Lead us from darkness to light

SATISH K. KAPOOR'S write-up "From darkness to light" (November 7), refers to various legends depicting the many faces of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth.

The type of Vishnu-Lakshmi pairing tends to reflect, according to some, the social reality in India. While depicting the conjugal couple, the goddess is shown massaging the feet of her Lord reclining on the serpent Shesha in the milky ocean, Kshirasagara. The submissive Lakshmi is always markedly smaller than her Lord, indicating her subordinate position in the pairing.

Appearances are often deceptive. It can be just a stance of this beautiful, self-willed goddess of wealth, beauty and lustre who is revered all over India during the glittering festival of lights.

She is the daughter of ocean but she was so self-respecting that she never liked to live in her father’s house along with her husband. When King Chodagangadeva constructed a temple on the sea-shore of Puri she immediately shifted her residence alongwith her husband (Vishnu) who too felt rather ashamed living in the milk-ocean, since he knew quite well that a respected person is not accorded proper honour if he lives in his father-in-law’s home. Hence both of them resided in the famous Jagannatha temple of Puri and were happy.

According to a legend, Lord Jagannatha, on his grand rath yatra to Gundicha temple took with him his brother Balrama and sister Subhadra but totally forgot Lakshmi who becomes very angry. So when the trio returned Lakshmi did not let her husband in until he realised the lapse on his part. This shows that Lakshmi is not just a subservient wife but a spirited consort too. This speaks of her independent stature and self-respecting disposition.

In vedic literature Sri and Lakshmi both are mentioned, later these two deities merged into one. Even today Lakshmi is worshipped with Sri Sukta of the Rig Veda.At Sanchi, she is depicted as a beautiful woman sitting or standing on a lotus, bathed by two elephants.

K.M. VASHISHT
Mansa

Learn from adversity

This refers to the article "Learning to tap the power within" by I.M. Soni (November 7).

Life is a mixture of joys and sorrows. Dark shadows of sorrow do not always plague one’s life; bright sunshine follows dark nights. Shelley, one of the great English poets, wrote in his poem Ode To The West Wind — If winter comes, can spring be far behind?

This sums up the philosophy of life that one should be optimistic, should learn lessons from the adverse circumstances of one’s life. One should face the vicissitudes of life courageously and boldly. Adversity is a great teacher. It brings out the best in man. It is strong determination, right moral values and strong character that help one fight the adversities of life. Only after fiery ordeals does one emerge as a person of sound character.

So one must not allow adversity cow one down, rather one must learn to ‘tap the power within’ and conquer the unfavourable circumstances of life.

RISHAM
Rajpura

II

Adversity is a better school than prosperity. In his famous comedy As You Like It, Shakespeare tells us "sweet are the uses of adversity."

Those who curse their fate are wrong. Adversity is never a curse. Rather it is a blessing in disguise. A life spent in the lap of luxury is imperfect and insignificant.

History offers ample proof of the fact that almost all the great men of the world have risen from adversity. George Washington, Edmund Burke, Abraham Lincoln, Gladstone, Bismark, Lal Bahadur Shastri were all brought up in poverty.

Writers and poets like Milton, Shelley, Keats, Coleridge, Gray and Mirza Ghalib had to face adversity and hardships in their lives. A life which is completely detached from sufferings and agonies is a stagnant and dull life. He, who runs away from difficulties and dangers can never succeed in life. Adversity not only brings a man to the pinnacle of glory, but also brings a man nearer to God. Christ has rightly said "Blessed are the poor". The darker the night, the nearer the dawn. A poet has aptly said:

We are nor here, to play, to dream, to drift.
We have hard work to do and loads to lift.
Shun not the struggle, it is God’s gift.

VIJAY SHEEL JAIN
Ludhiana

End of the antibiotic era?

This refers to the article "When wonder drugs fail" (November 7) The antibiotics developed during the last 60 years are among the most dramatic examples of the advances of modern medicine. Many infectious diseases, once considered incurable and fatal, are now amenable to treatment with a few pills. However the indiscriminate and inappropriate use of antibiotics has fuelled an increase in the prevalence of multi-drug resistant pathogens, leading some to speculate that we are nearing the end of the antibiotic era.

The most vulnerable molecular targets of antimicrobial drugs have been identified. Pending the identification of new targets and compounds, it seems likely that over the next decade we will have to rely on currently available families of drugs. In the face of continuing development of resistance, considerable effort will be required to maintain the effectiveness of these wonder drugs.

In order to prevent the further failure of these wonder drugs, no indiscriminate and inadequate or unduly prolonged use of such drugs should be made. For acute localised infections in otherwise healthy patients shorter courses of antibiotics are now being advocated. Preference should be given to active and selective (narrow spectrum) antibiotics whenever possible. Broad spectrum antibiotics should be used only when a specific one cannot be determined or is not suitable.

In case of prolonged therapy, combinations of antibiotics should be used. The infection caused by organisms notorious for developing resistance must be treated intensively.

AJAY BAGGA
Hoshiarpur

An enigma called life

Apropos of Darshan Singh Maini’s article "Solving an enigma called life" (Novmber 7), eminent writers and philosophers have given different views on the concept of life. It is for us to decide, which view is acceptable to us:

Life is like a game of cards you cannot get aces all the time. You’ve to play the cards you get and play your hand as best as can.

Life should be soft and lovely like flowers, it should be immovable like the peaks and it should be immeasurable like the sky.

Life without trouble is impossible. Troubles come whether you want or not; they are impersonal.

The best way to succeed in life is to act on the advice you give to others.

Look to this day! For it is life. In its brief course, lie all the verities and realities of your existence, the bliss of growth, the glory of action, and the splendour of beauty. For yesterday is but a dream, and tomorrow is only a vision.

O.P. SHARMA
Faridabad

A second career

This refers to Pritam Bhullar’s (October 31) "Marred by controversy". As the deployment of forces (comprising Army, para-military forces and the police) to handle a proxy war calls for professional expertise, the overall control should rest with the Army. The recommendations made by the 15th Law Commission of India that an armed forces appellate tribunal be created to entertain appeals against court martial verdicts, should be accepted and implemented without any further delay to bring down the number of cases of defence personnel in civil courts. The issue of the re-settlement of ex-servicemen should not be taken lightly. It is the responsibility of the government to find a suitable career for them after their retirement.

ONKAR CHOPRA
Ludhiana