Flip flop

Are you a good person??? YES, of course you are a good person. All creatures in this world are basically good. For their survival in this world all became cunning and evil. The two Hindu epics “RAMAYANA” and “MAHABHARATHA” teach as about good and evil by its own characters. Some characters represent good and some stands for evil. But the representation for evil is good towards their side and they are sincere to their aim and pledge. Good and evil are simply interpretations. There is no such difference. It depends on the person’s view. The thing seems to be good for as may be the evil thing for other person’s view. Thus good and evil are all about our mind and view.

According to Hindu mythology, some persons are chiranjivi or immortals. That means death free. Those persons will not die. They will live as long as the tenth avatar of lord Vishnu “THE KALKI” came.

“Ashwathaama Balir Vyaso Hanumanash cha Vibhishana Krupacharya cha Parashuramam Saptaita Chiranjeevanam”
This sloka tells about the names of those immortals. They are Ashwathama, Bali, Vyasa, Hanuman, Vibhishana, Kripacharya and Parashurama.

Hanuman, an Avatar of lord Shiva, who served Rama, one of the immortals after the Rama Ravana fight, which is considered as a good and evil fight, wants to live as long as the people says lord Rama‘s name. Seeing his selflessness, courage, devotion, energy, strength and righteous conduct hanuman get that boon. Thus he becomes an immortal.
Looking on Ashwathaama on the other hand is the son of Drona, was supposed to be a great warrior become immortal because of acted out of cowardice to punish his father’s death. Became angry with his father’s death, he violated the laws of war and killed the five children of Bhīma thinking they are Pandavas. He was caught for his act and Lord Sri Krishna cursed him to become an immortal.

Situations are different for both cases but the result is same. Hanuman gets it as a boon and Ashwathaama get it as a curse.

This immortal concept really means that they will not go back to paramatma the supreme god, they will stay on earth, and they didn’t have a body. They lost their body but their soul is immortal. Their soul will travel around the world. They will wander for exploring the world. Hanuman is supposed to stay with people who say name of lord Rama which means people who believe in God. Ashwathaama is considered to be stay with the people whose mind is filled with ego and jealous and it is said that the presence of him causes fight between the people.

Inequality causes fight. If there is any imbalance, people began to fight for existence and the looser side will lost their confidence and they began to start worshipping the God, because the GOD is the only one who can do miracle without a stage. For winning the opponent all the ways before them will be chosen. This may lead to evil things.

At 11 pm

In a railway station

Horn from the trains and the sound from the announcement speaker were the only noise in that station. Since it is 11 pm in the night only few people are there in the station. Most of the shops inside the railway station are closed. Few numbers of trains are coming and going through the rails, some are stopped. Few people are waiting at that station for their train. All are trying to control their sleep, at the time where more than half of the population in India is sleeping.

On a seat in the platform 3, a father and his 8 yr. old boy was waiting for their train. A suit case was placed near to the father’s seat. The man was tired and sleepy. His son was sleeping at his laps. After looking at his watch, he gives a breath and took his cell phone and dialed his wife’s number. Suddenly the child wakes up. Then that father said to his child “what happened son???”

Child replied “nothing, when will our train come????”

After replying “it will come soon “he attends the phone call. Looking on the rail for train, the child saw some people running. Most of them were workers. Child then shakes his father’s hand, he didn’t listen to his child and he was busy with his call. When the child saw his father is not listening to him he turned his father’s head towards the side from where the people are run. Seeing this he disconnected his call and stand up. At that time he saw some men with gun are coming back to the people by shooting them.

He suddenly took his son and run. Looking here and there for some place for hiding he saw a small space between two beams which was almost dark and he hides his son and himself there. He closed his son’s eyes and put his head towards his chest. He can see the people rushing and some of them are shot died. After a few minute he saw the terrorists who are carrying gun running with making gunshot points on the people. He tightly holds his son. His heart is beating so fast and his eyes are filled with tears. He holds his breath. He prayed to god. It was not a prayer for helping him and his son. It was praise.

For a while he forget everything, his mind goes blank, he even forget his son.

The above scene is a good and evil situation. For saving and taking life people are running. People for saving life cried out for help to GOD. At the same time some people are going to took others life. Suppose hanuman will be come for who call God for help and Aswattama will come where there is evil. At one side hanuman and at another side Aswattama looking at each other. Consider both are visible to themselves only and they met each other at there.
All ran away and Hanuman and Aswattama are left there.

Seeing Aswattama, Hanuman asked

Hanuman: who are you???

Aswattama looked at Hanuman and accelerate his running speed. Hanuman gets humiliated and stopped him and asked with a loud voice “who are you and why he is running to kill the people???”

Aswattama replied “what you want and who are you to talk this? If you are afraid, run coward” after saying this he hit hanuman with his hands. Hanuman’s body is so fit and he didn’t move a feet. Aswattama looked at him and stand side to him.
Aswattama said “strong enough for a fight”
Hanuman “fight…fight means loss”
Aswattama” not loss…. its duty”
Hanuman: for whom???
Aswattama curving his eye brow said” for warriors… they need fight.”
Hanuman: need fight??? Fight against fate not against living beings. What will you get from this?
Aswattama: we didn’t fight against living beings.
Hanuman: then why should you kill those humans
Aswattama: we are only warriors we fought for our master and mottos.
Hanuman: if you died
Aswattama: never mind, warriors die only once.

After saying this he became quiet and his eyes became blank. He think about himself, even though he was a good warrior, fate cursed him.

Hanuman: everyone in this universe dies only once. Death is same whether it is a parrot or a warrior.
Fight is not a good solution for anything. Killing is not victory; it’s only cleaning of the way to go. It is coward. But if you save a life it is your victory because you are not clearing the way but facing the challenge.

Aswattama looking at Hanuman face and after Hanuman finished his advice Aswattama asked “did you ever see a war with your naked eye???”

Hanuman gazed at Aswattama. Aswattama continued “you know, me seen it and fought for it. So don’t say anything to me about fight.”

Hanuman: did you fight for wars???

Sitting on one of the seats in the platform Aswattama replied “feeling sleepy.”
After saying it he leans to the backside of the seat and close his eyes to begin sleep.
Hanuman began to say: I had seen it
Aswattama: what???
Hanuman: fights…..in

Hanuman by see all this, sit silently for a while on the floor and whispering something to himself and said “Sri Rama jayam” three times. And he began to sleep. After hearing “Sri Rama jayam” Aswattama opened his eyes and looked hanuman and said “he is not a good companion for me”

Next morning

Hanuman wake up early and do his routine he come near to Aswattama with two coffee cans and opened one of the can and sip the coffee slowly. He saw the busy world. Men, women, children, all people of different ages were rushing through the railway station. Seeing this busy world at a seat hanuman concentrated on everyone. All are busy but at some moment they are praying god. They pray for making the train to take off, make the train come fast and so on. Listening to this in his third vision hanuman slowly drinks the coffee. After some time Aswattama wake up. Seeing hanuman Aswattama said “still here??”
Hanuman does not answer to him. Hanuman just looks at him and listened to the people. Aswattama seeing one of the coffee cups asked “is this for me???”
Hanuman: yes
Aswattama drinking the coffee looked around everyone.
Aswattama: everyone is busy
Hanuman: yea everyone has his own duty. Look at that porter, he is a small guy, but for making his belly full he is working hard, by taking a big kettle from morning till evening. Poor

After saying this hanuman lifted his head towards up and said “great God make all one happy and give them a life without miseries.”

After hearing this Aswattama look at that porter and began to say
Aswattama: he is a rude guy
Hanuman: how can be he cheerful
Aswattama: he is not a good man
Hanuman: you are not a good man too
Aswattama: yes you are right bad man always fight
Hanuman: but he is not
Aswattama: see that
After saying that Aswattama drink his coffee fast and put down his cup near to his seat and walk towards that porter. Hanuman is seeing all this actions of Aswattama. Hanuman did not understand Aswattama. Hanuman looks at them. At that time the porter was taking coffee for a traveler sitting inside the train. Porter was standing outside the train near to the window. Aswattama went close to the porter. Due to the influence of Aswattama, the porter became needy and jealous.
Traveler: how much
Porter: 6
Traveler: 6! Everywhere it’s only 5
Porter: pay the cash sir I have to go
Traveler: wait a second.
Porter: give the cash I have to go
Traveler: one second, it’s in my pants pocket.
Porter: I don’t want to know where your money is
Traveler looked at him
Porter: what??? Why are you staring at me???
Traveler: nothing
Porter: take the money idiot, because of you I will lose my customers.
After saying it he put his kettle down. Seeing this hanuman get that the porter is began to fight with that traveler. Hanuman went near to them. After seeing these Aswattama is laughing. Hanuman pushed Aswattama from there and put him on the former seat and turned around and looks at the porter. Hanuman sees the porter and the traveler talking to each other with a smile.
Aswattama: lose a scene
Hanuman: who are you???
Aswattama: none of your business
Hanuman: did you make them began to fight???
Aswattama: no it’s not me
Hanuman: don’t say lie
Aswattama: I wouldn’t tell a lie
Hanuman: then you make them to fight
Aswattama: it’s the man, poor porter…
Hanuman: your presence makes that man angry
Aswattama after looking at Hanuman’s face said “which is this place???”
Hanuman: Thiruvananthapuram
Aswattama: people are so selfish.
Hanuman: how did you know that?
Aswattama: everyone is busy for themselves
Hanuman: sometimes selfishness is better than angry
Aswattama: where are you going???
Hanuman: this world is wide
Aswattama: wandering
Hanuman: may be, and you?
Aswattama stood up and started walking. Hanuman said “where are you going?” Aswattma didn’t reply and he walked. Hanuman run up to him and said “did you know you want to say something to me.”
Aswattama: what?
Hanuman: about you
Aswattama: did you know here is a temple named Sri Padmanabhaswami temple.
Hanuman: I know I heard. Recent time’s people found treasure in it.
Aswattama: ah there, can we go?
Hanuman: you in a temple feel ironic
Aswattama: you are saying I am not fit for entering a temple
Hanuman: did you believe in god???
Hanuman stopped his sentence after finishing it. Aswattama didn’t say anything. Hanuman himself feels pity.
Aswattama: can we go
Hanuman: yes

They both come out of the railway station. In front of it, there is a road where the vehicles are blocked due to traffic problems. Each vehicle is moving slowly. The air is filled with exit smoke from the vehicles. Due to the Aswattama’s influence on people, they began to quarrel with each other for taking their own vehicle. People are blaming another one for that traffic block. People are forgotten to realize that they are also a reason for that block.

Both of them walked through the footpath and reached the east side of the fort named Eastfort. It is the fort of Thiruvithamcore royal palace. The temple is also the property of Thiruvithamcore royal family. Walking along the road towards the temple we can see the gopura which stood up as a royal symbol and gives a medieval period touch. On both sides of the road there are many shops which are having temple oriented things like photos and statues of Lord Vishnu in anandhasayanam poster that means lord Vishnu sleeping on a serpent named ananthan, rosary chains, color powders known as sindoor, handicrafts etc. at the right side there is the temple pond called padmatheertham. The gates to the pond are locked. The water is not so clean. Color of the water is olive green. On the left side there we can see the Travancore palace. Now its portion near to road is changes as a museum which displays the things used by the king and the queen and the things used in that period. On the wall on the left side of the road there contains a clock which has a big dial and at the bottom of that dial two small goats are created. During every hour this goats will come close and hit their head each other, at that time a sound like “ding….dong…” is also produced.
Seeing all these things Aswattama and Hanuman walked near to the step which leads to the temple. Both of them washed their hands, feet and face and entered into the temple.
Sree Padmanabhaswami temple is one of 108 principal centers of worship of the deity in Vaishnavism. The temple deity is Lord Vishnu in ananthashayana, sleeping on a five headed serpent called Ananthan. Aswattama and Hanuman walked through the entrance and reached near the sanctum sanctorum. Before that there is a shrine for “Narasimha “, which was one of the avatars of Lord Vishnu. They bowed and walked to sanctum sanctorum. That day the three doors were opened so that they can see the full idol of Lord Vishnu. Both of them bowed and come out. There is lot of worshippers. Each one is struggling to see the idol. Without thinking that other worshiper is also like us and for seeing the idol everyone are pushing and pulling each other. Seeing the rush of worshippers Aswattama and Hanuman looked at each other. Then Aswattama said “in this temple all the Gods in the Hindu mythology is worshipped.”
He continued “each beam contains God, on the floor on the roof even on the sand we walk”
Hanuman then said” is Lord Rama here???”Aswattama looked at him and smiled.
Hanuman: what???
Aswattama whispered “look behind you”
Hanuman turns around and saw the Lord Rama’s idol with brother Lakshmana and wife Sita. Hanuman started to bow and praise Lord Rama. After a minute Aswattama come close to Hanuman and said “it’s enough, can we go?”
Hanuman looked at him and said “wait”
Aswattama: there is a time, after that they will close the temple then you…we are unable to see all.
Hanuman: whatever, I need to stay here as long as I wish.
Looking at Hanuman, Aswattama asked “are you Lord Rama’s devotee?”
Hanuman replied “yes”
Aswattama bowed at Rama’s idol and asked “more than Hanuman?”
Hanuman smiled and said “he is the real hero”
Aswattama: he fought and killed king Ravana
Hanuman: yes
Aswattama: you said you hate fights and you are admired by a warrior sounds fun
Hanuman: he fight for getting his beloved wife, Sita
Aswattama: fight is fight, all fight are done for a reason
Hanuman: he fought for his wife who is able to rescue her from Ravana, she is a wife and more over she is a woman, she needs help if she is kidnapped. Lord Rama cannot leave her and be peace. He didn’t fight for throne, palace, and country
Aswattama: I know, come on let us go
Hanuman: you loss
Aswattama smiled and said “is that was a word fight?”
Hanuman: not at all friend
Aswattama: friend!! !
Saying this they get out from the shrine and walked through the way which is made up of stone. The way lead them to another shrine, were the devotee is lord Krishna, one of the avatar of lord Vishnu. People are crowded. They get into the shrine.
Hanuman after praising the lord said to Aswattama “he is mysterious and powerful”
Aswattama: he is mysterious, but he is not brave
Hanuman: he killed all the demons send by his uncle to kill him
Aswattama: for saving life everyone will do something, it’s not braveness
Hanuman: he done many many things, like killing the venom serpent kaliyan, and raise the hill with his little figure and …..
Aswattama replied before hanuman completing his words “he is the avatar of lord so he can do all these things it is not wonder, if he has the courage then why he didn’t fight for kurukshetra. Did you heard about kurukshetra???
Hanuman: I know the fight between pandavas and kauravas.
Aswattama: Come on I will show you something
Hanuman: what is that?
Aswattama took hanuman out of the lord Krishna’s shrine and walked through its side they reached another shrine, which was open and the devotees are placed inside a grill.
” Look at the devotees “Aswattama said. Hanuman looked through the grill and sees two decorated stones and at the bottom their names are written.
Hanuman: one is drona and other is Aswattama
Aswattama: did you know how drona died????
Hanuman looked at Aswattama. Hanuman noticed the change in the Aswattama’s face. His face become red and his eyes filled with revenge. After a while Aswattama regain his original shape. Seeing this hanuman said “everything happens for a reason”
Aswattama: drona is my father and he is the teacher of pandavas but that students with the help of Krishna killed my father by telling him a lie that I am dead and you know after doing all these by violating the rules of war, the lord Krishna cursed me to be an immortal. I will be immortal and I will make people jealous and stand against them. My soul will never get peace.
After hearing all this hanuman said “jai Sri Rama”
Aswattama: what??? Are you kidding me? I am telling the most important thing and it is also my pain.
Hanuman: you are Aswattama
Aswattama controlling his anger and replied “yes, but that was not the point, the point is”
Hanuman: the point is you are cursed
Aswattama: yes I am cursed but it was a misunderstanding and Karna and drone are not killed as per the rule, then on what basis only I am cursed
Both of them walked silently for a while. Aswattama’s face and mind was expression less. His mind becomes empty. Hanuman’s mind was filled with so many doubts and questions. Hanuman asked to Aswattama that “why did you kill the five children of Bhīma???”
Aswattama: it was merely a mistake, after a minute he continued yes it was my fault, but I am not doing it purpose fully, it was a mistake and it was at night I can hardly see things, seeing those five children sleeping I felt they were pandavas.
Hearing this, hanuman crossed his conversation before he stops, “at night??? Is that according to the war rule???”
Aswattama: yes, it was against the rule of war. No one can attack his enemy after the sunset I know but I am angry with pandavas, for killing my father by telling lie if they can act against rule, I also do that much.
Hanuman: where is hanuman’s idol?
Aswattama: ah, I don’t know, come on us can search it. Hanuman, monkey shaped, after saying Aswattama chuckles and took a breath and said looking at hanuman’s face “he is powerful, mighty, brave soldier, I like him”
Hanuman: he is also an immortal like you.
Aswattama: hmm… I think he will be near to rameswaram.
After they come out from the temple, through the small entrance leads to south, there is the cloak room, which means they disciples are allowed to enter the temple only wearing dhotis, we can also borrow it and we can put our belongings there for security. They will safely guard our items. They both walked and stepped down the steps. They sat on one of the step. They can see the road to temple, with shops on both sides. Foreigners, natives all are crowded and rushes through the crowd. Some are stuck on the shops for buying things. There was a tea and soft drink shop. A boy of age 5 or 6 get into the tea shop, he was a beggar boy. Seeing the boy, shop owner ask “what you want???”
Boy: I am hungry; please give me some food sir
Shop owner: do you have money????
Boy: no sir but I am hungry give me some food, I am dying sir
Shop owner: go away
Boy: please sir
Shop owner come out of the counter and picked the boy and pushes the boy to the road strongly and said in angry “get away from there, otherwise I will call police”
Seeing this hanuman look at Aswattama, Aswattama said “what???”
Hanuman: is that your influence
Aswattama: what, what are you talking, I am not the reason for angry, I can make someone angry, but humans can make angry without my help. They are selfish and they only count their profits.
Hanuman: except one
Aswattama: who???
Hanuman: Lord Rama
Aswattama: is lord Rama a man???
Hanuman: perfect man
Aswattama looked at hanuman and smiled and he pointed his one hand towards the pond near to the temple. Aswattama said “can we sit there for a while”.

Both of them go near to the pond. It is grilled and the gate is locked. No one can go near to the pond. Everyone can watch the pond through the grills. This makes Aswattama angry. That influence on a pilgrim. He began to say

“why the gates are locked??? Believers who want to take a holy bath, where should they go??? “

After uttering these words he walked angrily towards the temple’s office. Hanuman looked the angry man and turned his head towards Aswattama. Aswattama said” I didn’t do anything”

hanuman replied “ your influence make him angry”

Aswattama making himself innocent said, “ then why don’t you get angry, I am with you right”

Hanuman and Aswattama smiled at each other. They watched the pond through the grills. Pond contains so many fishes and some species of cranes. Cranes are black and they not so attractive but many tourist and natives are looking and enjoying the scene. Hanuman and Aswattama are also viewed the pond very eagerly.

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