Indian Culture

Year of the Snake – An Indian perspective through Budo

Vikram M R, , , , , , Leave a comment

A young Spectacled Cobra

Today, 29th January, 2025, is the Chinese New Year. This year is the “Year of the Snake”. More specifically, it is the “Year of the Wood Snake”, “wood” being the element associated with the animal of the zodiac this year. Due to historical cultural connections between China & Japan, we use the zodiac animal associated with the year as inspiration for training, every now and then, in the Bujinkan (which is of Japanese origin). This is not a norm, but something that is not uncommon either. Snakes are animals that have a strong presence in Hindu culture. So, me being a Hindu, a Budoka, and someone who has a deep respect for snakes, inspired me to write this article.

Everyone knows of the main aspects that are considered advantages in the martial arts. These generally are strength, speed and agility. Skill and experience can offset some of these. But weapons mitigate the advantage physical prowess provides. This includes both offensive and defensive weapons. In my previous post, from last week, I had discussed the importance of weapons in the martial arts*. This seems like a nice follow-up. One advantage that weapons additionally provide is reach, or how far away an attack can be carried out. Modern weapons of course also have “range” which is how large an area can be affected (of course, “range” can also be used interchangeably with “reach”, when it comes to modern weapons).

While training the Bujinkan system of martial arts, one story that everyone learns is that of Ishikawa Goemon. Ishikawa Goemon is a legendary character from the Sengoku Jidai (warring states period) of Japan, which is the second half of the 16th century. Ishikawa Goemon is a shinobi from Iga who tries to assassinate either Oda Nobunaga or Hideyoshi Toyotomi, using poison. I have been told that there are stories which describe him as trying to assassinate one or the other, though neither of them are supposedly strictly historical. In both stories, the attempted assassination fails. Goemon is supposed to have been executed along with his family according to some tales while some supposedly say that he escaped.

Chains that guide rain water into a harvesting area – something like Goemon used to guide poison into his quarry’s mouth?

Despite the failure of the attempt, the means he used in the assassination is fascinating! He gained access to the bed chamber of his target and hid in the rafters overhead. When the quarry was asleep, he let poison drip into the mouth of the sleeping individual over a thin rope. Think of this as the chains used to guide water into a harvesting tank below. The poison only made the target sick but was insufficient to kill the person. This legend was used in a sequence in the James Bond movie “You Live Only Twice” starring Sean Connery.

Another story related to “Ninja” using poison is something I saw in the old Discovery Channel series “Ancient Warriors”. This series showed how various groups of historical warriors fought and lived. This series ran between 1994 and 1995. One episode of this series focused on the Ninja and was titled, “The Ninja: Warrior of the Night”! This series has not aged well. The “facts” shown in the series are questioned and not considered entirely accurate.

In this episode about the “Ninja” a situation is narrated where the ninja assassinate a warlord by sprinkling poison powder on flowers in his garden. The ninjas observe that the warlord takes a stroll in his garden every morning smelling the flowers. They use this behaviour of his to kill him. Even in the episode, the name of the warlord is not mentioned, nor is any context given for the assassination. So, I am not sure if this is historical, and if it is just a story, I would request anyone else who might have heard the same, of its antecedents. Who is being referred to in the story and in what quasi-historical situation? I am attaching a link to a video of this episode in the notes below**.

Irrespective of the provenance of the second story, the two stories mentioned above show that the use of poison is certainly attributed to Shinobi. And this links the Shinobi/Ninja to snakes. Many creatures on our planet have developed “Venom” as a survival strategy. These include molluscs (e.g. snails), arthropods (e.g. scorpions), insects (e.g. wasps), amphibians (e.g. frogs) and reptiles (snakes and lizards). But snakes are undoubtedly “top of mind” when it comes to creatures that use chemical weaponry, namely venom (many a time referred to as “poison’).

An old photo of a Saw Scaled Viper

A small tangent here. Venom is poisonous. I have heard a beautiful explanation regarding when the terms venom and poison should be used. I will repeat the same here. If a snake bites a person and the person dies, the snake is VENOMOUS. If a person bites a snake and the person dies, the snake is POISONOUS. In contrast, if a snake bites a person and the snake dies, the person is POISONOUS. If a person bites a snake and the snake dies, the person is VENOMOUS.

This is why there exist frogs referred to as “Arrow Poison Frogs”. These frogs secrete a venom from their skin. So, if any animal bites these frogs or tries to eat them, the frog is POISONOUS and hence they learn to not consider the frog food. Similarly, there are “poisonous” mushrooms, which if eaten, can kill the individuals who eat them. Now, we go back to the main article.

One of the things that a practitioner of the Bujinkan system learns in the first few months of training is the “Hi Ken Juroppo”. This refers to the 16 ways of striking/hitting an opponent, without weapons. This includes the use of the fists, fingers, elbows, knees, feet etc. Apart from this, a concept called “Shizen Ken” is taught. Shizen Ken can be translated as “natural weapons”. This generally refers to nails, teeth and spit in humans. In other words, one can scratch or bite or spit at opponents. These are not trained as a part of “striking” an opponent as these are considered to be more “natural” or something we do due to our evolutionary past.

When it comes to animals, shizen ken would be horns, claws, fangs, tongues (think chameleons), beaks, and of course, VENOM. Obviously, when we consider weapons, we need to consider defensive weaponry as well, the examples mentioned earlier being exclusively offensive in nature.

Defensive weapons in animals include armours (carapace, cuticle, shell ec) in the case of crocodiles, tortoises and crabs, secretions (like the ink used by squids and octopi and the stink raised by skunks), spikes in porcupines and of course the wide range of camouflage that exists in nature. Beyond these, we can include the warning mechanisms used by animals under shizen ken. This includes the warning sounds used by various animals and the bright display colours that poisonous animals like frogs and caterpillars sport.

If we consider protection developed by various creatures against the heat, cold and the natural elements, this list of “natural weaponry” deployed by life on earth increases manifold! Of course, the development of weaponry is not limited to the animal kingdom. Weapons, mainly defensive ones are seen even in the plant kingdom, like thorns, resins, hard shells and of course poison.

Considering just snakes, they have developed a natural weapon that gives them a huge advantage in the battle for survival. Venomous snakes are distributed all across the world, but not all snakes are venomous. Venom is one of the weapons that snakes have evolved apart from size, speed, camouflage, agility and flexibility, which are seen in many species of snakes, sometimes in conjunction with venom.

An old photo of a young Common Krait. I could be mistaken here, this could be a Wolf Snake, which looks very similar to a Common Krait.

One factor about weapons is that they nullify the advantage proffered by size and strength. This is true in all species. This means that venomous snakes can afford to evolutionarily be smaller in comparison to many other snakes. This also means that they can be ambush hunters and minimize the risk they face from prey, struggling or otherwise. Of course, nature being nature, not all venomous snakes are small. Some rattlers and bushmasters in the Americas grow pretty large. Gaboon Vipers in Africa are large as well, and then there is the King Cobra, which is a very big snake by all standards, by length if not weight and girth. But most venomous snakes can be small or medium sized. In India, the Saw Scaled Viper, the Common Krait and many of the Pit Vipers tend to be on the smaller side according to common parlance. Cobras and Russel’s Vipers are medium sized snakes.

A majestic King Cobra

I have seen on some nature documentaries, the afore mentioned African Gaboon Vipers described as “docile”. This is in relation to its behaviour vis-à-vis humans. Of course, every snake has a different temperament and this is only a general characterization that I have heard. I am not even sure if this observation is correct. But assuming what I have seen is correct, I make the following observation. The Gaboon Viper has very large fangs to deliver venom, the largest of any extant snake. It can deliver a large dose of venom in a single bite. So, if I anthropomorphize the Gaboon Viper, it is so certain of its natural abilities and of course weapons, it has no need for any aggression. It knows its opponents will stay away due to fear or evolutionary knowledge of its weapons. Thus, it can AFFORD to be docile!

The Gaboon Viper also has a fantastic camouflage pattern that resembles the leaf litter on a forest floor. Lastly, it is an ambush hunter. Now consider the following traits. The Gaboon Viper can inject sufficient venom to kill its prey in a single bite – it is therefore armed with lethal weapons. Due to its camouflage, its quarry cannot see it coming. Being an ambush hunter, it can lie in wait for long durations. Consider these traits together – it is literally an Ishikawa Goemon from another species! Of course, there are several other snakes that have the same combination of traits and I am just using this as an example.

A Gaboon Viper amidst leaf litter. Image credit – “1000 Wonders of Nature”, published by Reader’s Digest

In India, in the stories from Hindu culture, there are entities called the “Nagas”. Nagas are depicted as part human and part snake in many representations. They are also depicted exactly as snakes in others. I have heard some people distinguish between Nagas and snakes. Snakes are also referred to as “sarpa” in many Indian languages. Some people suggest that Nagas are different from “sarpa” or snakes since they have traits that far exceed those of snakes, traits that far exceed those of humans as well. But the Nagas are definitely linked to snakes and in modern Indian culture, the difference is hardly ever considered. Nagas are also prevalent is South-East Asian culture.

A representation of a Naga as depicted in South East Asia

The Nagas, based on my knowledge have three traits that most Hindus are commonly aware of.

  • Firstly, they are symbolic of fertility, in humans and of the land itself.
  • Secondly, Nagas and snakes in general, are considered guardians. They are depicted as guardians of material wealth, like ancient and hidden treasure. They are also symbolic of wisdom and spiritual prowess.
  • Lastly, Nagas are considered technologically superior as cultures go, which is perhaps an offshoot of their being associated with wisdom.

I will share a couple of examples of this technological superiority. In the Mahabharata, during the Ashwamedha Yajna after the Kurukshetra War, Arjuna is killed by own son Babruvāhana. He is healed and brought back to life by his wife Uloopi, who is a Naga princess. Uloopi uses a “Naga Mani” to heal Arjuna. The “Naga Mani” is a popular trope in modern Indian entertainment as well. It again links treasure (Mani is a gemstone) with the Nagas. This story shows Nagas possessing technology or knowledge that allows them to perform tasks that are beyond normal humans. It brings them closer to the divinities in this sense.

Uloopi summoning the “Naga Mani” or the Gem of the Nagas. Image credit – “Uloopi”, published by Amar Chitra Katha

The other example is the “Sarpāstra” or the “Nagāstra”. “Astra” can be translated as an arrow or a projectile weapon. Astra can be used to depict any weapon that is discharged, with a bow or any other device (the air-to-air missile developed by India for its fighter aircraft is also called “Astra”). This is a special arrow used in both the Ramayana and the Mahabharta. This arrow is supposed to never miss, unlike other arrows. Further, an adversary who is struck by this arrow is either sure to die, with no hope of recovery, or be bound for all time, as one can never escape the weapon’s clutches. In essence, this Naga weapon is more capable compared to those used by humans.

A representation of the “Sarpastra” being superior to a normal human arrow. Image credit – “Uloopi”, published by Amar Chitra Katha

These positive traits associated with Nagas results in names associated with Nagas being widely prevalent in India even today! Names like “Nagaraj”, “Nagaswamy”, Nageshwar (male version) and Nageshwari (female version) and many others associated with Nagas are encountered by all of us regularly. All of these names translate to “King / Lord/ Chief” of the Nagas. I am sure all of us can recall at least one friend or relative who has a name associated with the Nagas. This is not to mean that snakes are not feared in modern India. There is a healthy respect for snakes all across India. The association with the Nagas, and hence snakes, is not new. Many royal lines from the times of Ramayana and Mahabharata to historical times link themselves to Naga ancestry.

It might seem that Nagas, who are part of legend and folklore in India are the ones who have positive traits. It is not snakes that have positive traits. I beg to differ on this point. I will share my personal opinion on this point. Let us begin with venom again. Earlier, I mentioned the astra named after snakes or Nagas. This is literally true in snakes! Snakes have developed the mechanism to deliver venom at a “stand-off” distance. There are multiple species of Spitting Cobras that have evolved a fang with an opening through which they can spray venom on an adversary, and keep them at bay. This is a true astra indeed!

Let us now consider aspects of snakes beyond the use of venom. Let us begin with the physical trait of snakes that everyone recognizes – the forked tongue that snakes possess and flick in and out of their mouth every now and then. Snakes use their tongue to analyse the environment around them. Snakes have an organ on the roof of their mouths, on the inside, called the “Jacobson’s Organ”. The tongue collects samples from the air and deposits it onto the Jacobson’s Organ, which in turn determines what the surrounding atmosphere is like. This is like snakes carrying around a lab inside their heads that can analyse their surroundings! This is miniature technology like no other!

The forked tongue of a snake

Of course, this is not limited to snakes. Other species have evolutionary senses that seem like magic,  or at least marvels of technology, thanks to modern science. Some raptors (birds of prey) can see in the ultraviolet spectrum, sharks can detect the electrical signals in water to find food and elephants can communicate using infra sound. These are just a few examples from the natural world, without even considering the plant kingdom.

Considering evolutionary senses, one cannot ignore “the Pit” used by snakes. Pit vipers and some pythons have an organ called the “Pit” at the top of their heads on the outside. This pit is a sensory organ that allows the snakes that possess them to perceive their surroundings through something like “heat vision”. They can identify temperature differences to identify prey and track them.

So, considering just the two examples above, snakes carry in their heads, heat vision equipment and a lab to study their surroundings! 😛 This does indeed seem like high technology to us humans, in hindsight of course. Therefore, Nagas, who are linked to snakes and sometimes are nothing more than anthropomorphized forms of snakes, are no doubt considered wise and technologically advanced.

Nagas represented as part human and part snake. Image credit – “Uloopi”, published by Amar Chitra Katha

Even if one considers humans before modern science revealed all the “super senses” that snakes possess, we can still explain the fascination with snakes. In a previous article of mine***, titled “Ashta Siddhi and Budo”, I had discussed what are considered the “8 achievements” of a warrior and how they can be understood through modern budo practice. The fifth of these five achievements is called “Praapti”.

“Praapti” can be considered to be “able to receive everything”. This in modern parlance, in my opinion, refers to being able to perceive all the information in a given time and space, which in turn aids in conflict management and hopefully conflict mitigation. For practitioners of the Bujinkan, this would, again in my opinion, be nothing other than “Sakkijutsu”. Sakkijutsu, put simply, is one’s intuitive ability, which could also be termed as “awareness”, “situational awareness” or “mindfulness”.

The sensory abilities of snakes described earlier would be apparent to people in historical times, for they were keen observers of the natural world as well. The senses of snakes might not have been explained, but it would not be something unknown either. So, in a culture where, the ability to perceive the surroundings is celebrated as one of the “8 achievements” and the ability of snakes would be known, would snakes and therefore the Nagas, not be deeply respected as well? I would say that they definitely would be.

All of the above aspects I have mentioned are beyond the usual symbolism attached to snakes – that of growth. The act of moulting has made snakes a symbol of “growth” and therefore “transcendence”. The points shared above are from the perspective of a Hindu in modern India, who is also a practitioner of the Bujinkan (an expression of Budo).

I had started this post with a couple of quasi historical stories from Japanese history. I will now revert to Japan to make yet another point. During my training the Bujinkan, I have learnt from a mentor of ours, Arnaud Cousergue, that the Togakure Ryu, one of the schools of Ninpo Taijutsu (sometimes referred to as Ninjutsu) that we learn, is divided into 18 segments. Only a few of these 18 segments are trained in dojos these days. One of these 18 segments is “Kayaka Jutusu”. This refers to training the use of explosives. There is no segment that is attributed to the practice and use of poisons. But Ninjas did use poison as evidenced by the two stories mentioned earlier. So, could it be that a segment for poisons was not present in just the Togakure Ryu? Or was it subsumed under “unconventional weapons”, the chief of which was gunpowder and explosives in later centuries? I am not a historian and have no answer to this question.

In my personal opinion, this segment, “Kayaka Jutsu”, could perhaps be considered to refer to the use of unconventional weapons. A theory about the origin of the Togakure Ryu states that it originates in the 12th century. This was before Japan’s first encounter with gunpowder and explosives, which was during the Mongol invasion, in the late 13th century. So, maybe this segment among the 18 was added later during the evolution of the Togakure Ryu? Or, as mentioned earlier, was it that this segment referred to “unconventional weapons” in general and later became specific to explosives as that was the primary new weapon? I am assuming it was so. If anyone knows otherwise, please do share your knowledge with me.

While considering “unconventional weapons”, there is one trait of snakes that is truly staggering, the very definition of “unconventional”. Snakes have no ears and do not hear like other animals. Snakes sense vibrations through the bones in their head. But their “hearing” or perception of sound in comparison to humans and other animals is poor. But snakes use sound to warn potential threats.

Russel’s Viper

The best example of this are rattle snakes. They have evolved a rattle to warn creatures who intrude on their habitats. Similarly, in India, if anyone has heard the warning hiss of a Russel’s Viper, it sounds like a pressure cooker about to go off! In both these cases, sound is used as a warning device. This means that snakes use a medium of perception to warn creatures, that they themselves do not possess! Snakes cannot hear but know other creatures can! And they use that sense for the benefit of both! How cool is that! It is baffling and “unconventional” to say the least.

Of course, the ability to use a medium one cannot perceive well is a product of evolution over millions of years. And evolution itself brings to mind two aspects that are expressed in the Bujinkan. These are Kami Waza and the fourth of the Gojo, “Shizen no choetsu”.

Kami Waza is a concept where one moves during a fight in such an amazing manner that it seems like one was being moved by something divine. This is exactly what evolution is! The outcome of evolution seems truly magical in hindsight. I had referred to Kami Waza in my article about the Ashta Siddhi, which is linked here. “Shizen no choetsu” could be translated as “the transcendence of nature”. It is the fourth of the 5 Gojo that is oft quoted in Bujinkan dojos. I had written an article some time ago where I have discussed my understanding of the five Gojo. The same is linked here+.

Evolution that is seen in nature is about continuous and incremental changes to overcome challenges in ways that are inconceivable at any given time. The ability of a creature that does not use sound to ward off creatures that do use it, without knowing the experience of sound is exactly that! Transcendence in its essence! First an animal realizes that other animals perceive something that it does not, and then devices a means to use that perception to its advantage, but without developing that perception in itself! 😀 I know, I am saying this a lot, because it boggles the mind!

There is another Gojo, the third of the five that goes, “Shizen no Ninniku”. This can be translated as “the forbearance of nature”. This refers to how one needs to persevere through any activity, just like nature has an abundance of ability to take any challenge and over time overcome the same. I have discussed this also in my previous article. I will use a personal experience of mine to show this trait in snakes.

My family used to run a rescue and rehabilitation centre for wild animals within the city many years ago. This centre functioned from the late 1970s through the late 2000s. Sometime in the late 90s of the early 2000s, an interesting incident took place. We got a call from a local timber yard about a snake in one of the logs at their premises. It was a log that had been transported from Malaysia to India. In the log was a clutch of eggs that had not been noticed earlier and had somehow survived the processing of the tree before transportation.

One of the eggs hatched and a live Small Banded Kukri Snake emerged from the same. It was a Malaysian species of Kukri Snake which hatched in India. Unfortunately the snake did not survive long. But this does show how snakes can survive and extend their territories. In this case an egg travelled from Malaysia to India and hatched. We hear many stories of how Burmese Pythons have successfully created a habitat for themselves in Florida, the other side of the ocean.

A large Indian Rock Python

Snakes can endure habitat destruction, disturbances to their nests and dwellings, human trade in exotic pets and still find new habitats to inhabit. This is a wonderful example of how nature perseveres, its forbearance is infinite. This is not unlike how one needs to spend years to train the martial arts. It is a gradual process, demanding time, effort and many resources to be expended.

That is a roundup of the fascinating connections between snakes, the martial arts and Indian culture. In conclusion, snakes are like a living breathing sensor package, much like modern day fighter aircraft and other weapons systems. This is like “Praapti” in Hindu culture and Sakkijutsu in the Bujinkan. This is also the key behind modern day 5th generation warfare, where conflicts are not kinetic and information gathering is of paramount importance and technology is a vital ingredient. Technology of a natural kind is what snakes also deploy, chemical weaponry, or venom, in a world where strength, speed and size matter. This leads back to the martial arts, where unarmed combat might be basic, but weapons are the true expression of the art. And we have not even spoken about flying snakes or the world of the sea snakes…

Acknowledgements – All images unless mentioned, were taken over the course of many years by various members of my family. I share my deep gratitude to my uncle, Dr. Shashidhar for sharing many images of the many creatures that shared our home over the decades.

This post would be incomplete without sharing a couple of images of another uncle of mine, the late Srinath. He had an innate understanding of all wild creatures and a knack for working with snakes that was, to say the least, intuitive. He could sense the temperament of any snake, or any animal for that matter, in an instant. Watching him work with wildlife will be something that I will never not miss!

Left – With a King Cobra. Right – With a Spectacled Cobra.

Notes:

* https://mundanebudo.com/2025/01/23/the-bujinkan-as-i-see-it-series-1-part-4/

** https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6ch45c – watch between the 10 and 12 minute mark

*** https://mundanebudo.com/2022/12/22/the-ashta-siddhi-and-budo/

+https://mundanebudo.com/2023/03/16/the-gojo-a-personal-understanding/

Budo, prosperity and the Elephant Festival (Aane Habba)

Vikram M R, , , , , , Leave a comment

A majestic tusker in the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve

Nine years ago, on a trip to Japan one of our mentors made a very interesting statement. It was a trip to train at the Bujinkan Hombu1 dojo with some of the senior most teachers in the system. At that time, a lot of us had passed the Sakki2 test to receive the 5th Dan just a few years previously. Many more of our buyu3 passed the test and achieved the 5th Dan during that trip. The 5th Dan is a requisite to receive a “Shidoshi”4 certificate, which is a prerequisite to start teaching the students of the Bujinkan.

During that trip, one of our mentors, Sensei Darren Horvath, said something very interesting. Sensei Darren has always considered the teachings in the dojo as applicable to human life as a whole, and not just as those applicable in a physical altercation.

He said that the achievement of the rank of “Shidoshi” means that the person who achieves this should be able to, in the near term, at least double her or his income, as a result of the learning achieved so far. This was in the context of how the learning from becoming a Shidoshi should lead to a considerable improvement in the quality of life of the Shidoshi. Considering how monetary wealth is vitally important in modern day life, there should be a surplus of it, which allows for other pursuits important to one’s life. It was in light of this opinion that the earlier statement was made.

To put it simply, personal prosperity is supposed to be an outcome of the training put in, to achieve the Shidoshi certification. This could be classified under the personal or self-development that results from training the martial arts. The Sakki test that needs to be passed on the way to a Shidoshi certification requires development of trust in one’s own intuitive abilities. This can also be called mindfulness or awareness of any situation. This development of an individual is expected to help one advance in aspects of life that have nothing to do with physical combat or the martial arts.

As a Hindu and an Indian, the idea of prosperity is an intersection between Budo and Hindu culture that stands out. This idea inspired this post. Personal prosperity (including monetary wealth), as I understand it, is a vital aspect of Hindu culture. One of the Goddesses we routinely pray to is Lakshmi, who is the Goddess of wealth and also the consort of Lord Vishnu. Another divinity, who is not prayed to as much is Kubera, who is considered the God of Prosperity & Wealth. Kubera is also the lord of the Yakshas.

The wealth of Kubera represented by his loan to the wedding of Lord Venkateshwara. Image credit – “Venkateshwara Taanada Chitragalu”, published by Pioneer Publications

In a previous article of mine, I had shared a sutra* from the Arthashastra, one line of which says “Dharmasya moolam arthaha”. This means that “artha”, or wealth, is the root of Dharma. Wealth is vitally important for Dharma to exist and permeate all walks of life. Dharma, as I understand it, is “that which sustains”. This means that Dharma is doing what needs to be done to sustain a good life. This is why Dharma is sometimes referred to as “doing the right thing” or “doing the best thing possible in a given situation”. Thus, wealth, or prosperity, is very important for a good life by doing the right things. Personal prosperity is the root!

One symbol of prosperity in India, since a very long time, is the elephant. This is perhaps because people or institutions who owned an elephant(s) in India were prosperous, for owning an elephant was expensive, not to mention maintaining several of them. One of the eight forms of Devi Lakshmi is titled, “Gaja Lakshmi”, where Gaja means an elephant. The elephant is associated with Lakshmi as she is the Goddess of Wealth/Prosperity, and the elephant is a symbol of the same.

A representation of the arrangement during the celebration of Aane Habba (Elephant Festival)

15th of December, 2024 was celebrated as “Aane Habba” or “The Elephant Festival”. The date of the festival changes every year as it is based on the Tamil Solar calendar. This is a festival specific to my community and not a festival that is widely observed in India, or elsewhere. But the day on which the Aane Habba is celebrated is observed variously by different Hindu communities. The day on which the festival falls is the Poornima (full moon day) of the Kartika month according to the Tamil Solar calendar. It is an auspicious time and hence is celebrated under different names by different groups.

Devi Lakshmi on the white elephant above

One of these is “Kiru Deepavali” or “Little Diwali”. Another is “Vishnu Deepam”. Yet another festival that occurs a day or two earlier is “Karthigai Deepam”

The Kartika month itself is very important for historical reasons. The “Bali Jatra” festival happens in the state of Odisha during this month. Historically this was the beginning of the voyage from India to South East Asia (Bali in particular) for trade. Bali Jatra is associated with the Kartika Poornima festival. This occurred on 15th November in 2024. This voyage generated enormous wealth historically for the merchants involved and for the nations along the coast. This is the Poornima based on the Lunar calendar, hence the difference in the date of the festival.

The Aane Habba itself is specifically celebrating the elephant, which is another way of saying that we celebrate prosperity and wish for more of it, and in perpetuity. This specific aspect of the festival brings us back to the same idea in Budo which I started with. The notion of personal prosperity seems vitally important, if one is a Hindu. The same idea being reflected as an objective for Budo practice, makes it a wonderful reason to train the same. 😊

Notes:

1 Hombu – headquarter

2 Sakki – intuition

3 Buyu – martial family

4 Shidoshi – Master Instructor

* https://mundanebudo.com/2024/01/18/maryada-purushotham-rama-and-the-martial-arts-control-is-the-key/

The Way of the Tree

Vikram M R, , , , , , Leave a comment

A majestic mango tree in Diwar Island, Goa

In martial arts around the world, wood is used a lot for practice weapons. These days weapons made of various polymers like nylon and polypropylene have started to replace wood as the material of choice for practice weapons. But this is not ubiquitous yet. In India, we almost never get training weapons made of anything but wood. It is too expensive due to a lack of demand. Polymer weapons need to be imported, again resulting in great costs. So, wood it is for us for now.

Recently we had a batch of wooden training weapons made and that is where the idea for this article came from. Wood comes from trees. And trees and plants have always played a major role in cultures all over the world from times immemorial, as weapons of both offence and defence. Trees are present in modern day speculative fiction, everyday news and in daily conversations as well. But I have never heard of a “Way of the Tree”.

Let us consider the presence of trees in stories from our tradition, myths from extinct religions, pop culture and modern day conversations.

  • One the most popular fantasy series of recent times is “The Wheel of Time” written by Robert Jordan and later by Brandon Sanderson. In the series there is a community of nomadic people called “The Traveling people” or “Tuatha’an”. This community follows what is called the “The Way of the Leaf”. It is a completely pacifistic way of living with absolutely no violence at all. This people reminds me of some Jain groups in India, who also follow a way living which abhors violence of all sorts.
  • An opposite of “The Wheel of Time” is “A Song of Ice & Fire” written by George R R Martin. In this series there is a kind of tree called a Weirwood. This tree is partially magic and has human faces carved into it. These trees might have a hive mind and also accept sacrifices, including human sacrifices!
  • Who can forget the Huorns and Ents in the Lord of the Rings! The Huorns are literally trees that move! In numbers, they are a forest that moves like an army. And the Ents are called shepherds of the forest, though in my opinion, they are like Generals to the Huorns.
  • In Norse mythology, mistletoe is a weapon. It is used to kill the God Baldur.
  • The plant Sanjeevini is used as a medicine in the Ramayana, to save Lakshmana from a weapon deployed by Indrajit (Meghanath), the son of Ravana.
  • Plant and tree produce are used for healthcare in India, as seen in the ancient Indian science of Ayurveda.
  • There are Gods for wine-making in many cultures. In old Vedic rituals, sacred Soma or Somarasa, which is believed to be an intoxicating drink made from a plant, is used.

I am a Hindu, and trees are all over our culture. We celebrated the festival of Dasara (Dussehra) a few weeks ago. On the last day (10th day) of the Dasara festival, which is Vijayadashami, a tree takes centre stage. The Banni or Shami tree is worshipped on this day. “Banni Mara” is the name in Kannada and “Shami Vruksh” is the name in Hindi. Both of these supposedly refer to Prosopis Cineraria.

Shami/Banni leaves given as “prasada” after a pooja on the occasion of Vijayadashami

In a lot of folklore in India, ghosts are associated with the Banyan tree. On the positive side, trees are worshipped during marriage ceremonies by some communities. The Peepal tree, called the “Ashwath Mara” in Kannada receives prayers by womenfolk during a marriage ceremony. Of course, the Buddha is supposed to have achieved enlightenment under a Peepal tree. This specific tree was called the Bodhi tree.

Social gatherings under Peepal trees were important for local discussions in India and hence the place under the tree was called a “Katte”, which is the Kannada word for a platform where people can sit and discuss. This was specifically called the “Ashwath Katte” or the “Peepal Platform”! Literally a platform for people under the Peepal! Sandalwood is used to make a paste, called “Chandana” and is offered to Gods. This is also applied on the neck of devotees after the offering, as a blessing from the Gods.

A Peepal tree

If we consider martial aspects, we can go back to the Ramayana. The bow used by Lord Rama was called the “Kodanda”. I have heard that a bow made of bamboo was called “Kodanda”. The bow of Rama was supposed to have three curves, in other words, it was a recurve bow made of bamboo. Just to expand on this point, consider the bow of Lord Vishnu. It is called the “Shāranga”. “Shāranga” is supposed to mean “horn”. So, the bow of Vishnu was made of animal horns. So, does that mean that Vishnu used a composite bow? I am not sure. I am basing this on the fact that when horn is used a material for a bow, it is usually a composite bow where sinew, glue and other materials are used to make the bow.

Representative image of Lord Rama with his bow, “Kodanda”. Image credit – “The Ramayana” published by Amar Chitra Katha.

There is a martial art with its origins in the modern day state of Tamil Nadu, called “Silambam”. The main weapon used in Silambam is a staff made of bamboo or rattan. I have seen it said that Silambam literally means “a staff of bamboo” or a “staff from the hills” which again refers to bamboo. And if the staff is not made of bamboo, it is made of a wood from different trees. There is a martial art called “Lathi Khela”, which focuses specifically on fighting with a staff. This martial art is famous all over the country.

Staff fighting is present in multiple martial art forms originating in India. Even as late as the 19th and early 20th century, the staff was the weapon of the enforcers employed by Landlords or Zamindars. These Zamindars used the enforcers for rent seeking and are considered “villains” in contemporary thinking. The staff is called a “Lathi” and the people who used the staff were called “Lathaith”.

Of course, staff fighting is popular all over the world. From the knobkerrie or rungu used in parts of Africa to the shillelagh in Ireland to the bo in Japan, staffs of various lengths are used in fighting all the time. Robin Hood fighting Little John is a popular story and in modern fantasy there is Matrim Couthon in the Wheel of Time series, who can defeat swordsmen with a quarterstaff.

If we consider defensive weaponry, armour made of fabric, like layers of cotton and the billowing cape used by Japanese cavalrymen to protect against a single arrow are well known examples. A cloth turban to protect the head was present in historical India. Another form of protection is the shield. Shields made of wicker were present in historical China while wooden parrying sticks were used in parts of Africa.

We can even use trees in a metaphorical or philosophical sense to expound on martial concepts.

Training the martial arts is a long term activity. It takes years of training to achieve mastery over the forms. It takes even longer to develop the expertise needed to share the knowledge / experience / wisdom gained. It requires commitment and passion for the art form. Conviction is also needed in the benefits of practice of the martial art to motivate an individual to keep at it.

This is not unlike the life of a tree. A tree takes years to grow, especially the large trees, which create a sense of awe in anyone who beholds them. Some trees live for over a thousand years! They grow from a seed or kernel or acorn into a sapling into a small tree into a giant of epic proportions. A great tree is a treasure because of the sheer time it has taken to get there, which could be centuries if not years! This is not unlike the time taken to master the martial arts, scaled down to a human lifetime of course.

Also consider the numbers game in the martial arts and trees in their early life. A very small fraction of all the students who start training reach the higher levels of any martial art. I am not sure if anyone has carried out a study on this, but a popular saying in the dojo I train with, is that less than 1% of all the students who walk into the dojo last for 10 years. Consider the trees now. How many seeds or saplings survive to grow into the giants we see? It is supposed to be a small fraction again, especially in the tropics where the evergreen forests cut-off most of the sunlight from ever reaching the ground. The fight for light space for a sapling on the forest floor in the tropics is same as the effort it takes a student to make time to practice the martial arts.

Another way of looking at this is the manner in which a forest, through its trees, reclaims land which was inhabited by humans for ages, even with monumental construction. There is the famous photo of the ruins in Cambodia, where the tree has literally taken over what was formerly a human dwelling. This is like sustained siege warfare, that is never let up! The trees are always there, surviving, waiting for an opening to take back what was likely lands they once occupied.

The above two images show trees taking over abandoned settlements at Ta Prohm in Cambodia. Image credit – My cousins

This is like incessant training, making time however possible. It is also like surviving against opponents without trying to win, only focusing on self-protection and self-preservation. Maybe an opening will appear in time, to mitigate the threat of the opponent. One of the senior most teachers in the Bujinkan system of martial arts, Nagato Sensei has a saying which is very popular. He says, “Leave no opening”. This saying of his has actually been put on training t-shirts! 🙂

What Sensei means by his statement, as I understand it, is that one should focus on first ensuring that one has moved to a position against an attack that fully protects oneself. There should be no opening the opponent can exploit or an opportunity to further the attack without revealing an opening in himself or herself. Unless this is achieved, looking to counterattack is counterproductive, as that might in turn give the opponent more opportunities for further attacks.

The above statement by Nagato Sensei is beautifully exemplified by how trees exploit gaps in masonry! If a sapling is not removed in the early stages when it is spotted on masonry, it can go on to crack walls over time and even spread its roots through pipes laid down for wires and plumbing.

Consider how saplings spring up with rains and sunlight in places where there is no soil at all! On concrete terraces with a little debris or construction waste. They are always there, looking for openings and opportunities to grow. This is akin to surviving a fight and to finding time and space to train. It could also be considered a metaphor in negative terms. Could the springing up of saplings on construction waste be more like the retinue of students who pass through a dojo? Like the many that are never really able to stick around to achieve any useful training? After all, a lot of the saplings that spring up are like weeds that do not last very long. Either way, “The Way of the Tree” seems a fine metaphor for the martial arts.

A representation of how flora reclaims gaps in masonry and construction debris.

There are several ways in which the martial arts are described. This includes the martial art systems as a whole, specific forms, weapons used in the art forms and the metaphors used to describe the martial arts as a whole. Top of mind to me for these descriptors are usually reminiscent of animals or geography (including metals, rocks and such), but not really based on flora, either trees or plants. Consider the following examples.

The animal forms of Shaolin Kung Fu have been made famous by the Kung Fu Panda franchise. The Tiger style, Snake style, Monkey style, Crane style, Eagle style, Mantis style are well known.

Metaphors of natural forces like water and wind are also well known, like “flow like water around your opponent”. Responding to the situation metaphorically becomes “water takes the shape of the container”. In India, strength is associated with Vayu, the God of Wind. Vayuputras (sons of the God of the Wind) Bhima and Hanuman are the epitome of strength and martial prowess.

There are representations of metals related to martial prowess as well. Consider Excalibur, which combines metal and water to bestow greatness, which includes martial skill. Another example is the “Sword of Mars” wielded by Attila the Hun. This sword is supposed to have been made of meteor iron and a marker of greatness. Of course, Attila was a great warrior king as well.

Coming to pop culture, in the world of Conan the Cimmerian (Barbarian) written by Robert E Howard and brought to life famously by Arnold Schwarzenegger, is “the riddle of steel”. Again, a metal exemplifies the martial skill embodied by Conan. Even in the world famous “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon”, dedication to the martial arts is called “The Iron Way” due to how hard it is and the sacrifices it supposedly entails.

There are examples of trees and plants used, but a lot fewer, and none in pop culture as I can recall. In the Bujinkan, one of the schools studied is the “Takagi Yoshin Ryu”. The name of this school translates to “School of the Weeping Willow”. Here the willow tree is representative of being flexible yet strong. I opine that it is apt, because the Takagi Yoshin Ryu is an expression of jutaijutsu. Jutaijutsu, as I understand it, could be considered a super set that also includes, wrestling, judo, malla yudha, kushti etc. All of these martial arts do need flexibility and strength.

The first 2 techniques trained with the kunai also have tree based names, though not very representative of the martial style as a whole. The first technique is called “Kiri no hito ha” which translates to “cutting the paulownia leaf”. The second technique is called “Rakka” which translates to “falling petals”!

Beyond the above examples, other plant or tree based names and metaphors in the martial arts escape me at this time, at least as “top of mind” examples. If anyone is aware, do share the same with me. This seems strange to me, considering how ubiquitous trees are in our lives. It seems strange that there is no “Way of the Tree” in the martial arts. Is it likely that we might have such a system in the future? Perhaps, as I have tried to make the case for one above.

Considering the importance of the Peepal tree for us Indians, we once had a Bujinkan training t-shirt that had an image of a Peepal tree leaf on it.

Diwali (Deepavali) with Tom Sawyer and the Bujinkan

Vikram M R, , , , , , Leave a comment

Image credit – “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” by Mark Twain, Illustrated Classic Edition published by Moby Books

In my community, Deepavali used to be a 5 day festival until electric water boilers and modern plumbing became commonplace. That would mean the 1970s and 1980s and even the 1990s in many Indian cities. One can add modern transportation to the mix here. This is something I have heard from my parents and grandparents.

We all know of Deepavali being a 3 day festival. The first day is Naraka Chaturdashi, the second day is Amavāsya (not a festival, more like connective tissue between 2 festivals) and the third day is Bali Pādyami. This nomenclature and observance of course, is specific to my community. Every community could observe the days of the Deepavali with different festivals. The number of days celebrated as part of Deepavali could also be different among different groups of people. I am just sticking to what I know with respect to my own community.

So, I mentioned 3 days of the festival. What are the other 2 days celebrated as? Also, the 3 days I mentioned are the second, third and fourth days in the five day festival. Naraka Chaturdashi being day 2, Amavāsya day 3 and Bali Pādyami day 4. Day 1, the first day, was celebrated as “Neeru Tumbō Habba”. Day 5, the last day, was celebrated as “Varsha Todaku”. As I understand these two festivals today, they are both “trick festivals”. Let me elucidate further, starting with the “Neeru Tumbō Habba”.

“Neeru” means “water” in Kannada. “Tumbō” means “filling” or “to fill” in the same language. The filling here is like one fills a vessel or a bucket with water. “Habba” means “festival”, again in Kannada. So “Neeru Tumbō Habba” in Kannada means, “Water filling festival”. Now come the questions, why and where should water be filled and why is this “filling” a festival?

Remember that I stated early on that this was a festival at a time before modern plumbing and electric water heaters were common in Indian homes? This is the key to this festival. Naraka Charurdashi celebrations started early in the day. This required everyone to wake up early, bathe (not shower, bathe), dress in new clothes (or at least fresh ones) and be ready for pooja activities or to have fun bursting firecrackers.

Back then, joint families were a lot more common compared to current times. Also, families were larger, with more than 10 people living under the same roof being common. Imagine that all of these people have to bathe and be ready early, all using the same bathroom (again, not shower!). This takes a lot of water! Early bathing also means that hot water for bathing could be desirable.

How was water heated for bathing? In large vessels over a fire, using wood as fuel. This large vessel, in Kannada, was called “Hande” and was made of a metal that was a good conductor of heat, generally a copper alloy. These were not vessels out in the open. A vessel, the “Hande”, was built into a fireplace in the bathroom. This fireplace was kept burning continuously until everyone finished bathing. So, water was filled in the “Hande” every few minutes. People took water needed for bathing, added cold water to achieve a comfortable temperature and went about their business. This process was repeated for everyone in the family. And this meant a lot of water was used.

The design of a well from 80s and 90s urban India

Where did all this water come from? It is not from a tap, for modern plumbing was not yet a thing. Water was drawn from a well, usually within the household and used for the bathing. Since many people have to bathe one after the other early in the morning, several buckets and vessels were filled with water ready to be used. And this leads to the origin of the “Water Filling festival”.

An exaggerated representation of carrying water. Image credit – “The Invaluable Treasure” from “Jataka Tales – Stories of Wisdom”, published by Amar Chitra Katha

Since everyone had to bathe early in the morning, the many vessels (called “koda” in Kannada) and buckets including the “Hande” were filled up with water the previous day or night, for immediate use the next morning. This activity took quite some time and human effort as all the water had to be drawn from a well and moved to the bathroom and wherever else it was stored for use the next day. This activity was common for the entire community and everyone knew what one would be doing on the day before Naraka Chaturdashi. So, it became a festival in its own right! And this is where Tom Sawyer comes into the picture.

“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” is a very famous novel written by the American novelist Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens) in 1876. Tom Sawyer is in his early teens in the novel. At the beginning of the novel, Tom is tasked with whitewashing a fence as punishment, on a beautiful summer day when he should be having fun. Tom is worried that his friends will make fun of him for working when he should be reveling in fun and leisure. But Tom overcomes this problem with ingenuity.

Image credit – “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” by Mark Twain, Illustrated Classic Edition published by Moby Books

Tom, with clever use of words, convinces his friends that whitewashing the fence is “the thing to be doing”. This leads to his friends wanting to try their hand at the whitewashing. Tom makes them trade him apples and trinkets for the opportunity. In the end, Tom gets his friends to do his chore, makes a profit in trinkets and gets the whitewashing completed well ahead of time! So, he is also left with a large part of the day for fun and games, while he was originally going to spend all of it at whitewashing.

Tom Sawyer made drudgery seem like fun and everyone participated in it enthusiastically! In my opinion, this is exactly what the “Neeru Tumbō Habba” does! Call the chore of drawing and filling water a festival and everyone is enthusiastic about it! Add to this, once it is called a festival, the activity becomes a responsibility and everyone participates in it actively. Naraka Chaturdashi was always the first day of Deepavali, but some clever ancestors of ours added a day “minus one” to the festival and made sure everyone is clean and ready on the first day! Genius indeed. 😀 I am sure Tom Sawyer would flip in approval.

Image credit – “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” by Mark Twain, Illustrated Classic Edition published by Moby Books

A small aside here. When I was in school, we had a textbook for English called the “Gulmohar English Reader”. These textbooks were used from the first standard to the sixth (I think it would be called “sixth grade” these days). If I recall right, in the Gulmohar textbook for the third standard, the story of Tom Sawyer tricking his friends was a lesson called “Work can be fun” or something like that. If I am wrong about this and anyone recalls differently, please share your information with me.

Now let us have a look at the other festival, the last day of Deepavali, called “Varsha Todaku”. “Varsha” in many Indian languages denotes “year”. “Todaku” in a dialect of Tamil means “continues”. So, “Varsha Todaku” means “The year continues”, in a dialect of Tamil. It is interesting that the first festival “Neeru Tumbō Habba” is in Kannada, while the last festival, “Varsha Todaku”, is named with a word that seems more Tamil than Kannada. This is perhaps because my community originated in what is modern day Tamil Nadu, but have lived for centuries in what is modern day Karnataka, specifically the region that formed the Old Mysore State.

Coming back to the festival, what does “The year continues” mean? How can this be a festival? What is it a celebration of? I do not have clear answers to any of these questions. I have spoken about this to the older members of my family and have no answer that is satisfying to me. I am sharing what I think is the reason for this festival.

Deepavali is an awesome time! It involves holidays filled with visiting and hanging out with family and friends. It involves new clothes, great fun with firecrackers and great food! So, the end of Bali Pādyami leaves one with a heady feeling that one does not want to let go of, and prolong if possible. Back in the early 20th century, would this feeling be more special? Perhaps, I cannot be sure. Either way, getting back to normal life would be hard, or at least leave one with a wistful feeling. Add to this, the cleaning up that might be needed after the celebrations and visitors, a tinge of “I want more” might linger. So, we make the return to normalcy yet another festival!

So, one gradually returns to normal life, starting with cleaning up and maybe a little regular work on the day of “Varsha Todaku”. This is followed by a complete return to normalcy on the next day. Thus, “the year continues”. “Varsha Todaku” then becomes a bridge to come off the festival high and ease back into the routine. If this activity is a festival, it must be important, right? And so must be the letting go of the holidays. This is what I think explains the existence of this festival. Again, if anyone knows differently, please do share what you know with me.

Very few people even in my own family seem to remember or hark back to these two festivals. And Deepavali is now not a 5 day, but a 3 day festival. I feel that this 5 day pattern might not have been followed for very long, maybe a few decades in the first half of the 20th century. If it had been a practice for longer, I opine that its memory would be more prevalent. But I could be wrong here. I request anybody who knows otherwise to please enlighten me.

These days, families are a lot smaller, early starts are not important and hot water is easily made available at all times. So, there is no need to celebrate filling water, “Neeru tumbuvudu”. Similarly, there is so much opportunity to celebrate life these days. There is not even a need to wait for a festival. So, the need of a festival to ease one back to drudgery does not exist. There is no hankering for a festival and hence, no need for a “Varsha Todaku”.

I now have to connect all of the above to the martial arts, for this blog wouldn’t exist without Budo.

Years ago, my teacher shared an anecdote from the Bujinkan. One of the people he was training with, while in Japan, was an ex-paratrooper from France. This person was well built, about 6’3” tall, fit and strong, not to mention a very experienced martial artist. He in turn was training with another individual who was larger than he was. This person was about 6’5” or 6’7” tall. He was as experienced as the paratrooper in the martial arts, specifically the Bujinkan. Most importantly, he was a lot more muscled and in general stronger than the smaller (relatively speaking) individual.

The Bujinkan is not a sport and hence has no weight categories or rules. It is an exploration of real life combat and movement. Due to this and the size difference, the ex-paratrooper had trouble dealing with the larger person in offence and defence. So, he asked one of the senior Japanese teachers, what one can do against opponents that have a considerable physical advantage. The Japanese Sensei is supposed to have said that the way to do this is to make the other, larger person your friend and use his abilities to benefit you, instead of treating the other person as an opponent.

This response is about seeing a problem in a new light, or from a different perspective. Maybe the new perspective will show one how to use the situation which is a problem to one’s own advantage. This is exactly what I think my ancestors did when the festivals of “Neeru Tumbo Habba” and “Varsha Todaku” were added to Deepavali! They changed the perspective and made drudgery fun!

Image credit – “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” by Mark Twain, Illustrated Classic Edition published by Moby Books

In Hindi, there is a phrase, “aapada mein bhi avasar hai”. It means “there is opportunity in a crisis”. “Aaapada” is crisis and “avasar” is opportunity in Hindi. This is identical in spirit to the English phrase “Never let a crisis go waste”. This phrase usually means that one should use a crisis to make changes for the better. Perhaps these phrases also arise from situations that gave rise to new festivals and the response from our Sensei in the Bujinkan.

Deepavali (also called Diwali) is the celebration of “Light” and the triumph of Dharma over Adharma (very poorly translated as triumph of good over evil). The “light” is almost always associated with knowledge, wisdom and new experiences that help one benefit oneself in life. I guess when we throw “light” on a problem, the change in perspective leads to a solution, which might or might not have anything to do with the problem in the first place.

And finally we have the word “enlightenment”. My teacher once told me that one feels “light” when a weight is dropped. If you are carrying a heavy backpack and you set it down, you feel “enlightened”. By this definition, letting go of an existing or fixed notion is perhaps enlightenment, for the notion was a burden! And the lack of a burden allows a new perspective, which might show the lack of a problem where one previously existed. 🙂

And this perhaps allows for joyous participation in boring chores and the creation of new festivals – opportunities for the celebration of life!

Wish you all a Bright, Blessed Deepavali!

The Dasara festival & “En No Kiri Nai” – Connection is Survival

Vikram M R, , , , , Leave a comment

Arrangement of toy soldiers, part of a Dasara doll display

I work in the IT (Information Technology) industry. One thing that is common in the IT industry is the need to avoid “escalations”. An “escalation” occurs is when someone (likely on the side of the client) complains that work or delivery of a solution or progress of a project is not happening as expected (relating to costs or timelines). Prevention of “escalations” is of paramount importance, right up there along with usual indicators of cost, revenue, profitability, growth and client relations.

The last part there, client relations is what escalations are believed to affect first. To avoid escalations and to mitigate their consequences when they do occur, steps are put in place to stay connected with the team and clients. These are formal mechanisms that are put in place and are taken very seriously across the industry. This is true for all industry sectors, but especially so in the service sector (beyond IT and extending to hospitality, banking etc.)

This aspect of “staying connected” is at the root of escalation prevention and also key to identifying new opportunities in business. When I was pursuing an MBA, the professor teaching us Sales Management used to say that the work of a Salesperson is to build a relationship with existing and potential clients/customers, and then stay connected. This “connection reveals opportunity” was what he wanted us to take away from his course.

I am also a student of the Bujinkan system of martial arts. I heard for the first time, around the year 2009, a Japanese phrase, “En no kiri nai”. This was a phrase that Soke Masaaki Hatsumi used while teaching. As I understand it, the phrase means “do not break/sever the connection”. The idea of this concept is that one needs to be connected to the opponent(s) to be aware of what his/her/their intentions are, and this awareness allows the situation to be controlled. This connection and control can be physical, but not necessarily. Also, the control involves self-control, control of the opponent(s) and control of the overall space/environment of the conflict (conflict could easily be a synonym for “escalation”). In a previous post of mine, I had discussed the idea of “being aware of the opponent” in much greater detail (the idea of Shatrubodha). The link to this post is seen in the notes below1.

Daishihan Alex Esteve from Spain, was in Bangalore a few weeks ago and we had a great few classes with him. During the sessions, he was exploring aspects of the Koto Ryu. As part of this exploration, he was sharing how specific points on the arms, fingers and face can be used to control the opponent. Here, the control was to prevent the opponent from initiating attacks by inducing pain and the threat of potential fractures. This method of control came with a warning.

Daishihan Alex emphasized that if the threat of a fracture or any other damage to the body becomes a reality, control is lost. If the threat comes to pass, the opponent is likely to fight for her or his life and the situation deteriorates, in other words, escalation occurs. Another way of seeing this is as the loss of connection. To control an opponent through a pressure point on the finger, the finger should be connected to the body in the natural manner. If the finger breaks, this connection is broken and the opponent can move with a broken finger which can no longer be used to induce further pain! The pain has increased to a point where the opponent’s brain has switched to a desperate fight for survival, which can overcome all forms of existing control.

Ensuring that the opponent does not go berserk due to the potential of injury requires self-control. This means that one should know when not to overdo the pressure on a pressure point. If one expands this point further, we find examples of laws in some countries for bouncers. The laws require that the bouncers never initiate a confrontation and never strike a person. They can protect themselves, and use grappling or wrestling to subdue the opponent. This means that they can control another person, and thus the conflict, but to achieve this, they need to have self-control, to not strike another person.

In a martial context, the word “opportunity” can be replaced with the word “opening”. Staying connected to the opponent reveals openings to control the opponent and staying connected requires self-control, not a blind adherence to pre-set motives. Also, we are reminded regularly that winning or victory in a conflict, especially in a real physical conflict, is survival, not the condition or fate of the opponent. If this is brought back to the industry example I started with, escalation prevention is survival, is victory.

So, the above points show that opportunities come from connection and connection leads to control. Control leads to self-protection/self-preservation (no escalations remember!). This is victory.

Speaking of victory, we are in the midst of the festival of Dasara (Dussehra to some). Today is Ashtami, the 8th day, tomorrow, the 9th day is Āyudha Pooja and day after tomorrow, the 10th and final day of the festival, is Vijayadashami. Vijayadashami is the celebration of victory and the day to begin new endeavours. Āyudha Pooja is the day to show gratitude to the various inanimate tools and implements we use in our lives. In my post from last year, related to this festival, I had discussed the importance of Āyudha Pooja and Vijayadashami in greater detail2. The link to this post is seen in the notes below.

Weapons in preparation for Ayudha Pooja

Āyudha is the word used for “weapon” in many Indian languages. The term Āyudha can also be applied to any tool or implement that we use to live our lives and earn a livelihood (like laptops, machine tools, tools of any trade etc.). Weapons are just tools used by individuals whose responsibility is security of various kinds. These are the implements used to achieve success or victory.

Earlier in this post, I mentioned that victory is survival. And connection leads to control which leads to survival. So, “connections are a key to victory”! That means connections are a weapon, or a very important tool at the very least.

Connection as I have been using the term, is about being aware of oneself and the surroundings. The surroundings include the space and environment around oneself. It also includes the individuals and organizations one interacts or interfaces with, and that means awareness of the motivations and objectives of people and organizations.

Just as escalation prevention means staying aware of what might be going wrong in a project, prevention of escalation of conflicts at the levels of nations includes diplomacy and espionage. Both involve learning about what friends and foes want, are working towards and are up to. While diplomacy might involve mechanisms of communication that are defined, espionage might involve identifying new connections and using the same for various ends, nefarious and otherwise. So, connection is intelligence too!

This is borne out by several examples from history, including the actions (supposedly) of the Israeli agencies in the ongoing conflict in West Asia. A few other examples that come to mind are shared below.

One of the reasons for the South Indian kingdoms losing to the Khilji (Khalji) and Tuglaq armies is supposed to be poor intelligence, or a lack of awareness of the urgency of the threat posed from the North. When Khilji attacked the Seuna Yadavas at Devagiri in 1296, the large part of the Devagiri army was supposedly raiding further south, likely in Hoysala territory. Also, when the army returned, they fell prey to false reports of the size of the Sultanate army. This indicates a lack of Shatrubodha, or awareness of the enemy! It also reveals a lack of awareness of who the threat is and when it could materialize. In other words, there was a complete lack of connection with what was happening in the North, while the same was not true of the South.

In an eerily similar situation, Malik Kafur (Khilji’s General) is supposed to have been able to defeat the Hoysalas at their capital Dwarasamudra in 1311, as the Hoysala army with its king, Veera Ballala III was campaigning further south in Pandya territory. The Hoysala king Veera Narasimha is supposed to have set aside the taxes from one village, for pilgrims to use as travel expenses and more importantly, the toll levied by the Delhi Sultanate (jizya) while visiting Kāshi. This happened some 80 years before the Sultanate armies were on the doorstep of the Hoysala capital. This again indicates a weak connection to the surroundings or a break in one that existed. The YouTube video linked below shows Sandeep Balakrishna of “The Dharma Dispatch” explain the actions of Veera Narasimha quoted earlier. The link is to the YouTube channel, “Prāna Stories”.

This happening in India is inexplicable as the tradition of the importance of espionage had existed for about 1,500 years before the Delhi Sultanate invaded the Deccan kingdoms. Chanakya, in his Arthashastra, is supposed to have emphasized how a ruler should ensure that he is aware of happenings in countries all around his territory and even beyond. As I recall, Chanakya suggests friendly relations with nations with which a kingdom does not share borders and military superiority over the ones with which there is a shared border. He also advocated always having active spies and being ready for covert action (maybe with the legendary Vishakanyas).

This is another way of saying, “stay connected, always”! For, whether one is making friends or staying dominant, both are forms of staying connected, even if the means and ends differ. Also, whether to make friends or achieve superiority, one needs information and awareness, which comes from intelligence and hence connections.

Even in modern times this holds true. Consider Japan in the middle of the 19th century. It had maintained an isolationist policy for about 250 years by then. But the arrival of Commodore Perry and his fleet forced Japan to sign a one-sided treaty and open its borders. Japan had fallen behind many parts of the world technologically due to its self-imposed isolation. The importance of the incident with Commodore Perry is revealed by the number of Japanese manga and anime that use it as a backdrop for their stories.

This experience of Japan shows that a while policy of minding one’s own business and not getting involved is great self-control, it is a complete lack of connection. And that is a sure shot way to encountering negative consequences. All of us, as individuals, societies and nations are part of a system and disconnecting leads to danger, if not outright harm, on all three levels.

Consider how India handled the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971. India took its time to build up its military and intelligence capabilities before declaring war. This is shown by the actions of the R&AW, India’s external intelligence agency and the tri-services. Also, India indulged in diplomacy with all parts of the world to ensure that external interference would not thwart its military objectives. This is revealed by the USSR holding off the efforts of the USA to help Pakistan, its then ally. This is an instance of building and using connections in all domains to achieve objectives successfully.

The thing with espionage is that it knows no friends or foes, for it is connection, pure and simple. I recall reading in a novel many years ago, I think it was a Frederick Forsyth novel, I cannot say for certain, that Israeli foreign policy sees no friends, only enemies and neutrals, so no one is free from being spied upon by Israel (the Kendra Bindu* of news currently!).

An example of this that does not involve Israel is the case of the R&AW officer Ravindra Singh. He is supposed to have spied on India for the CIA and eventually defected to the USA. This happened in 2004, after the relationship between the USA and India had thawed post the nuclear tests of 1998 and friendly (somewhat) relations had been established. So, at least in international relations, friends should expect to be spied upon by friends and not desist from spying on friends of their own. It is all just about staying connected remember! 😛

Coming back to the festival of Dasara, the one distinguishing feature of this festival in parts of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu is the display of dolls. The displays could have themes or just be a revitalization of memories. People can use new dolls made in traditional styles to tell stories of Rama or Krishna or any other or just display dolls that are inherited from parents and other older relatives. The themes could also be lifestyles in a city, a park, animal life and the like.

However one indulges in the arrangement of the display of dolls – the entire event, from preparing the platform, cleaning stored dolls, arranging them as planned and later the storing of the same for use next year and cleaning up after the festival is done – it is all about connecting with one’s recent history, culture and family traditions. It is a connection across time – to remember a time from a century or a few decades ago and adding it to current lifestyles.

Arrangement of “Bombe” (dolls) at my in-laws place 🙂

The other feature of the Dasara many people in South India associate with, is the Jambu Savaari in Mysuru (Mysore). This is the carnival like parade led by elephants, which recreates the way Dasara was celebrated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This is also a connection across time. The Jambu Savaari is a connection at a community level, even if one only watches the procession on TV or on a live stream. The display of dolls is a connection at a personal level, with family and friends.

The festival of Vijayadashami on the last day of Dasara is when the Jambu Savaari happens every year. This festival is also considered auspicious for any new activity to begin. So, people are encouraged to start something new on this day. Now, consider what I hypothesized earlier. Connections are a tool and Āyudha Pooja is the celebration of tools.

If we put the two festivals together, we celebrate connections on Āyudha Pooja and endeavour to begin establishing new connections on Vijayadashami. For starting a new connection or fixing one that is not great, is a new activity. If connections can provide protection (victory), that is only apt, for Vijayadashami is also the celebration of victory. Thus, a dual purpose is served.

The last point about Dasara brought us to connections across time. This is perhaps vitally important in an Indian context. Indian or Bharatiya civilization has survived an assault by both Islamic and European cultures. Connecting to this past through history should reveal many important points to ponder. One of the important ones is about what happens when the civilization breaks connections with sections of its own people and environment.

American political scientist Harold Dwight Lasswell had produced a paper in 1936 titled “Politics: Who gets What, When, How”. I recently saw an article in the “Frontline”3 which used this title to begin, by saying “Politics is about who gets what”. The article is not relevant to the points I am about to make, but the line is relevant.

Everyone knows that India is extremely diverse in terms of language, food, culture, traditions and even geography and climate. Now, consider the description of “politics” from the previous paragraph. If any of the diverse sections of the Indian population is deprived of any resource, a feeling of a breaking of a connection with the Indian state is created. Something else needs to be done to fix this break and re-forge the connection. This is a perpetual task, considering limited state resources in India. One of the resources is “a feeling of staying in control of one’s destiny” or simply put “a feeling of having power”. So, power sharing is the name of the game, apart from all other resources. So, Indian politics, perhaps all politics, is “to stay connected with everyone”.

“Staying connected to everyone” can be expanded further based on a concept from the Hindu way of thinking. The are 5 “Rnas” or debts everyone is supposed to carry, according to Hindu thought. These connect to not just everyone, but to everything! This should be obvious as seen below.

The 5 debts are –

  • Deva Rna – The debt owed to the Gods for maintaining the natural order of the universe
  • Pitr Rna – The debt owed to the ancestors for their activities that allow us to live the lives we do
  • Rishi Rna – The debt owed to the Sages of the past, for the knowledge, technology and systems they created, that enable our lives
  • Manushya Rna – The debt owed to fellow humans that exist, for we are all connected in invisible ways
  • Bhuta Rna – The debt owed to the natural world (plants, animals, land, climate etc.) for without the ecosystem, our lives are impossible

So, as seen above, these are debts everyone is expected to endeavour to pay. This is a perfect summarization of saying that connections are vitally important to survive and should never be forgotten. Watch the following video from the YouTube channel “Samvada English”, between the 25 and 45 minute marks. Here Dr. Aarti V B, explains the five debts in a beautiful manner, apart from several other concepts of Hindu Dharma.

Leading on from the last few paragraphs, I will end with a point about connections across time! I had discussed how narratives and news are modern day weapons which are “time-based”, just as missiles and bombs are space based, as in, “long range missiles” and “bombs that can flatten a city (geographical spread)4.

The depth of connections can be vast and perhaps only be identified with a hindsight of many centuries. Consider the following video from the YouTube channel of the ‘The Print”. In the video, historian Anirudh Kanisetti explains how the Pandya kingdom drove up the prices of horses all over the world by importing vast numbers of the same from Central Asia. This turned out to be a catalyst for the invasion of Pandya territory by the Delhi Sultanate. To reach the Pandyas, the Sultanate armies had to defeat the Yadavas of Devagiri, the kingdom of Warangal and the Hoysalas. When the Pandyas were defeated, a lot of these horses were part of the loot taken by the Sultanate army.

This video shows that knowledge is another form of identifying connections, even if they are of events that happened centuries ago! The events that transpired during the campaigns of the Delhi Sultanate form narratives that affect Indian politics in current times. So, the past is not really dead and a tool by itself. The use of History as a weapon/tool means one needs to identify its connection to various aspects of contemporary life.

Issac Asimov, one of the greats of Science Fiction writing, wrote a short story called “The Dead Past” in 1956. In the story, a scientist develops a means to see the past, which can be used by everyone. This happens after his request to use the Government controlled technology to do the same, is refused. This has major repercussions he never envisioned. This story is also an exploration of how the past is not dead and connections to it still shape our lives.

And that hopefully explains how connections are the key to everything and how the festival of Dasara and the martial arts lead to the same learning/reminder.

Wish you all a wonderful Āyudha Pooja, Vijayadashami and Dasara in general!

Stay connected, stay strong, it is the primary weapon for survival.

Notes:

1 https://mundanebudo.com/2023/07/06/connect-control-part-1-connect-control-shatrubodha-in-flow/

2 https://mundanebudo.com/2023/10/23/aayudha-pooja-vijayadashami-the-most-important-festivals-for-the-martial-arts/

*Kendra Bindu – Central point or point of focus

3 https://frontline.thehindu.com/economy/indian-middle-class-ambedkar-economic-inequality-nirmala-sitharaman-budget-2024-hindenburg/article68521449.ece

4https://mundanebudo.com/2023/10/15/missile-long-range-weapon-narrative-long-time-weapon/

A Plesiosaur in Kerala :-)

Vikram M R, , , , , , , Leave a comment

A pesiosaurid. Image credit – “The Animal World – from the Knowledge Quest series by Reader’s Digest”

I visited Lake Vembanad in Kerala some time ago. It is one of the largest lakes in India. It is extremely beautiful and allows for some great cruises. The lake is host to several species of birds which make great subjects for photographs. Considering we have great cameras on mobile phones these days, one can take a lot of snaps, which will not be of professional quality, but make for great memories. Combine this with the image search feature on Google, one can also identify the species of bird or animal photographed, which adds to the entire experience. But the identification is not perfect, and depends on the photograph. Sometimes we would expect that photo is clear enough for an identification, but Google seems to disagree, and the search result is surprising. One such surprising result is what drives this article.

While out the lake, I took a short video of a bird swallowing a fish. I also captured an image. I thought it was a purple heron or a darter (snake bird), but was not certain. To confirm, I used the image search on Google. Aaaaaannddd, Google suggested that the creature in the image was…….wait for it……drumrolls…..

A PLESIOSAUR!!!! 😀 😀 😀

It was like I had discovered the local Loch Ness Monster (Nessie)! The image I used to search and result from Google are seen in the images seen below.

The image on the left was what was used for the search. The search result is seen on the right.

Now look at another image I took of the same bird. It definitely bears a passing resemblance to the famous, and very FAKE, Surgeon’s photograph of Nessie*.

The image on the left is the one used for the search. The image on the right is another image of the same bird. The image is the centre is the famous “Surgeon’s photograph” of Nessie. Image credit for the image in the centre – “Myths, Legends and Folktales – from the Knowledge Quest series by Reader’s Digest”.

Here is a video of the bird, just to confirm that it is not a dinosaur.

This incident goes to show how, even in current times, when we have a surfeit of information and access to the knowledge of the Internet, we are saddled with information that is wrong, glaringly and obviously so. And this with absolutely no intent on anyone’s part of deceit, malice or even mischief. And if this can happen, how often can it be that the information and we have is wrong and we are oblivious to the fact? Now, if there is a deliberate intent to pass misinformation or deceive, how incredibly difficult is it to overcome the wrong knowledge emanating in such a situation? Expand this further and if the knowledge is wrong due to a case of delusion, is there any way to escape at all?

Consider the use of deception and misinformation in the world with the few examples seen below.

  • The most expansive example is perhaps Operation Fortitude, the large scale endeavour carried out during World War 2, before the Normandy invasion (Operation Overlord) to hide the actual location of the landing.
  • The Indian army used the fear in Pakistani soldiers of being burnt to death in tanks to get them to abandon their armoured vehicles on the western front in the war of 1971.
  • Sounds of weapons were used as psychological warfare during the first Gulf War (Kuwait liberation war) to induce Iraqi soldiers to surrender.
  • This last example is not historical, but is aitihāsic. In the Mahabharata, Krishna uses a solar eclipse (or magic) to get Jayadratha to reveal himself and be slain by Arjuna.

Credit for the 2 images above – “Arjuna fulfills his vow – Mahabharata 35”, published by Amar Chitra Katha

The last example above just goes to show how misinformation has always been used by humans. Could this be an evolution of ambush hunting of animals adapted to attack humans?

Now consider how we look at the use of technology in modern day democracies.

  • In India, specifically during the elections, we discuss how there is a “tool kit”, which is a euphemism to suggest that specific organizations (mostly foreign with Indian allies) and foreign deep states are indulging in narrative warfare to affect the development of India and to control its regime.
  • In the USA and now in Canada, there is talk of election interference and manipulation by foreign powers.
  • National governments are increasingly identifying mechanisms to regulate and control digital and social media as these are the front lines in information manipulation and narrative control, 5th generation warfare, as it is called.

So, there has always been an attempt to achieve superiority through either a denial of information or through the use of misinformation. The counter to this would be to identify misinformation and the acquisition or gathering of authentic information, which might translate to knowledge. Both of these are continuous and incremental processes, not unlike the gradual application of misinformation.

This is perhaps why we have so many festivals in Hindu culture that are attributed to the celebration of knowledge. Consider the previous and coming month. There is a surfeit of opportunities to realize “knowledge is everything”.

  • 22nd August, 2024 was World Folklore Day. Folklore, in many cultures, was a means of passing on knowledge, especially with oral traditions.
  • 24th August, 2024 was Hayagreeva Jayanthi. Lord Hayagreeva is the incarnation of Lord Vishnu where he is depicted with the head of a horse. Lord Hayagreeva is considered the God of knowledge.
  • 26th or 27th August, 2024, was Krishna Janmashtami. Lord Krishna imparted knowledge on several aspects, including through the Bhagavad Gita.
  • 5th September is always Teacher’s Day in contemporary India. It is the birthday of former President Dr. S Radhakirhsnan. It is a day to celebrate teachers who impart knowledge.
  • 7th September, 2024 was Ganesha Chaturthi. One of the epithets for Lord Ganesha is Vidya Ganapati. Vidya is knowledge.
  • 10th October, 2024 will be Sapthami, the 7th day of Dasara. On this day, some communities celebrate Saraswati Pooja. Devi Saraswati is the Goddess of learning.
  • 12th October, 2024 will be Navami, the 9th day of Dasara. On this day, apart from Āyudha Pooja, some communities perform pooja of Lord Hayagreeva as well. As mentioned earlier, Lord Hayagreeva is the God of knowledge.

So, knowledge is a key theme in several festivals of Hindu culture. Another aspect of knowledge that is celebrated in Hindu culture is the time and effort that goes into acquiring knowledge. This includes the development of expertise as well.

The time and effort in developing knowledge or expertise goes into training (including studying, practicing, interacting, experiencing etc.). In the Bujinkan system of martial arts, two Japanese terms are used in relation to training. One is Genjitsu and the other is Genjutsu. Genjitsu refers to reality or the actual truth. Genjutsu refers to using illusions or misinformation, mostly to weaken or negatively affect opponents.

Genjutsu however, could be turned inward; it then becomes a delusion. This is a result of training going bad or being in a silo for too long, when one does not realize that the training one is going through is either not of any benefit or actively detrimental to oneself or others. A mentor of mine, Arnaud Cousergue, has written about this in an article which I am linking below+. He refers to some practitioners choosing to only practice what is termed “cosmic stuff” without a firm grounding in hard training and technical aspects.

I had earlier mentioned how folklore is a means of transmitting knowledge in oral traditions. I personally feel urban legends are modern day folklore, but are not designed to transmit any knowledge. Consider the following two examples to illustrate the same.

Around the year 1990, there was a story doing the rounds in Bangalore of “Nāle Bā”. “Nāle” is “tomorrow” and “bā” is “come” in Kannada. The story was that a supernatural entity was going around parts of the city and causing harm to the residents. The entity’s means of gaining entry to a residence was to knock on the door and speak in the voice of a resident. The easiest way to deter this entity was to ask it to “come tomorrow” or “nāle bā”. This could even be achieved by putting up a board at the gate or write on the main door or the compound the same words (in Kannada). There were several homes which had done this.

In 2001, there was the menace of the “Monkey Man” in Delhi. A creature(s) or an individual(s) in the garb of a monkey/ape was attacking people on the streets of Delhi at night. In this case, there were some people who suffered injuries. These varied from serious to minor ones. There were even a few deaths reported due to the “Monkey Man”. But it was never clear if the cause of death was the attack or an accident caused out of fear and panic. There were also suggestions that some of the incidents were misreported. In the case of “Nāle Bā”, I am not aware of any case of real threat or harm of a grievous kind to anyone.

Both of these are urban legends, but did not serve to transmit any knowledge. It was just a story that gripped a city for a short duration. This is analogous to a delusion in training. One reacts to a situation that is not real or believes that the training one is indulging in is very useful, while it really is not.

So, in the world we live in, with deep fakes, fake news and “narrative setting/engineering”, it is extremely difficult to acquire or develop knowledge with real and accurate information. It is a continuous process to develop one’s ability to sense if a piece of information could be fake or partially false. It is exactly like continuous training with an awareness of whether or not it is relevant. It is the development of the ability to spot the Genjitsu and not be overcome by Genjutsu, whether it is delusions or external illusions.

Sensei Masaaki Hatsumi, the soke (inheritor) of the Bujinkan system of martial used to have themes to focus on for every year of training. This was a tradition that lasted from the 90s to the beginning of the pandemic. The theme for the year 2008 was “Menkyo Kaiden”. This phrase from Japanese can be used to illustrate how changes in the way a word is spoken and the spelling is changed can result is vastly different meanings.

Most of the times, “Menkyo Kaiden”, as far as I know, means that a person has received or learned everything a teacher has to offer, and is ready to add to that body of knowledge. One “receives a menkyo kaiden” after she or he has learnt everything a teacher has to transmit and has imbibed the same to the satisfaction of the teacher.

But when theme was mentioned as Menkyo Kaiden in 2008, Hatsumi Sensei, as far I know, wrote the theme in such a way that, while the pronunciation would remain the same, meant “transmitting falsehoods to the mind”. In practice, it meant, “confuse the opponent” or “mess with the opponent by confusing her or him”. This was all about feints and movements that caused the opponent to react in a manner that put her or him at a disadvantage.

This is literally the opposite of the original meaning! In the first case it was about giving all the knowledge possible. In the second, it is all about confusing a person with information and intentions that could be false or true, the truth of which that person is not supposed to be able to discern!

This is similar to another concept called “Kyojitsu tenkan ho”. This means that truth and falsehood are like a revolving door. It could be faking an attack or the intention to attack or the nature of the attack. The attack might be real, or a feint, which could be an opening to something else. This is something that all martial arts and martial sports teach. So, it is commonplace to want the opponent to be unsettled at all times so one can achieve an objective, which could be detrimental to the opponent.

This in itself would be a wonderful elucidation of how one needs to develop an instinct to determine if information received and knowledge gained are correct, relevant and beneficial. This aspect is also taught in the martial arts. Practitioners of the martial arts are expected to, apart from the physical techniques and abilities, also develop their intuition, awareness of situations and mindfulness of the opponent and factors like the surroundings and the atmosphere/environment of a place.

All of these are intangibles that are related to the instinct that is needed to survive a fight, or a conflict in general (like in the office where there is no physical threat). In the Bujinkan, this is taught as “Sakkijutsu” and is very important to develop over years of practice. This roughly leads to a practitioner having “a feel” of the situation, which includes the opponent, the place, the situation and most importantly, the potential for danger. This hopefully leads to either minimal conflict or hopefully the nullification of one, but in either case, the key is to escape/avoid any harm to the self.

This concept is not specific to the Japanese language either. In many Indian vernacular languages, the term for “experience” and “feeling” is the same. The word “anubhava” in Kannada and “anubhav” in Hindi are used to express this. “Anubhava” could mean quantum of experience, or what one is feeling. In the first case, the sentence in Kannada would be, “ninage yeshtu anubhava ide?” which translates to “how much experience do you have?” In the second it would be, “neenu yenu anubahisuttiddiya?” which would translate as “what are you feeling/experiencing?”

The word for expertise is “parinati”. In other words, while expertise is something that is recognized as a consequence of effort over time, the words for experience and feeling are the same, which could mean that an experience is the feeling that one can receive or gather. And when one is able to “get a feel” for anything, easily or nonchalantly, that is a sign of long experience, which is the root of expertise.

In conclusion, in contemporary times, when information is in surplus and easily accessible, knowledge, which is processed information, is not easy to come by, for the veracity of the information is hard to ascertain. With experience, one can perhaps get a feel for the correctness of information, and this skill could be knowledge unto itself.

I recently saw a video on Instagram where Eminem was discussing chemistry like a pro! It was an AI generated video**. If the maker of the video had not mentioned this, one would be left wondering if Eminem is a chemist by profession! But the video certainly “feels” off and anyone who knows of Eminem will check if this video is fake or not.

We recently had a training session with Daishihan Alex Esteve of the Bujinkan. During the class, Alex mentioned that the knowledge of biomechanics is accessible for anyone who needs it these days. But about 200 years ago, the knowledge of the use of biomechanics in martial arts would be a closely guarded secret, for the knowledge of the same was an advantage to the ones who possessed it, and this knowledge was not available to most of the populace. Go back further, by about a thousand years and the knowledge of biomechanics would have seemed mystical knowledge, for the number of people possessing the same would be a handful in any society and the effect of its use on any individual would perhaps be seen as magical.

In the case of the Eminem video I mentioned, the ability or skills to identify the video as AI generated is not commonplace, not all of us can do it. So, it does seem mystical, if someone can nonchalantly identify it, especially if that person does not know who Eminem is. But the regulation of the use of AI is beginning and an option is now provided on platforms to mark something as AI. This is likely to be the beginning of more people developing the skill to identify AI handiwork. So, as more methods to identify AI are developed, those are likely to be kept secret simply for IP reasons. Now this skill or ability is not mystical, but carefully guarded. And perhaps the ability to identify the involvement of AI without being told so will become second nature in the future. Until then, it is good to have a “feel” for something that doesn’t seem quite right, or all real.

As a last word, I will share a link to a video by Praveen Swamy, on the YouTube channel of the media organization, The Print. In the video he discusses how the conflict between cryptographers and cryptanalysts has been going on since millennia. The context in the video is about hiding information, but it is not that different from misinformation and the hiding of authentic information. This conflict between real knowledge and its duplicitous variants is eternal, all one can do is flow through this battle safely.

Notes:

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loch_Ness_Monster – Look at the segment on the “Surgeon’s photograph”

+ https://kumablog.org/2014/07/ – The cosmic stuff that is referred to in the article is the belief that training only soft movements against slow attacks has prepared one for a real fight without having undergone rigorous training in the basics and hard training.

** The video was on the Instagram account of “yourchemistrypal.sg”, who had made the video using Parrot AI.

🙏🙏 Martial Ganesha 🙏🙏

Vikram M R, , , , , 2 Comments

Today is Ganesha Chaturthi. As everyone knows, Lord Ganesha is most commonly referred to as “Vidya Ganapati” and as “Destroyer of Obstacles”. In the first epithet, Lord Ganesha is recognized and celebrated as someone who enables the gaining of knowledge. The titles, Vighneshwara (one who lords over obstacles), Vighnaharta (one who defeats obstacles) and Vighnaraja (one who rules over obstacles) are the ones that lead to “Destroyer of obstacles”. Lord Ganesha or Lord Ganapati is thus extremely important to us, as he is the one who facilitates the gaining of wisdom and the ability to overcome any obstacle on the path to achieving any objective.

Martial Arts, as I understand it, is about 2 things, self-preservation and conflict management. Both aspects require both physical and non-physical abilities. The non-physical abilities include intellectual and emotional abilities. All of these abilities feed into and off each other, and require practice. This is perhaps why Sensei Masaaki Hatsumi of the Bujinkan system of martial arts has said that one of the 5 points that form the essence of budo is to pursue both martial and literary skills. This statement is seen in the preface of the book “Japanese Sword Fighting – Secrets of the Samurai”. The phrase in Japanese for the pursuit of martial (physical) and literary (intellectual) abilities is the very mellifluous “Bun and Bu”. Bun is the literary or intellectual aspect and Bu is the martial/military aspect; Pen and Sword, if you will.

Image credit – “Japanese Sword Fighting – Secrets of the Samurai” by Soke Masaaki Hatsumi

Self-preservation obviously requires physical abilities to be able to move, if nothing else, and some knowledge (leading to experience) of how to be aware or mindful of the situation to survive. Conflict Management might require physical abilities, if the conflict can lead to physical harm, but always requires knowledge and experience of how to deal with the situation at hand and the path to the objective, even if the objective is just to manage said conflict from exacerbating.

In both cases, there is an obstacle, either to physical well-being or to the achievement of an objective. And Lord Ganesha enables both the overcoming of the obstacle(s) and the gaining of knowledge needed to do the same. This is where we see the links between Lord Ganesha and the practice of the martial arts. I shall attempt to describe both with one story respectively.

The most common story of Lord Ganesha’s birth is that Devi Parvati created a statue of a boy from saffron paste and gave life to it. This boy became Lord Ganesha. The circumstances around Lord Ganesha’s birth lead to his battling all the major Gods in Hindu culture. I am not going into the details of the story as it is quite long. But the story is fascinating and I would encourage everyone to read the same. There are comic versions of this story that bring to life the tale in a wonderful manner*.

Lord Ganesha is an incredible warrior from the get go. He can go toe to toe with all the Gods. Young Ganesha can not only fight Gods one on one, but can also take on multiple opponents effortlessly. He fights with a staff and a club and overpowers all who dare come against him. Even his brother, Karthikeya cannot defeat him.

An aside – Lord Karthikeya is usually depicted with a pole weapon, the vel or spear. Lord Ganesha also initially uses a pole weapon, the staff. Further, tile of this article begins with the word “martial”. If one keeps the pronunciation and changes the spelling, we get the word “marshal”, which is a way of referring to “Field Marshal”, the highest military rank, even above General. This is fascinating, as Lord Karthikeya is the commander of the armies of Swarga (loosely translated as Heaven), the abode of the Devas (whose king is Indra). In other words, Lord Kartikeya is Field Marshal of the Deva army. It is “Marshal Kartikeya” and “Martial Ganesha”. 🙂

Credit for the images – “Ganesha”, published by Amar Chitra Katha

Young Ganesha is eventually defeated by Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu by the use of subterfuge. He is beheaded by Lord Shiva during the fight and eventually gets the head of an elephant to gain the form we all know him in. Thus, Lord Ganesha was a warrior, a martial artist of the highest order! He could subdue his opponents without having to kill any of them; the story shows the defeated Gods retreat in the face of a superior opponent.

Another popular story relating to Lord Kartikeya and Lord Ganesha is the one where they compete for a mango. Lord Narada offers a mango to Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva in turn sets up a contest between his two sons, Karthikeya and Ganesha, the winner is to get the mango. The one who traverses all 3 words and returns first will win the mango. Lord Karthikeya sets off on his peacock and believes he can win. Lord Ganesha cannot hope to compete against the peacock on his mouse.

But Lord Ganesha employs wisdom to win the contest. Lord Ganesha declares that his parents signify the 3 worlds and completes a perambulation around his parents. Considering that his parents are Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati, this is literally true in his case! So, Lord Ganesha has traversed the 3 worlds without ever leaving home! He thus wins the mango.

This tale of the mango is the setting for the Tamil movie “Thiruvilayaadal” (1965). I urge everyone to watch between the 11 and 15 minute mark in the link seen below. It depicts the story mentioned above.

These two stories depict the “Bun and Bu”, or physical and intellectual abilities mentioned earlier. In the first case, Lord Ganesha deployed his formidable martial abilities to achieve the objective of defeating the Gods. In the second story, Lord Ganesha employed wisdom to win the mango. The objective was to win a contest. He could not match the physical speed of his brother and his peacock. So, he used wisdom to change the nature of the game and achieve the objective.

In the first case, the obstacle was the physical attack of the Gods and in the second, it was speed of his brother. Both obstacles were overcome, but with entirely different means!

Speaking of weapons – Even though Lord Ganesha as a boy is shown using a staff and a club, the weapon depicted very often in Lord Ganesha’s imagery is the “Ankusha”. The ankusha is the goad used by mahouts to guide elephants. This is perhaps apt. A great beast of immense power is guided by a stick with a hook on it! This requires the knowledge and experience of working with elephants, “vidya” in other words”. The word “ankusha” is also used to denote control (including over the self). The ankusha is also the weapon associated with Vayu, the Lord of the Wind. An image of one form of the ankusha is seen below.

Wish you all a blessed Ganesha Chaturthi!

Notes:

* https://www.amazon.in/Ganesha-KAMALA-CHANDRAKANT-ebook/dp/B06XD79M7B/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2UBBMQ2G1TM78&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.y6W3vXP5KZpr7zrVxzo-3Vbpg7Spwnf3noyqhsqiaKaHljjBFadfrBn6KrQL23UrT6nL8g–vfFTnZgd3iIbuEoDlS6sLHiMMzn-537Hq_dd70j5CtmZyCIzGmqifnwJSQN9zanPhRB3FInUUpkJWMgLKHh7hOBA5SZxoJzaEtrs94Cg47pNekBKluLSQba0CihC9PPsQdEEH5LSPMr-ixzjBMhbdiBCgbrGDfr0Ljo.U1O0CnoN7DXLQ7AMOWPPO4NLVMWLAqr_AI7GaU72voE&dib_tag=se&keywords=ganesha+amar+chitra+katha&qid=1725652621&sprefix=ganesha+am%2Caps%2C292&sr=8-3

HANUMAN Vs PREDATOR, PART 6 of 6

Vikram M R, , , , , , Leave a comment

Chapter 6 – The Fight

Artwork by Adarsh Jadhav (with help from AI)

Disclaimer: The following story is a work of fan fiction. It is purely meant for entertainment purposes and not for any commercial or profit related purposes. I do not own any of the characters mentioned in the story. The Gods and characters from stories of Hindu tradition and not owned by anyone for they are living divinities. The character of the Predator is the one from the Predator movies, distributed by 20th Century Fox. The character of the Predator was created in the film “Predator” (1987) directed by John McTiernan.

Garuda looked down as he lazily glided around waiting for Jambavan and Hanuman. He observed that apart from the two asuras that had run from him, two other groups seemed to be converging on a much larger clearing, outside the forest. It was near where they had encountered the first asura earlier in the night. It was almost dawn now and a faint mist along with a spray of drizzle was beginning. One of the groups coming from the forest seemed to be helping one of their compatriots who was badly injured.

Presently he saw both Jambavan and Hanuman leaping high and spotting him. They both started making their way towards him, although at an unhurried pace. He continued observing them and also the asuras, as the three groups met up. The asuras should ideally have noticed him observing them but they were no longer as sharp as they were a short while ago, having been resoundingly defeated.

As he watched them either plan or conference, the injured asura was raised up from the ground and vanished suddenly after reaching an altitude around where he was hovering. There was shimmering for a kshana across a large swathe of the air and then it stopped as the injured asura disappeared. Garuda proceeded to rendezvous with his fellow warriors.

“They have a large invisible vimana (aircraft/spacecraft) up there” said Garuda to the other two as soon as they met and saw that they were both unharmed in every way. Jambavan briefly told them about his use of the Brahmadanda and then said, “We should destroy that vimana. It is unnatural for this age, apart from being malevolent. Imagine the havoc it would cause if we weren’t here”. Hanuman and Garuda nodded agreement and said in unison, “Agniastra”. Jambavan smiled and said, “A taste of their own medicine huh?”

He then requested Garuda to invoke the astra, for he could deliver it more easily compared with the other two. Garuda pulled out a feather that had been damaged by the asura blade. He then invoked the Agniastra and after rearranging the vanes of the feather to make it aerodynamic, he lifted off into the air until he was level with where he had observed the vimana. He then infused the astra in the feather and hurled it straight into the invisible craft.

The Agniastra on contact with the described target came alive and decimated the vimana. It was a magnificent and terrifying sight to behold. The vimana was sliced apart, as if by many swords of fire working simultaneously. It became visible as its invisibility failed. More clean lines of fire bloomed all across the craft as the vimana came apart in several pieces, each piece separated from the rest by neat straight lines. The three warriors agreed that there was an elegance to the craft, even if it was a grotesque, shiver inducing one. It was unlike anything a denizen of the Earth would have imagined.

Some parts of the dismembered vimana exploded, lighting up the scene in the coming wet and faintly misted dawn. It had all taken perhaps a few blinks of a human eye and yet was an unforgettable spectacle. One which was not lost on the asuras for whom the loss of their craft was a loss of their way home. It seemed to break something within them and yet steel their resolve at the same time.

Image generated by the AI feature on WordPress

They all turned away from the fallen craft. The ones that had their invisibility yantras working or partially functioning, now shed the same, becoming fully visible. All those that still had the astra firing cylinder on their shoulders undid and dropped them on the ground. All of them dropped their chakras. Some extended their spears and extended the blades on one wrist for a spear and sword combination. Others extended the blades on both their wrists, effectively wielding swords in both hands. They all now faced the direction they had come from, bellowed a chittering cry with one arm raised and waited as a group.

Hanuman said to the other two as the asura group bellowed their cry, “Looks like a final challenge with only shastras (weapons that are not discharged).” Garuda agreed, “They have all dropped their astras (weapons that are discharged) and invisibility yantras (technology/machines).” Jambavan concurred, “Let us finish this then.” With that all three of them walked towards the waiting group of asuras.

Image credits – Images on the left and far right were generated by the AI feature on WordPress. The image in the center was created by Kiran Kumar with help from AI. All are representations of the “Predator”.

The failed hunters and the three great warriors came face to face. Hanuman and Garuda walked to the right and the left of the group respectively as the wreckage of the great vimana loomed in the background. Twelve asuras each broke off from the main group and walked to face Hanuman and Garuda. Soon there were six of the asuras facing each of the three great warriors. The asuras in each group formed a semi-circle facing Garuda, Jambavan and Hanuman respectively.

There was no drizzle anymore. The mild mist caused the grass in the clearing to glisten as the first rays of the Sun became visible. The asuras raised their weapons in salute to the warriors and the warriors bowed with the aatmaanjali mudra. The asuras from another graha or hunters from a distant loka (world), whatever they were, were brave and capable fighters all, and that was to be lauded. The three warriors and the asura groups now moved slowly around each other, looking for openings and guessing at feints.

Artwork by Kiran Kumar (with help from AI)

Garuda took a few steps and stopped completely. He let the six asuras surround him. He did not smile out of respect, though the wanted to. The fight began exactly as he had expected. The asura in front of him thrust his long spear at Garuda’s abdomen. At the same kshana the asura behind him spun his spear overhead to strike at Garuda’s head. Garuda took a step forward and also turned left at the same time. The spear stab missed him as he turned by the width of a feather of his. He gently placed his hand on the spear shaft as it missed his abdomen. With the forward step, the strike from the rear missed his head by the length of a finger.

He was now facing the two asuras who were originally to his left, with two behind him. As he had made his initial movement, he spread his wings and clapped them together behind him! This shocked the two asuras behind him with a gust of wind and blew one off its feet. As all this was happening, the one that had stabbed at him pulled back the thrust. Garuda followed the movement with his palm on the spear shaft and as the pullback ended, he pushed in a little more which made the asura lose its posture, at which time Garuda lifted the spear up, slunk his great height under it spun around while going down one knee. This series of motions forced the asura to drop down with a backward roll and let go of the spear.

Garuda now repeated the backward clap of his wings and that made the two asuras behind him rethink their attack and stop in their tracks. But the creature now on his right who had swung for his head was charging ahead with a spear thrust. Garuda now had the spear the fallen owner had let go as it rolled. He stayed on his knee and just flicked the spear on its center to strike with the base of it at the charging asura’s legs. The asura was taken clear off its feet and landed with a grunt, being winded by the fall.

Now Garuda, flicked the spear into his left hand and threw it underhanded at the owner of the spear which was regaining its footing. It went right through the asura’s breastplate and chest, delivering a fatal injury. Garuda was just toying around with his opponents, being in no hurry to rush the fight or initiate an attack.

He stood up and took a step back, allowing the asuras to form a new line. They formed up and this time around, all of them charged at him simultaneously. They all only wielded twin blades on their wrists now. They had all discarded their spears, perhaps realizing the weapon’s length was an advantage to Garuda and not themselves.

Garuda stepped between the first two in the line, as one cut down at him diagonally and the other stabbed at him. Garuda stopped the blade on the first attacker’s left wrist from a stab by gently pushing it into its body and he stepped between the two. The other three who were trying to get towards and around him had to rethink their line of attack as he again got behind their line. As soon as he was behind their advancing line Garuda spread his wings to their full extent and clapped them forwards as he bent forward and jumped back by a full body length. The result was that all five of the asuras were swept in towards each other and gathered by the wings, as between two walls, with great speed, and as Garuda had leapt back they were all caught wrong footed and collapsed in a heap.

There was a deep grunt of great pain as Garuda withdrew his wings. One of the asuras had been mortally wounded in the gut by a slash of one its own compatriots’ blades. But Garuda did not wait to appreciate this situation. He had jumped forward back to where he had been and stomped down on the head of one of the fallen asuras, which became a green smear on the ground. With that he took a few steps back and waited for the next attack by the asuras.

The asuras now looked at each other, likely formulating the next attack strategy. The one on Garuda’s left leaped high in its attack. The one on the far right rolled on the ground to attack low, while the one in the center charged in for a mid-level attack. Garuda was unimpressed with their lack of ability to come up with an attack that truly threatened him. They were completely incapable of countering a being with more limbs than their own, especially if that opponent was also in possession of superior martial training and grater size, and possessed far greater fighting experience, though the last of it he could not blame them for not knowing.

Garuda did no move discernibly as he received the attack. Both his wings extended at the same time, but moved differently. The left wing struck up at the asura and it was shot straight up in the air like a child might throw a ball onto the roof. Only, this asura was thrown so high it might have been above most of the tallest trees. While this was happening, the right wing shot out like a snake towards the asura rolling towards him on the right. The feathers were realigned as the wing shot out. The wing impaled the asura as a heron might spear a fish.

By then the last asura in the center had almost reached him. Garuda folded up both his wings, the tip of his right wing now glistening green. He shifted his weight to his right and the stabbing blade scraped past his abdomen. Again Garuda restrained the blade on the left wrist of the asura with his right palm while he caught its neck in a vice like grip with his left, and snapped it perfunctorily. The asura’s lifeless body collapsed and then there was a thump on his left, as the creature he had knocked into the air fell back on to the ground and lay still, its body rearranged in a grotesque manner.

Artwork by Kiran Kumar (with help from AI)

While the group facing Garuda was beginning to get into formation, Jambavan raised his hand as he faced the six asuras standing in front of him. In a flash, one of Hanuman’s maces landed in his raised hand. His unspoken request had been fulfilled. Hanuman had another mace, not to mention his almighty tail to contend with his adversaries.

He hefted the mace onto his shoulder and started walking towards the center of the asura semicircle in front of him. He had no intentions and expected no specific attack. He wanted to push the asuras into action and see what they could come up with. The asuras too seemed to have the same idea; they gradually moved around and were now moving to surround him. But he randomly changed direction and walked straight towards one of the six with a spear in the right hand and a wrist blade on the left.

This surprised the asura even as his compatriots continued their progress. The surprise made it react, and it stabbed hard at Jambavan with the spear. Jambavan turned left on the spot and brought down the mace onto the spear shaft with his right hand. The shaft snapped and as the front half of the spear fell, Jambavan caught it. While he was catching the spear, the asura slashed at Jambavan’s throat. Jambavan lifted the mace back onto his shoulder and turned right, that blocked the wrist blade. As he was turning to block the blade, he flipped around the broken spear in his left hand and impaled the asura with its own weapon.

By now the other asuras were behind him and closer. But they were wary and stopped as he turned to face them. He again took a few nonchalant steps toward their center. This time the one in the center stiffened, anticipating an attack. But he changed tack and walked right past the creature! It did nothing and neither did any of the other four around. Clearly, they were too concerned with failing in an attack. They would rather have Jambavan attack and use any openings presented.

Thus Jambavan gave them what they wanted. He went on the attack. He lashed out with his mace at the asura he had just walked past. This asura had two wrist blades. It blocked the strike with its blade on the right hand and stabled with the blade on its left wrist. As the stab came in, Jambavan pulled the mace towards him, making it vertical and then positioned it in line with the asura’s chest. The asura predictably pulled the stab to protect itself. It stopped the mace with a scissor maneuver, crossing its two blades under the mace head like a scissor. This unfortunately realigned the spike from its chest to its neck. Jambavan swiveled to his left on his right foot away from the blades, while palm heeling the base of the mace with his left palm. This drove the spike of the mace into the asura’s neck, killing it.

Even as he was pulling the spike out, he dropped to his knees. The asura to his left had moved up behind him and launched a slash at the rear of his neck. He had sensed the intent and dropped, allowing the blade to pass harmlessly above his head. He then flicked the mace straight up from its pommel. The mace head smashed the face of the asura who attacked from behind, caving it in.

The remaining three asuras did not attack immediately. Jambavan took his time standing up and walking towards them. He dragged the mace beside him now, not hefting it onto his shoulder. As he neared the asura on the left, being agitated, it went on the attack. It slashed down with the blade on the left wrist. Jambavan received the cut by lifting the mace, with the shaft of the mace. As the asura was pulling back the right hand to attack with the blade on its other wrist. Jambavan dropped the mace spike down where he stood. The spike of the dropped mace pierced the foot of the creature and with a loud grunt, it went down straight in a heap. As it was going down, Jambavan held out his fist which knocked back the head of the falling asura, snapping its neck with a violent whiplash.

The remaining two asuras seemed to have gained the courage of cornered beasts in the few kshanas it had taken for their last compatriot to perish with no concerted effort on behalf of Jambavan. They charged as one at Jambavan. Jambavan dropped the mace in the path of the asura on his right slowing it down for a kshana. The other asura attacked with its left blade first, the path of which Jambavan stepped out of and then with its right. This attack also Jambavan stepped out of, ending up behind the attacking hand. By now the second asura had also commenced the attack. Jambvan pushed the right arm of the asura, grabbing lightly onto its shoulder and wrist and using the momentum of its own attack, into the path of the attacking asura. This second asura was disemboweled by the combined momentum of its own charge and the attack redirected by Jambavan, on the blade of its compatriot.

Jambavan now disengaged as the last asura pulled the blade out of its dying compatriot. He casually walked to the fallen mace and picked it up. This time he stopped playing around with the creatures. He charged with a raised mace to attack the last asura. It blocked with its left wrist blade. But this time the mace came down with a lot of intent and shattered the blade as it made contact with it. In despair the asura tried to attack with the blade on it right wrist, only to have this also break into pieces as Jambavan attacked this blade. Now, Jambavan performed a reverse twirl of the mace from his right wrist. This broke the asura’s head, resulting in a glowing green mace head.

Artwork by Kiran Kumar (with help from AI)

A gentle breeze had started with a pleasant fluting sound in the trees. The golden glow of the morning rays also gave an ethereal quality to the morning as Hanuman threw a mace over to Jambavan when his hand was raised. Hanuman’s senses were soothed with the developing atmosphere but his attention never wavered towards Jambavan. He was discerning the intentions of the six asuras who had determined for themselves to take him on. The attention of all the six asuras wavered for a kshana until they realized that the mace throw was not an attack.

Even as mace was thrown, Hanuman had started moving his tail through the lush grass underfoot, which only the greatest and most observant of warriors might have realized. This confirmed Hanuman’s suspicions that these asuras, while brave and capable without a doubt, were in no way comparable to the greats he had faced in his very long existence on this graha (planet).

They seemed to have never faced grave threats to themselves; they had fought equals at best and inferior opponents at worst. His desire to face them as equals evaporated at that moment. He was no longer interested in this fight and wanted to end it. He had taken in everything in the surroundings and the opponents themselves. So he commenced the attack.

He moved towards the asura second from the last on his left with his mace raised high. As he had moved a few steps, his pre-positioned tail stiffened in its second half becoming a stout staff, and swept the asura on the far right off its feet with a strike. The creature, having had no clue of the tail’s presence, collapsed and this shocked its compatriots as well. While this was happening, Hanuman struck out with his mace at the intended target.

This asura was raising the spear in its left hand to deflect the mace, but missed the mace completely as it was distracted by its fellow falling to the ground. The distraction turned out to be costly as the mace crushed its head in the first spray of green in the morning sun.

The tail had not been idle as this asura died. Hanuman had spotted a log behind the asura that had been swept off its feet. Now the tail wrapped around the log, was pulled back and raised high over the fallen asura, the log being vertical. Hanuman crashed the log down onto the fallen creature with his tail as a flail with a log at its end. The asura died with a crushed chest without realizing what had happened.

The four remaining asuras were thoroughly unsettled. They had no clue with how to deal with additional limbs, especially the tail, which to them must have seemed like a lifeform on its own. The asura on Hanuman’s left came out of the stupor first and started attacking Hanuman with its two wrist blades. Two of the auras on his right then moved at the same time attacking him from behind. Hanuman calmly deflected the strikes and stabs from the asura with his mace, using both the shaft and mace head for the purpose.

While he danced around the asura’s attack, his tail released the log, shortened in length and knotted itself into a club. This tail club smacked into the midriff of the first asura who got behind him and pushed it away a good distance. The asura reeled backwards and struggled to keep its balance. As soon as the creature had been struck, the tail un-knotted itself and lengthened again to grab an end of the log it had dropped earlier.

The tail again looped around the log and dragged itself along the ground. The second asura had almost reached a point from where it could attack Hanuman from behind, but at that very kshana, the tail pulled the log between his legs and lifted it up rapidly. The log thus smacked this asura in the groin and it doubled up with the pain of the impact.

The tail released the log and wrapped itself around the injured asura. As this happened Hanuman disengaged from the attacking asura and leaped backwards by a body length, all while shortening his tail. He then did a barrel roll forward while his tail still held the asura by its neck. As he completed the roll, Hanuman released the asura from his tail and it was flung into the opponent he had disengaged from. The two creatures crashed into each other.

The one that had been flung had been stabbed to death by the blade of its compatriot as it tried to defend itself from the thrown body. The other who had taken the brunt of the impact was injured and dazed from the force of the impact. Hanuman ignored the fallen asura and now turned his attention to two remaining asuras.

He advanced on them. They in turn moved around hoping to find an opening. Their wish was granted as Hanuman focused on the asura on the right and left the one on the left free to get behind him. Yet again the asuras fell for the ruse and forgot the abilities of the great tail of Hanuman.

Hanuman swung wildly at the asura in front, who blocked, parried and survived the attack, for that was Hanuman’s intention, to lull this asura into a sense of complacency. The other asura at his back again chose to attack his unguarded back. And the tail interfered again. Hanuman had had his tail grab the log again as the asura closed in. As this opponent come for a cut to Hanuman’s back with a wrist blade, the log was pulled up vertically in the tail and it took the cut aimed at Hanuman’s back.

The asura attacked repeatedly with both its blades and each time it was blocked or parried by the log, moved about by the tail and driven by Hanuman’s intuitive awareness of what was happening all around him, even in his blind spots. Suddenly, the tail shortened considerably, while switching its loop to the log’s middle. Once this was done, the log was held horizontally close to Hanuman’s buttocks. He also ceased all attacks on the foe in front of him. The one behind him also saw its chance to get close, now that the log had been withdrawn.

The two asuras both charged at Hanuman. Hanuman then turned ninety degrees to his right, holding out the mace to his right. The one coming in from behind got smashed in the head by the mace and one in front was smacked in the hips by the log, which sent it sprawling. The asura behind Hanuman crumpled to the ground, dead, leaving behind more luminescent green on the mace.

Hanuman now faced the injured asura, who got up, clearly in pain. He still had the log in the tail against his buttocks. The asura stood defensively, even as he took a few steps towards it. Hanuman then sensed another malevolent presence behind him. Clearly the asura who had been injured as he had flung its compatriot into it was now up and hoping to attack from behind. This was why the creature in front was unmoving and defensive, trying to distract him as he had not seen the asura behind him.

Hanuman spread his hands to his side and dropped his mace, mocking the asuras and inviting an attack. That seemed to do the trick, the asura in front leaped at him. Hanuman had timed it to perfection. He had goaded the asura in front to attack him just as the one behind him had also leapt for his back. Hanuman just side stepped and held out the log in his tail pointing at the two leaping asuras. They both impaled themselves simultaneously on either end of the log with yet more green spray in the morning air. Hanuman dropped the log. That was the end of all the asuras.

Jambavan, Garuda and Hanuman finished off the asuras facing them within kshanas of each other. They all nodded to each other, there would be time enough to talk later. With that they all proceeded to the brook where they had stopped the previous night, to wash the green off themselves and their weapons. The great vimana still burned behind them in what was becoming a bright morning. The asura, after the events of the night, would perhaps not venture to this part of space for many a century.

HANUMAN Vs PREDATOR, PART 5 of 6

Vikram M R, , , , , , , Leave a comment

Chapter 5 – Trees

Artwork by Vishnu Mohan

Disclaimer: The following story is a work of fan fiction. It is purely meant for entertainment purposes and not for any commercial or profit related purposes. I do not own any of the characters mentioned in the story. The Gods and characters from stories of Hindu tradition and not owned by anyone for they are living divinities. The character of the Predator is the one from the Predator movies, distributed by 20th Century Fox. The character of the Predator was created in the film “Predator” (1987) directed by John McTiernan.

Hanuman landed back among the trees as Jambavan and Garuda split off. He landed on a branch and then dropped onto the ground softly, making no noise and creating no vibration. He then rolled to the base of a different tree and hauled himself slowly and noiselessly up onto a branch with his tail acting as a winch, holding one of his maces in one hand. As he started hauling himself up, he threw his other mace to land with a gentle plop a short distance away hoping to distract any of the asuras nearby. He was testing their abilities here, their sight, their hearing, and their sense of smell. He then hugged the tree and stayed still. Only his tail slowly crept down to the base of the tree increasing its length. It also carried down his second mace with it to the base of the tree.

He had barely stayed still for a few kshanas when a host of bright astras streaked towards him. He dropped off the branch the moment he felt the attack coming. The trunk and branch he had been on were blown to smithereens.

Hanuman now moved as a blur as soon as he dropped off the branch. Like earlier he moved in all directions at random while using the mace in his tail to flail about and scatter detritus on the ground, shake trunks, break branches. He leapt up on to trees, ran on the ground on all fours, ran on two legs, remained stationary for kshanas and only caused destruction with his tail. He even swung through the branches to higher levels of the canopy and between greatly separated trees.

Clearly the asuras were not deceived by stillness or distracting sounds. They likely could smell their quarry with great precision or see with absolute clarity in the dark. But his own abilities were not ordinary. He had a versatile fifth limb in his tail. It could change length to a considerable extent, change density at will and was perfectly prehensile. Also, just like his elders Garuda and Jambavan, his observational and warrior skills were unmatched, honed to perfection and beyond over millennia.

An observer with divine perception might have noticed that though Hanuman’s movement seemed random, the strikes with the mace in his tail were rarely so. He registered the point of origin of every astra flare and every deliberate malicious movement, and struck at that location with the mace. But none of the strikes were direct like with an arm. The flexibility of the tail allowed his mace to strike at impossibly acute angles and around objects like trees. His hits snaked up parallel to tree trunks, swung around trees, looped though gaps in the arboreal cover and dropped branches onto concealed enemies. So great was his training with his tail as a weapon, he could tell from the strike if he hit an asura or something else.

When he felt the asuras even begin to sense that he was not doing any of the striking with his discernible four limbs, he reversed tactics and used his tail to swing and move about while he thrashed about with the mace in his hands. The mace flew from hands to tail like it knew the path of its own volition. In less than three nimishas thus he had determined that he had twenty adversaries. Two were dead and none were now invisible. One was crushed under a falling tree and another had had its chest caved in by Hanuman’s mace. Most were visible and a few had failing yantras with clearly noticeable shimmers.

He now shortened his tail and flicked the mace into his left hand. He had sensed a reluctance to continue the attack from the ones hunting him. He let the lull extend kshana by kshana. He walked over to where he had dropped his other mace and curled the tip of his tail over it. He turned and took a few relaxed and uncaring steps. The creatures hunting him seemed to realize that he felt no threat from them, given that they had lost the invisibility. All of them now had their blades mounted at the wrists extended. Hanuman clearly saw all of them for the first time in this lull in the battle.

All of them seemed to have chakras, but none cared to use them. After all, what good would those do if the astras proved useless. Some also seemed to be carrying spears, which they had discarded in favour of the wrist blades. In the stillness of the forest, he also heard the faint whir of the cylinders on their shoulders which seemed to track his movements. He had noticed earlier that that was the source from which they fired their incendiary astras.

None of the asuras moved to retreat and that decided things for him. This was a fight to the finish. In that instant he heard Garuda’s roar and that gave him the opening to go on the attack. The asuras were, for a fraction of a kshana, distracted by the sound. He crushed the cylinder on the shoulder of one of the creatures at one extreme of their spread with a flick of his extending tail while at the same time he rushed the other extreme and crushed the cylinder on the shoulders of other asuras, one with his mace and another with his right fist. He then somersaulted over the shoulder of the asura whose cylinder he had crushed with his hands and flung the mace at the head of another from behind their cluster now. The head became a smear of glowing green.

His tail now shortened and snaked back towards him on the ground. It tripped up one of the creatures as it slid rapidly on the ground. None of his remaining opponents could unleash any astras for fear of taking down one of their own, for he was now behind their crude line. As the asura fell, the mace in the tail was raised high and almost came down hard on the head of another of the asuras. But this asura stepped forward while looking up to evade the strike as the mace came down. But the mace stopped its strike and stabbed into the creature’s abdomen instead, with the top spike, killing it.

The spike embedded itself so deep in the creature that Hanuman wasted no time trying to pull it out. His tail now wrapped around the ankle of the asura next to the impaled one. His tail now stiffened and extended, and it seemed like the asura was now strung upside down from a short pole. As this happened Hanuman had grabbed the asura whose cylinder he had broken, by the neck, from behind. The tail now relaxed and resembled a rope once again. It smashed the asura stuck in it on to the one who had been tripped by the mace earlier. The asura in the tail had its neck broken and the fallen creature, though alive seemed to have been severely injured. As this was happening, Hanuman snapped the neck of the asura he had grabbed. All of this happened in the space of a few kshanas.

All the remaining asuras had turned around to face him by now. So Hanuman dropped down low on to all fours and leap-rolled forward diagonally between two of the creatures. As he started the roll, his tail looped around the neck of yet another asura and stiffened to be a staff. As he ended the roll, the tail released the asura who was flung several tree lengths away. It landed with a crunch, and had clearly died of a broken back.

Hanuman stood up straight even as the asura was sailing through the air. He switched tactics from weapons and straight up punched an asura in the chest on the armour plate it was wearing. It collapsed in a heap, likely having had its heart stopped.

The remaining twelve asuras now retreated with great haste, again leaping and running away. Two were helping the injured asura move fast as well. They had lost eight of their fellows in a few nimishas and it was clearly time to retreat, regroup and rethink their next tactics. Hanuman let them leave, just like Garuda and Jambavan had done. He would not look to kill opponents who posed no threat and had no malicious intent, even if temporarily. It was time to check back with the other two and he leaped away.

Above image was generated by AI on WordPress. Its imagination of a Predator with a broken spear.

Next chapter – The Fight, on 29th August 2024

HANUMAN Vs PREDATOR, PART 4 of 6

Vikram M R, , , , , , 1 Comment

Chapter 4 – Sky

Artwork by Adarsh Jadhav (with the use of AI)

Disclaimer: The following story is a work of fan fiction. It is purely meant for entertainment purposes and not for any commercial or profit related purposes. I do not own any of the characters mentioned in the story. The Gods and characters from stories of Hindu tradition and not owned by anyone for they are living divinities. The character of the Predator is the one from the Predator movies, distributed by 20th Century Fox. The character of the Predator was created in the film “Predator” (1987) directed by John McTiernan.

Garuda had reached the open shola (high altitude meadow) beyond the tree line even as Jambavan was nearing the caves. He circled around awaiting the asuras’ emergence from the trees. He continually changed his flying altitude though. The ground below was undulating and had a scattering of rocks both large and small.

His eagle eyes clearly saw four of the asuras following him on the ground below. He also realized that there were more after him down in the trees. Three of them were shimmering in and out of invisibility, clearly their yantras were malfunctioning. There were a few more down there; he could tell from the vibration and movement of the trees. The trees moved unnaturally but he could not see the source of the movement. Also, the movement was unlike what any other denizen of the forest they were in would cause.

The asuras all stopped and took positions both in the trees and on the ground just inside the clearing. They clearly had no problem following him at all, maybe their eyesight was as good as Garuda’s. He heard a faint whirr as the cylinders on their shoulders moved, likely targeting him as he flew. He currently presented a large target. Garuda was a full head and a half taller than any of these creatures, and quite a bit larger. Add to this his huge wingspan, about three times his own height and he was a big and easy target for their fiery astras.

He settled into a slow circle at a constant altitude and as expected, the whirring of the cylinders stopped. Clearly they had taken the bait and were going to all fire at him and around his current positions to prevent his escape by possible maneuvering.

But he preempted their firing by a fraction of a kshana. In the tiny space of the time it took between their decision to fire and the actual firing, he folded his wings in and dropped like a rock. Several astras flared out from the asuras and lit up the night sky, all converging on Garuda. But he was no longer there. All the creatures desperately sought out his new position to get a lock on.

Garuda had become a target just a fourth of its original size as he folded in his wings. And he was falling a lot faster than he would be flying, making it remarkably difficult for any of the asuras to get a clear aim at him for their astras. A few more astras flashed past and missed him as the asuras were now firing wildly, hoping to get in a lucky strike, albeit in futility.

When he was less than a body length above the ground, he again spread his wings and flew straight into the tree line. He went for the asuras that were invisible. They had revealed themselves to his keen observation and tracking abilities when they had fired multiple astras. He flew through a gap in the trees he had chosen as he was falling. He pulled in his wings as he was flying past a large sturdy branch and seemingly punched into the air. The head of one of the asuras snapped off in a spray of green.

In the next fraction of a kshana he again sped up by spreading his wings. He realigned the feathers in his wings and did a complete three sixty in his flight. As he did so, his left wing, with the momentum of the turnabout, sliced another invisible creature in half. More luminescent green on the trees.

He now let out a roar that was a combination of the calls of a tiger and an eagle which would scare any living being into either complete paralysis or trigger in them an urge to flee posthaste, at great speed.

Garuda’s situational awareness turned true again. His change from careful tactics to psychological warfare unnerved even these other worldly hunters. One of them let out a bellow of its own while the rest leaped out into the clearing he had come from, likely in hopes of using their astras against him as he flew out of the tree line next.

But Garuda focused on the only one that was invisible. It had leaped from its position into the clearing and was moving fast towards a large rock. He followed its trail through the impressions its feet left in the grass of the shola. He broke off a large branch nonchalantly and hurled it from where he landed temporarily. The branch speared the creature and even drilled partway into the rock towards which it was running. The dead asura materialized into visibility as it was stuck to the rock.

Now there were seven of the asuras in the clearing, four visible and three only partially visible. They had not formed any specific formation, maybe for lack of time or perhaps the terror inspired by Garuda’s roar had not worn off yet.

Garuda flew after them. He flapped his wings noisily and circled them once quickly. This predictably got them to stop running and turn around following his movement. They were in two clusters, one with three visible asuras and another shimmering cluster. This cluster obviously had the remaining three asuras. Garuda flew between the two clusters. Only one of the asuras fired an astra. But Garuda’s speed meant it missed him, but it did strike one of the creatures in the other cluster and killed it, vapourizing half its body.

Garuda now moved back and landed in the midst of the cluster with the four asuras. This time around none of them used their astras for fear of killing more of their own. They all had the blades on their wrists extended now, and advanced on Garuda, who waited for a kshana.

He then lashed out with his wings in the blink of an eye at the two asuras he was not facing. They were both beaten in one move. The one on his left, he had struck low with his wing and cut off its legs, surprising it with the speed and angle of attack. The one on his right, he had struck high. He had lifted his wing above the asura and smashed down on its head. This asura had raised its blades in defense and cut through a couple of his feathers, but that was all. Its legs bucked with the strike and its back was broken. Both of these creatures would soon be dead.

Even as he attacked with his wings, Garuda had advanced on the one in front without any pause. The two asuras left were stunned for an instant. In that instant Garuda punched at the creature in front of him. It belatedly raised its bladed right fist in defense. But the punch had been a feint. It turned into a grab, as Garuda grasped the asura’s wrist in a vicelike grip.

He then spun around while he yanked the asura off its feet and over his head, and smashed it into the one behind him. One was dead and another was out of commission for good, even if not dead immediately.

Now he advanced on the last two remaining asuras in the clearing. They had also advanced towards him as he had dispatched the other four. Now they stopped, turned tail and retreated. They ran and leaped back into the forest.

Garuda did not follow or attack. He had no desire to kill those that posed him no threat and wished him no harm. He chose to regroup with Jambavan and Hanuman to decide further tactics.

Next chapter – Trees, on 15th August 2024

Garuda as imagined on the cover art of “Garuda”, published by Amar Chitra Katha