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

 

Lord gives refuge to those who seek it

 

CHENNAI, OCT. 3. Visits to pilgrim centres and places considered

holy having been sanctified by the association of luminaries have

been included as one among the various measures to strengthen

belief in our ancient traditions and to know how our forbears had

zealously safeguarded the Law of Virtue. The lives of renowned

rulers reveal how they refused to swerve from the path of duty

even under extraordinary circumstances. Having given a solemn

pledge, they never tried to wriggle out of it, even if forced.

Their only concern was to uphold the Law. How a king was prepared

to sacrifice his life to honour a commitment is contained in the

Mahabharatham.

 

Both the God of Fire (Agni) and the chief of the celestials

wanted to test a king whether he was firm in his anxiety to abide

by ``Dharma''. The former took the form of a dove and fell at the

feet of King Sibi. The latter, as a vulture, was chasing it, to

have it as its food. The vulture pleaded with Sibi to hand over

the bird to it. Once the pigeon had sought protection from him,

the king in turn told the giant bird that he was bound to take it

in his care. He was on the horns of a dilemma whether to release

the pigeon which would mean its death and if he refused to give

it, he would be denying the vulture its legitimate need. Sibi

then decided to hand over as much quantity of flesh sliced from

his body as the bird would weigh. But the pan in the balance on

which the dove was kept never went down though Sibi was carving

out flesh from his body and placing it on the other pan. He had

almost sacrificed his entire body when the celestials revealed

their identity and admired his respect for ``Dharma''. Sibi was

aware that the Lord resides in every creation of His and that He

was bound to give refuge to anyone who sought it from Him.

 

This tale was narrated by a sage to the Pandavas when they went

on a pilgrimage while they were living in their 12-year period of

exile. They were joined by Arjuna who had earlier gone alone and

obtained the powerful weapon from Lord Siva. An equally thrilling

episode describing the confrontation between Bhima and Anjaneya,

though they were brothers but not aware initially of their

relationship, was narrated by Sri K.P. Arivanandam in his

lecture. In quest of a very fragrant flower which Draupadi

wanted, Bhima went on and on, but lost his way. Not knowing that

Anjaneya was meditating in a remote place en route, Bhima used

all the power at his command to remove the former from

obstructing his path and failed. Both then realised that they

were brothers and on being properly directed, Bhima obtained the

flower.

 

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