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Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Janmashtami

[Lord Krishna, one of the most loved Gods of the Hindu Pantheon will be born at midnight. Here's the story of his birth, which is celebrated as Janmashtami across the country.]


On a dark and stormy night, in the deepest dungeons, a baby boy was born. The eighth son of Princess Devaki, imprisoned by her brother, King Kansa. The child prophesied to kill his evil uncle and bring peace to the world. The child would have been slaughtered, as all his siblings were. But a humble cowherd substituted his new born child, and took him away to be raised as his own.

Who's heart was bigger? The mother who sacrificed her own child, and lavished her affection on another. Or the mother who gave up her child, so he could live?

_____

A drabble is a story told in exactly 100 words.

Picture credit


17 comments:

  1. AnonymousSeptember 1, 2010 at 7:24 PM

    Rayna - What a wonderful story! I just love your Drabbles, and this one taught me, too, which I doubly appreciate : ).

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  2. Mary@GigglesandGunsSeptember 1, 2010 at 7:50 PM

    Oh Rayna, for me there is no answer to this. Both have made a sacrifice which can't be measured.
    You know I love you and your Drabbles.

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  3. Jemi FraserSeptember 1, 2010 at 7:51 PM

    Heartbreaking - can't even imagine!

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  4. Karen Jones GowenSeptember 1, 2010 at 8:48 PM

    Interesting story, with similarities to the Christ child's birth. Cowherd/shepherd.. Born in a cave/stable..and slaughtering babies. Fascinating.

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  5. Debra She Who SeeksSeptember 1, 2010 at 8:59 PM

    Sounds like "Sophie's Choice" to me. Both choices are horrible.

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  6. TinaSeptember 1, 2010 at 9:37 PM

    Wow. Sacrifice all around. Thanks for sharing part of your culture with me. Like I've said before, I love learning new things.

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  7. Alex J. CavanaughSeptember 2, 2010 at 12:38 AM

    Allowing one's own child to be slaughtered to save another is an incredible sacrifice.

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  8. Mason CanyonSeptember 2, 2010 at 2:00 AM

    Both sacrificed much.

    Mason
    Thoughts in Progress

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  9. UnknownSeptember 2, 2010 at 2:20 AM

    Your last question is a really big question. One I'm not sure I could answer. I think many have wondered that over the centuries.

    CD

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  10. JulesSeptember 2, 2010 at 5:36 AM

    Wow, I don't have words for that one. You are a master, my friend.
    Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow

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  11. Deb and BarbaraSeptember 2, 2010 at 6:51 AM

    That you could capture this story in a hundred words is fantastic! HUGE question. Makes the mid and heart reel!
    B

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  12. Theres just lifeSeptember 2, 2010 at 8:32 AM

    You are the master. To be able to tell the tale in 100 words, plus ask a question to make you pause and think.
    As to the question both mothers sacrificed their sons for the good of everyone else. So they both have very big hearts. I don't think there is an answer to this. One knows her son is dead but has the pleasure of raising another, and one knows her son lives but she can not see or hold him.

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  13. T. Powell ColtrinSeptember 2, 2010 at 9:24 AM

    What if instead they both had selfish motives? Would they benefit in any way?

    Sorry, it's probably my mood, but it's something to think about?

    Teresa

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  14. rajkSeptember 2, 2010 at 11:05 AM

    Hi Rayna,
    Love your name!!!
    Love your blog too...adding it to my blogroll.

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  15. SueannSeptember 2, 2010 at 4:41 PM

    Great story! I would say the sacrifice was equally shared by both. I couldn't imagine allowing my child to be killed. Nor losing a child to another! Both very hard!!
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  16. LTMSeptember 2, 2010 at 7:29 PM

    oh, I love the "dark and stormy night." IMO, that is not used enough anymore. :D

    Hmmm... you've posed a hard question! I think... well... they both lost their children. I guess the former b/c she had to know her baby would die. :o(

    But I love this story~

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  17. NatashaSeptember 5, 2010 at 11:26 AM

    @ Margot - thank you. A drabble is a difficult medium for stories from Indian myth since they are typically so involved. But that is the challenge too.

    @ Mary- it was a purely hypothetical question. Sacrifice cannot be measured or compared.

    @ Jemi- me neither. But so many mothers send their kids off to war- maybe this is no different.

    @ KarenG- when I first heard the story of Krishna (which I heard after hearing the story of Christ because of my education in a Convent school), that is what struck me too. So many stories are common across cultures

    @ Debra- they are both horrible, aren't they?

    @ Tina- it was a pleasure.

    @ Alex- it is, isn't it? I can't even start to think of it.

    @ Mason- they did.

    @ Clarissa- and I am sure there is no answer. True sacrifice cannot be measured

    @ Jules- thank you

    @ Barbara- thank you. And yes, it is a question that cannot be answered.

    @ Theres just life- there is really no answer, is there?

    @ Teresa- both do benefit, or don't really lose much.
    The birth mother knows her child would be killed by her brother as the earlier ones were- so you could say giving him a chance at life was not a sacrifice at all.
    And the adoptive mother is still worshipped as the mother of a God. She did not get to raise her child, but this one gave her a lot of pleasure too.

    @ rajk - thank you for stopping by- I shall visit too tomorrow

    @ SueAnn - sacrifice cannot be measured, can it?

    @ Leigh - I too love the dark and stormy nights- where did they go? Replaced by TV, I am sure.

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