Prediction Failed, What Now?

The long awaited day of December 21, 2012 has now come and gone . . . and nothing of any significance happened. The EM field weakness predicted by the Founders for that day did not materialize.

At the end of each Precessional Cycle, the Earth and the solar system pass through what is called a region of scalar electromagnetic impulses, or an area of space in which the EM field polarities become weaker. This weakness in the EM fields sometimes (but not usually) causes the north and south poles of the Earth to reverse polarity.

The geomagnetic field plot for December 21st was the same as any other day with no difference in field strength seen. It is unfortunate that this prediction failed to materialize, but no doubt part of the overall plan for humanity. It is also important to note that the trends described by the Founders are certainly present (i.e. financial crisis, climate crisis, energy crisis, etc.), and many of the other things they mention may still be true, but we won't know with any certainty until we actually experience them.

So what now? The only reason I was waiting for December 21, 2012 was to know who I should consider including in my plan to build an ecovillage. So now that nothing has happened to change anyone's beliefs, I will only seek out those that are already predisposed to the idea of living in an ecovillage. So if you live in the Ottawa, Canada area and are interested in participating in my ecovillage project, please email me at manoj.the.yogi@gmail.com and we can discuss. Here's an overview of my ecovillage vision.

The Precessional Alignment (part 5)

This is the fifth and final post in a series of posts that discuss the precessional alignment of December 21, 2012 in detail. The Founders cover this topic in chapter 7 of the book "Earth Changes and 2012: Messages From the Founders". Here are their concluding remarks.

The period of time representing the exact alignment (the ending and beginning of Precessional Cycles) is about three days duration in Earth time. The exact midpoint of the next precessional alignment is around 23:00 GMT on December 21, 2012. For about 36 hours before and after this time, the energies of the alignment will be at maximum and the portals opened around the Earth will be causing major shifts in souls. Please remember, beloved Creators, that the actual rotation of the Earth will not change significantly. The sun will still rise in the east and set in the west, and the days and nights will still be roughly the same length as always. This is an electromagnetic phenomenon, not a gravitational or rotational one.

Now to rephrase all this in metaphysical terms, we could say that each Precessional Cycle and Galactic Cycle (precession of the axis and revolution of the solar system around the Milky Way) represent lesson points in a soul's evolution. Every time the precession aligns the Earth with the galactic core, it correlates with another level of soul initiation, or an opportunity to review what the soul has learned since the last cycle. Since everything in this universe operates in spirals, the scenario will change each time the Earth cycles through. So with the approach of the end of the present Precessional Cycle, slated to occur in your year 2012, souls will again have an opportunity to align themselves with the energies of the galactic center. EM energies will surge through the core of the Earth and be distributed first along the ley lines and then across the entire surface of the planet, and souls will have another chance to realign themselves and take stock of what they have learned since the last alignment.

The region of space through which the solar system passes changes with each Precessional Cycle. The particular energy fluctuations associated with this current pass-through are significant in that they mark a similar alignment to what was present about 108 million years ago when the first major wave of individualization began with souls moving out of the Godhead. Therefore, it will seem to many that they are returning home, when in fact, they are simply re-experiencing what occurred about 108 million years ago, but on a different leg of the spiral. In actuality, your souls are already home and always have been, even though many aspects of your souls have been journeying among the cosmos since the differentiation from the Godhead.

Monitoring the Geomagnetic Field

With only 8 days now remaining until December 21, 2012, I've begun to monitor the earth's geomagnetic field on a daily basis using the Space Weather Canada web site. The plot above represents the data for today. Note that the plot uses Universal Time (GMT), so today is already over, and that virtually no fluctuations can be seen. Click on the image to see the full resolution.

In my post "Validating December 21, 2012" from earlier this year, I had mentioned that I expect the fluctuations seen on December 21st to greatly exceed those of March 13, 1989 when the last major geomagnetic storm occurred near Ottawa. This remains my criteria for deciding whether the Founders' prediction for December 21st has been validated or not.

Since it is also possible that the internet goes down on that day making it impossible to access the Space Weather Canada web site, I also have a backup plan. This includes using the Android app Ulysse Gizmos, as well as a regular orienteering compass as seen in the image below.

However, I've discovered that these sources are easily influenced by computers, TVs, power lines and any other electromagnetic source they are near, so they are far less reliable than the Space Weather Canada data. So hopefully, the internet either stays up, or the Space Weather Canada data becomes available once internet connectivity is restored.

The Mahabharata (book 5.CLXXVI)

When Amba arrived at Salya's palace she was ushered into the same room where she and her sisters had first met the handsome king. However, today when Salya entered the room, he was limping in obvious pain with bandages at various points along his arms and legs. His expression was sour as well when he asked, "What are you doing here?"

Amba rose and rushed to him while saying, "I've come to be with you my Lord."

Salya put up his hand to stop her advance, "You are to be wedded to Vichitravirya are you not?"

"I refused him so I could be with you . . . for I love you."

Salya laughed cruelly in response, "When you were abducted by Bhishma you seemed to go with him quite cheerfully as far as I could tell."

"That is not true", flustered Amba as she began to realize her plan to marry Salya was falling apart. "I was weeping the whole time, and only thinking of you. It is only by convincing Bhishma of my love for you that he has allowed me to come. Please accept me."

Salya shook his head, "How can I accept someone who has been promised to another? Not only that, but forcibly abducted to wed another. You belong to Bhishma now." Recalling his defeat, Salya's expression turned to rage, "Bhishma humiliated me in battle and when I look at you now all I remember is that humiliation. Be gone!"

Salya turned and left leaving Amba alone. Once again Amba realized the reality of her situation. No king would marry someone promised to another. She had no choice but to return to Hastinapura and marry Vichitravirya, but somehow that thought was just revolting. It was really Bhishma that she wanted to marry. Salya was right though, that since it was Bhishma that abducted her, then it is Bhishma that is now responsible for her. It is his duty to accept her as his wife.

With this new line of reasoning firmly in her mind, Amba returned to Hastinapura. After once again gaining a private audience with Bhishma at the palace, she began, "Salya informed me that after having been abducted by you that I am now your responsibility. You are my protector."

Bhishma replied, "This is true. Then you will marry Vichitravirya after all?"

Before Amba could answer, there was a knock at the door and an attendant entered the room, "I deeply sorry to interrupt my liege, but king Vichitravirya has passed away."

"What!?!" exclaimed Bhishma as both he and Amba turned to the attendant with startled expressions.

The attendant continued, "It seems the exertions of married life were too much for him. He has succumbed to his phthisis."

Bhishma regained his composure and replied, "Tell queen Satyavati I'll be there shortly."

"Yes, my liege," replied the attendant, as he left closing the door behind him.

Amba turned to Bhishma and said, "I am sorry for your loss."

After a short pause, she continued, "As the only remaining heir to the throne it seems you have no choice now but to assume your rightful role as king of Hastinapura."

Amba waited with anticipation for Bhishma's response as she felt certain her deepest desire was soon to be fulfilled.

Bhishma looked into Amba's eyes and this time allowed them to penetrate his soul. He then knew she was his destiny. In another life he would have been king and she his queen. In another life, they would have been incredibly happy together and raised many children; grown old together and watched their children and the kingdom prosper. In another life . . . but not this life.

After a lengthy pause, Bhishma then replied, "I have made a vow to never assume the throne for myself, and I intend to maintain that vow until the day I die."

Amba couldn't believe his answer. She was certain his lengthy gaze into her eyes was one of true love. Perhaps he just needs a nudge to reach the right conclusion, so she replied, "but surely queen Satyavati's father will no longer hold you to that vow given that his heirs have all died."

"It doesn't matter. Once a vow has been taken it must be kept, regardless of the circumstances."

Amba was now beginning to get angry over Bhishma's stubbornness. "Would you see the kingdom destroyed with no king to rule it?"

"If it came to that, yes, but I believe there are still other alternatives by which an heir may be produced."

Amba's anger was now growing. "What about your responsibility to me then? How will you fulfil that responsibility now that king Vichitravirya is dead?"

Bhishma thought for a moment, then replied, "I cannot."

Amba continued, "Failing to fulfil your responsibilities to me is a sin equal to or even greater than breaking your vow. So why not choose the path aligned with the destiny of a kshatriya?"

"I am sorry, but my vow takes precedence as I made it with full knowledge of the outcome. Your situation, though it grieves me, is an accident beyond my control."

Amba was now furious. "Heed my words! You will be destroyed for committing this grave sin against me." She turned and stormed out of the palace, but soon began weeping uncontrollably. Climbing into her chariot, she left Hastinapura as quickly as possible with no particular destination in mind.

Footnotes

1. Derived from: Udyoga Parva, Section CLXXVI, p. 336-337.

2. Vichitravirya's death: Adi Parva, Section CII, p. 222.

I Am Ramtha (chapter 2)

In this post from chapter 2 of "Ramtha: The White Book", Ramtha presents his own life story.

I am Ramtha, the Ram. In the ancient language of my times it means "the God." I am the great Ram of the Hindu people, for I was the first man born of the womb of woman and the loins of man who ever ascended from this plane.

The only "great Ram of the Hindu people" that I was aware of was Ram from the Hindu epic the Ramayana. However, upon reading further it became clear that Ram, the prince of Ayodhya, bore no resemblance to Ramtha the pauper.

I did not blame the Unknown God for his inability to love me. I did not blame him for not loving my people. I did not blame him for the death of my mother and my little sister. I did not blame him; I hated him.

I had no one left, for my brother was kidnapped by a satrap and taken into subserviency into the land that would later be called Persia. There he was abused for the pleasure of the satrap and his need for what is called loin gratification.

I was a lad of fourteen with no meat upon my bones and a great bitterness inside me. So I decided to do battle with the Unknown God of my forefathers, the only thing I felt worthy of dying by. I was determined to die, but as an honorable man. And I felt that dying at the hands of man was a dishonorable way to perish.

I saw a great mountain, a very mysterious place that loomed on the distant horizon. I thought that if there were a God, he would live there, above us all, just as those who governed our land lived above us. If I could climb there, I thought, I would get in touch with the Unknown God and proclaim my hatred for him at his unfairness to humanity.

I left my hovel and journeyed for many days to reach this great mountain, devouring locusts and ants and roots along the way. When I reached the mount I climbed into the clouds, which now veiled its whitened peak, in order to do battle with the Unknown God. I called out to him, "I am a man. Why have I not the dignity of one?" And I demanded that he show me his face, but he ignored me.

I fell upon my haunches and wept heartily, until the whiteness iced itself from my tears. When I looked up, I beheld what seemed to be a wondrous woman holding a great sword before me. She spoke to me saying, "0 Ram, 0 Ram, you who are broken in Spirit, your prayers have been heard. Take this sword and conquer yourself." And in but a blink of my eye she was gone.

Conquer myself? I could not turn the blade around and hack off my own head; my arms would not reach the hilt of the sword. Yet I found honor in this great sword. No longer did I shiver against the great cold but found warmth instead. And when I looked again where my tears had fallen, there grew a flower of such sweet aroma and color that I knew the flower was of hope.

I came down from the mountain with the great sword in my hand, a day which was recorded in the history of the Hindu people as the terrible day of the Ram. A boy had gone to that mountain, but a man returned. No longer frail or weak of bodily movement, I was a Ram in every sense of the word. I was a young man with a terrible light about me and a sword that was larger than I was. Sometimes I think I was very slow to understand in that existence, for I never fully realized why the wondrous sword was so light that I could carry it, yet it was so large that nine hands together could hold the hilt of it.

I returned from the mountain to the city of Onai. In the fields outside the city I saw an old woman stand up and shade her eyes to look at me a'coming. Soon all stopped their labors. Carts stopped. Donkeys squealed. Everything became quiet. When the people ran up to look upon my countenance, they must have been persuaded because everyone of them took up his meager tool and followed me into the city.

We destroyed Onai because the Atlatians spat in my eye when I demanded they open the granaries to feed our people. So unprepared were the Atlatians for this that they were easily overtaken, for they did not know of battle.

I opened the granaries to our poor people, and then we burned Onai to the ground. It never occurred to me that I couldn't do that, for I did not care if I lived or died at that point; I had nothing left to live for.

When the slaughter and burning were finished, a great hurt was still within my being, for my hatred had not been satisfied. So I ran from the people to hide in the hills, but they followed me in spite of all my cursing and throwing stones and spitting at them.

"Ram, Ram, Ram, Ram," they chanted, carrying their tools of the field and grain tied in linens, and herding sheep and goats before them. I shouted at the people to leave me alone and go home. But still they came, for they no longer had a home. I was their home.

Ramtha goes on to describe how he eventually conquered three-quarters of the known world. That is certainly significant, but if he isn't Ram of the Ramayana, then who is he? I know there are 10 avatars (Dashavatara) that are talked about in the scriptures, and upon looking through the list I discovered another Ram: Parashurama which translates to "Ram with the Axe" and sure enough, after performing a penance to receive his axe/sword, Ram went on a rampage and killed every Kshatriya on earth thereby conquering the known world.

Parashurama is also one of the seven immortals (Chiranjivi) who will remain on earth during the entire Kali Yuga until Satya Yuga begins (in 2030).

The Precessional Alignment (part 4)

This is the fourth in a series of posts that will discuss the precessional alignment of December 21, 2012 in detail. The Founders cover this topic in chapter 7 of the book "Earth Changes and 2012: Messages From the Founders". The chapter continues as follows.

(6) The degree and influence of positive and negative ETs and ascended beings from the higher realms;

You have a lot of helpers and a few hinderers, whose roles during the changes will be detailed in Chapter 10. Your ability to embrace or refrain from embracing their help, depending on the quality of what is being offered, will greatly add to or subtract from your experience of the precessional alignment.

(7) The number of humans cycling out of incarnation;

All of you have free will, and that means you can elect to use the precessional alignment as an opportunity to propel yourselves forward in terms of soul growth. However, a majority of humans on Earth will find the changes overwhelming. In essence, their souls are not ready to undergo the shift and so they will find a way of exiting the Earth plane. After leaving their bodies, they will eventually reincarnate on another third density planet that is appropriate to their level of awareness. The number of souls likely to exit during the three-day window of the precessional alignment is actually quite small, but the number taken over the period 2012 to 2030 is quite significant. We estimate that around 10% of humanity will choose to exit near the beginning of that time period, but by the time 2030 rolls around, over three-quarters of the souls currently inhabiting the Earth will likely be gone from the physical plane.

(8) The number of humans ascending during this event.

It is estimated that between 10 million and 30 million humans will be sufficiently evolved to be able to enter fifth density during the period of 2012 to 2030. The exact number will depend on free will decisions.

Although the passage of the Earth through the altered EM field generated by the precessional alignment cannot be prevented by free will, the experience can vary greatly from one human being to another depending on the physical, emotional, mental (psychological), astral, etheric and causal state of each person. Humans embodying Divine principles of love and compassion will likely have a much more positive experience of this event. Humans desiring to ascend in the "first wave" can use this opportunity to complete their 3D/4D dense body experience and move into the 5D light body.

The alignment of 2012 is often referred to as the "first wave" opportunity for souls to ascend. It is unlikely that millions of souls will actually ascend all at once on December 21, 2012. The transition will be spread out over many years. The precessional alignment acts as a catalyst for change, not as an absolute deadline for humanity. However, those who are undecided as to their course of action will find it extremely difficult to remain undecided after 2012. In a sense, the portal opened by the fluctuating EM fields creates a "ring-pass-not" effect within the etheric planes, meaning that almost all of humanity will pass through a one-way door into their chosen reality on or around that date.

Essentially what this will do to the physiological and psychological state of humans is magnify what is already present within consciousness. Those humans who are living in a state of fear will likely experience the Precessional Cycle in a fearful manner. Many of them will cycle out of their 3D/4D bodies and reincarnate on another planet more suitable for their level of soul experience. Like the ascension, this will take place over a period of years, not all at once on December 21, 2012.

It is important that there be no judgment regarding who and what is appropriate for each human. This is not a "judgment day." God is not passing sentence upon humanity. This event is well understood by the soul and causal body and great care goes into planning incarnations around the time of this event.

The Mahabharata (book 1.CII part 2)

Bhishma was thinking of king Vichitravirya's upcoming wedding amidst the pounding hoofbeats and jostling of the chariot when an arrow flew by and grazed his ear. Startled, he turned and saw Salya in hot pursuit. Commanding the women to take cover, he readied his bow and took aim at Salya. Hesitating to shoot, he had to instead dodge another one of Salya’s incoming arrows. Drawing his arrow again, Bhishma commanded his driver to veer left, then released. The arrow flew with extreme precision between Salya’s galloping horses and impacted on his chariot’s axle, severing the left wheel.

Salya’s chariot ground to a halt as his left wheel continued rolling on its own. He leapt out and ran after Bhishma screaming, "Come back you coward and fight like a man!"

Bhishma knew he should have let the comment go, but when he looked into the eyes of his charioteer and the three princesses, he knew he couldn’t. Commanding the charioteer to stop and keep an eye on the princesses, he began walking back towards Salya.

Salya saw him coming and began marching out to meet him. They stopped within arrow shot of each other, and stood with eyes locked under the blazing sun. Salya went for his arrows first and Bhishma didn’t move. He fired five arrows in succession which Bhishma easily dodged. Seeing that Salya had stopped, Bhishma drew his own arrow and fired.

As Salya moved to dodge it, the arrow suddenly multiplied into dozens of arrows that were now impossible to dodge. Salya quickly threw up his arms to protect his chest and face, but the arrows pierced him everywhere else. Their force on impact threw him backwards to the ground and blood poured from multiple wounds all over his body. Though in incredible pain, Salya tried to get back to his feet, but his limbs were too weak and he fell back to the ground. He screamed in frustration, for Amba was to be his bride, but now she was lost to Bhishma.

Bhishma returned to his chariot without a word, and returned to Hastinapura with the three princesses without further delay. The waterfall stopped and the other kings found the defeated Salya. They helped him back to Kasi where his wounds were bandaged such that he was able to return to his own kingdom.

When Amba saw Bhishma climb onto the stage at the self-choice ceremony, she was startled by his majestic stature and handsome features. When their eyes met she felt a special connection she had never felt before. She also felt the power in his arms when he lifted and carried them away, and observed his supernatural ability with his bow to effortlessly defeat any number of foes. Her heart had swooned through it all, while her mind completely forgot about his vow of celibacy.

Once at the palace though, Bhishma introduced the three princesses to Satyavati and their soon-to-be husband: the frail and weak Vichitravirya. It was at this moment that Amba realized the reality of her situation. There was no way she could marry someone so weak and frail, and if Bhishma was committed to celibacy then certainly Salya would take her as his bride. He had made his desire clear during their visit to his palace, and his valiant attempt to defeat Bhishma was also likely driven by the same desire. She too, was also ready to choose Salya at the ceremony . . . before Bhishma interrupted everything.

Amba quickly formed a plan, then while her sisters were talking with Vichitravirya, she discretely turned to Bhishma and whispered, "May I speak with you privately?"

Bhishma led her to another room and asked, "What is it?"

Amba took a deep breath and began, "At heart I had chosen king Salya for my husband. He had, in his heart, accepted me for his wife. At the self-choice ceremony, I would have also chosen him as my lord. As someone conversant with all the dictates of virtue, I have full faith that you will act wisely with this knowledge."

Bhishma was somewhat relieved that Amba wanted to leave, for he couldn't shake the strange sensation he got every time he looked at her. But Vichitravirya still needed at least one wife, so he replied, "Assuming that your two sisters will remain and marry Vichitravirya, then you are free to go."

Amba's sisters had no interest in Salya and his obsession with horses, so they said their goodbyes to their sister and she left on a chariot arranged by Bhishma to king Salya's palace.

The next day, Vichitravirya married Ambika and Ambalika in a quiet ceremony at the palace.

Footnotes

1. Derived from: Adi Parva, Section CII, p. 220-222.

Ramtha: The White Book

This is the first in a series of posts that will present the teachings given in "Ramtha: The White Book". I recently finished reading this and found it to be one of the best spiritual books I've ever read. It fills in a few critical gaps not covered by the Founders, Anastasia and the other sources I've read to date.

In the forward, JZ Knight describes Ramtha's physical appearance.

Ram is seven feet tall and he wears two robes that I have always seen him in. Even though they are the same robe, they are really beautiful so you never get tired of seeing them. The inner robe is snow white and goes all the way down to where I presume his feet are, and then he has an overrobe that is beautiful purple. But you should understand that I have really looked at the material on these robes and it is not really material. It is sort of like light. And though the light has a transparency to them, there is an understanding that what he is wearing has a reality to it.

Ramtha's face is cinnamon-colored skin, and that is the best way I can describe it. It is not really brown and it is not really white and it is not really red; it is sort of a blending of that. And he has very deep black eyes that can look into you and you know you are being looked into. He has eyebrows that look like wings of a bird that come high on his brow. He has a very square jaw and a beautiful mouth, and when he smiles you know that you are in heaven. He has long, long hands, long fingers that he uses very eloquently to demonstrate his thought.

In Chapter One, Ramtha introduces his teachings. He starts by describing his ascension.

I am Ramtha, a sovereign entity, who lived a long time ago upon this plane called Earth, or Terra. In that life I did not die; I ascended, for I learned to harness the power of my mind and to take my body with me into an unseen dimension of life. In doing so, I realized an existence of unlimited freedom, unlimited joy, unlimited life. Others who lived here after me have also ascended.

I am now part of an unseen brotherhood who loves mankind greatly. We are your brothers who hear your prayers and your meditations and observe your movements to and fro. We are those who lived here as man and experienced the despair, the sorrow, and the joy that all of you have known. Yet we learned to master and transcend the limitations of the human experience to realize a grander state of being.

I have come to tell you that you are very important and precious to us because the life that flows through you and the thought that is coming to everyone of you - however you entertain it - are the intelligence and life force that you have termed God. It is this essence that connects all of us, not only to those upon your plane but to those in untold universes which you have not yet the eyes to see.

I am here to remind you of a heritage which most of you forgot long, long ago. I have come to give you a loftier perspective from which you may reason and understand that you are indeed divine and immortal entities who have always been loved and supported by the essence called God. I am here to help you realize that only you through your sublime intelligence have created every reality in your life, and with that same power you have the option to create and experience any reality you desire.

Later in the chapter, he talks about the coming Golden Age.

I have brought with me the winds of change upon your plane. I and those who stand with me are preparing mankind for a grand event that has already been set into motion. We are going to unite all the people of this plane by allowing man to witness something great and brilliant, which will cause him to open up and allow knowledge and love to flow forth.

Why is this being done? Because you are loved greater than you have ever considered love to be and because it is time for man to live a grander understanding than that which has plagued him into dark ages, taken away his freedom, divided peoples, and caused hatred between lovers and war amongst nations. It is time for that to be finished. It is time for man to realize his divinity and immortality of being and cease groveling for survival upon this plane.

There is coming a day very soon when great knowledge will be brought to this plane by wonderful entities who are your beloved brothers. In that time, scientific developments will bloom here greater than they ever have. What is coming forth is called the Age of God. This age will come about through a deliberate change in time and the values of time. In the years to come disease, suffering, hatred, and war will no longer be upon this plane. No longer will there be the aging and death of the body, but continuous life. It is through knowledge, understanding, and profound love that these things will come forth in the life of each entity.

There is no other redemption for mankind than to realize their divinity. You are the seeds of this understanding. As each of you realize your own worth and value and the foreverness of your life, you will add, one by one, to the consciousness of unlimited thinking, unlimited freedom, and unlimited love. Whatever you think, whatever you come to realize, lifts and expands consciousness everywhere. And when you live what you have come to understand, wholly for the good of your own purposeful life, you allow others to see in you a greater thought process, a grander understanding, a more purposeful existence than what they see all around them.

These times are the greatest of all times in your recorded history. Though they are difficult and challenging times, you chose to live here during this time for the purpose of the fulfillment that it would bring you. All of you have been promised for e'er so long that you would see God in your lifetime, yet lifetime after lifetime you never allowed yourselves to see it. In this lifetime, most of you will indeed. You will see a magnificent kingdom emerge here, and civilizations will come forth that you had not even the slightest notion existed. And a new wind will blow, and love, peace, and joy in being will grace this blessed place, the emerald of your universe and the home of God.

Contemplate what is spoken. Allow these words into your being. When you do, thought by thought, feeling by feeling, moment by moment, you will come back into the understanding of your greatness, your power, and your glory.

The Precessional Alignment (part 3)

This is the third in a series of posts that will discuss the precessional alignment of December 21, 2012 in detail. The Founders cover this topic in chapter 7 of the book "Earth Changes and 2012: Messages From the Founders". The chapter continues as follows.

The current Precessional Cycle is scheduled to end on December 21, 2012. Humans' experience of this event will vary significantly. Despite the inevitability of the event, there are several factors that can be influenced by free will.

Throughout this book, we are referring to individual will as well as collective will. If a large number of souls direct their collective will in a particular manner, it can have an impact on so-called inevitable or unmovable realities.

As you grow and evolve, you will learn how to alter many of the events that seem fixed in time and space at present. However, at this juncture, very few of you have raised your vibration sufficiently to have an appreciable impact on cosmic events.

Here are some of the variables associated with the Precessional Cycle of 2012, many of which are a function of free will:

(1) The severity of the EM distortions;

When we examine the mechanics of the precessional alignment later in this chapter, you will see that there are many factors that determine how severe the EM fluctuations are, including the position of the solar system in relation to the center of the galaxy, as well as variations within the core of the Earth and the solar system itself (including EM fluctuations in your sun).

(2) The severity of the climate changes;

There are several human and natural factors influencing Earth's climate. These include your emission of greenhouse gases (mainly carbon dioxide). Ocean currents and atmospheric pressure anomalies also figure prominently. Some humans are experimenting with weather control and introducing chemicals into the atmosphere to direct the path and formation of storms. Although many general trends can be easily predicted, specific dates for storms, droughts and other weather phenomenon is almost impossible to see, even at our level of awareness.

(3) The severity of the impact on technology and telecommunications;

Back when your calendar turned to 2000, you got very worried that your computers would go down due to a programming glitch. In reality, EM fluctuations do far more damage than any program error could ever do. If you are overly dependent on your telecommunications industry, then the rapid and severe fluctuations of 2012 and the other events described here will make things very difficult. While your consciousness will influence the ability of your technology to function, the bottom line, dear Creators, is that you need to be dependent only on God and not your technology, for your devices will fail you from time to time.

(4) The degree of cellular mutation experienced;

Those of you that are already building your master template of ascension will continue to experience cellular mutations. The mutations experienced by most of humanity will likely cause extreme fluctuations in mood and emotional state. Many souls will be unable to withstand the changes and will experience a decline of the immune system, opening them up to all manner of exotic viruses and bacteria. Others will make it through the changes with their physical bodies and go on to build enlightened self-sufficient spiritual communities.

(5) The level of impact on the emotional and mental bodies of humans;

Although the dominant timelines are pretty much preset, free will does play a part in the level of intensity of the experience. The more you can let go of fear and open to your God Self, the easier the transition will be for you. Your overall emotional and mental health will be put to the test during the precessional alignment. You might feel as though you are going crazy. Little emotional hurts will be greatly magnified, as will your emotional highs. You might experience being ecstatically blissful one moment and severely depressed the next. Your ability to go within to the center of your being will be essential. To quote one of your favorite phrases, you will not have the luxury of entertaining negative thoughts.

The Mahabharata (book 1.CII part 1)

The day of the self-choice ceremony had finally arrived. The noise was deafening as the crowd of thousands cheered King Salya. He waved in gratitude as he made his way to the stage to meet the three princesses. The stadium was packed as the entire kingdom of Kasi had turned out to see who the princesses would choose for their husbands.

"Bhishma, Regent of Hastinapura! Representing King Vichitravirya!" screamed the announcer through his megaphone.

The crowd was silent, then rumblings of disapproval began as Bhishma climbed onto the stage. Bhishma's vow of celibacy was well known throughout the land and many felt he had no right to be participating in this ceremony. The three sisters whispered to each other as he approached. Bhishma paid no heed to the crowd's disapproval, but was instead evaluating the relative size of each princess for the next part of his plan. The youngest sister, Ambalika on his left, was a bit on the plump side, while the middle sister, Ambika, was extremely thin, but the eldest sister, Amba on his right was . . . well, she was just right. Bhishma raised his eyes to look in her face and their eyes met. Bhishma felt a tingle through his body in that moment but quickly looked away and disregarded it.

When he got near to them, the middle sister Ambika, smiled at him and asked, "Why is King Vichitravirya not here in person?"

Bhishma responded a bit nervously while looking away, "Actually . . . I’m here to take you to him."

Bhishma moved with lightning speed. He stepped forward and crouched between them, wrapped his left arm around Ambalika’s hips, while using his right hand to pull Amba behind Ambika and wrap his right arm around both of their hips. The princesses all screamed as he heaved all three of them up onto his shoulders, turned, leapt from the stage and ran for the exit.

The king of Kasi, upon hearing his daughters scream and seeing them being carried away, jumped from his throne on the stage and grabbed the announcer’s megaphone, "Stop him! He’s kidnapping the princesses!"

An enormous uproar from the crowd followed just as Bhishma made it out of the stadium to his waiting chariot. As soon as they were in, the charioteer sped off over the dry, flat, dusty terrain.

Shortly, the dust of dozens of chariots in pursuit could be seen. The larger transport chariot they were in was much slower than the small battle chariots in pursuit. It was only a matter of time before they would be caught. Bhishma readied his bow and drew an arrow at the now visible chariots, but instead of firing on them he turned and fired into the clear blue sky in front of their own chariot.

The arrow sailed high into the air and seemed to impact on the sky itself. There was a loud crack and a corresponding visible crack appeared across the sky, wider than could be seen. The princesses looked at each other in bewilderment, then water began to pour from the crack like a giant waterfall. The charioteer felt a twinge of panic, as they were not past it yet and the water was heading rapidly towards the ground.

An arrow whizzed by as the approaching chariots were now within firing range. The princesses crouched down, closed their eyes and held on tight, preparing for the impact of the water. The charioteer was yelling to command the horses even faster. Everyone cringed as they felt the water then heard the thunderous crash of it . . . behind them.

On the other side, the leading horses came to a grinding halt throwing some kings forward onto the ground. The horses reared up on their hind legs and neighed loudly. They ran in every direction despite a lot of whipping to try to control them. Many charioteers ran from their chariots, praying to god for mercy. Water splashed everywhere, and the dry ground was rapidly turning to mud. The scene was one of complete pandemonium.

Through it all came one chariot, led by a team of four magnificent horses, pounding forward towards the waterfall with unflinching determination. It was king Salya. His horses were renowned on the battlefield, for he trained them hard, but loved them even more. They were his children, and him their father, who they were ready to die for.

They hit the water at full speed. Salya and his charioteer sucked in a deep breath as they entered the downpour. The force of the water slowed the chariot to a halt and flattened them to the floor. The combination of no air to breathe and the constant pounding of the water meant they would be unconscious in another minute and drown. The horses, however, had the strength in their legs to stand, but more importantly, their heads had made it through to the other side.

Despite the overwhelming desire to collapse right then and there, the horses knew their father was drowning. So with every ounce of strength they had, they struggled and pulled until the chariot started moving again and didn’t stop until their father was safe.

Footnotes

1. Derived from: Adi Parva, Section CII, p. 219-220.

Jonathan Livingston Seagull

Richard Bach has written an excellent book on the journey to Enlightenment called "Jonathan Livingston Seagull". As you might guess, it's about talking seagulls which makes it engaging for children, but adults will find much to enjoy as well. Below is an excerpt.

One evening the gulls that were not night-flying stood together on the sand, thinking. Jonathan took all his courage in hand and walked to the Elder Gull, who, it was said, was soon to be moving beyond this world.

"Chiang ..." he said, a little nervously.

The old seagull looked at him kindly. "Yes, my son?" Instead of being enfeebled by age, the Elder had been empowered by it; he could outfly any gull in the Flock, and he had learned skills that the others were only gradually coming to know.

"Chiang, this world isn’t heaven at all, is it?"

The Elder smiled in the moonlight. "You are learning again, Jonathan Seagull," he said.

"Well, what happens from here? Where are we going? Is there no such place as heaven?"

"No, Jonathan, there is no such place. Heaven is not a place, and it is not a time. Heaven is being perfect." He was silent for a moment. "You are a very fast flier, aren’t you?"

"I ... I enjoy speed," Jonathan said, taken aback but proud that the Elder had noticed.

"You will begin to touch heaven, Jonathan, in the moment that you touch perfect speed. And that isn’t flying a thousand miles an hour, or a million, or flying at the speed of light. Because any number is a limit, and perfection doesn’t have limits. Perfect speed, my son, is being there."

Without warning, Chiang vanished and appeared at the water’s edge fifty feet away, all in the flicker of an instant. Then he vanished again and stood, in the same millisecond, at Jonathan’s shoulder. "It’s kind of fun," he said.

Jonathan was dazzled. He forgot to ask about heaven. "How do you do that? What does it feel like? How far can you go?"

"You can go to any place and to any time that you wish to go," the Elder said. "I’ve gone everywhere and everywhen I can think of." He looked across the sea. "It’s strange. The gulls who scorn perfection for the sake of travel go nowhere, slowly.
Those who put aside travel for the sake of perfection go anywhere, instantly. Remember, Jonathan, heaven isn’t a place or a time, because place and time are so very meaningless. Heaven is ..."

"Can you teach me to fly like that?" Jonathan Seagull trembled to conquer another unknown.

"Of course, if you wish to learn."

"I wish. When can we start?"

"We could start now, if you’d like."

"I want to learn to fly like that," Jonathan said, and a strange light glowed in his eyes. "Tell me what to do."

Chiang spoke slowly and watched the younger gull ever so carefully. "To fly as fast as thought, to anywhere that is," he said, "you must begin by knowing that you have already arrived ..."

The trick, according to Chiang, was for Jonathan to stop seeing himself as trapped inside a limited body that had a forty-two-inch wingspan and performance that could be plotted on a chart. The trick was to know that his true nature lived, as perfect as an unwritten number, everywhere at once across space and time.

Jonathan kept at it, fiercely, day after day, from before sunrise till past midnight. And for all his effort he moved not a feather-width from his spot.

"Forget about faith!" Chiang said it time and again. "You didn’t need faith to fly, you needed to understand flying. This is just the same. Now try again ..."

Then one day Jonathan, standing on the shore, closing his eyes, concentrating, all in a flash knew what Chiang had been telling him. "Why, that’s true! I am a perfect, unlimited gull!" He felt a great shock of joy.

"Good!" said Chiang, and there was victory in his voice.

Jonathan opened his eyes. He stood alone with the Elder on a totally different seashore — trees down to the water’s edge, twin yellow suns turning overhead.

"At last you’ve got the idea," Chiang said, "but your control needs a little work ..."

Jonathan was stunned. "Where are we?"

Utterly unimpressed with the strange surroundings, the Elder brushed the question aside. "We’re on some planet, obviously, with a green sky and a double star for a sun."

Jonathan made a scree of delight, the first sound he had made since he had left Earth. "IT WORKS!"

"Well, of course it works, Jon," said Chiang. "It always works, when you know what you’re doing. Now about your control ..."

By the time they returned, it was dark. The other gulls looked at Jonathan with awe in their golden eyes, for they had seen him disappear from where he had been rooted for so long.

He stood their congratulations for less than a minute. "I’m the newcomer here! I’m just beginning! It is I who must learn from you!"

"I wonder about that, Jon," said Sullivan, standing near. "You have less fear of learning than any gull I’ve seen in ten thousand years." The Flock fell silent, and Jonathan fidgeted in embarrassment.

"We can start working with time if you wish," Chiang said, "till you can fly the past and the future. And then you will be ready to begin the most difficult, the most powerful, the most fun of all. You will be ready to begin to fly up and know the
meaning of kindness and of love."

The Precessional Alignment (part 2)

This is the second in a series of posts that will discuss the precessional alignment of December 21, 2012 in detail. The Founders cover this topic in chapter 7 of the book "Earth Changes and 2012: Messages From the Founders". The chapter continues as follows.

The interplay between free will and predestiny is not understood by most of your people. You need to understand that free will is a set of latitudes and principles that exist within a larger framework of predestiny, or the Divine Plan. Free will allows you to vary your experience of the universe. It lets you to determine the order in which you learn your soul lessons, the rate at which you assimilate them, and the emotional reactions you have to them. However, the lessons themselves are predetermined by your soul and causal body prior to incarnating on Earth.

Cosmic cycles are set according to the Creator's Will and the Will of your own God Selves. Your human egos have little or no influence over cosmic cycles. Your soul is already aware of cosmic cycles and the role they play in helping you develop your self-awareness.

There are several cosmic cycles that are of importance to you at this time. The most famous of these is the Precessional Cycle, or precession of the axis, which occurs approximately every 25,920 years. Many of your ancient calendars were based on the Precessional Cycle, including the calendar of the Maya.

At the end of each Precessional Cycle, the Earth and the solar system pass through what is called a region of scalar electromagnetic impulses, or an area of space in which the EM field polarities become weaker. This weakness in the EM fields sometimes (but not usually) causes the north and south poles of the Earth to reverse polarity.

Please note that reversal of EM polarity has nothing to do with Earth's rotation. The Earth will continue rotating at roughly the same rate of speed and direction (velocity) as it has for millions of years. The only thing that could significantly change the Earth's rotation quickly would be a collision with a large asteroid, planetoid or planet, and this is not likely to take place any time within the next million or so years. In fact, according to our estimates, it will likely be over one billion Earth years before such an event occurs.

However, there are three other cycles of which you should become aware. The first of these is the most significant of all, even more powerful than the Precessional Cycle. We are calling it the Galactic Shift, and it will be detailed in the next chapter. The other two are relatively minor in comparison and will be discussed here. These are the passage through your solar system of the comet Annanhutak, which occurs about every 10,500 years, and the orbit of the planetoid Nibiru through your solar system, which occurs approximately every 3,600 years. Neither the comet, nor the planetoid, are likely to ever impact Earth directly. The comet's tail brushes the Earth's atmosphere about once every eight or nine passes. Nibiru's gravitational field significantly impacts Earth about once in every 12 passes. In addition, beings from the etheric and celestial planes of Nibiru often interact with Earth during its close proximity every 3,600 years, as is evidenced in the records of your ancient civilizations.

Both of these events will figure prominently in the coming years. Annanhutak (the translation here is very tenuous - you might come to know this comet under a slightly different name) makes its next pass through the solar system in approximately 2017, while Nibiru (also called "Planet X" and "Wormwood") is scheduled to make a close appearance in the year 2030.

The Mahabharata (book 1.CI)

Haunted by guilt over Bhishma's sacrifice, Santanu had all but lost the will to live. Regardless, he knew he had to father sons to ensure successors for the throne, and this he did. First born was Chitrangada, followed a couple years later by Vichitravirya, and as soon as Chitrangada became an adult, Santanu passed away. Bhishma then installed Chitrangada as king of Hastinapura.

Chitrangada always felt he was in Bhishma's shadow, and this insecurity drove him to extremes. He did everything he could to try to prove he was Bhishma's equal. He trained relentlessly in order to master all of the weapons of war and challenged anyone willing to prove their prowess against him in battle. To Chitrangada's credit he was victorious against all kings and warriors that came to challenge him and his fame spread throughout the land.

The king of the gandharvas then approached him for a duel. Bhishma tried to warn Chitrangada that gandharvas, like apsaras are from the heavenly realms and have astral powers that exceed those of mere mortals, but Chitrangada didn't listen, and instead thought he finally had an opportunity to outdo Bhishma in battle.

Chitrangada and the gandharva king met on the battlefield of Kurukshetra and a fierce battle took place, but just as Bhishma feared Chitrangada was killed. Bhishma now had no choice but to install Vichitravirya on the throne who was very weak and frail due to his phthisis. Bhishma became eager to get him married so an heir would be produced quickly as it seemed that what little strength Vichitravirya had left was quickly fading.

The king of Kasi had announced a self-choice ceremony would be held for his three daughters and Bhishma thought they would be excellent wives for Vichitravirya, but the problem was how to get them. According to the rules of a self-choice ceremony, each daughter would choose a husband from among the attending kings, and the odds of any one of them picking the frail and weak Vichitravirya would be next to nothing. Bhishma reflected on this and decided that if there was a solution to be had it would be found in the ancient and sacred scriptures.

A few days later he had formed a plan, so he went to see Satyavati to discuss it. Satyavati's thinking was along the same lines and asked, "If we can't send Vichitravirya to it then what do you suggest?"

Bhishma opened the sacred text he was holding, "It says here that there are eight means by which a man may claim a woman as his wife: he may receive her as a gift, he may trade goods for her, buy her with money, he may kidnap her while she is conscious, kidnap her while she is drugged, he may ask her parents for consent, ask her to marry him directly, or finally accept her proposal for marriage."

Satyavati frowned, "No one practises most of the things you’ve mentioned anymore."

"But they are still all considered valid."

"What are you trying to suggest?"

"I want to go and kidnap all three daughters during the ceremony."

"You can’t be serious. I can't condone such a show of disrespect to the king of Kasi and his daughters."

"Think of our kingdom. You know yourself that it is highly unlikely that any princess would choose Vichitravirya for a husband. As Regent and Queen, it is our duty to ensure a successor to the throne. If you have a better idea, then please tell me."

Satyavati had none and therefore no choice but to agree to Bhishma's request. After he left, she still couldn’t help feeling that something bad was going to come of this . . . stealing of brides.

The three daughters of the king of Kasi were enjoying some tea and biscuits when king Salya entered the room. They were visiting him at his palace, the fifth palace they had visited so far in their tour of neighbouring kingdoms, for after the self-choice ceremony was announced many kings invited the daughters to visit them in hopes of winning their favour at the upcoming ceremony.

Salya was tall with broad shoulders and muscular arms. The princesses smiled secretly to each other as the previous kings were nowhere near as handsome by comparison. Salya bowed and spoke formally, "Would the princesses please do me the honour of accompanying me outside to view my pride and joy?"

The princesses all rose and replied, "It would be our pleasure."

Salya led them outside and then through the stables. The younger daughters began to wrinkle their noses at the smell and watch carefully where they were stepping, but the eldest daughter didn't seem to care. Past the stables, Salya stopped in front of a fence enclosing a large field where four majestic horses were galloping, but as soon as they saw Salya they came running to the fence to greet him. Salya petted and hugged each of them around their necks, while playfully speaking with them as if they were his children.

The large horses made the younger daughters very nervous so they kept their distance, but the eldest, Amba, came next to Salya and began petting and talking with the horses as well. When Salya turned and saw her, his heart swelled like never before.

Footnotes

1. Derived from: Adi Parva, Section CI, p. 218-219.

2. Derived from: Adi Parva, Section CII, p. 219-220.

Kanata UFO (Venus)

Filmed this morning (Sept 29, 2012) in front of my house at 6:15am. It was gone by 7:00am and we first noticed it at 4:30am.

We've seen it a few times over the past couple of weeks and always during the 4am to 6am time frame. If you live in south Kanata (Bridlewood or Emerald Meadows), Ontario, Canada, then you can look for it in the sky during that time.

Update: October 17, 2012. After doing more research it seems that this object was likely the planet Venus. I did not know that Venus could appear as such a large bright ball of light in the eastern morning sky until I saw some pictures at earthsky.org. I've included them below for comparison purposes.

In the upper right of the first photo below, you’ll see the planet Venus with the fainter star Regulus next to it. Migizi Gichigumi took this photo on the morning of October 1, 2012, on the shores of Lake Superior in northern Wisconsin.

Here in the second photo (below) is Venus (upper right) and the very old moon on the morning of September 14, 2012, as seen by VegaStar Carpentier in Paris.

While Venus is certainly very beautiful to look at, I would've preferred to have actually seen a UFO. With that in mind I'm including below one of my favourite UFO videos from about 2 years ago when some were seen over Manhattan.

The Precessional Alignment (part 1)

This is the first in a series of posts that will discuss the precessional alignment of December 21, 2012 in detail. The Founders cover this topic in chapter 7 of the book "Earth Changes and 2012: Messages From the Founders". The chapter starts as follows.

We are going to talk about what is called a Precessional Cycle. It is a cycle of the precession of your axis. It is a point in time, Earthly linear time, where the poles of your planet are aligned to a specific frequency generated from what you call quasars, which are large stellar bodies. Approximately every 26,000 years, your Earth tilts at exactly the right angle to align with these stellar bodies, which emit what are called "scalar electromagnetic impulses".

At that particular point in your Earth's evolutionary cycle, the electromagnetic field fluctuates and changes in such a way that it creates a great deal of change on Earth. Your Mayan civilization has recorded this event in their calendars and your prophets and psychics have foreseen this time of great change.

It is a wonderful opportunity for you, as evolving souls, to experience this transformation and grow from it, if you are willing to accept and embrace the opportunity.

In the outer realms of Creation, everything happens in cycles. You have the cycle of your Earth revolving around the sun, which you call a year. You base your Julian calendar on that cycle. You divide your year into various units of measure.

You are now becoming aware of the larger cycles, the Precessional Cycle of approximately 25,920 years and the Galactic Shift of approximately 108 million years. The Galactic Shift is roughly one half of a Galactic Cycle. A Galactic Cycle represents one revolution of your solar system around the Great Central Sun of your galaxy, which your scientists have calculated to be about 227 million years. Due to changes in the spinning of the galaxy, and time and space distortions caused by dark energy and dark matter, the actual number of Earth years in a Galactic Cycle is closer to 216 million.

There are even larger cycles within the universe as a whole. There is the time it takes your galaxy to revolve around the great central sun of the universe, which is a period of about 10.8 billion years. We will call that a Universal Cycle. At the same time, you know that your universe is continually expanding. God is continually expanding. A Universal Cycle is an outward unfolding spiral, rather than a simple revolution of galaxies around the Great Central Sun. So there are many cycles and there are many levels and dimensions to your universe.

Top 100: Clumping Herbs (Skirret)

This is the sixth of a series of posts that will cover the "Top 100" forest garden plants taken from volume 1 of the Edible Forest Gardens books. In this post we begin our list of clumping herbs.

Skirret — Sium sisarum
Hardiness zone 5-9, full sun to part shade, clumping, 3 ft. x 1-2 ft., edible roots, specialist nectary (image above)

Skirret is a productive root crop and specialist nec­tary plant for the sunnier parts of the forest garden. Its roots have long been cultivated in Eurasia but fell out of favour in the twentieth century. This is probably because the pencil- to finger-thick tap­roots, which grow as a dense cluster, often have a fibrous or woody core, at least in unnamed varieties. Fortunately, improved varieties that entirely lack this trait are now available and can be vegetatively propagated. The cooked roots are sweet and filling, like a blend of parsnip and potato. This productive and low-maintenance vegetable may enjoy a renais­sance as we come to appreciate the role of multi­purpose perennials in forest gardens and other edible landscaping systems.

Sweet Goldenrod - Solidago odora
Hardiness zone 3, full sun to part shade, clumping, 2-4 ft. x 2-4 ft., edible tea, specialist nectary

Goldenrods are ubiquitous species in the oldfield stage of succession throughout the eastern forest region. As a group, goldenrods are important for beneficial insects as a fall nectar source and a place to aggregate and then spread into the garden. Sweet goldenrod has the added benefit of being one of our finest native tea plants. Blue mountain tea, a beverage made from the leaves and flowers, has a licorice-like flavor. The leaves also make a nice nibble. As goldenrods go, this species is not very aggressive, mostly staying in place as a clump. A few sweet goldenrods in the sunnier phases or areas of your garden will provide many benefits with little care.

Comfreys (Symphytum spp.)

Large-flowered Comfrey - Symphytum grandiflorum
Hardiness zone 4, full sun to part shade, clumping, 8-12 in. x 18 in., dynamic accumulator, ground cover, beneficial habitat

Russian Comfrey - Symphytum x uplandicum
Hardiness zone 6, full sun to part shade, clumping, 1-4 ft. x 3 ft., dynamic accumulator, beneficial habitat (image below)

Comfreys are fantastic functional plants for the forest garden. They are perhaps the best of all the dynamic accumulators. They grow extremely well in most conditions, and you can cut them for nutrient-rich mulch several times each season. They also excel at attracting beneficial insects, pro­viding a preferred egg-laying and overwintering site for many species. Comfreys are also beloved by spiders, hosting as many as 240 per square meter in the soil below them during winter, according to one study. The challenge is that comfreys are incredibly persistent—once planted, they are virtually impos­sible to eliminate. A tiny root piece left in the ground will start a new plant. In addition, the species most commonly grown spreads by seed. Comfrey has taken over many gardens—don't let it happen to you!

One way to avoid this is to plant Russian com­frey, a sterile hybrid of two species, meaning it cannot make viable seed and, thus, cannot be weedy by seed. It is just as persistent as the common species, however. Large-flowered comfrey is a ground-covering species that forms a low mound. It will spread vegetatively and to a certain degree by seed. Large-flowered comfrey is a fantastic soil-building ground cover for partial shade.

The Mahabharata (book 1.C part 2)

Over the next four years Devavrata demonstrated to the ministers and nobility that he was not only a powerful and brave warrior, but also an intelligent statesman and above all a kind and generous leader. Everyone in Hastinapura loved him and knew he would be a great king one day. Santanu couldn't have been more proud.

One day Devavrata noticed his father looking rather melancholy. He had seen his father like this before and knew it was because he was missing his wife Ganga (Devavrata's mother). Devavrata thought about suggesting to his father that he should remarry, but also knew that other women could not compare to Ganga in beauty and thus his father had no interest in them.

Usually his father would recover in a day or two, but this time an entire week went by with no improvement and Devavrata began to worry. Santanu hardly left his bed chamber so Devavrata went to see him there. "Father, for more than a week now you have not been attending to your kingly duties, and you have not even partaken in your favourite activity of horseback riding. Please tell me what is the matter so that I may try to find a cure?"

Santanu betrayed a guilty expression before regaining his composure and replying. "I've only been thinking about you my son, and am worried about your well-being. You practice the art of war with such dangerous weapons that I fear for your life. What am I to do if you are accidentally killed? What is the kingdom to do?"

Devavrata was shocked to hear this from his father, for previously his father had expressed nothing but pride for his prowess in battle. However, he did not question his father and instead simply answered, "I understand father," and took his leave.

Devavrata then immediately went to see the chief minister for information regarding his father's grief. The minister received him warmly, and upon Devavrata's query responded, "I too am worried about your father's depression, and I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but when your father and I were returning from Chedi we encountered a beautiful maiden that your father immediately proposed to..."

"And?" asked Devavrata eagerly.

"I don't know. They both seemed happy and joyous as if all of their dreams were about to come true. Santanu informed me that they were going to see her father for his blessings, and then after some time Santanu returned alone looking dejected and refused to speak a word about what transpired."

"Take me to them!"

After a couple hours of travel they arrived at the fisherman’s hut. They were warmly greeted by the fisherman and welcomed inside. Devavrata's attention was quickly drawn to Satyavati due to her scent and beautiful appearance, but there was something strangely familiar about her that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

Once seated, the fisherman then asked, "To what do I owe the honour of this visit?"

Devavrata replied, "I've become aware that my father, King Santanu, has asked for your daughter's hand in marriage. Is this correct?"

"Yes, that is correct", replied the fisherman carefully.

"Then why has she not returned with him to Hastinapura to be married?"

"When your father, King Santanu, came to me with the proposal, I noticed at the same time a change in my daughter and immediately knew she would receive many offers from many kings. So to be a good father, I needed to ensure that only the best offer was accepted."

"Ours is the wealthiest kingdom in the land. What is it that my father was unable to offer you?"

"I desire that my daughter's first born son be made heir to the throne."

Devavrata now knew the cause of his father's grief. He glanced at Satyavati again, and then it hit him She's half apsara just like me! For unbeknownst to Satyavati her mother was the apsara Adrika, who returned to heaven shortly after giving birth.

Devavrata now clearly recognized her unique apsara beauty that his mother also possessed, and when combined with the incredible allure of her scent, it was equally clear why his father was obsessed with her.

The fisherman would no doubt have his choice of kings to choose from. It would be virtually impossible to find someone comparable to Satyavati for his father. There was only one thing he could do.

"I, Devavrata, hereby renounce my position as crown prince and vow that the son born of this maiden," he indicated Satyavati, "shall be made king of Hastinapura."

The fisherman was pleased but was still not completely satisfied, for he had thought of another way by which his grandson may not acquire the throne, "I have no doubt you are a man of your word, but there is still the possibility your children might vie for the throne. How can you ensure that doesn’t happen?"

"I have already relinquished my right to the throne, and I shall now settle the matter of my children. O fisherman, with God as my witness, I hereby vow to remain celibate for my entire life!"

There was an ominous flash of lightning and thunder clap as Devavrata completed his vow. The fisherman was filled with delight and declared, "I hereby bestow my daughter to King Santanu of Hastinapura!"

Devavrata then turned to Satyavati and offered his hand saying, "Mother, please come with me to your new home."

Satyavati was in shock at the events of the evening, and the sacrifice Devavrata had made. Her initial happiness at the thought of marrying Santanu had now turned somewhat sour.

When they returned to the palace, Santanu was outside waiting for them. As Devavrata and the chief minister dismounted from the chariot, Santanu saw Satyavati was with them. He turned to Devavrata and asked, "Did you have to renounce your right to the throne?"

"Yes, father," replied Devavrata solemnly.

Santanu began to feel guilty for he knew he was responsible for his son making this sacrifice, but was ultimately happy that his wish to marry Satyavati had come true. He smiled at her and offered his hand for her to descend from the chariot, and upon feeling her soft hand, his desire began to build within.

Seeing that Devavrata had not given all of the details of his sacrifice, Satyavati then spoke with deep sadness. "Devavrata did not only renounce his right to the throne. My father also made him take a vow of celibacy to ensure that even his children could not vie for the throne."

"What!", shouted Santanu. "Is this true?!?" he asked Devavrata.

Devavrata kept his eyes on the ground and nodded. Santanu suddenly found himself overwhelmed with guilt and all of the lust he had, left him in that instant. "Why would you do such a thing?" pleaded Santanu.

"Because I love you father."

Tears poured from Santanu's eyes as he pulled his son into a tight hug and spoke, "Death shall never come to you for as long as you desire to live. Truly, death shall only approach one as pure as you after first obtaining your command."

Santanu then released his hug and continued while holding Devavrata's shoulders, "And for this terrible vow you have taken, you are no longer Devavrata. You are now Bhishma instead."

The next day, Santanu and Satyavati were married at the palace without any celebration at all.

Footnotes

1. Derived from: Adi Parva, Section C, p. 215-218.

2. Adrika: Adi Parva, Section LXIII, p. 126.