It is, importantly to our times, a story about the exile of the honourable leaders of a world gone mad with selfishness and greed. The madness of our world is merely the acting out in full of the drama begun in India 5000 years ago. Indeed, the Mahabharata war did not end there; rather the current world war began there, a fact which was described in great detail in the Bhagavat Purana.

At that time in history, the previously oral tradition of knowledge contained in the Vedic Culture, was written down by Veda Vyasadeva, so it would not be lost. This foreshadowing of the depredations of colonizers against the indigenous cultures is a central theme of the Mahabharata. It is a story about defending the innocent from the greedy and heartless colonizers of gentle human beings, plants, animals, indeed life itself and all that is dear.

The Heroes of Eros

Long before the waters froze,
In polar caps and glacial ice,
A group of celestial beings arose,
Sent here from some paradise.

Beyond all sorrow and all woes,
They grew on Earth in constant bliss,
Wisdom lived among them, those
Who knew them tasted happiness.

But gradually their sweet repose,
Was shattered by invading hordes,
With whom they were forced to come to blows
And thus began a war of words.

The climate changed, requiring clothes,
Danger stalked the flowered glen,
So their open circle began to close,
At the beginning of the Age of Men.

They then built houses all in rows,
With towers and walls of rugged stone,
Surrounded by moats that would enclose,
The gentle when they were alone.

Then writing books of rhyme and prose,
They etched their knowledge down in clay,
So in time they could expose
Future generations to their way.

And from that time their river flows,
A stream of liquid joy and love,
A message that in the darkness glows,
Transmitted from the Divine above.

In final years they would compose
Epics to set our souls on fire,

And light the lamp each pilgrim knows,
To warm them with its pure desire.

This is the destiny we chose,
To incarnate in matter’s strife,
To face the battle and expose
The deepest meanings of our life.

We are Divinity in the throes,
Of an epic battle for our soul,
We are the reincarnated rose,
Growing up from matter’s hole.

And the secret they left is:”Live with Eros”,
Stand awake in the dark of night,
For we are all Eternal Heroes,
Fighting illusion to live as light.

So bend the bow of mind, expose
The lies and treachery all around,
Send forth the truth like flaming arrows,
And speak the Ancient Holy Sound.

2-16-2009

Jeffrey Armstrong

(Kavindra Rishi)