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Source: The Hindu (http://www.the-hindu.com)

 

Remain true to values in life

 

CHENNAI, JUNE 10. One of the greatest paradoxes of human life is

the disparity seen in the moral stature and the worldly

endowments of a person. It can be seen that people who are

morally lax and do not have any qualms about achieving what they

want, seem to enjoy fortune, whereas those who are wedded to the

righteous way of life suffer. Such good people have to surmount a

lot of obstacles to remain true to the moral values they believe

in implicitly.

 

This contradiction seen in human lives reinforces the truth that

it is not possible to understand the nuances of Dharma with human

intellect. The scriptures and the interpretation given by elders

who are rooted in Dharma are the last word on Dharma. A moral

person should not get dejected and forsake values in life because

of the troubles he faces. Moreover, the scriptural guidelines

should not be interpreted to suit one's convenience.

 

Even the most virtuous of men, whose name was synonymous with

righteousness, Yudishtra, suffered greatly, which made the elder

Bhishma remark when the Pandava met him along with Lord Krishna,

``How painful and how unjust it has been that you, the progeny of

righteousness and votary of the pious, Dharma and Lord Achyuta,

should have lived a life of suffering, which you surely did not

deserve. Where King Yudishtra, the son of Dharma, was the ruler,

Bhima held the mace in his hand, Arjuna was the archer and

Gandiva the bow, and where Sri Krishna was the friend and well-

wisher, to even think of adversity there!''

 

Bhishma told Yudishtra that all events in the lives of men were

dictated by Time and Providence and advised him to submit to

God's will and perform his duties as the monarch righteously

without giving in to despondency. After the war Dharmaputra had

become remorseful and he expressed the same to Lord Krishna

claiming responsibility for all the bloodshed.

 

The Lord convinced him that he had only done his duty as a

warrior by fighting in the war and hence sins would not accrue to

him. He also told him that it was not possible to grasp the

nuances of Dharma easily and advised him to seek Bhishma who lay

on a bed of arrows awaiting his end and learn its intricacies

from him, said Sri V. B. Damodara Dikshitar in his discourse.

 

Bhishma's elaborate exposition on Dharma is a veritable treatise

on the subject. The famous hymn, the Vishnu Sahasranama, was sung

in praise of Lord Krishna by Bhishma at this juncture, when He

identified the Lord as the supreme Dharma and he recommended

chanting His names as the antidote to all sins.

 

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