An Avatar and A choice

Dear AC,
Just like you to think of this scene in the movie and talk about choices in life!
I too loved the actor's emoting.....and choosing between the love for his God and his wife.....wow, what a dilemna and they way they brought in music and praising the Lord when he was tortured was lovely direction also.Though there is pain in that scene, we do feel better that happened and he did not turn a coward and give up his beliefs and principles na!
Also so true is the choices you decide to make in life in tune with your soul. many times it brings sorrow and pain , but in the long run they would have been the best choices and will bring peace to the soul! Isn't it!?

Thank you Kanaka;

Originally Posted by sudhavnarasimhan

Dear AC,
Just like you to think of this scene in the movie and talk about choices in life!
I too loved the actor's emoting.....and choosing between the love for his God and his wife.....wow, what a dilemna and they way they brought in music and praising the Lord when he was tortured was lovely direction also.Though there is pain in that scene, we do feel better that happened and he did not turn a coward and give up his beliefs and principles na!
Also so true is the choices you decide to make in life in tune with your soul. many times it brings sorrow and pain , but in the long run they would have been the best choices and will bring peace to the soul! Isn't it!?

Dear Sudha
I am going try and copy your nice style of replying..

I am not sure that it was a good thing he stuck to his principles.. Look what happened. His family lost him , his parents , wife, and above all child
To what purpose..that he did not recognise his beloved God in any other form.
I was hoping someone would see my point and discuss.
That really is why I wrote about it.. the choices yes. But if we know what lies ahead of us because of the choice we make, then would we be not influenced in our decisions?
In this particular case the lead actor knows the consequences very clearly. I mean there is no ambiguity in this at all.. but still he makes his choice in spite of all that.
Thank you for helping me think along these lines.

yeah AC....but this was 12 th century...and i feel if you are passionate in your love for anything , here of course the Lord, then i would also give up my life than my self respect and my love.....he was such a great Bhaktha na.....how can he change himself to see God in another form. Now we all in this century can accept God in any form. I am a avaihnavite and last time we were in srirangam, i just blurted to some older relative that i visit Ganesh temple and all gods infact....and i heard her complaining subtly to my MIL that oh, we should not step into shaivite temples etc etc.....bah.....one side i understood her, she thought i have changed sides or got converted....but the other side i could not think of stopping my visits to Ganesh or Shiva temples....
I guess people of those days were passionate to that extent and he had only one choice! For him death was uniting with his Lord and not being a traitor!

I feel many times like this when i have to make choices in my dance .....and when i feel i have to surrender to beg someone or bow down to someone else or even money or fame ....i refuse. Many of my friends say that and i know they think i have an Ego, but i call it self respect. I cannot sell my ART or exchange it for ANYTHING! I don't know why , but this scene and your writing about it, made me think on these lines! But i do feel good inside, though from outside it may look like i have lost something!
Sorry i am dragging you into another discussion!

Originally Posted by sudhavnarasimhan

yeah AC....but this was 12 th century...and i feel if you are passionate in your love for anything , here of course the Lord, then i would also give up my life than my self respect and my love.....he was such a great Bhaktha na.....how can he change himself to see God in another form. Now we all in this century can accept God in any form. I am a avaihnavite and last time we were in srirangam, i just blurted to some older relative that i visit Ganesh temple and all gods infact....and i heard her complaining subtly to my MIL that oh, we should not step into shaivite temples etc etc.....bah.....one side i understood her, she thought i have changed sides or got converted....but the other side i could not think of stopping my visits to Ganesh or Shiva temples....
I guess people of those days were passionate to that extent and he had only one choice! For him death was uniting with his Lord and not being a traitor!

I feel many times like this when i have to make choices in my dance .....and when i feel i have to surrender to beg someone or bow down to someone else or even money or fame ....i refuse. Many of my friends say that and i know they think i have an Ego, but i call it self respect. I cannot sell my ART or exchange it for ANYTHING! I don't know why , but this scene and your writing about it, made me think on these lines! But i do feel good inside, though from outside it may look like i have lost something!
Sorry i am dragging you into another discussion!

Dearest Sudha
Its a pleasure to have this discussion with you. I feel honored you are taking the time to write here.
There used to be a saying in Tamil.. that iyengars wouldnever step foot in shiva temple.. Dont remember the exact words.. But translated this is what it means.
I admire your self respect. No it is not ego Its really self respect. And one needs it . But you are in the minority whereever you live.
In todays world and age the more people sell of themselves they gain.. so why not follow the crowd?

Dear Ac,

A thought provoking observation. Life is nothing but a total of choices we have made, methinks!
Oh, how I wish that it was all cut and laid out for us..making choices is a tough challange and one is not always right. But we live to bear the brunt, without doubt!

L, Kamla

AC,
All of our choices depend on something or the other...
From the morning---choices to make, what for breakfast, lunch and dinner..
If we go to the store---choices depend on the budget we have .
Sometimes when we count calories of what we eat, we had to make 'difficult' choices..

I totally agree with Sudha's view of the 12th century person..but still even in this century you will find that kind of people..I witnessed that when a college-going boy accompanied us on a tour to Badri and Kedarnath...that guy didn't even come to Kedarnath (you know it is for Lord Shiva)..but later on he felt bad...(that's another story)
If that person saw God in all forms that incident might have avoided..
This make us think that 'choices are made by us guided by our Karma'...

sriniketan

Originally Posted by Kamla

Dear Ac,

A thought provoking observation. Life is nothing but a total of choices we have made, methinks!
Oh, how I wish that it was all cut and laid out for us..making choices is a tough challange and one is not always right. But we live to bear the brunt, without doubt!

L, Kamla

Dearie BQ Kamla
Your reply is always a special treat to read since you know to deliver with right mix of different emotions.. When we are young we dont have to make any big choices but as we grow older they start cropping up.. right from which course to study which college to goto etc. Never ends.. Thanks for stepping in:)

Originally Posted by Sriniketan

AC,
All of our choices depend on something or the other...
From the morning---choices to make, what for breakfast, lunch and dinner..
If we go to the store---choices depend on the budget we have .
Sometimes when we count calories of what we eat, we had to make 'difficult' choices..

I totally agree with Sudha's view of the 12th century person..but still even in this century you will find that kind of people..I witnessed that when a college-going boy accompanied us on a tour to Badri and Kedarnath...that guy didn't even come to Kedarnath (you know it is for Lord Shiva)..but later on he felt bad...(that's another story)
If that person saw God in all forms that incident might have avoided..
This make us think that 'choices are made by us guided by our Karma'...

sriniketan

Bhargavi dear
You talk from practical wisdom.
I can see the vedanta student here .. I personally do not agree that choices are Guided by karma.. maybe circumstances and the presentation of choice is guided by karma. However the choice , which I would refer to as free will, resides solely in that person only.
Karma , I think, leads us to the point where the individual then makes the choice. So the result thereafter attached to individual karma. However individual should not be attached to result. Just do the action.
Thanks for giving me a chance to discuss. (Hope you disagree that way we can continue some discussion, if time permits for you:)

AC,
I am practical in this topic...it is my choice to give a fb to this thread...it is guided by Karma, otherwise, I would not have landed in an arguement..just kidding...

I hope you remember 2 proverbs in Tamil which goes...vidhiyai madhiyaal vellalaam ( you can overcome fate by your intelligence)..vidhiyin vazhiyae madhi selgiradhu ( the mind goes by fate)..
In the first proverb...if there is a fate that that person is going to defeat the fate, then can only he will do it..otherwise, he doesn't care at all..
The second one, is what I was referring to..
I don't think there is any free will--- you are already designed to be like that...no choice...
Maybe the choices in front of you..is also given by your Karma...
We are all humans, how come we shall not see the result for our actions, eventhough we know it leads to disappointment...

sriniketan