Dharma & Duty

When the younger Sahibzade were martyred at Sirhind, their bodies were denied cremation. Diwan Todar Mal, a wealthy Hindu merchant, offered to buy land for their cremation by covering it with gold coins stood on edge - a massive fortune. He sacrificed his wealth for righteous honor. His act united Hindu-Sikh communities against tyranny.

An old crane tricks fish by offering to carry them to a larger lake but eats them instead. A clever crab sees fish bones, grips the cranes neck with his claws, and kills him. Presence of mind defeats deceivers.

When Duryodhana planned to burn Pandavas in a lac house, Vidura warned Yudhishthira in coded Mleccha language about fire that doesnt burn those who dwell underground. He sent a miner to build an escape tunnel, saving the Pandavas.

When Draupadi was dragged to the assembly after the dice game, Vidura was one of only two voices protesting. He called Duryodhana a snake and argued her enslavement was invalid. His protests were ignored by paralyzed elders.

When Chanakya was publicly humiliated and dragged out by his hair from Nanda court, he swore not to tie his tuft until he destroyed the entire dynasty. He dedicated his life to this vow, eventually installing Chandragupta as emperor.

When Duryodhana was born, jackals howled and storms raged. Vidura counseled Dhritarashtra to abandon the child for the kingdoms sake, but paternal attachment prevented him from heeding the warning about impending disaster.

On a sleepless night, Dhritarashtra summoned Vidura who delivered extensive teachings on statecraft, ethics, and dharma. He warned against lust, anger, and greed, urging return of Pandavas kingdom. Though impressed, Dhritarashtra could not act.

After Krishnas failed peace mission, Duryodhana called Vidura son of a maid. This was the breaking point. Vidura dropped his bow, resigned as Prime Minister, and left - recognizing his obligation was to dharma itself, not to those who fed him.

A poor man survives a night in freezing lake but is denied reward because a distant lamp supposedly warmed him. Birbal cooks khichdi with pot hung far above tiny fire. When Akbar laughs at the impossibility, Birbal proves his point.

Yudhishthira refused entry to heaven without his faithful dog companion. The dog revealed itself as Dharma, praising him for passing the ultimate test of loyalty.

Aged vulture king Jatayu fought Ravana to protect Sita despite impossible odds. Mortally wounded, he lived to inform Rama and attained moksha.

Three demon brothers receive invincible cities of gold, silver, and steel from Brahma. When they become proud and reject Shiva worship, Shiva destroys all three cities with a single Pashupata arrow when they align at a rare cosmic moment.

Kannagi proves her husband Kovalans innocence after wrongful execution by breaking her anklet revealing rubies not pearls. She tears off her breast, curses Madurai to burn, and is later deified as goddess Pattini.

The demon Hiranyaksha dragged Earth (Bhudevi) to the depths of the cosmic ocean. Lord Vishnu incarnated as Varaha (the cosmic boar), composed of Vedic sacrificial elements, dove into the primordial waters, battled Hiranyaksha for a thousand years, slew the demon, and lifted Earth on his tusks to restore cosmic order.

When Krishna arrived as peace ambassador, he refused Duryodhanas lavish palace, staying at humble Viduras home. His wife accidentally fed Krishna banana peels - which Krishna ate joyfully, recognizing genuine love matters more than luxury.

The wise birds explain that Draupadis five sons were actually five guardian deities cursed by Vishwamitra to be born as humans when they criticized his harsh treatment of King Harishchandra. The curse specified they would remain unmarried and die young, explaining why they were killed by Ashwatthama despite having Krishna and Arjuna as protectors.

After death, the soul (Atman) undergoes a 49-day journey where it is judged based on its karma. It passes through the Preta state, crosses the Vaitarani River, and travels to Yamaloka where Chitragupta reads the karmic record and Yama decides the souls fate - either rebirth, heaven, or hell.

The Garuda Purana describes 28 types of Naraka (hell) where souls are temporarily punished for specific sins before rebirth. Each hell has punishments corresponding to the sin committed - teaching that karma determines ones fate. Punishments are finite and proportional, ending once karmic debt is settled.

Lord Ganesha broke his own tusk to continue writing the Mahabharata as dictated by sage Vyasa without interruption. When Vyasas stylus broke mid-dictation, Ganesha sacrificed his tusk to ensure no pause in the sacred work, demonstrating his dedication to duty and the preservation of knowledge.

The Kashi Khanda describes the sacred geography of Varanasi, including Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Manikarnika Ghat. It details 56 forms of Ganesha arranged in a seven-layered spiral and the spiritual benefits of pilgrimage there, promising prosperity, longevity, and liberation to devotees.