LOVE ALL - Episode 13

Most Gracious ILites,
I am here first to apologize for the delay. Not that I was busy. Or was writing my magnum opus. Or had a million dollar case to fight.

But you simply overwhelmed me with your responses. I got nervous. Having built the tempo I was anxious that the next episode should at least sustain it. I lost sleep over this, got headaches as bonus and finally ended with mild dysentry.
But then in the meanwhile I was able to complete the 14th episode as well.

Whether it is good or not, you will have to tell me on 28th February. The good(?) news is that the serial is not ending with with the 14th episode. It will hopefully end in the 15th. Simply because putting across the events for 14th itself was quite overwhelming for me.

From now on I will start responding to your posts.

Thanks for being there for me.
love,
sridhar

 

Sriniketan,

Thanks. It has to be a roller coaster ride as we near the completion. Writing a serial is like running a marathon race. The runners will almost be walking to start with. But as they near the finish line they will be running fast.

Every time I have to run to my library to take an anecdote for KG. This time the incident KG described is what I actually saw when I actually travelled in MRTS. You know how much I had to struggle to hide my tears...

thanks once again,
love,
sridhar

 

Dear Kamla,

If LA 13 is a roller coaster, what will be LA 14? You have about a week to meditate on this question.

In every good that happens to us there is a seed of something bad. In every evil that happens to us there is a seed of something good.
One of my friends is a chain smoker. He tried to quit the habit several times but failed.

And then he met with a great financial disaster. He did not know how to proceed with life. At that time without any of his efforts the smoking habit took leave of him. And after a few years when his financial condition improved he was never tempted again to take a puff.

About Manmohan Desai films.. well one day we'll sit down and talk, Kamla. for I know next to nothing about that legend.

You are right about evil coming up in a saga of love. But then the bright blue border in the dhoti serves only to accentuate the white colour and not diminish it. As the story advances you will see how the evil brings out the love in every one.

Not only Sri Sooktham, every prayer, even the simplest one like Hare Rama Hare Rama is a function weapon against evil.

You might have heard about Yogi Ramsurath Kumar. He died recently. He lived in Thiruvannamalai. I had the blessing to meet him in person in 1998 though I could not talk to him.

People used to ask him to recommend "great mantras" to please God. He used to say with a disarming smile, "The only mantra I know is Ram nam. Hare Rama hare Rama Rama Rama hare hare"

KG suggested Sri Sooktham because Janaki is already used to chanting it. A mantra gets its power by repeated chanting and the love that accompanies the chanting. Sri Sooktham scores in this serial. I thought about it several weeks back and started introducing it in the serial even at that time.

You are quite right about Janaki's penance. We lead a happy life today thanks to the selfless penance performed, and being performed by many Rishis, yogis, mothers, wives and sisters..

You will meet that person in the next episode. And see a few more technological tricks as well.

Thanks for the fb, Kamla.
love,

 

Dear boost,
thanks. I love your fb. But of late you have become so busy (with your national/international meets) that I rarely see your typical "long" fb. Those long fbs, have always been a pleasure to read, and a greater pleasure to respond to. And ultimately they give me many crucial hints as to the progress of the story in the future episodes.

We have persons like Janaki. Telling Sri Sooktham with somebody like Janaki will give us hundred times more results than if we do it ourselves.

As I told here earlier the incident KG narrated was what I actually saw wiht my own eyes when I took a ride in the MRTS train last week. I was closely observing the family.
I can never forget the way the three year old boy jumped into his mother's lap and started crying even more. I could see the mother's eyes were wet too. Only at that time I knew how difficult and how embarrasing it is to hide one's tears in a public place. I had to pretend that I was coughing, took out the kerchief, took of the glasses... but my mind was full.

Have I come back with a vengeance? Then SJ is not the cause of the miracle. The woman with whom I celebrated SJ is the cause.

Thanks for the fb,
love,
sridhar

 

You hit the nail on its head. I admire your Dad for that wonderful prayer. Ultimately it's all his. In the film Thiruvilaiyadal when TR Mahalingam sings the song, "isai thamizh nee seitha arun sathanai", he would sing, "sothanai enakkalla unakkallavo..."

Draupadi's example is something we always repeatedly quote while explaining prapathi. She first thought that for a woman, her honour is more important than her life. It's true and it's a noble thought. But finally the thoughts in her mind were like this, "My honour, my life, everything that I call mine is yours. It's for you to either protect them or destroy them."
That's the point of wisdom.

Krips, you know that I am now ready with the next episode. I have got the first draft ready. I have to edit it in the light of all the previous episodes.
Stay tuned.
And please post your long fb before I post the next episode.
Thanks for being there for me.
love,
sri