interesting episode of karma

[Guest guest]

Namaha Shivaaya

Dear friends,

 

Here is a small episode from our scriptures, on how karma drives our

lives..thought it pertains to astrology. I read it at:

http://www.exoticindiaart.com/article/karma

 

"High in the reaches of Mount Kailasha is the abode of Shiva, the

Hindu god of destruction. One evening Vishnu, the god responsible for

preserving the cosmic order, came to see Shiva. He left behind at the

entrance Garuda, the half-man, half-eagle composite, who served as

his vehicle.

 

Garuda sat alone, marveling at the natural splendor of the place.

Suddenly his eyes fell on a beautiful creature, a little bird seated

on the arch crowning the entrance to Shiva's place. Garuda wondered

aloud: "How marvelous is this creation! One who has created these

lofty mountains has also made this tiny bird - and both seem equally

wonderful."

 

Just then Yama, the god of death who rides a buffalo, came passing by

with the intention of meeting Shiva. As he crossed the arch, his eyes

went over to the bird and he raised his brows in a quizzical

expression. Then he took his eyes off the bird and disappeared inside.

 

Now, in the ancient thought of India, even a slight glance of Yama is

said to be the harbinger of death. Garuda, who had observed Yama's

action, told himself, "Yama looking intently at the bird can mean

only one thing - the bird's time is up. Perhaps on his way back he

will carry away the bird's soul with him." Garuda's heart was filled

with pity for the helpless creature. That it was oblivious of its own

impending doom further agonized Garuda and he resolved to save the

bird from the clutches of death. He swooped it up in his mighty

talons, rushed to a forest thousands of miles away and left the bird

on a rock beside a brook. Then he returned to Kailasha and regained

his position at the entrance gate.

 

Soon after, Yama emerged from inside, and nodded to Garuda in

recognition. Garuda greeted the god of death and said: "May I put a

question to you? While going in, you saw a bird and for a moment you

became pensive, why?"

 

Yama answered him thus: "Well, when my eyes fell on the little bird,

I saw that it was to die in a few minutes, swallowed by a python, far

away from here in a forest near a brook. I wondered how this tiny

creature would traverse the thousand of miles separating it from its

destiny in such a short time. Then I forgot. Surely it must have

happened somehow."

 

Saying this, Yama smiled and went away. Did he know about Garuda' s

specific role in the matter? Nobody can know for sure. Garuda sat

perplexed, mulling over the surprising turn events had taken."