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Shivarathri
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To: alt-hindu@uunet.uu.net
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Subject: Shivarathri
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From: srinivas@Glue.umd.edu (Nagulapalli Srinivas)
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Date: 27 Feb 1995 00:02:21 -0500
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From srinivas@Glue.umd.edu Sun Feb 26 23: 51:59 1995
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Newsgroups: alt.hindu
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Organization: Project Glue, University of Maryland, College Park
Today is Shivarathri. In any activity, as long as nice and good things are
coming out, we all want them and even covet or compete for them. But,
as soon as anything that is unpleasant comes out, we don't want to even face
it, but like to just run away from it! Samething happened during the activity
by Asuras and Devas in the "Saagaramathanam" - churning of Ocean. As long as
PariJatha, KalpaVrikshu(Tree which bestows any boons), Kamadhenu (Cow
which bestows any boons) and even Amritha(Nectar) came, everyone enjoyed the
show and wanted to hang around! But, as soon as the mighty poison "Kalakoota"
emerged, no one wanted to even try to combat it! When everyone gave up, it
is only the Shiva who voluntered to swallow that mighty poison! But then,
He did not just swallow the bitter poison to become Himself poisonously bitter
either!! But just held it at the neck itself becoming Neelakantha! Neither
did He spit out the bitterness too! Even when we do something nice or great,
if any unpleasantness comes, we either swallow the bitterness within and
become ourselves bitter, or more often we spit out the bitterness around either
in terms of actions, words or thoughts! But the inspiration and courage within
ourselves to swallow the bitterness around and yet, not to embitter ourselves
is no different from the Glory of Shiva itself! May we truly remember on this
day that, that capacity is definitely within all of us, and is not a patented
right of just few noble souls!
-Srinivas Nagulapalli
