CHAPTER XI.
The Re-action of Virtues and Vices on each other.
WE have now considered many virtues and vices separately, and have seen, in many illustrations, how virtues lead to happiness and vices to misery. We have finally to see how a virtue helps to produce a virtue in another, and a vice a vice, so that we may learn how to help others to Tightness of thought and action, and thus promote their happiness. By showing love to others, we awaken love in them ; by showing hate, we awaken hate. We are apt to feel as others feel. A man who is angry makes those around him angry, and so quarrels arise and grow more and more bitter. An angry word brings an angry reply, and that brings a still more angry retort, and so on and on. On the other hand, gentle words bring gentle words in reply, kindness arouses kindness, and good deeds cause good deeds in others.
When this is understood, we can use right emotions to counteract wrong ones in others, instead of letting ourselves run into wrong emotions when these are shown to us. If a man speaks angrily to us, and we feel inclined to answer angrily, we should check ourselves and answer very gently, and this gentle answer will soothe him, and make him feel less angry. This is what is meant by returning good for evil, and only by acting in this way can we restore harmony when it is disturbed, and preserve it for the happiness of all.
When Draupadi urged King Yudhishthira to attack the Kurus, after he had been so cruelly cheated and ruined by them, the wise King pointed out to her that the returning of evil for evil could only result in the continuance of misery. "The wise man who, though persecuted, suffereth not his wrath to be aroused, joyeth in the other world, having passed his persecutor over with indifference. For this reason it has been said that a wise man, whether strong or weak, should ever forgive his persecutor, even when the latter is in straits...If amongst men there were not some equal to the earth in forgiveness, there would be no peace among men, but continued strife born of wrath. If the injured were to return their injuries, if one chastised by his superior were to chastise his superior in return, the consequence would be the destruction of every creature, and sin would prevail.
If the man who hath ill speeches from another returneth those speeches ; if the injured man returneth his injuries; if the chastised person chastises in return ; then would fathers slay sons, and sons fathers ; then would husbands slay wives, and wives husbands; then, Krishna, how could birth take place in a world thus filled with anger ? For know thou that the birth of creatures is due to peace."*
Hear how Dasharatha, the King, turned away, by soft humility, the anger of his wife. Kaushalya, mother of Ramachandra, rent by anguish for the loss of that unequalled son, exiled for long years from her fond arms, spake for the first time angry words to Dasharatha : "Thou hast murdered thy sinless son with thine own hands, King. Well hast thou trodden the Ancient Path, maintained by thy ancestors with so much toil. The husband is the first refuge of woman ; the son is the second ; the kinsmen the third ; there is no fourth. Thou hast abandoned me ; Rma is gone ; I cannot leave thee here to go to him. In every way thou hast destroyed me, and destroyed the kingdom and the people." The King heard the harsh words, and bent lower -under that greater burden of sorrow.
His mind was all distraught, and he lost consciousness. Recovering, he saw Kaushalya still beside him. In that moment the memory of that past sin of his, of which this misery was the consequence, came back to him. Burning with the double sorrow of that sin and of the loss of Rama, trembling folding hands, and bending head, spoke to her "Forgive me, Kaushalya. I fold my hands to thee. Ever wast thou tender-hearted, even unto others. Bear with thy husband, whether he be good or ill. I am so broken already by my sorrow. Speak not harsh words to me, even in thy an- guish." She heard that piteous speech of the humbled King, and tears of pity rushed forth from her eyes like new rain-water from the waterfalls.
Her anger vanished, yielding place to deep humility and remorse and fear of sin for those harsh words. She seized the hands of the King, and put them on her head, and in great agitation said : " Forgive, forgive me, King, I entreat thee with my head upon thy feet. It is for me to ask thee for forgiveness, not for thee to ask of me, for so great sin would come to me. That woman is not honoured of the wise in this or in the other worlds, who compels her husband to propitiate her. I know the dharma, and I know that thou, my husband, knowest it, and therefore must perform thy promise and maintain the truth. Sorrow for my son drove me in a weak moment to say those words of wrong. Sorrow destroys all firmness ; sorrow destroys all wisdom : there is no enemy like to sorrow. It swells within my heart, like rivers in the rains, when I think of my beloved son."*
Thus was Kaushalya's bitterness overcome by Dasharatha's sweet humility and patience. If he had answered bitterly to her bitter words, the quarrel would have grown, and their common grief would have driven them from each other. But he met her pride with humility, her reproach with meekness, her anger with tenderness, and thus humility, meekness and tenderness were aroused in her.
So again does Ramachandra awaken trust towards Bharata' in Lakshmana's angry breast, by showing out that trust Himself. Rama, gone forth from Ayodhya, with His wife and brother, to keep His, father's word unbroken, dwelling in the forests, heard the distant murmurs of a marching army, and bade Lakshmana ascend a tree and look. Lakshmana saw that it was Bharata coming into the forest with a great throng of men. Anger at the exile forced his thought at once into the way of suspicion against Bharata, and he came in haste to Rama and asked him wrathfully to prepare for battle, as Bharata was coming to slay them and so make sure of his sovereignty. But Rama's mind was full of love to Bharata and not anger. And tenderly He said : " Mistrust him not. I will say to him :' Give all this kingdom unto Lakshmana, and he will say but one word - 'Yes.'
" The wrath of Lakshmana vanished, giving place to shame. And Bharata came and begged and prayed of Rama that he should go back to Ayodhya. But Rama would not break His father's word in letter or spirit. And Bharata carried away the walking sandals of Rama and .placed them on the throne as symbol of the rightful Sovereign, and ruled Ayodhya" in His name and as his regent, for the fourteen years of Rama's wanderings.*
Over and over again in the dark days of their exile, did his wife and brothers, losing heart and patience, blame Yudhishthira for his loyal adherence to his compact with the Kauravas, and his patient endurance of wrong. Over and over again did that noble heart, pierced and tortured by the reproaches of his loved ones, win them back . by gentleness to the path of truth and honour. Thus Bhlma, giving way to fierce anger, bitterly upbraided his elder brother with " the trite merit of sticking to a promise " made to gamblers who had overreached him, laid the loss of kingdom and riches at his door, reproached him with weakness, with deserting the virtues of his order, with making himself ridiculous. But Yudhishthira, summoning all his patience and remaining silent for a few moments, answered gently that doubtless all Bhima's words were true: " I cannot reproach thee for torturing me thus, piercing me with thy arrowy words ; for from my own folly alone has this calamity fallen upon you all. I should have controlled my mind, and not have allowed it to be influenced by arrogance, vanity and pride. I cannot then reproach thee, Bhima, for thy winged words. Yet have I given my pledge, and who may break his pledged word ? Death is easier to bear than the gaining of a realm by a lie. What avail, then, to speak to me thus harshly ? My heart is broken by the sight of the sufferings I have caused. But I may not break my word.
Wait, my brother, for the return of better days, as the sower waits for the harvest. For know, O ' Bhima, that my promise may not be made untrue. Virtue is better than life itself or than the joys of heaven. Kingdom, sons, fame, wealth, all these do not come up to one-sixteenth part of truth. " Thus patiently did the prince bear his brother'; angry taunts, and ever was he ready to meet harsh blame with gentle humility, and to win by love a yielding that his proud brothers would never have given to wrath. * As gentle sympathy arouses love, so does thoughtless ridicule arouse hatred, and hatred in its turn, gives rise to many evils.
The fame of Yudhishthira spread far and wide, and all men praised the splendour of his Rajasuya sacrifice. Now this praise, bestowed on his hated rival, filled with jealousy the heart of Duryodhana, and this evil emotion was rendered bitterer and more active by the careless disregard of his feelings shown by Bhima and by others. For one day as Yudhishthira was sitting on his golden throne, surrounded by his brothers, by many courtiers and Kings, Duryodhana and his brothers entered the assembly hall ; and as he came he was deceived by the art of Maya, the Danava, who had built Yudhishthira's place with skill and craft, and taking the crystal lake as water, he drew up his garments to avoid wetting them, and later fell into water which looked like solid ground.
Then Bhima/(or Draupadi ?) laughed out boisterously and rudely, and others followed his bad example, although Yudhishthira reproved their lack of courtesy. And Duryodhana, with black frown, went away ashamed, with rage in his heart, and returned to Hastinapura, vowing vengeance for the insult ; and this was one of the many causes that led at last to the gambling match and the exile, and the fierce battle of Kuru-kshetra, and the slaughter of Duryodhana and of his and Yudhisthira's kinsmen. *Evil returned with evil does but give birth to new evil, thus lengthening the chain of misery.
Bhrigu had a son, Jamadagni, who became famous for his great austerities and rigid life, and in his family was born Rama, called later Kama of the Axe. Now Rama, though a Brahmana by birth, was at heart a Kshattriya, and his character was, as his grandfather Bhrigu had prophesied, "fit for the military order;" and in Jamadagni also lurked hidden a seed of that fierce temper, which all his austerities had not availed to wholly burn away. And this caused sore trial and misery to befall this great race. For Jamadagni, furious at heart because of a hasty doubt of his wife's chastity, bade his sons, one by one, to slay her ; but none would lift hand against the mother's sacred person save Rama, the youngest, who smote off her head with an axe.
Being granted a boon by his father, he asked that his mother might be restored to life, and then went on pilgrimage to expiate the crime of matricide. But not thus could the evil wrought by Jamadagni's anger be exhausted. While her sons were absent, Renuka , the wife of Jamadagni, left alone, had to offer hospitality to Arjuna, son of Kritavlrya ; and he intoxicated with a warrior's pride, not deeming her reception worthy of his greatness, carried away forcibly the calf of the cow whose milk supplied the butter for the daily sacrifice. When Rama returned, Jamadagni told him what had happened, and the plaintive lowing of the cow for her young one increased the anger aroused by the recital ; and so, losing self-control in passion, he rushed off and slew Arjuna, cutting off his thousand arms after fierce fight. This act aroused, in turn, fierce wrath of the kinsmen of Arjuna,and, to return evil with evil, they rushed to the hermitage of Jamadagni, where he sat engaged in meditation, and slew him with arrows, defenceless as he was sitting immersed in contemplation.Nor yet was the tale of slaughter completed, since forgiveness the only thing that could cut the chain of evil was not in the heart of Rama of the Axe ; and he, having bewailed his father and having burned his body with due rites, vowed by that funeral pyre the slaughter of the Kshattriya caste for thus the evil grew, ever swelling to larger and larger proportions. Then, taking up his axe, he attacked and slew the kinsmen of Arjuna, and after that warred with all Kshattriyas, exterminating well-nigh that warrior caste.*Even when we are treated with injustice and unkindness, it is best to preserve sweetness and agreeableness of behaviour, and thus win the one who so treats us, be he superior, equal or inferior, to show sweetness and agreeableness in return.
Once Durvasa visited Duryodhana, and proved to be a very difficult guest to please. In vain did Duryodhana and his brothers, treat him with the greatest honour, waiting on him day and night. Sometimes Durvasa would say : " I am hungry, King ; give me some food quickly," And sometimes he would go out for a bath, and Duryodhana would have food prepared for his return, and on returning Durvasa would say : "I shall not eat anything today, as I have no appetite." Coming suddenly, he would say : " Feed me quickly." And another time, rising at midnight, he would call for a meal, and when it was brought, would carp at it and refuse to touch it.
Thus Durvasa, tormented Duryodhana for awhile, but when he found that Duryodhana never showed either anger or impatience, then he became gracious to him and said : "I have power to grant thee a boon. Choose what thou wilt. Pleased as I am with thee, thou mayest obtain from me anything that is not opposed to religion or morals."*
Smetimes, indeed, a man is so hard -hearted that no kindness can melt him, and then he goes on unyieldingly till, at last, he perishes. Duryodhana may serve as a striking illustration of this. Having robbed his cousins of their kingdom and riches and driven them into exile, Duryodhana resolved to feast his eyes on their poverty and hardships in the forest, advised by the wily Shakuni, who told him that he would increase his own joy by seeing the misery of his rivals ; he took with him his brothers and friends and the royal ladies, that the Pandavas might suffer shame under the contrast. His cruel plot failed, in consequence of his being attacked and captured by the King of the Gandharvas and his hosts, whom he had insulted in his overbearing pride. Some of the fugitives ran to King Yudhishthira and prayed his aid ; the gentle King, rebuking Bhima for his cutting words of refusal, bade his brothers arm themselves and rescue their kinsmen, remembering that, by the seizure of Duryodhana and the ladies of their house, the family honour was stained. "
Entreated for help in such words as, 'Oh, hasten to my aid,' who is there that is not high-souled enough to assist even his foe, beholding him seeking shelter with joined hands. The bestowal of a boon, sovereignty and the birth of a son, are sources of great joy. But, sons of Pandu, the liberation of a foe from distress is equal to all the three put together." So spake the high-souled King, and his brothers obeyed. The battle raged for some time, and then Arjuna and the King of the Gandharvas, who were friends, checked the struggle, and Arjuna enquired into the reason of the attack on Duryodhana. The celestial King explained that he knew Duryodhana's wicked motive in visiting the forest, and he was carrying him for punishment to Indra. Arjuna prayed his friend to set free the captives, at last the Gandharva King promised to do so, if Yudhishthira so wished, after hearing the whole story.
The Pandava prince listened silently to the account of the mean and cruel outrage contemplated by Dnryodhana, and thanking and praising the Gandharvas, he set Duryodhana and his companions free. When the Gandharvas were gone, Yudhishthira spoke lovingly to his cousin :" child, never again do thou so rash an act, for rashness leads never to happiness, Bharata. son of the Kuru race, blessed be thou with all thy brothers. Go back to thy capital as thou wilt, and be not thou sad or cheerless." Thus kindly did the blameless King treat his envenomed foe, the earthly author of his misery ; but Duryodhana, departing, was only the more filled with grief and anger ; the very kindness became a new offence, and he sullenly returned to Hastinapura, only hating the more bitterly those who had returned his evil with kindly aid.*
Fortunately such doggedness in angry feeling is comparatively rare, for as the sun softens butter so does the warmth of kindly feeling soften the angry mood. Even when anger shown to us arouses in us a corresponding feeling of anger, we may try to check it, and may refuse to give it expression in word, or look, or gesture. Such repression gradually extinguishes the feeling, and at least we have succeeded in not casting fuel on the flame to increase its burning. After some practice of this kind, we shall find that the anger of another no longer causes any feeling of anger in ourselves, and we shall be able to use all our strength in sending kind feeling to meet the harsh feeling of the other.
It is now easy for us to see why bad company should be avoided ; if we are with people who are thinking unkind, or unclean, or other evil thoughts, or who are doing wrong actions impure, intemperate, gluttonous acts their feelings will work on us, and will push us towards thinking and acting in a similar way. Any evils of such kind as may lie hidden in ourselves will start into more active life under such influences, and will become stronger and more difficult to fight against. For these reasons a boy who wishes to lead a pure and industrious life at school, preparing himself for a noble and useful manhood, should avoid bad company, as much as he possibly can. And if at any time he is forced into it, so that he cannot escape ,he should keep his mind very busy with pure and high thoughts, and thus try to affect those round him, and to influence them for good, instead of allowing himself to be influenced by them for evil. In this way we may turn our knowledge to good use, applying it to practice in our own lives, for thus only can we make our knowledge fruitful, and by noble living help to bring greater happiness to the world.
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सत्यमेव जयते नानृतम् सत्येन पन्था विततो देवयानः ।
येनाक्रमत् मनुष्यो ह्यात्मकामो यत्र तत् सत्यस्य परं निधानं ॥
भावार्थ : जय सत्य का होता है, असत्य का नहीं । दैवी मार्ग सत्य से फैला हुआ है । जिस मार्ग पे जाने से मनुष्य आत्मकाम बनता है, वही सत्य का परम् धाम है ।
सत्यं ब्रूयात् प्रियं ब्रूयात् न ब्रूयात् सत्यमप्रियम् ।
नासत्यं च प्रियं ब्रूयात् एष धर्मः सनातनः ॥
भावार्थ :सत्य और प्रिय बोलना चाहिए; पर अप्रिय सत्य नहीं बोलना और प्रिय असत्य भी नहीं बोलना यह सनातन धर्म है ।
{दृष्टिपूतं न्यसेत्पादं वस्त्रपूतं जलं पिबेत् ।
सत्यपूतां वदेद्वाचं मनःपूतं समाचरेत् ॥ मनु ६.४६॥}
क्रुद्ध्यन्तं न प्रतिक्रुध्येदाक्रुष्टः कुशलं वदेत् ।
सप्तद्वारावकीर्णां च न वाचमनृतां वदेत् ॥ मनु ६.४८॥
" Let him not be angry again with the angry man ; being harshly addressed, let him speak softly."
जब कहीं उपदेश वा संवादादि में कोई संन्यासी पर क्रोध करे अथवा निन्दा करे तो संन्यासी को उचित है कि उस पर आप क्रोध न करे किन्तु सदा उसके कल्याणार्थ उपदेश ही करे और मुख के, दो नासिका के, दो आंख के और दो कान के छिद्रों में बिखरी हुई वाणी को किसी मिथ्या कारण से कभी न बोले ।
" सेतूंस्तर दुस्तरान् अक्रोधेन क्रोधं सत्येनानृतम् ॥
" Cross beyond the passes difficult to cross " beyond wrath by forgiveness ; beyond untruth by truth.
वह " वैद्य " जो लात मारते हुए बच्चे के मुँह भी दवा उड़ेल दे कैसा होता है ?
आत्मानं च परं चैव त्रायते महतो भयात् ।
क्रुध्यन्तमप्रतिक्रुध्यन् द्वयोरेष चिकित्सकः ॥
(Sanskrit quote nr. 4623 (Maha-subhashita-samgraha)
" He who is not angry with the angry, he is a physician unto both. He saveth himself as well as the others from great danger."
क्षमा धर्मः क्षमा यज्ञः क्षमा वेदाः क्षमा श्रुतम् ।
यस्तामेवं विजानाति स सर्वं क्षन्तुमर्हति ।।३६।।
क्षमा ( just say Sorry is) ब्रह्म क्षमा सत्यं क्षमा भूतं च भावि च ।
क्षमा तपः क्षमा शौचं क्षमया चोद्धृतं जगत् ।।३७।।
(महाभारतम्-03-आरण्यकपर्व-029)
" Forgiveness (Sorry) is truth, forgiveness is (source and support of) the past and the future. Forgiveness is tapas , Forgiveness is purity, this world is upheld by forgiveness. "
परश्चेदेनमतिवाद बानैर् भृशं विध्येच्छम एवेह कार्यः।
संरोष्यमाणः प्रतिमृष्यते यः स आदत्ते सुकृतं वै परस्य॥१०॥
आक्रुश्यमानो न वदामि किं चित् क्षमाम्यहं ताद्यमानश् च नित्यम्।
श्रेष्ठं ह्येतत्क्षममप्याहुरार्याः सत्यं तथैवार्जवमानृशंस्यम्॥१२॥
आक्रुश्यमानो नाक्रोशेन्मन्युरेव तितिक्षतः।
आक्रोष्टारं निर्दहति सुकृतं चास्य विन्दते॥१६॥
यो नात्युक्तः प्राह रूक्षं प्रियं वा यो वा हतो न प्रतिहन्ति धैर्यात्।
पापं च यो नेच्छति तस्य हन्तुस् तस्मै देवाः स्पृहयन्ते सदैव॥१७॥
पापीयसः क्षमेतैव श्रेयसः सदृशस्य च।
विमानितो हतोऽऽक्रुष्ट एवं सिद्धिं गमिष्यति॥१८॥
" If a person deeply pierces a wise man with barbed words, the wise man should take refuge in patience. The man who, provoked to anger, only smileth back gently, not yielding to anger, he taketh away from the provoker all his merits.
" Spoken to harshly, I say nothing ; even when assailed, I always forgive. This is the best this that the elders have named forgiveness, and truth, and candour, and gentleness.
" Addressed harshly, let him not reply harshly. The wrath of the wrathful assailant consumeth himself, and taketh away all his merit.
[हंसगीता : {" Hand Book of Hindu Religion and Ethis " {In vene क्रुध्यन्तं न प्रतिक्रुध्येदाक्रुष्टः कुशलं वदेत् । ' “ Let him not be angry again with the angry man ; being harshly addressed , let him speak softly . " सेतूंस्तर दुस्तरान् अक्रोधेन क्रोधं सत्येनानृतम् ॥}
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