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

 

Man's good deeds will get him success

 

CHENNAI, OCT. 31. Hate is a cruel fire which will extort the fuel

on which it thrives and grows. The heart, which is full of

inexplicable hatred, cannot know contentment. Men with such a

negative mind and who by some means acquire wealth and power,

will derive vicarious pleasure by deliberately displaying what

they enjoy hoping that by such a step, their opponents will feel

jealous and unhappy. But those steeped in righteousness will

ignore such flaunts of their riches. The Mahabharatam illustrates

this by describing the mean attitude of the group of evil minded

Kauravas, who not having even satisfied in having sent their

cousins to forest, camped near the place where they stayed and

tried to show that they were well-placed in life while the

Pandavas were experiencing severe hardship.

 

That God will never let down those who depend on Him was proved

when the wicked Duryodhana was carried away by a powerful

celestial who also routed the entire Kaurava army,

notwithstanding Karna's valiant attempts to stop the onslaught.

While the defeated Duryodhana shouted for help, Bheema was glad

at the punishment meted out to the enemies. But the virtuous

Yudhishtra did not like Bheema's glee and it was then he made one

of the best statements in the epic. ``Granted they are our

enemies, they are but our cousins and our blood brothers. They

may not be our friends but against a third person we should be

united. We are five against a hundred but when a common enemy

attacks us, we are a hundred and five.'' The subdued hero,

obeying his brother, saved Duryodhana who however did not like

his enemies coming to his rescue and thereby suffering

humiliation. However Karna and others consoled him and removed

his depression.

 

Sri K. P. Arivanandam, in his lecture, said Vyasa gave some

useful tips to Yudhishtra who, already immersed in righteousness,

wanted to get his moral convictions further strengthened. Vyasa

explained the significance of conducting penance and austerities

whereby a person can enjoy peace. He cited the example of a good

crop a farmer can harvest if he uses the water of the same well.

Also even as water that is poured at the root of a tree will

reach its top and yield luscious fruits, a man's good deeds will

secure him success. Vyasa also told him how knowledge can be

secured through six paths - truthfulness, patience, non-violence,

gratitude, purity and control of senses. Asked by Yudhishtra as

to which among the two is to be preferred - penance or charity,

the sage preferred the latter as it will benefit both the donor

and the recipient. But it is wrong to give charity out of ill-

gotten riches.

 

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