Wrath!

After making up his mind to kill Pandavas as they sleep, Asvattāma woke up his maternal uncle & Bhoja warrior to inform them about his plan. Both Krpā & Krtvarmā felt great disgust and shame after hearing Asvattāma speak, however they remained silent

 

Seeing their reluctance, Asvattāma reconsidered his plan momentarily & then tactfully said: Pls remember how Bhima had repeatedly kicked Duryodhana in the head. Considering this, what would you recommend as a means of gaining revenge?

 

Krpā said: It should be understood that everything occurs because of the combination of destiny & exertion. Without either of these factors, no good result can be achieved. For this reason, the wise have recommended that one should exert himself only after taking advice of elders & worshipping the demigods. Duryodhana had always acted to satisfy his greed, and while doing so he disregarded the advice of his superiors. Because of this, and due to his wicked nature and enviousness of the righteous Pāndavās, Duryodhana has met with destruction. Still, I must admit that because we had pledged our allegiance to the Kaurava king, we have an obligation to avenge his cruel death

 

When I consider all these things, I become bewildered about our duty & so I cannot properly prescribe what should be done. I therefore suggest that we go at once to Hastināpur & take the advice of Dhritrāshtra and Vidura

 

Asvattāma felt very pained to hear these words & so he replied: O Krpā! Everyone values his own intelligence above that possessed by all others. Thus, it is practically seen that a man makes his plans based on his own understanding. For this reason, the plan I have conceived appears to me the only means whereby I can get relief from my burning grief. Although I was born in a Brāhmana family, I have adopted the Kshatriya mode of life. Therefore, I feel that it is my duty to crush Dhristadyumna’s head in retaliation for his having killed my father

 

Krpā urged: Asvattāma, please rest for the night. In the morning the three of us can put on our armour and oppose the Pāndavās in the righteous manner

 

Asvattāma replied with great agitation: O Krpā, how can you even imagine that it is possible for an angry & aggrieved person like me to sleep at night? I have become practically mad with rage due to being haunted by the constant remembrance of how my father was killed & Duryodhana’s thighs broken. Only after killing Dhristadyumna & other Pāncālas will I be able to attain peace of mind & so I am determined to accomplish my purpose this very night

 

Krpā tried to dissuade Asvattāma from his sinful resolve by describing the great infamy he would achieve by performing such an act. Still, Asvattāma argued that Pāndavās have already broken the bridge of virtue into hundred fragments & so how he can be expected to act righteously? Besides for the purpose of gaining revenge, I don’t mind if I’ve to become a worm or an insect in my next life. No one can dissuade me & so do not continue wasting your valuable energy in this way

 

Anger especially unbridled anger not dovetailed to Dharma upkeep, is like a fire, specifically a forest fire that spreads rapidly and burns everything in its path. Anger is the byproduct of lust which when comes with material mode of passion, takes the form of wrath. Krsna says in Gita:

 

kāma eṣa krodha eṣa
rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ
mahāśano mahā-pāpmā
viddhy enam iha vairiṇam

 

It is lust only, Arjuna, which is born of contact with the material mode of passion and later transformed into wrath, and which is the all-devouring sinful enemy of this world

 

Are we also possessed by Anger or we use anger to adhere to Dharma?

#gameoflife