Troubled Souls

Long time back, I have read a story in our school book, why can't we see Yamraj [the death God]. The story goes like this; in earlier days humans could see Yamraj, the god of death. One day a man caught him up, and then locked him in a dark room, when he came to take him away, after his time finished on earth. Since then, there was only birth but no death. Needless to tell, after that old, sick and ailing people were the one who suffered most. People aged but no one died. Then one day, one god came and rescued the Yamraj and from that moment on; he started taking people from earth, without we, ever being able to see him.

In Hindu religion, its believed that, when we die Yamraj or his assistants will come down on earth to take us to the ‘yamlok’, before he decides where we go, heaven or hell. Lets not focus here, what is my personal believe in this subject matter, at least for the moment. This is what I heard and this how, I grew up hearing and listening all the time in our mythology stories; as all the story spinning around it, including in comedies shows, he came to take dead people with him.

What the above story says and what the next true story says, which I read recently has very vast difference in its nature. No wonder, I am also trying to understand what is the meaning, we can derive after reading this story. Who come down on earth to fetch away people after their death ? This particular story, really hammered my conscience, and preconceived notion about it, when I the story from a granddaughter about her own grandfather. This story is indeed told, from the real life experience of the dead mans maid named White, which she later on shared it with her granddaughter [ the writer of the story].

John Chester Craven was a railway Engineer of L. B & S. C Railways, who lived his life in Yorkshire, England. The writer of the story describes her grandfather, as the one who was devoid of sentiments, whose god was money and railroads,  he had no interest at all outside of that. She also described him as someone, who had cyclonic rage; who possessed uncontrollable temper and he was a tyrant too. She was very much emotionally detached from her fathers family, as he died when she was very young. No wonder, if she finds her grandmother too very cold and she described her; the one who was as unemotional and unsmiling woman, she had ever seen in her life. After the death of her father, she was raised by her mother.

M. C. Maude’s grandfather took an unbelievably long time in dying. White, the maid who attend Mr. Craven, when he was on deathbed; narrated the whole story to young girl [ she was seventeen then], “listen, miss Maude, your grandpapa was fetched away by that poor boy [Alfred] he mishandled so shamefully years ago. Its a gospel truth and Mr. william came along to be company for his brother, why he should mix himself up it beats me.” White, continues further three months before the death every day, at around eight o’clock at night, Mr. Craven felt, his sons were waiting outside his door to fetch him away.

The day he died around one in the morning, the three ladies and a maid who were there to look after him, heard ‘Hallo !’ from outside. At first, they tried to dismiss it, saying its a cat or a drunkard, but then again same sound came and then one more lauder and clear call to make it valid, that its not just the buzz in the ear but its more that that.

At that point Mrs. Craven sent White, her personal maid, as she related the story to the granddaughter, who was taking care of Mr craven; to see what's there under the dressing room window, which is making that kind of disturbing sound. When she looked out of the window, to her horror and surprise; she finds that the small boy with a skipping rope accompanied by his brother William [ father of the writer of ‘To fetch him away’ ghost story] who died when she was very young. It seems that the maid had seen William before he died but she was not working for this family when the young boy was beaten mercilessly by his own father.

Its necessary for me to mention here at this moment that, the young boy Alex had died on the sixth day after he ran away from his home, because he was brutally and mercilessly beaten by his father [ Mr. Craven] with a rope, and it seems that a skipping rope at the tender age of ten, when he by mistake; tore one of the most valuable drawing of his father. His second son William died at the age of 35.

The maid concludes her narration to the writer, “miss Maude Mr. Alfred and Mr. William fetched their father away, I saw them as clearly as I see you. I don't know, why they were allowed to come back and fetch Master, when he found such comfort in the twenty third psalm and have regretted enough for being the slave driver with the railwaymen.”

The above story narration by the maid to the granddaughter of the man, she took care for so many years, tells us the different side of the story, about our age old believe or lets say the way we are conditioned to believe, what we normally believe, about the life after death.

I personally would not have believed this story, If its was not the story of her own family member; which can be seen in a book by M. L Chauhan under the title ‘to fetch him away’. I found Maude M. C. ffoulkes, uninteresting and in her own words ‘dreamer of the dreams’ or at times in other of her story, ‘her mom wondering looking up in the sky and murmuring, why she have such child. In her other ghost story, she forgot that it, is a true story, she let her imagination fly high and she is very much interested in ghost and supernatural subject. Let me tell you here clearly, ghost may be invisible but its invisibility does not make it fall on the ‘supernatural’ subject.

Existence of hell is something, all the religion belief and its mention in Hindu books or many other religious book with such explanation that no one can argue, unless one choose not to open the true eyes, to understand; what all had been written in this subject matter. See What is in the Ved by Dr. Swami Prapannacharya [p. 256].

I could not help notice in this story, one more thing, the young boy’s soul was troubled even after his death and his father’s soul was troubled for long time before his death for what he did to his young boy, which caused his death. The writer was troubled by her fathers family's side and what to say about the maid, who had to look after the most dominating man with cyclonic rage, who was eluded by death, long before the death actually came to take him.

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Note : Maude M. C. ffoulkes is an English writer and a novelist, her  ghost stories can be seen in ‘true ghost story my M. L. Chauhan.

This post has already been published in nepaliadvocate.com

Conversation with Death God

When Mamta's husband returned from Delhi, he complained Delhi is such a polluted city [air pollution]. And I thought all those fairness cream company who do not hesitate to brag giving a fair complexion to dusky brown Indians are actually committed to convert dusky brown Indians to white like native British or Americans within next 10 years.

Corporate house do make a huge bucks fooling us like anything. But lately, fairness cream and a man who is coming in my distant and vague parts of mind is what giving my head spin like anything. A man who looks bit worked on computer’s graphic image have been dancing in my mind and I am trying to understand who is this middle age man with so much energy to keep nagging me with his gleeful look and funny dance.

He bends his legs and dances like the men who dance in our folk dance. Ever since I was child I am a huge fan of folk dance for it being so fast in its move and steps as well as chirpy mood boosting songs, unlike other slow dance move.  What is demanding my attention in his dance steps is, that he has not only been holding a paper all this time  but he is also making efforts to show it to the whole audience.

Seeing the paper from the distance was not helping me to understand what is in that paper. so I have to request him to give it to me, so that I can read it and then figure it out what is written in that paper.

It was a contract paper which he had signed with a rich fairness cream company to supply him lifelong stock, so that; he will look fairer and perhaps look less menacing to those who he will visit next to end life. No ! No ! he is not a doctor but, this document says he is a Hindu death god, our very own Yamraj.

Strange as it may sound but, it made me wonder, why Yamraj has to carry a document that promises him a lifelong supply of fairness cream ? What could be the reason he needs this ? To quench my curiosity I asked him about it.

Despite he being death god, I found him very friendly and candid in his conversation to talk  openly about why he needed to carry with and show it to some selected ones. I came to know that he has heard about the book China Harayeko Manche by Hari Bansha Acharya. After reading it, he seemed bit worried about the revolution the famous comedian wanted to do, to change the god/goddess  or replace them with immediate effect for they treating us like slave. He was not worried about the replacement part but worried more that the famous actor/comedian have demanded his immediate death. So, he got this idea to visit a big fairness cream company and then ask for lifelong supply. He was honest when he admitted threatening the company CEO, “if you do not agree to supply me what I ask for, then be ready to die soon.”

“And they agreed to give you what you asked for ?” I asked him with a quizzy look in my eyes and his brutally honest have power to bring smile on my face. I have to admit it too, his candid manner which he showed in replying my answer just amused me. I asked him again, “but then why it matters to carry this contract paper ? you will still be the death god; black or white, tall or short, handsome or ugly, young or old ?” He was very fast in his response, “Sunita, I know what you mean and also the depth hidden in that question but who will convince the person who wants to change God and demands my immediate death ?” he counter questioned me in his answer and he was wearing very thoughtful look in his eyes when he looked straight in my eyes to see whether I understood him or not. He added further, “Don't get me wrong Sunita, I am not hungry to retain this job of death god but the truth is anyone who replace me, will still do the same work and people still die after birth. Even if they have been loved by people around them. So, whats wrong if I be that person again with slight changes ? But yes this time I will be fairer and younger than before.”

He seemed to be in his chatty mood and his logic have power to grip me  in his talk, so he continued further, “you know what worries me Sunita, if I look fairer or younger, may be women will not hesitate to go with me because of my look. And the problem is,I won't have time to explain them I am not the dream man I am the GOD of death.” “Why don't you explain them ?” I wanted to know.

“My job is to take life, not to explain them why do they die” he looked straight into my eyes to see I have got his point when he said that line. “You don't explain them, then who will explain it to the dying person why they are dying ?”

“You people on earth do that,” he said in very somber tone and then further went on “and find the meaning of life and death. Its not upto us to explain the dying person, why do they die. Death is reality and life is not an eternity and it is inevitable after birth. I know this much.” and then he looked straight in my eyes to see whether I absorbed his pearl of wisdom or not.

After this much talk, he felt comfortable chatting with me and showed me the contract paper with another big corporate house for lifelong supply of wrinkle free cream which will keep him look younger than before. After seeing that paper I asked him, “why do you need it ? why you have to look better than before and younger than ever ?”

“Why not ?” was his counter question again. Then he explained that Haribansha has asked for young and clean image person in the list of god/goddess and even if I am a king of death I am still the god. Therefore, I have to look younger and fairer to meet his search for ‘young and clean image’ god.”

He makes sense as much as Haribansha when he gives us his best comic show, which has power to tickle our funny bones. Just then I woke up from my daytime sleep and shook my head. My god this happens when I read the book by comedian and try to make sense of his thought that has no logic, rationality and sanity. But, I still have to admit it, chatting with yamraj or reading Harhibansha’s book, both equally interesting and brain hammering. As I have been written earlier, there in his book is more than nonsense talk and in every death there is reason to make place for newcomers. Death is reality of life as his new wife tells him and not a terror which the comedian writer believes. Reality is we have to learn to accept it instead of demanding replacement of God/Goddess as there are some power like god which cannot be replaced with another face.

This is illegal

 People always go after the temptation, forbidden fruit, or sins; which at times some intellects of society have termed illegal. Does people feel challenged with the word illegal and then go for it ? Is this human nature to go after the things that has been banned ? or there is more to it, when they go after the illegal things. Is this fun to break the concept of illegal ? Why people go after the things that was barred ? I think, there is more to it, than it actually seems when we think they are going after the forbidden zone. I don't think, fun is the reason behind it. Why I think so ? Lets see some incidents of our society to find answers.

Aborting a female fetus : to know a sex of fetus prior to the birth of a child has been made illegal in India because of misuse of science and technology. However, sex determination test during the first three months of pregnancy are widely practiced in length and breadth of India. But, some states in UP are more infamous going only for a boy child and then terminating the fetus of a girl child; long before they are born.

At first the sex determination test looks very human like curiosity. Every new parents would like to know the sex of a child, so that, they can prepare accordingly before the newborn arrives. However, substantial number of Indian parents are doing so, just to know the sex of a child so that they can terminate the female fetus, after knowing the sex of unborn child. It is a pure misuse of technology of medical science and then this gift of science  also sounds like a curse to female gender. Strange, why these people totally ignore the fact that they need women to bear a child and then give continuity to the life.

The real problem is not the science and technology which help us know the truth before the birth of a child nor the doctors who carry out this pregnancy termination act illegally, its just another job and they need people who give them their bread and butter. The real problem is mentality that do not hesitate to kill female fetus long before a child is born. And sometimes we watch on TV crime story [Indian] when they bury a month old [girl child] alive, so that they will have a boy next time. The one who were involved in this was father of a child, and her two grandmothers and the main person who ordered them to do this was another lady, a Tantrik. In India they are worshiped like a god and their order are taken like the word of God.

Should this surprise you now, In India there are only 914 women per 1000 men and its raising a whole lot of different problems in Indian society, just like in China where, for every 118 men there are only 100 women.

Rebirth : In another incident, I watched a story of a seven year old boy, who was killed as an adult exactly seven years ago in his previous life. He was constantly haunted in his dreams and no visit to any psychologists seem to be helping to find answers to his nightmare. Then one word in his dream - a name of a city - where he used to live before his death and rebirth; took him to another small town in India. It was the boy’s nightmares which forced his parents to find the answer. It  then, became a reason to find his killer of previous life. Once he was in town, almost immediately, he found his family members and relatives of his previous life then every missing piece started linking with each other.

Until now no one knew the reason of his death; but, after hearing the boy’s story the previous life’s family members wanted to punish the killer, who took a young mans life. He was never charged for anything wrong. when they went to court the judge rejected it outright, saying court do not believe in previous life. Court told them it  can't proceed the case where the child was claiming he was killed.

It can be understood why judge rejected this case, as there will be more illogical cases court  could be facing, if it indulges one such case. And there are no dearth of people, who will twist the case to such extent to make it win, as they see it and believe it.

Remember this is India and this is the Hindu nation which believes in rebirth and karma more than any other country. This is the country which not only developed this concept of  rebirth but shares such stories to the whole world. This is what differentiate Hindu religion from other religion.

At the end, the boy and his new and old family members along with the lawyer was able to produce sufficient proofs by disclosed the truth of his death which no one knew until then, found the document where he kept all the status about his loan - the reason - he was killed to the court. The feared man made some mistakes due to the rumors of his arrival in the city and then it became easier for the lawyer and the boys previous life family members to act and punish him after seven years.

Seven years gap in between justice and punishment is not much important thing here unless and until the rebirth of a boy, who was haunted in his dreams, which lead him to the unknown city in India just to find some answers that dream raised in his young mind.

Corruption is a social evil, offence and considered illegal in every civilized society but we keep reading in newspaper almost daily that so and so people in power is convicted of corruption and then it takes an endless time to punish the man who involved in the game of corruption. Smaller the position smaller corruption and bigger the position and project bigger the amount of corruption. Some corruptions, like corruption in medial sector or in pharmaceutical line that chains with many hospitals, affects the lives of  millions of  people at a time yet not considered as horrendous as genocide when they are prosecuted. Well educated people and white color corruption is worse than the blue color corruption or crimes yet it keeps going on and on and on to maintaining the status in society. Nabbing the powerful of the society is as challenging as red alert criminals. Question is, Who should punish them ?

I even have heard a smart lawyer once saying, taking a life is illegal. Does that mean its OK to take a life and not even feel guilty about it ? Can he be allowed to walk free on road to take one more life ? Despite such insane reasoning, judicial system do consist of people, who have clarity in conscience compared to the normal people whose conscience seem to be on murky side. Besides, it falls on responsible, sensible and intellects of our society to think over such issues and then work on this line to bring harmony in our society. But the bigger question is do we need court to tell us what is legal or what is illegal ? Has that reduced our problems squarely ? I think this is the time we should address such issues a whole lot differently. Lets talk about clarity of conscience to aware our mass.

Sex Feels Good But.....

Talk of sex is a taboo in my continent or its regarded impolite in civilized society. Lust is regarded bad even in married couples not only in Hindu philosophy but in many other religions too. This is very hypocrite and double standard in itself. For many people, sex is desire, need or lust, to some sex is sin. Therefore, forget about taking it easily in courting couples of any age. There are huge number of people who suggest you to stay away from temptation and you should not marry for the sole reason of sex and sex is what is the reason behind the many broken family. May be religions as a whole are more preachy than understanding the root reason behind it.  But what we can't deny is many people and many definition so the many condition.

There are people for whom sex is nothing more than a temptation one could resist. To some its a language of love and a must for continuation of life to go on. Whatever we say, no one can deny the truth, sex still do have full power to rule our life. The hard truth about sex is, it is a biggest human emotion of all.

It is believed that sex is good for mental stimulation. Research have revealed that, good sex unclogs the creativity within a man and it seems that it gives them an unseen wings to achieve unimaginable height in life. If we study closely in the life of many successful men this notion seem to be so right. Gandhi is well known for being the leader of 20th century due to his peaceful protest in the history of mankind, not only in India but he was a chronic sex addict, Picasso is top when it comes to painting  world and he had many wives as well as many extramarital relationship also. Lets talk about Tiger Woods, the recent case of rise of fall of the biggest brand, due to his sexual behavior.

 

Fall of biggest brand : Personally for me the case study of Tiger Woods is very interesting, in so many ways. He was on top of his career when he was having affairs with many women but just when it was made public during late 2008, he became the fall of the biggest brand in modern history. After that his popularity saw the free fall like anything and he lost millions of dollar worth of brand endorsement due to his infidelity and besides his wife also divorced him in the midst of the crisis. It took him almost 5 years to regain his top position in Golf game.

Guilt : Recently, I was kind of numbed when I watched yet another crime shows. The story came in crime show but I am giving you only the psychological analysis here after or before that crime. For real story some Indian channel repeatedly airs it. You must have been reading in  many of my articles that my personal preference is Crime patrol, Sony and Savdhan India in Lifes Ok.

This is a story of Mohit* who was convicted of raping a young British girl named Ana*, about seven years ago. He is from very well off family and he was working as a photographer for the girls when this happened.  This was worked on fast track work so after the punishment he ran from the jail when he was serving his term. But the story is worth paying close attention after he ran from the jail. He did plastic surgery to change his looks, made false document to live life of a totally different person and was forced to stay out from his family and hometown  and direct contract from them also due to this charge.  Worse, he was so guilt ridden that he could not even have a normal relationship with any girl after that even with the girl in his office, who was interested in him and who took the advance to seduce him. He just could not open up about his past life nor he could free from himself what he did under the influence of alcohol. One mistake where he forced himself to the British girl and guilt of it could never leave him, even if he ran from jail, did plastic surgery and could change the whole document with the help from his powerful father. Nothing could ease his guilt, and he could not forget it to get over from the mistake he made in past.

When Greed collide with lust : Jiten Byas* was a rich stock broker and was living a double life which his family, friends and colleague did not know about. He made money fast and gave money fast and kept a woman outside his hometown also. But the new woman was seeking some status in his life not just ease in life. Financial ease which he provided the woman was exactly lacking in her life with her husband. She thought her rich lover should provide her something that will help her life before the enter rich man in her life. Now this woman was well off with her husband and two college going children and her son was sponsored for college study by this new man. after sometime she asked for a big chunk of land. The man was more canny that he looked. He threw a proposal; I will give you what you are asking but, send your daughter to me. This mother daughter discussed over this and the daughter replaced mother for his lustful act, but greed was the prime motive behind being exploited by this man.

As time passed this man did not transferred that particular piece of land worth 10 million to this mother daughter duo. Not surprisingly, one day this man was found dead out of his hometown. But, before his death his signs was taken on the land documents. These two women had used paper cutters only to kill this man on his wrist. This is the bad case of digging the greed of a women who had never seen money before they met this rich man.

Love lust : Charumeeta* was a married woman who lived in Kolkata who had intimate relationship with a young man. The young was not married, after some time the man fell in love with this woman knowing she has a husband and two children of hers. He thought good sex means love. But to this lady he was only the guy who provided her what had been lacking in her life. therefore she did not wanted to marry with him. When asked by this young man, “do you love me ?”  she used to respond, “of course”, if asked “then why can't you leave him [ husband] then she used to say, “he is my husband.”

One day this young man who was in army shot this woman, a mother of two child, his husband and her mother-in-law because sex was not love for her.

Victim of Conspiracy  : In May 2011 Dominique Strauss-Kahn was accused of attempted rape and sexual assault which he denied repeatedly. What is so interesting about this attempted rape and sexual assault is; that it all happened just before he was about to run for the top position in IMF. He was about to run for the 2012 French President and then all this buzz dominated the world news. On 23 August 2011, the judge formally dismissed all charges following a recommendation for dismissal filed by the District Attorney's office, which asserted that the complainant's untruthfulness made it impossible to credit her.

Any one can smell the game of conspiracy here than the actual assault from him. If people know your weakness, they will used it against you one day or another and it does not have to be the girl you are involved with to ruin your life, as It helps some to play a game within the loopholes using it against you and the people in power. At times this will be a huge issue for public and sometimes, By the time public know the real story its already too late for the victim.

There is no doubt that sex feels good and it sure is a mental stimulation in our life but only when there is no string attached with the sexual behaviour. Mere ejaculation is going to do  no good to either party. Otherwise, it becomes a reason to fall from the grace regardless from which continent you belong to.

*TV shows or computer links don't use real names in Indian crimes story, so I will never know the real name and place.