VASHISHTA'S HYMNS OF DEVAVRATA THE RIDER OF THE RED CHARIOT Hymns, a recitation of the names of Lord Vishnu, is an offering into the pious hands of Mahashiva of Baijnath the erstwhile Keer Gram situated on the banks of keer Ganga named after the hordes of green parrots which used to inhabit every nook and corner of this spectacular valley nestled in the beautiful Shivalik and watered by the glacial streams flowing merrily from Dhauladhar, the Middle Himalaya. The Hero and narrator of this lyrical ballad is Devavrata, the Bheeshma, who is addressed by various names like Gangaye, Gangaaputra, Gauraang, Mahaamahim and Pitaamah. He was the Commandar-in-Chief-the most ingenious commander and an invincible strategician who would lay out his forces in a formation called Vyuha which was both effective and impregnable. The genius of Bheeshma Pitamah is seen through the conduct of the eighteen day war which after the tenth day soon deteriorated to complete infamy after he fell to the arrows of Arjuna in the battle of Kurukshetra. This Military Genius is also an expert of spirituality whose roots are entrenched in his pious origins, from the womb of the Holy Gangaa and the inflexible vows of celibacy that he took and led a highly disciplined life, devoted to the Lord Naaraayana and the Crown of Hastinapur. He and he alone could postpone the hour of his departure from this terrestrial world and he did it successfully by delaying the hour of his death by almost two months, fifty eight days to be precise. The very interesting part of this episode is that since he was a warrior perfect, he decided to he on the bed of arrows in the middle of the battlefield, rather than on the silken couch of the Royal Palace at Hastinapur. Being a perfeect example of duty i.e. Dharma and courage unlimited, to the Emperor Yudhishthir, he gave the one thousand names of the spiritual entity whose recitation would remove all misery from this planet Earth and who alone is worthy of recitation for all living beings. That one Lord happens to be the Lord Vishnu or Naaraayan, the resident of Vaikuntha. “Hymns” is a beautiful combination of narrative and poetry based on tenth parva of the Mahabharat. A rare treat to the lovers of Indian history & mythology. Rohit Seth (Founder Teslaw Publishers), New Delhi