(c) John, Rekesh 2004-2008. No part of this work may be copied or reproduced without the author's permission
16. War (Part 2)
“I can relate to that!” intervened Emma, who had been silent throughout the exchange. “There is this great epic of the Far East which I have been reading. It is the story of a great war . It is considered scripture by millions. What you just mentioned, about a higher point of view in a war story, just came to mind.”
“Which story is that, Emma?” Eloise seemed curious.
“Well, it’s the story of five princes and their war.The war is with their cousins and their armies. I’m sure you’ve heard about it.”(1)
“Yes, I’ve read it long ago,” replied Eloise. “What did you find in it?”
“Well, one might pass it off as a great novel with all the twists and turns, though it is supposed to be based on history. But soon you realize that the author is not biased the way many historians are. Even though the story is commonly regarded as the triumph of good over evil, the good people in it are not absolutely good and the evil are not absolutely evil. The armies even stop fighting every evening and warriors visit each other. This made me think.”
“You mean they are all symbolic?” asked Eloise.
It was Aliyah who answered, “You know, Eloise, most scriptures are masterpieces of penmanship. They have multiple meanings, not just the symbolic. But I guess Emma is referring to a symbolic aspect of the story.”
“Yes!” said Emma as she made a face, “Though I wouldn’t have quite put it that way!”
“Okay, then, tell us what you found as a higher viewpoint in a war story!” said Eloise.
“Well,” began Emma, “your mother continues to have a curious influence on me! So much so that I have even looked into the so-called science of the planets. Are you familiar with it?”
“You mean how planets don’t control us, but function more like a clock or calendar that we look up? Yes, Mom told me about that!” (2)
“Then you won’t be scared off if I mention Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and so on?”
“No! I am aware of how people mistakenly think that these planets affect their lives.” (2)
“Great! Now did you also know that the ancients associated the human hand with these planets, too?”
“No! Why would they?”
“Well,” remarked Aliyah, “the hand is our primary means of action in the world. Just like the planets were used to describe a calendar and lessons and tests in life, it made sense to them to use the hand too.”
“You mean symbolically, like the planets?”
“Yes.” This from Emma. “The five fingers represent five major lessons and tests we must face in life. The ancients considered each finger as associated with a planet, and representing a major lesson and a major test in life.”
“I see, so those five princes correspond to the five fingers? The war story corresponds to the lessons and tests in life?”
“There you are! The curious part is how the story makes no direct mention of this. But it’s there if you look!”
“Well, then tell me about the princes!” Eloise settled down and looked at Emma in anticipation.
“All right, then!” Emma laughed. “Let’s start in order, with the thumb. What do you see special about it?”
“Well, it is stronger for sure, compared to the others.”
“Yes, it is the strongest and thickest finger on the hand, and symbolic of strength, power and aggression. It is supposedly ruled by Mars, associated with aggression and war. Mars represents aggressive energy, pure and simple.”
“Okay, so one of the princes is like that?”
“Yes,” agreed Emma, “One of the princes is this huge, strong guy. Even his name means ‘giant’.(3) You find him very aggressive, often angry and sometimes unforgiving. Now Mars rules Aries, whose symbol is the ram. And you know what the term ‘rammed’ means!”
“Interesting!” said Aliyah. “I guess this prince is symbolic of controlling our energies. How to deal with anger and aggression, how to forgive, even turn the other cheek. That represents a major test of soul progress.”
“That’s what I think too. Now, the forefinger is ruled by Jupiter. Jupiter also rules Sagittarius, whose symbol is the archer. And what do you know, another prince is a master archer!” (4)
“What’s archery got to do with life?” asked Eloise.
“According to the ancients, the Jupiter finger is the finger of faith,” replied Aliyah. “Even the name, Jupiter, comes from Zeus Pater, implying God the Father.”
“But how is that connected with archery?”
“Well, faith is that quality within us which helps us reach our goals in life. Hit our target, so to speak. I don’t mean faith in God per se, but at least faith in ourselves. It is not by accident that we use the forefinger to point at things. The action and use of faith is like the archer and his arrow.”
“Interestingly, it is to this prince that the Godhead reveals an aspect of itself. So the connection with faith and God is even stronger,” added Emma.
“I see!” smiled Aliyah. “The crisis of faith, one way or another, is an important test of the soul. Very few can avoid that test in life. I believe this prince had such an experience?”
“Well yes, he faces an enormous crisis of decision and almost gives up. But support from a godly figure reassures him and sets him back on his path. This incident also gives rise to a whole philosophy of life.”(5)
“Okay, I see the connection with God and faith,” replied Eloise. “What about the middle finger?”
“The middle finger is the tallest, and the corresponding prince is the eldest of them all,” continued Emma. “This finger is ruled by Saturn. Saturn is considered the bringer of retribution, evil and despair; the negative effects of reaping what we sow. Saturn also rhymes with Satan, the so-called tempter, who’s supposed function is similar.”
“That’s a curious association!” exclaimed Eloise.
“The association goes further that you think!” said Aliyah. “Saturn rules Capricorn, whose symbol is the goat, which too is a symbol of Satan or devil. Here is another example of the impersonal versus the personal!”
“Okay, so the middle finger represents evil?”
“Not quite! It represents tests and lessons related to doing the right thing, discerning good from evil and being righteous. It also represents the trials of retribution for past actions.”
“I see, so is this prince righteous or evil?”
“He is the most righteous person in the story,(6) one who cannot tell a lie and who is extremely just. But he is also weak in some ways, unable to always discern good and evil, and most importantly, act on it. This discernment is an important test in life, the ability to choose and act rightly in a situation.”
“He messes up, does he?”
“Well, he is a stickler for righteousness, sometimes going by the letter of the law, rather than its spirit. The events that lead to the war are shown as an outcome of his temptation and his fall. He gambles his kingdom, his brothers and his own freedom away, not once, but twice. We see that he learns his lessons the hard way. His tests are always of choosing between the right and the wrong in a situation, even to the finest shade of distinction. He manages to retain his righteousness and sharpen his judgment through most of it, but he isn’t perfect.”
“So his life is a trial of his righteousness?”
“Exactly! The events that befall him are all engineered to test him in that area.”
“Okay, what about the other princes?”
Footnotes:
1. The Mahabharata: The five princes are called the Pandavas, and their cousins, the Kauravas
3. Prince Bhima
4. Prince Arjuna
5. The Gita
6. Prince Yudhishtira