Sahanam

June 9, 2008

Sahanam

We all know how difficult it was to kill the Tripuraasuras and save the worlds. Mahaavishnu had to take avataar of Buddha (ofcourse not Gautama Buddha) and decrease the power of Tripuraasuras. Then Parameshvara with his Divya-sharam (arrow) killed the Tripuraasuras. This Divya-sharam became Duurvaasa Maharshi, the rushi-shreshtha.

Once he came to Paandava-madiram and smiled. Suddenly he became angry. He asked for aahaaram. Then he said no. Then he ate away all the items made for many, alone. For a while he slept on floor and sometime on hamsa-tuulikaa-talpam (bed). He used to go whenever he wants and come whenever he wants.

One day he asked Shri Krishna " Krishna! I want to eat Paramaannam. Will you give? " Shri Krishna immediately got it prepared and served him. He ate little and asked Shri Krishna to paste the remaining on his body! Mukunda, the Muni-jana-maanasa-vihaara, did as said by the Maharshi. Then he took some Paramaannam and put it on Shri Rukminii Devi! He then tied Her to a Ratham and took Her away. He then started hitting her with a rope. Shri Krishna was running behind the Ratham, but didnt get any Krodham. After sometime, Rukminii Devi fell unconscious. Not taking pity on Her, instead Duurvaasa Maharshi put some sand on Her and ran southwards! Shri Krishna also ran behind him. After going for a long distance, the Maharshi smiled and said

" Krishna! You have won Krodham. Even when I pained Rukminii, who is more priyam to You than Yourself, You didnt get angry. I caused a lot of pain to You all. I also pained Jaganmaata Shri Rukminii Devi. Both of You passed my test. I will give You a Varam — people will love You more than themselves! You will become the Jagat-guru (Shri Krishna gave us Bhagavadgeeta) and Your keerti will remain forever " . Later he went to Shri Rukminii Devi and said

" Amma! You will get asamaana-soundaryam and become a great Pativrata " . Saying this he left the place.

This story was told to Dharmaraaja by Shri Bheeshmaachaarya. Bheeshmaachaarya continued " Ahimsa, Daanam, Satyam and Sahanam are Paramadharmas. Vijayalakshmi will bless a person who has Sahanam. Shri Krishna is the Paramaatma. Everything is Him. He is the Sarva-gnya. Listen to Him and always go on the path of Dharmam " .

Morals in the Story:

Krodham is one's greatest enemy. Like Shri Krishna showed us, we must never get Krodham and follow path of Dharma.

Sahanam is a great sad-gunam. A person who has sahanam is respected everywhere. Gandhiji followed this path of Sahanam only and showed us how we can oppose bad just by following Sahanam and Ahimsa.