Episode 19
Anger Management is basic
requisite for a human to become humane. Anger leads to delusion and destroys
discriminating intellect. The story of Parīkṣit epitomizes the importance of anger management in day today life.
Please see the story below; read and reflect.
We all know the story of Abhimanyu, the son of Arjuna who
fought ferociously and finally fell in the Maha Bharata war. Abhimanyu's son
was Parīkṣit who ruled the
country upholding dharma in the twilight zone of Treta Yuga and the dawn of
Kali Yuga. He was so popular that he introduced number
of welfare activities for the sake of widows, orphans, and handicapped and
depressed sections of people and was bearing all their expenses[ii]. He was also fond of hunting and on one day he
was chasing an animal which took him into the thick forest and disappeared.
After some time, he became thirsty and reached a place
where he saw a sage Samīka, a muni who was sitting in deep meditation. Parīkṣit introduced himself as the king of Hastinapur and asked
whether he had seen the animal anywhere. The muni was in the path of
'maunavratam' (adherence to silence) on that day. Hence, he did not reply. Parīkṣit was already tired and hungry. He was not aware of the
muni’s maunavratam. He got very angry at the attitude of the sage that he
picked up a dead serpent with his bow and put it on the neck of the sage. The
sage was totally in equanimity of mind. Despite being humiliated by the king,
he did not allow himself to be swayed by anger. He just ignored and never
reacted. The king repented and left the place for his kingdom.
Srungi was the son of Samīka. He was as powerful as his
father in tapas, but he could easily be provoked by small incidents as he was
infested with anger. When the incident took place, Srungi was not at the place.
He got the news through his friend Krusa. 'What is the use of your tapas when
your father is insulted by a king?' Krusa instigated. Srungi
heard what had happened and got very angry and cursed Parīkṣit that he would die in seven day by the bite
of Takshaka, a deadly serpent. Then he reached his father hurriedly and saw the dead
serpent hung over his father's neck. He wept bitterly and told, ‘Dear father,
see how arrogant the king is! He has insulted you and he deserved my curse. I
cursed him that he would die by the bite of Takshaka in seven days’.
'What a wrong thing you have done, my dear son? The king
has been upholding dharma in this universe; and by his death, there will be
none to safeguard dharma. All of us are under his protection and with his death
we all will perish', Samīka told. He further added, 'The
king establishes righteousness in the world. We can perform yagnas and thereby do
social good under his protection only. The gods are pleased when we perform
yagnas and they, in turn bless the world with rains; and through rains, the
flora & fauna flourish[iii]. What you
have done is out of your utter ignorance and foolishness and I admonish you’.
Srungi realized his mistake. Basically, he was a prodigy
but had fallen prey to fury and had cursed Parīkṣit. The sober words of his father had smoothened his
wrath. But he never uttered an untruth in his life and his words can never go
waste. Parīkṣit was destined to
die and his curse would remain truth. Samīka wanted to correct his son and
advised him to go to forest and have satvic food and control his senses. ‘This world and the higher worlds belong to those who adhere
to the principle of forgiveness[iv].
Then Samīka sent a word to Parīkṣit through a disciple and advised him to think of saving
his life from the deadly curse. Parīkṣit received
the messenger with all humility and heard his message. He was more worried
about the humiliation meted out to muni than his own imminent death. He
repented his mistake and sought the forgiveness of Samīka.
The king called for a meeting of his ministers and upon
their advice shifted his accommodation to a palace supported by a single pillar
to obviate the entry of any serpent inside. But the curse of Srungi was
designed by destiny. The palace supported by a single pillar was no more a
barrier for Takshaka. Takshaka ordered his fellow serpents to enter the palace
in disguise. They entered as servants to the king carrying different variety of
fruits. Takshaka entered the palace as a small insect[v] through a mango;
and on the seventh day he emerged out in his original form, encircled the neck and
killed the king with his deadly bite.
Story- An analysis
It is said that while MahaBharata analyzes krodha (anger)
in all aspects, the Ramayana analyzes kama (lust). In Maha bharata, the main
character, Duryodhana was described as the personification of anger. In the
story of Parīkṣit, we can see how a
moment of anger can destroy lives and destinies of the countries. Parīkṣit, an upholder of dharma lost temper in a fit of rage
and humiliated a muni, Samīka. The word ‘Samīka’is derived from ‘śama’. It is
antar-indriya- nigraha (control of senses, particularly mind). A person with ‘śama’
cannot be instigated with any amount of rage. The muni observed Parīkṣit putting a serpent in his neck, but he just ignored. Psychologically
an angry person becomes weak if he is not confronted with an equally angry
person. So Parikshit mellowed and repented profusely. Samīka knows how the
quality of forgiveness is supreme in the world. Srungi, the son of Samīka is an
aggressive character and he is swayed by anger. He cursed the king foolishly
knowing fully well that the entire world sustains only under the benevolent
leadership of the king. He never anticipated in his fury the outcome of the
death of a great king. He lost his control over senses and got deluded in his thoughts;
with result he lost capacity of discriminating intellect. Gita says,
क्रोधाद्भवति संमोहः संमोहात्स्मृतिविभ्रमः।
स्मृतिभ्रंशाद् बुद्धिनाशो बुद्धिनाशात्प्रणश्यति। Gita 2.63.
(From anger, delusion arises; and from delusion
bewilderment of memory. When memory is bewildered, discriminating intellect is
lost. When intelligence is lost, one falls again (to the world of maya). The
momentary anger of Parīkṣit resulted in
insulting a muni and a momentary anger of Srungi caused the destruction of the king
and the kingdom. In Srimad Bhagavata, we come across the same story of Parīkṣit as to how Kalki made inroads into the earth after the
death of Parīkṣit.
The grand narrative of the story is to inform the
audience the destructive effect of anger. The story also highlights as to how ‘śama’
(control of inner senses) give rise to pragmatic quality of forgiveness which
ultimately sustains the world. No one can conquer the man of calm mind. The
story also gives a hint as to how we can develop this quality. Samīka asks his
son to do three things- have satvic food, control anger and adhere to the path
of dharma.
Ayurveda, therefore, beautifully links āhāra (food), vihāra
(lifestyle) and vicāra (thought process) for the development of a harmonious
individual. Every art, every science and every field of knowledge in India try
to synchronize the subtle qualities of an individual for social good.
Sociological perspectives
The story talks of a palace constructed upon the support
of a single pillar. Do Indians know the architectural skills of building a
palace on a single pillar? This aspect must be further probed. References of
single pillar supported structures are found during 15th century AD
when we find a story of poet Srinatha mentioning about a single pillar
structure constructed by the king, Vema Reddy.
Describing Samīka, it is stated that he was living on the
froth flown in the air when the calves were sucking the udders of mother cows.
Sages appear to have been lived on austerity without any disgrace in the
society in those days. Society might not have been such materialistic to loath
the poor and austere community of people. In fact, they were recognized, and
their intellect respected. The simplicity of their lives must have been an
inspiration for others to emulate.
Takshaka, a mighty serpent became a small insect. This
aspect of reducing smaller than smallest is a spiritual power mentioned in many
texts of Yoga and in Amara Kosa. Five thousand years ago, the people of Maha
Bharata age knew this spiritual art. We have these references in Ramayana also.
Points to
ponder
1.
What are the destructive aspects of anger?
2.
What is the importance of anger management in life?
3.
How can we control anger? What are the things suggested
in this story?
4.
Do you feel that anger sprouts and shoots up by
instigation? What kind of people can never be instigated?
5.
How to weaken an any angry opponent- by offence or by
avoidance?
Footnotes
[i] This
story is taken from Adi Parva of Maha Bharata written by sage Vyasa. The story
also appears in Srimad Bhagavatam in more elaborative fashion. But here only
the version from Adi Parva of Maha Bharata alone is taken for analysis.
विधवानाथ विकलान् कृपणांश्च बभार सः - Adi Parva 49.11
sthitāḥ
sumanaso rājan tena rājñā svadhiṣṭhitāḥ
vidhavānātha vikalān kṛpaṇāṃśca
babhāra saḥ
राज्ञो यज्ञ क्रियास्सर्वा यज्ञाद् देवाः प्रतिष्ठिताः||
देवाद्वृष्टिः प्रवर्तेत वृष्टेरोषधयः स्मृताः|
ओषधिभ्यो मनुष्याणां धारयन् सततं हितम्|| -Adi Parva
41- 29,30
rājñā pratiṣṭito
dharmaḥ dharmāt
svargaḥ pratiṣṭhitaḥ
rājño yajña kriyāhaḥ sarvā
yajñād devāḥ pratiṣṭhitāḥ
devād vṛṣṭiha: pravarteta
vṛṣṭe roṣadayaḥ smṛtāḥ
oṣadibhyo manuṣyāṇāṃ dhārayan
satataṃ hitaṃ
क्षमावता मयं लोकः परश्चैव क्षमावताम् -
Adi
Parva 42. 9
śama eva yatīnāṃ hi kṣamiṇāṃ siddhi
kārakaḥ
kṣamāvatā mayaṃ lokaḥ
paraścaiva kṣamāvatām
[v] Amara
Kosa mentions eight powers a person can attain - Aṇimā,
Mahima, Garima, Laghima, Prāpti, Prākāmya, Iṣiṭva,
Vaśitva. Aṇimā is the power of becoming smaller than the
smallest.
