A Fat Pay-cheque!

Lately, a lot is being written about fat pay-cheques of CXO’s. Some corners have been suggesting ‘moderation’ in salaries, while some have been suggesting ‘austerity in conduct’, while some have even called such figures as astronomically obscene!

Let me ask, why? What’s wrong with such so called fat-cheques?

But as they say, let’s begin at the very beginning…

Let’s start with the word ‘Profit’. What are profits? Marx claimed that profits were surplus value that should be removed from the economic system. I disagree. Instead, shouldn’t we view profits in the same light as we see prices, just like wages, rents and interest? Profits are actually the ‘price’ we pay to the entrepreneurs for taking risks and developing products and services for us. Isn’t it unfair to expect the entrepreneurs to provide this service for free, since these costs are necessary in any viable economic arrangement? If it’s fair, then shouldn’t they be paid a price for it?

Let me tell you a story here -

A man decided to have his portrait sketched by a sidewalk artist.
He received a very fine sketch, for which he was charged Rs. 10,000/-.
"That's expensive," the man said to the artist, "but I'll pay it,
because it is a great sketch. But, really, it took you only ten
minutes."

"Twenty years and ten minutes," the artist said.

But, as the story of the artist above illustrates - sometimes it's not obvious what we are paying for. Does one pay for the act or does one pay for the experience? If the experience is his (i.e. the artist’s), but the act was for you, then shouldn’t one pay only for the act? But again, wasn’t the act so accomplished, thanks to the experience? This is not a case of Catch 22; it is very clearly a justification of the price the artist has asked for.

The case is no different for CXO’s. On behalf of the people who have set up such large corporations (i.e. the entrepreneurs), it is these CXO’s who risk their experience and reputations and so earn huge remunerations. So what’s the harm in their earning fat salaries? The risks they take are equally big and fat!

In a capitalist society, this is absolutely justified and people suggesting austerities need to look at their own backyards.

Volcanoes in Mythology

Volcanoes have some similarities with Mountains in Mythology, except that these were mountains that were angry, disturbed or negative forces, since they led to destruction. But one still can’t ignore the creative thinking on the part of early thinkers. It is not surprising to see that the myths related to volcanoes are more defined in areas where there were volcanoes, just as there is hardly any reference of myths related to volcanoes in India (if there are, then I would like to know about them).

It is said that the word ‘volcano’ came from the island of Vulcano in the Mediterranean Sea. In Roman mythology, Vulcan was the blacksmith of gods who made tools and weapons for the gods. A volcano was considered to be the chimney of the blacksmith’s workshop. The hot lava erupting out of the volcano was when the blacksmith was making thunderbolts and weapons for the other gods.

As per Sumerian mythology, in the episode titled “Gilgamesh and Humbaba”, Mt. Mashu is supposed to have been located in a forest, which is ruled by Humbaba. Humbaba is depicted as a one-eyed demonic monster, with the powers of a storm and breath of fire – an apt personification of a volcano.

Hawaiian myths have a very interesting reference of mountains in the form of volcano which is also linked to creation myths. According to the Hawaiian myth, a volcano is nothing but the goddess Pele dancing a hula. Pele was considered to be a beautiful and a tempestuous goddess and was prone to anger. She could cause earthquakes by stamping her feet. In opposition to Pele was Kamapua’a, the pig-human demigod. While Pele represented fire and lava, Kamapua’a was associated with the sea and rain. When the two met in a battle/marriage, new land was formed as the waters of Kamapua’a cooled the glowing hot lava of Pele into new terra-firma. The union of opposites resulted in new creation.

The Red Indians, the Mexicans, the Japanese and the Chinese too had some very interesting myths around volcanoes.

Associated with volcanoes were sacrifices in volcanoes. When science had not reasoned with people on the cause of such ‘firing mountains’, people tried to appease the volcanoes by offering sacrifices. There are a number of instances of offerings in the above mentioned cultures, from benign to bizarre. There are records of offerings of rice, fruits, flowers to pigs and chicken to children and virgins. But some of these offerings are not to be seen as acts of wilful elimination, but more of the belief-system of the times. More on sacrifices later.

Symbolism of Mountains in Mythology.

It is said that in myths lie messages. So what have all the myths tried to tell us through the mountains? Mountains have provided refuge to truth-seekers, hermits, and even to ordinary men. With their beauty, mystery and transcendence, they can help lift our lives above the grime and dirt associated with the plains below.

High places have always been seen as a place for spiritual quest. Midway between the heaven and earth, mountains were a place where people like Moses could meet their god. Mountains are perceived to take you closer to the heavens. Let us analyse the symbolic value of the mountains more closely:

1.The movement upward: When our gaze moves up, it’s an expression of
elevation, a rise which is very positive

2.Highness: The height, at which a mountain stands, signifies the
difference in altitude, from where one observes it to where the mountain
is. This symbolises the majesty, steadiness, stability and superiority.

3.Every ascension symbolises a movement from the basic to beyond; a sense
of surpassing the ordinary to extra-ordinary. It embodies a movement of
going beyond the human condition. The struggle, the effort that takes
one to the highest peak is also mans achievement of the highest quality

4.A mountain seems away from the ground (of mortals) and seems to touch
the skies (heavens the abode of the gods). The top of the mountain seems
to ‘touch’ the heavens and is thus seen as the centre where the earth
meets the heaven.

5.The unreachable – The passage to the beyond may be possible or may not
be possible for the humans. But this highly valued ‘un-climbableness’ of
mountains symbolises the un-reachableness of the absolute – the absolute
virtue, power or immortality.

Till today to conquer a mountain is seen as a human and spiritual feat. When we are saddened by the transient nature of our earthly existence mountains through their sheer lasting quality can challenge us to look beyond ourselves and to hope for unending life.

However, the symbolism varies from culture to culture. In some cultures the ascension or trying to achieve the unachievable is considered as a violation. To set out to achieve this ascension in Tibetan or Hindu traditions is not seen as a good sign. It is a sign of arrogance and disrespect for the resident of the mountains, i.e. the Supreme Being, the God. But in the Chinese tradition, the climbing of a mountain is seen as a sacred journey.

Mountains in Mythology.

Since time-immemorial, there has been an aura of mystery surrounding that of a mountain. It is visibly massive, evoking a sense of power and majesty, quite un-traversable by a layman. It is also a treasure trove, as in it, the mountains hold the source of rivers, rare plants and animals and layers of gold and silver.

But mythology does not have the trappings of science, so it takes the liberty of expressing mountains in its own way. Probably that is why a mountain is explained as an evidence of Earth's yearning for the Sky. For example, the ancient Egyptians showed the sky, Nut, as a female deity whose star-filled body arches over that of her consort, the earth. His desire is manifest in the way his body responds to hers, and an imposing mountain can remind us of this physical attraction.

While Egyptian mythology takes shelter in this artful expression, let us see how mythologies of different cultures have expressed mountains in their myths.

In Indian myths, mountains have always been regarded as holy beings, with its own sense of divinity. It is said that earlier mountains had wings and thus would keep flying here and there troubling and crushing creatures by sitting on them. Indra cut off the wings and made them stationary. The wings became clouds and till date they cling to the mountain tops, in a sense of celestial romance!

Indian mythology is replete with mountain gods all with their own myths and stories, like Himavan, Mainaka, Kailash, Vindhyas, etc. Of all, Mt. Meru has a special significance as it is considered to be a pivot to the three worlds around which all the heavenly bodies revolve. According to the epic Ramayana, all mountains are said to be created from the bones of the demons Madhu and Kaitabha who were killed by Vishnu.

In the Greek mythology, though there aren’t any mountain gods as such. Here the mountains were referred to as sacred places as they were regarded as “homes of gods”. Each and every mountain was said to have its own bearded god. Mountains were occasionally depicted in classical art as bearded old men rising up from behind their craggy peaks. Gaia is supposed to have created the mountains as ‘graceful haunts of the goddess Nymphai who dwell in the narrow valleys of the mountains.’

In the Egyptian system of writing mountains are depicted in the form of two peaks with a valley in between. Symbolically the mountain was an image of the universal mountain whose peaks were imagined to be holding the sky.

A number of other well known mythologies like the Judeo-Christian, Mayan, Sumerian, Chinese/Tibetan, and lesser known mythologies, like the Lithuanian, Romanian, Nordic, Bulgarian, Persian, etc. also have references to Mountains with a sense of awe and mysticism.

With some differences, nearly all the cultures have references of mountains in their mythology. Mountains are an integral part of every mythology. From the time when science had not given answers to natural phenomena’s to the times when mountains have become a part of landmark and subject of every child’s study, mountains continue to be a part and parcel of every culture and its lore. Its magnificence and its solidity and the resultant enormity makes it’s a subject of awe and mysticism which have been so well woven in mythology by the early thinkers.

Raksha Bandhan – Festival of Rakhi.

There are many myths behind Raksha Bandhan. It began as a bond to take care of or protect against evil forces or perils of any kind. One of the first myths has its origin in the Vedic times, has a very different connotation from its later myths.

As per the Vedic myth Indra on behalf of the gods was waging a war against Vritra a very powerful demon. (The Indra-Vritra conflict has a very deep significance and symbolism, which is a topic by itself, but will skip for the present occasion). To avoid a defeat, against a very powerful adversary, Indra approached Brihaspati for a solution, who suggested wearing a sacred thread, powered by spells, on Sharavan Poornima (Full moon day of the month of Shravan). On this day, Indra’s wife Sachi tied this special thread, powered by mantra’s, which led to the victory of Indra in the battle. Later, Mahabharat has a reference of this myth as a story narrated by Lord Krishna to Yudhistira, when he had a similar plight.

However, during later times, this became a bond between a brother and sister and the Indra myth was nearly forgotten. Some of the important myths are that of Yama and Yamuna. It is said that on this day, Yamuna had bestowed immortality on Yama by tying a sacred thread on Yama’s wrist. Yama, moved by this gesture, declared this day as sacred and since that day, it is said that brothers who get this sacred thread tied by their sisters, get the gift of immortality from them.

Another myth says, that once Draupadi had tied a strip of her garment to stop Krishna’s bleeding finger. So touched was Krishna by this gesture, that he announced that he was bound to her by a brother’s love and would be there for her whenever she needed him. Mahabharat relates a number of instances when Krishna came to the aid of Draupadi.

Another legend has it that on this day, Goddess Lakshmi got her consort, Lord Vishnu back with her, as a wish granted by the Mahabali, the demon king, on tying a rakhi on his wrist. Vishnu was guarding the kingdom of Mahabali, leaving his own home Vaikuntha. (Though this myth might sound slightly contradictory in terms of dates of Onam and Raksha Bandhan, it is advisable not to look for chronology in Roman calendar when it comes to Indian festivals!)

Besides mythology there are a number of historical references of Raksha Bandhan too. One of the most well known is the episode of Rani Karnawati sending a rakhi to King Humayun seeking his help and intervention during the invasion of Bahadur Shah of Gujarat. There is also a mention of Alexander’s wife having tied a rakhi to Porus, due to which Porus avoids killing Alexander many a times during the battle between the two.

Besides, the day is also celebrated as Nariyal Poornima, when people living in the coastal areas offer nariyal (coconut) to Varuna, the god of seas as an act of propitiation.

The significance of the day has not lost out on people till date. Even today, we find sisters tying colourful and now designer rakhis on their brother’s wrist, and renewing the bond of the relationship annually.