinary person. When he asked for his identity, Shri Krishna Barbarik came in his real guise and after seeing Shri Krishna in person, he offered his head.* *Barbarik placed a condition before Shri Krishna that he also wanted to see the war of Mahabharata. Shri Krishna placed Barbarik's head on a high mount from where the entire view of the war was visible.* *Shri Krishna had asked for the head of Barbarik because he could not take part in the war of Mahabharata, because if he had taken part in the war, Barbarik would have fought on the side which was losing in the war, because Barbarik's mother had taught that always In battle he had to support the weaker side, that is why Barbarik always fought on behalf of the losing side. Barbarik was taught warfare skills by his mother. Barbarika is also said to be the human reincarnation of Yaksha.* *Jay Shri Krishan……………………………………………* *Q2 Is it normal to have a slow heart beat, like 40-50 beats per minute?* *A2 Munyaradzi Chakweva. Jr, Medical Student & Life Coach7h* *A slow heart rate (bradycardia) is typically defined as a heart rate below 60 beats per minute (BPM).** While a slower heart rate can sometimes be normal, a heart rate under 50 BPM can be a sign of a serious underlying medical condition.* *Bradycardia can be caused by various medical conditions** including heart and thyroid diseases, or certain medications. It can also be persistent due to aging, or due to heart rhythm disorders such as atrial fibrillation.* *If you have a heart rate of 40-50 beats per minute, it is important to consult your doctor for further examination and testing**. Depending on your doctor’s findings, you may need to undergo further tests to rule out certain medical conditions as the cause.* *If your doctor determines that your slow heart rate is not due to a medical condition, he or she may suggest certain lifestyle changes to help improve your heart rate.** These changes can include increasing physical activity, watching your diet, reducing stress, and getting adequate rest.* *If your slow heart rate is caused by a medical condition, your doctor may suggest certain treatments to address the underlying cause**. The goal of treatment is to regulate the heart rate and increase the flow of blood to your body. Treatment may involve medications, lifestyle changes, implants such as pacemakers, or surgery.* *It is important to note that a slow heart rate (bradycardia) is not necessarily a cause for concern, as some people have a naturally slow heart rate.** If, however, you are experiencing any symptoms along with your slow heart rate such as chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, or fainting, it is crucial to seek medical attention right away.* *A slow heart rate can be a sign of something serious, so it is important to be aware of your heart rate and to speak with your doctor* *if you experience any symptoms that could be related to a slow heart rate. With the proper diagnosis and treatment, your doctor can help you maintain a healthy heart rate.* *Q3 Is there a country where their national animal is extinct or compromised?* *A3 Gary Meaney, author of Zoology's Greatest Mystery (2022)Updated 3y* *Yes, quite a lot actually**. The national animal of Iran is the Asiatic lion, which now only exists in the wild in India’s Gir Forest. However, earlier this year, the country obtained a pair of lions which will hopefully reproduce and be released into the wild.* *Lions of the African variety are the national animals in many countries**, including Morocco, Libya and Togo - they all had lions at one point, but no longer do.* *Additionally, Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Norway, and England have the lion as national animal. Of these, only Macedonia had true lions (until some 2,000 years ago), while the rest - except Norway - were once home to Panthera spelaea, the cave lion, in the Pleistocene.* *Sri Lanka and Singapore are also countries which proclaim lions as their national animal, but never had them.* *The national animal of Moldova is the aurochs, which went extinct in the wild in 1627, and in the 13th Century in Moldova specifically. Although, from a certain point of view, this one might not count, since cattle are a domestic form of the aurochs.The national animal of Mauritius is the dodo, which I’m sure we all know is extinct.* *Mexico’s national aquatic animal is the vaquita, a species of porpoise. Tragically, within a few years it could make this list, since there’s likely no more than 10 vaquitas left, and none of them are in captivity. They are perhaps the world’s most critically endangered vertebrate.* *Oman’s national animal is the Arabian oryx. For decades, it was extinct in the country, but thankfully it’s been reintroduced**. It’s also the national animal of Qatar and the UAE, which might count on this list since, while oryx have been reintroduced there, they’re not really wild.* *While the Eurasian lynx is found very close by, there are none in Serbia, where it is the national animal.* *The Siberian tiger has been extinct in South Korea for over a century, and is the country’s national animal.** Interestingly enough, there may be some in North Korea.* *Lastly, many countries’ national animals do not exist, because they are mythical**; namely Germany and Austria (Bundesadler), China (Chinese dragon), Bhutan (Druk), the Czech Republic (double-tailed lion), Greece (phoenix), Hungary (turul), Indonesia (garuda), North Korea (Chollima), Portugal (Rooster of Barcelos), Russia (double-headed eagle), Serbia (white eagle), Scotland (unicorn) and Wales (dragon).* *I know you said “compromised” as well, but if I was to list ones with endangered national animals too, I’d be here all day. To conclude, we have 10 countries where the national animal has gone extinct, 3 where it was never found, 1 where it was once extinct, another where it sadly soon will be, 4 which are a bit iffy, and 13 with mythical national animals.* *Q4 Why was salt so valuable in ancient times and even used as a currency, when all you have to do to get it is let sea water evaporate in the sun?* *A4 Jay Bazzinotti, Drip. Drip. Drip. Oh God, if only the sun would shine!20h* *If you wanted to eat in the winter, you needed salt.** If you wanted to sail the oceans, you needed salt to brine your meat. All your meats and fish and some other foods had to be dried and packed in salt to prevent them from going bad in winter. Salt was critical to life.* * It was so important that during colonial times, it was called “The Fifth Element” after air, fire, earth and water. And of course, everyone knows that the word “salary” comes from the latin word for salt when Roman soldiers were paid in salt. The expression, “He is worth his salt” comes from Greek times when salt was used to buy slaves.* *The first patent in America was indeed for a salt-works in Salem in 1641 to Samuel Winslow. But, you see, the ocean is only 3.5 percent salt, about 2 teaspoons per cup and the amount of work and labor required to evaporate the water and leave the salt is extensive. On the other hand, it’s a low tech task that is still performed in poor countries today.* *In the old days, people who worked salt were called “wichers” and salt was so critical that towns that made salt had the word “wich” placed** at the end, such as Greenwich and Sandwich and so on. (Eskew: “Salt: The Fifth Element”)* *Salt from sea water is pooled in great vats with gates leading to successive vats as the water evaporates. Men push the increasingly heavy water until the final vat where the salt is piled and dried. It was a harsh and thirsty job. However, sea water does not possess enough salt to make this operation viable, at least not on the scale that salt was needed. Therefore, in the US, people went in search of salt brine marshes that had vastly more salt than the sea. Then they set up boiling operations where vast kettles were set over fires and the water boiled until only the salt was left. Salt brine pits tend to have EIGHT TIMES the salt per gallon as sea water, therefore it requires much less work to make it.* *When the Revolutionary War was underway, one of the top priorities of the British was to destroy salt works**. This helped bring on great hardship to the colonists who had a hard time storing meat and fish for winter. New York was known for the upstate salt brine marshes and many salt works were built and many people made fortunes. Salt works were so critical for the war effort that the Continental Congress set up salt works to serve the South, which until the war was forced to import salt from England. In the Civil War, the Union Army was sent to destroy Confederate salt works in Saltville, Virginia and cripple the Confederate war effort.* *Salt was so important that when Jefferson sent off Lewis and Clark, one of the top three goals he assigned to them was to locate areas where salt could be found**. Without salt, the “west” could not be settled. And so Lewis and Clark identified “salt licks” where animals would congregate to lap up salt and also salt brine pits where salt could be evaporated from the water. Salt brine pits tend to have EIGHT TIMES the salt per gallon as sea water, therefore it requires much less work to make it.* *In the old days, when you bought salt, it came in chunks and it was mixed with all kinds of impurities in it.** You never got the pure, white salt we have today, and you accepted it as it was. Pure white salt did not make it into the market until about 1850. Until then salt was contaminated with everything around it, seaweed, tiny twigs, other chemicals. Then in 1850 an American chemist named Dowd discovered that boiling salt water in a small amount of alum caused pure, white salt to precipitate from it. People were astonished by the new product.* *Salt was so precious that it was stored in “salt cellars” on the table. Many were expensive and elaborate and are collector’s items today.* *And this doesn’t even begin to get into the solar salt works of Utah and Morton Salt, which captured nearly the entire salt market through their salt mines.* *Q5 Do neurons exist in connective tissues, like tendons or ligaments?* *A5 Ken Saladin,Former professor of histology (microscopic anatomy)23h* *Yes if you consider whole neurons, not just the conspicuous cell bodies where the nuclei are.* *Sensory nerve endings are found in the tendons and ligaments, and lead to cell bodies in ganglia close to the spinal cord, then from there, continue into the spinal cord itself.* *These nerve endings keep the brain informed of muscle contractions and tension, joint movements,** and the amount of stretch in a tendon or ligament. Without them, we probably couldn’t walk or even stand up straight, or at least we’d be very clumsy with our arms and legs and perhaps slumped over when sitting. These subconscious senses that come from such nerve endings (and other sources), and which enable us to maintain proper muscle tension and posture and move in a coordinated way, are called proprioception. That word can be loosely translated as awareness (-ception) of one’s own (proprio-) body, in contrast to awareness of the environment around the body. (There are other forms of body self-awareness that are not proproception, though—such as stomach pain, headache, a full bladder, etc.).* *Here is one of my textbook drawings of nerve endings in a tendon. This particular assemblage of nerve fibers amid tendinous collagen fibers is called a tendon organ (or Golgi tendon organ after Camillo Golgi).* *Nearly all other connective tissues also contain nerve fibers—even bone**. The only ones devoid of nerve fibers that I can think of are blood and cartilage.* -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "iyer123" group. 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