Monday, May 26, 2014

Yashodhara

Yashodhara

Do you know that name?
Prince Siddhartha, Gautama, Sakyamuni, Buddha.
Everybody knows these names...
but...
Yashodhara?

Yashodhara was married to Siddhartha.
She loved him dearly.
One night Siddhartha left her and their son, Rahul ...
while they were sleeping, to seek Enlightenment...
... to become Buddha.

He did not even say a word to her when he left.

Yashodhara has shown compassion for the sick
... and ailing long before Siddhartha ever did!
... long before Siddhartha was even aware of suffering!
Who can say if he owed his Enlightenment to her?
Perhaps Yashodhara wanted to leave Siddhartha and Rahul.
How can we ever know if Yashodhara fell victim to anger ...
... to loneliness or bitterness
... after Siddhartha left her.
Who even thought about her?

What must she have said when Rahul, her son...
...asked that eternal question
Where is my father?
What must she have told him?

How could a mother leave her own child in the middle of the night?
lt is only possible for a man to do.
After that, Yashodhara had no choice.
She had to lead a life of renunciation.
She cut off her hair,
and lived like an ascetic.

lf your thoughts toward Dharma were of the same intensity ...
... as the love and passion you have shown to your teenaged lover or the newly married wife...
... you would have become a Buddha ...
... in this very body

... in this very life.




Inspired by the movie 'Samsara'

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Laxman left Urmila n followed Ram.Ramayan gave him a great place...whatever he did was in d epic but what about Urmila?no one ever thnk to mention her.she also led a deserted life all those years but no value of her sacrifices.......it was...it is n it ll remain a world of men only.sacrifice n compromise are only for women...dy have to do it as a daughter,as a beloved,as a wife n as a mother.still everyone expect them to do it more n more...n all ds should b done with a smile without hurtng anyone..........nice piece of writing.keep it up.

Unknown said...

There must be a Women, behind every successful Man. It does not mean women can not be...
She bends, she flows, she yields, she spreads her love & affection, only to see the precious satisfaction in her dear one's face...
She may be Radha, she may be Urmila, She may be Yashodhara, she may be Jashodaben, still she loves to stay away from the play...

Unknown said...

She is like a drop of free water...she cares for nothings ,loves to be fallen ,never ask for her sacrifices...that is how she is and she would be....she forgets what she is and then you start remembering her..

Nice piece of article!!!