Fw: Formidable Foes

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sadagopan

tiruvenkatam ; ramanuja

Thursday, September 01, 2005 9:04 AM

Formidable Foes

 

 

Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

 

 

 

Formidable Foes

 

 

 

 

 

My 11year-old son Shriram is not on speaking terms with his friend, the

neighbour's boy. I found this puzzling, because Shriram usually has to be

dragged away from the neighbour's, where he spends all his waking hours, but for

the short time required for his daily chores. When I sought to ascertain the

reasons for his sudden change of heart, my son told me that the boy had become

an " enemy " . Some minor misunderstanding was obviously the cause and I dropped

the matter there. However, the term he had used-- " enemy " -- rather a strong word

to describe a tiff between boys, stuck to my mind and set off a train of

thought.

 

 

 

The Sanskrit word for Enemy is " Shatru " . Surprisingly, this word and its

equivalent, " Ripu " , appear to be extremely popular with poets, if one were to go

by the number of times the words occur in one single work, viz., Srimad

Ramayanam. I found, to my astonishment, that there were no less than 445

mentions of the words, attesting to their widespread usage.

 

 

 

We make enemies galore all through our long lives, wittingly and unwittingly, on

the personal and official fronts, due to our action or inaction. Some of these

enmities are temporary (like my son's), mere storms in a tea cup, and are

cleared in an hour, a day or at best a week. There are some however, with whom

we remain estranged for life, for some reason or the other. Though " Enmity " is

perhaps a strong term to use for strained personal relationships, during the

period of estrangement, the feelings between the individuals concerned run so

high, that they are perhaps no less than those affecting nations at war.

 

 

 

It might perhaps surprise you to find Shastras emphatically declaring that the

maximum damage and hurt to us is caused not by external enemies, but by

ourselves. We are our own worst enemy, responsible for our own downfall, says

the Gita -

 

 

 

" Aatma eva aatmano bandhu: Aatma eva ripu: aatmana: "

 

 

 

It is our mind, plagued by innumerable desires and ambitions, that leads us in

paths of destruction-the role of external factors in this is much less

significant than that of the Mind, which we call our own. While a clear mind,

unattached to sensual pleasures, is the best friend a man could boast of,

leading him to higher and higher spiritual planes, a mind muddied by desire and

craving is the worst foe he should fear, says Sri Ramanuja in his commentary.

The Mind is verily the reason for both our continued bondage and liberty, says

Sri Vishnu Puranam- " Mana eva manushyaanaam kaaranam bandha mokshayo: " . The

Geetaacharya reiterates the concept of Mind being our best friend and worst foe,

telling us that one who has full control over his mind finds it his most

beneficial relative, while one with a wayward mind finds it his sworn enemy,

pulling him down constantly- " Anaatmanastu shatrutve varteta aatmaiva shatruvat " .

 

It is for this reason that the Shruti too calls the Mind the most terrifying of

all foes- " Bheeshmo hi mana: " . This is confirmed by another Upanishad, which

terms the Mind the greatest of our enemies- " Mana eva jagat sarvam, Mana eva

mahaa ripu: "

 

 

 

Which specific emotion thrown up by the mind makes it our enemy? This particular

question is asked of Yudhissttira by the Yaksha, in the famous " Yaksha

Prasnam " - " Ka: Shatru: durjaya: pumsaam? " Not merely an enemy, but an

unconquerable one at that? Replies the wise Dharmaputra- " It is none other than

anger " - " Krodha: sudurjaya: shatru: " . Fury and rage cause such incalculable

damage, that they could easily be categorised as our worst enemies, killing us

from within. Here is another quote from Srimad Ramayanam, telling us what a

powerful foe anger is-

 

 

 

" Krodha: shatru: shareerasttho manushyaanaam Dvijottama! "

 

 

 

The Mahopanishad lists yet another emotion as our principal foe-pride and

arrogance. No other foe harms us as much as Ahankaaram, says the Upanishad-

 

 

 

" Ahankaara vasaat aapat, ahankaara vasaat duraadhaya:

 

Ahankaara vasaadeehaa, na ahankaaraat paro ripu: "

 

 

 

Srimad Ramayanam shows us another adversary, which pushes us down into the dumps

and ensures that we never lift our head- " shoko nasayate sarvam, naasti shoka

samo ripu: " Sorrow and despair are our worst enemies, as they destroy hope and

aspiration that form the basic fabric of the human mind. Many are the people who

have taken their own lives or at least attempted to do so, prompted by

depression, dejection and despair. If a person of phenomenal mental strength

like Sri Mythily, who could stand abduction, imprisonment and harassment at the

hands of Rakshasis, was driven to contemplate suicide, then nothing more need be

said about the damage potential of despair.

 

 

 

Sri Nammazhwar lists not one, but five foes that every person has to contend

with. These are none other than our five faculties, the Panchendriyaas, which

constantly keep us under their control and torment us day and night without any

let. These faculties are especially cruel on those who tread the spiritual path,

says Azhwar- " Vinnulaar Perumaarkku adimai seivaaraiyum serum iympulangal ivai " .

Azhwar is so enraged at these horrid in-dwelling enemies, that he calls them

" van kayavar " . And there is another list of six adversaries- " Shat Ripu " -viz.,

Kaamam, Krodham, Moham, Lobham, Madam and Maatsaryam-which are again responsible

for the downfall of those without sense-control.

 

 

 

Even one's wife and son are said to be one's foes, under certain circumstances.

With apologies to women readers, here is the adage which tells us that a

beautiful wife is a man's enemy- " Bhaaryaa roopavati shatru: " -- and so too is a

son who is good for nothing- " Putra: shatru: napumsaka: " .

 

 

 

How do you deal with your enemies?

 

 

 

Srimad Ramayanam shows the way. Even if our opponent is much inferior to us in

status, rank or strength, we should never insult him- " na shatru: avamantavya:

durbalopi baleeyasa "

 

 

 

And one who knows right and wrong would never harm adversaries, who are not of

sound mind, who are sleeping, who have lost their mount in battle and stand

unarmed on the ground, those who are terrified, those belonging to the fairer

sex and children, says Srimad Bhaagavatam-

 

 

'Mattam pramattam unmattam suptam baalam striyam jadam

 

Prapannam viratham bheetam na hanti ripum dharmavit "

 

 

 

 

 

It is this cardinal principle that Sri Raghava was demonstrating, when He

refused to kill Ravana, who stood on ground, his chariot destroyed and deprived

of his weapons. Sri Rama's immortal words, " Indru poi naalai vaa " , (Go today

with your life and limb safe and return tomorrow for battle, duly armed and

mounted) addressed to the unarmed but unrepentant adversary whom He could have

killed instantly with ease and with a single arrow, are lessons to us never to

take advantage of an enemy's moment of weakness or helplessness. Sri Rama's

battle was fought strictly according to Dharma, without any resort to

subterfuge, dishonesty or needing recourse to that oft-abused maxim, " All is

fair in love and war "

 

 

 

How do you turn sworn enemies into bosom friends? The Taittireeya Upanishad has

an extremely practical solution-just give your foes what they want, and they

will be friends ever after. Generosity and magnanimity are sure cures for any

sort of enmity, avers the Upanishad-

 

" Daanena dvishanto mitraa: bhavanti "

 

 

 

What happens when your sworn enemy runs into great trouble and practically falls

at your feet, seeking protection and succour? Do you gloat over his misfortune

and tell the hapless man to go to hell, or, worse, do you seize him by the neck

and punish him to your heart's content? Neither, we are told, again by Srimad

Ramayanam. Here is a story recounted by none other than Sri Rama, to emphasize

that even our worst enemy, if he seeks our protection, should be treated with

due courtesy and afforded all assistance. This is the quintessence of the

Doctrine of Surrender, explains Sri Raghava to Sugreeva and other vaanaras, who

express themselves against affording refuge to Sri Vibheeshana of the enemy

camp.

 

 

 

The rain was coming down in torrents. A sharp wind was whistling through the

dense forest, chilling everyone to the morrow. The night's darkness added to the

woes of the hunter, who could hardly lay his hands on even an ant, throughout

the damp day. He was drenched to the skin, blue with cold and his innards were

being gnawed by intense hunger. Desperately searching for something to eat, he

let out a whoop of joy when he found a female dove lying unconscious beneath a

tree, obviously having met with an accident while returning home to its mate.

The hunter put the dove in his cage and went about looking for something to make

a fire with, for preparing his meal as well as to dry his weary and cold bones.

 

 

 

His limbs shaking with cold, the hunter sought refuge under a tree, which

coincidentally happened to be the home of the captured female dove. The male

bird, peering out of the tree-top nest anxiously for its missing mate, found her

in the hunter's cage and began to abuse him. However, the female dove hushed its

partner, pointing out that though their natural enemy, the hunter had sought

refuge in their tree home and that it was their bounden duty to be of all

assistance to him. Reminded of its obligation as a host, the male bird arranged

for dry twigs and brushwood from its own nest, had a fire going within a short

time and invited the hunter to dry himself in the fire. And in a supreme gesture

of sacrifice, it fell into the fire, requesting the hunter to partake of its

cooked flesh.

 

 

 

" When even a dove could respond in such a magnificent fashion, sacrificing its

life for the sake of its wife's abductor, should I not, as a descendant of the

famed Ikshvaaku Vamsam, offer protection to Vibheeshna? " enquires Sri Raghava of

the Vaanara Veeras. If a person comes to you with folded hands, obviously in

need of succour, even if he is your worst enemy guilty of having mortally

wronged you, you should afford him protection and all possible aid, says Sri

Raghunandana-

 

 

 

" Baddaanjali putam deenam yaachantam sharanaagatam

 

Na hanyaat aanrisamsyaarttham api shatrum Parantapa! " .

 

 

 

Protecting an enemy who surrenders is not only the done thing for the wise, but

if not done, would attract great sin, points out the Prince of Ayodhya- " Evam

dosho mahaan atra prapannaanaam arakshane " .

 

 

 

Not only does Sri Raghava afford protection to Vibheeshana from the enemy camp,

He is prepared to offer " abhayam " to even Ravana, the dastardly abductor of His

beloved Consort, should the rakshasa wish it- " Vibheeshano vaa Sugreeva! Yadi vaa

Ravana: svayam " . It is this magnanimity of the Paramapurusha that comforts us,

for, we too are no mean offenders.

 

 

 

It takes a broad mind to praise your foe-even if he is the repository of all

virtues, you find it difficult to utter a good word about him, the enmity

rankling in your mind preventing you from honest appreciation. All you have for

him are the choicest words of invective. This, however, is not the case with

Ravana-he is generous enough to praise his adversary, even though He is

tormenting Ravana in battle. The glory of Sri Rama is such that even His sworn

foes have only paeans of praise for Him. Here are the glorious words of Ravana,

paying handsome tribute to Raghunandana's bravery and His ability to capture the

hearts of onlookers-

 

 

 

" Shatro: prakhyaata veeryasya ranjaneeyasya vikramai:

 

pasyato yuddha lubdhoham krita: kaa purushastvaya "

 

 

 

Knowing full well the glory of the Lord, would anyone, least of all those close

to Him, voluntarily seek enmity with Him? And that too, not for one single

birth, but for three consecutive janmas? This is what Jaya and Vijaya, the

gatekeepers of Emperuman at Vishnulokam, did. In their anxiety to zealously

guard the Lord and His privacy, when they prevented a Maharshi from walking

straight into the Lord's quarters, they were cursed by the enraged sage to a

sojourn on earth, losing their exalted position as Dwaarapaalakas. Despairing at

the severity of the punishment, that of being away from their beloved Lord, when

the keepers of the Lord's gates represented to the Maharshi, they were given a

choice-Be born for a hundred births as devotees of the Lord, or just three as

His enemies. Unable to tolerate a long separation from their Master, the

gatekeepers chose to be born just thrice, even though it meant their being

inimical to Emperuman. Thus were born the pairs of Rakshasas/Asuras-Hiranya and

Hiranyaaksha, Ravana and Kumbhakarna and Sisupaala and Dantavaktra-all of whom

led apparent lives of antagonism to the Lord and met their ends at His hands,

returning to a blissful reunion with their Divine Master.

 

 

 

Apart from the aforesaid pair of asuras who became the Lord's enemy by their own

choice, does Emperuman have anybody whom He can rightfully call His enemies,

despite their being His own progeny? Yes, indeed, and it is none other than

ourselves. We are guilty of the greatest sin, that of " Aatma apahaaram " or

stealing the soul. Though the soul and all else belongs rightfully to the Lord,

due to our pride and possessiveness, we consider our soul to be our very own,

independent and free to act as we please. And even when the Lord, the rightful

owner, demands the soul back, we turn our faces away and assert our

independence. When He says, " Tvam Me " ( " You are mine " ), we resist and say " Aham

me " ( " I am my own " ). We constantly indulge in all sorts of acts inimical to the

Lord, habitually disobeying His dicta, forgetting the Shruti warning that none

is powerful enough to militate against Him- " Brahmanaa ka: arhati spardhitum " .

 

 

 

By virtue of all these acts of omission and commission, the Lord ought to treat

us as His enemies and deal with us accordingly. However, His boundless

compassion and mercy prompt Him to overlook most of our misdemeanours and

constantly strive to wean us away from the path of perdition we insist on

treading. And true to His own words as Sri Rama, whatever be the quantum or

gravity of our offences, He readily pardons us once we bow before Him with

folded hands, performing Saranagati.

 

 

 

Srimate Sri LakshmiNrisimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana

Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

 

dasan, sadagopan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

--

 

 

 

 

Version: 7.0.296 / Virus Database: 267.10.17 - Release 8/29/2005

 

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Version: 7.0.296 / Virus Database: 267.10.17 - Release 8/29/2005