Settling in Banaras

The founding of banaras:
siva was very sad. his wife, pavrati, asked him why he was so sad. he said, 'it is all this coming and going, all this rebirth and redeath. so much suffering in this world my brothers have created.' And so Pavarati (sp?) said 'we should create a land where everyone can escape, can reach salvation, after one go'. and so, they joined together (siva is often depcited as half man and half woman) they joined together in one, thrust their spear down on the ground in the land between the Assi river and the Ganga, and created Kathka in this spot. The truth is, hindu scholars agree, that truly the city of Kathka is an etherial place, not really on this earth, and to come to Banaras hoping for an easy way out of Samsara is silly. But, this is where it is supposed to be, if you die here, you are free. ANd that's where I am now. isn't that sweet? how fucking cool is that?

Another short descriptive:
Wandering in kilometer after kiloeter of narrow feudal allyway, dodging cows and their dung, children gleefully calling "haillo! Haillo!" this place itself an earthly god with humans in her veins (many humans. there are so many indian people, it's crazy. New York doesn't know from population density).this place itself an earthly god with humans in her veins, excreting filth to be returned to Mother Ganga, which is the mother of all life, which is basically a big open sewer. It is septic.

A thought:

Arjuna, warrior hero of the pandavas, needed to kill Karna to win the war of the mahabrata. Karna, hero of the Kurus, could not be killed while he carried a magical shield of protection. So Krishna, the cowherd, incarnation of Vishnu, talked to Kunti, who was mother to both Karna and arjuna (but only raised Karna), and asked her to tell her son Karna to leave his shield behind. She did, and obedient to his mother, he did not carry his shield into battle. Thus, Arjuna slew him with his gandava bow. Allright. So who was heroic, who was honerable here? Arjuna was supposed to be the hero, supposed to be fighting for justice, but who said so? Karna was brave and honorable and loyal. Arjuna is the hero, just because Krishna said so. SO just because he's a god, he gets to decide what's right and wrong? We're just supposed to take his word for it that Karna's a bad guy? Thats not morality. This was a point raised by Shuktaji, who is an old man with hair growing from his ears who sits for hours a day and talks to me about hinduism and life and whateveris on his mind. He is very wise, and laughs at everything, especailly the great evils, the great suffering. I'm supposed to be learning mythology from him, but I'll have toget that from books.

Visit last night to host Aunt's house, easy to be polite when you can't speak the language--just sit there. Wedding soon.

More later. I am now living in one place until april 20, so will have no crazy travelling stories, just ramblings about what I'm learning.
Hope you all are well.
best
jed