Mahabharata Vol. 2 (Penguin Translated Texts) (38 page)

‘Droupadi said, “On this, an ancient story is recounted, the conversation between Prahlada and Bali, the son of Virochana. Prahlada was Bali’s father’s father and was the Indra of the daityas.
That immensely wise Indra of the asuras was one to whom all knowledge of dharma had been imparted. ‘O father!
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Does forgiveness lead to welfare, or is it better to seek revenge? I have a doubt about this. So please tell me exactly by answering my question. You are knowledgeable about dharma. So please tell me, without a doubt, which of the two is better. I will then do exactly as you have instructed me.’ On being thus asked, the grandfather answered everything exactly. He was wise and answered everything exactly, so that the doubt in the question could be removed.

‘“Prahlada said, ‘O son!
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Revenge is not always superior. Nor is forgiveness always superior. Learn the nature of both, so that there is no scope for doubt. O son! A man who always forgives suffers from many faults. His servants treat him with contempt and others are also disrespectful. All the beings never bow down before him. Therefore, the learned say that perpetual forgiveness should be avoided. Disregarding him, the servants fall prey to many sins. Those with limited intelligence try to take his riches away from him. The servants also appropriate his vehicles, garments, ornaments, beds, seats, food, drink and all his other articles. They do not give to those to whom presents should be given, as instructed by the master to give, but fall prey to their own desires. The master is never shown the respect he deserves. To be ignored in this world is worse than death. O son! Slaves, sons, servants and even those who are not servants speak harsh words to such a forgiving person. They abuse the forgiving person and even desire his wife. The wife too follows her own desire and intelligence. Even if a slight bit of punishment is deserved and it is not meted out, those lovers of pleasure will injure him and resort to evil acts. These and other faults are always associated with those who are forgiving. O Virochana’s son! Now listen to the faults associated with those who never forgive. If in the wrong place, or even in a right one, a person is afflicted with passion
and anger and metes out various punishments on the strength of his energy, he will be clouded because of his energy and will face conflicts with his allies. He will receive hatred from the worlds and from his relatives. Because of the contempt displayed, such a man suffers loss of riches and receives abuse, disrespect and disregard. He confronts remorse, hatred and confusion and creates enemies. If in anger, a man inflicts different kinds of punishments on men, he is swiftly deprived of his riches, life and relatives. If he equally uses his force on benefactors and those who wish him ill, such a man is shunned in the world, like a snake inside a house. How can the world confer good fortune on someone who is shunned? People are sure to hurt him, as soon as they find a weakness. Therefore, one should not always be overpowering. Nor should one always be gentle. He who is gentle at the right time and harsh at the right time always finds happiness in this world and the next. Listen, I will now tell you in detail about the time when one should be forgiving. This has been recounted by the learned ones earlier and should always be followed. If a former benefactor commits a crime that is not too great, in view of the earlier favour, this transgression should be pardoned. Those who commit an offence out of stupidity and seek pardon should be forgiven, because learning is not easily available everywhere to men. Even if the offence is slight, an offender who commits a crime with full knowledge, but claims he did not know, should be punished, because this is crookedness. The first offence should be forgiven for all beings. But when they commit the second one, however slight, it should be punished. If a crime is committed unknowingly, it is said that this should be pardoned, but only after proper examination. Gentleness can vanquish gentleness and gentleness can also vanquish harshness. There is nothing that gentleness cannot vanquish. Therefore, gentleness is the stronger of the two. But one should act after considering the time and the place, the strengths and the weaknesses. The wrong time and place can lead to failure. Therefore, one should wait for the right time and place. Sometimes, an offender can be pardoned out of regard for the people. These have been described as the right times to
forgive. At times other than these, it has been said that one should use one’s energy.’”
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‘Droupadi said, “O lord of men! Therefore, I think that the time for displaying your energy has come. The avaricious sons of Dhritarashtra are always engaged in doing harm. This is not the time to exhibit forgiveness towards the Kurus. The time has come to show energy, and punishment must be displayed. The mild are always disregarded. But people are careful of those who are harsh. He who knows the right time to employ both of these is a true lord of the earth.”’

‘Yudhishthira said, “Anger destroys men and anger again leads to prosperity. O immensely intelligent one! Know therefore that both well-being and ill-being find their source in anger. O beautiful one! He who always restrains his anger obtains prosperity. O beautiful one! But he who never controls his anger, never obtains prosperity. The terrible anger contributes to his downfall. It has been seen that anger is the root of destruction for all beings. How can someone like me indulge in anger, when it brings about the destruction of the worlds? The angry man commits sin. The angry man may even murder his superiors. The angry man abuses his superiors with harsh words. When angered, one cannot distinguish between what should be said and what should not be said. There is nothing that such a person cannot do or say. From anger, one can kill someone who should not be killed, or honour someone who should be killed. An angry person can even send himself to Yama’s abode. On realizing these faults, the learned ones have said that anger must be conquered, if one wishes for supreme welfare in this world and the hereafter. The wise have controlled anger. O Droupadi! Thinking about this, why should someone like me also not act accordingly? That is the reason my anger does not increase.

‘“One who does not retaliate in anger against someone who is angered, saves himself and the other person from great fear. He is like a physician for both. A weak man may be oppressed by men who are stronger. But if he is angered in his folly, he brings about his own destruction. In the hereafter, there is no world for one who does not control one’s own self and destroys one’s own self. O Droupadi! It has therefore been said that those who are weak should control their anger. And though powerful, the wise one is not angered when oppressed. Having destroyed his oppressor, he finds delight in the next world. It is for this reason that wise men who have the knowledge, be they strong or weak, always forgive, even if they are in difficulties. O Krishna! The righteous always praise those who have controlled anger. The virtuous hold the view that victory comes to the forgiving and the good. Truth is superior to falsehood and gentleness to cruelty. For the sake of killing someone like Suyodhana,
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how can someone like me show the anger, with its many faults, that is shunned by the virtuous? It is certain that learned and far-sighted ones call someone controlled when he has no anger in him. If a person uses wisdom to check an anger that has arisen, those who know the truth call such a person powerful. O one with the beautiful hips! An angry one cannot see the course of action accurately. An angry man does not see his tasks or his limits. The angry one kills those who should not be killed. He exhibits harshness towards his superiors. Therefore, it is the duty of anyone with power to keep anger at a distance. For one overcome with anger, it is not easily possible to attain courtesy, tolerance, valour, swiftness, energy and other qualities. By forsaking anger, a man can attain his true energy. O immensely wise one! But it is extremely difficult for an angry one to exhibit his energy when the time is right. Those who have no learning always think that anger is the same as energy. Passion has been given to humankind for the destruction of the world.

‘“Therefore, a person who wishes to live appropriately must always forsake anger. It is certain that it is better to give up one’s own dharma than fall prey to anger. It is all those who have no intelligence and
limited senses who transgress this. O unblemished lady! How can someone like me do this? If men equal to the earth in forgiveness did not exist, there would be no peace among men, but dissension caused by anger. If injured ones return the injury and those oppressed by seniors return the oppression, the outcome will be a destruction of all beings and the establishment of that which is not dharma. O Krishna! O one with the beautiful face! If every man who is abused immediately abuses back, if one who is injured returns violence with violence, if fathers oppress their sons and sons oppress their fathers, if husbands oppress their wives and wives oppress their husbands, there can be no birth in a world thus angered. Know that the birth of all beings is conditional on conciliation. O Droupadi! All beings will be swiftly destroyed in such a world. Thus anger leads to the destruction and non-existence of all beings. It is because people as forgiving as the earth are seen in this world that beings keep getting born and there is existence. O beautiful one! A man must be forgiving in all his difficulties. It has been said that the birth of all beings results from forgiveness. If a man is insulted and oppressed by a stronger person, but always pacifies his anger and controls his anger, he is said to be learned and supreme. Such a man has influence in the eternal worlds. But one who has little knowledge and falls prey to anger is destroyed in this world and the next.

‘“O Krishna! The great-souled and forgiving Kashyapa sung this hymn in honour of those who are eternally forgiving: ‘Forgiveness is dharma. Forgiveness is sacrifices. Forgiveness is the Vedas. Forgiveness is the sacred texts. He who knows this is capable of forgiving everything. Forgiveness is the brahman. Forgiveness is the truth. Forgiveness is the past and the future. Forgiveness is austerities. Forgiveness is purity. Forgiveness holds up the entire world. Forgiving ones attain the worlds of ascetic ones who know the brahman and those who know about sacrifices. Forgiveness is the energy of the energetic. Forgiveness is the brahman of the ascetics. Forgiveness is the truth of those who are truthful. Forgiveness is alms. Forgiveness is fame.’ O Krishna! The brahman, truth, sacrifices and the world are established in forgiveness and how can someone like me give up something like that? Those who perform sacrifices enjoy their worlds and those who forgive
enjoy other ones. A man who is wise must always forgive. Whoever forgives everything attains the brahman. This world belongs to those who forgive. The next belongs to those who forgive. They are honoured here and in the hereafter and attain the pure goal. Men who always overcome their wrath through forgiveness obtain the supreme worlds. Therefore, forgiveness is considered supreme.

‘“In praise of those who are forgiving, Kashyapa always chanted these verses. O Droupadi! Now that you have heard these verses about forgiveness, do not be angered. Our grandfather,
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Shantanu’s son, always praises peace. The preceptor
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and Kshatta Vidura also speak about peace. Kripa and Sanjaya also speak about peace. Somadatta, Yuyutsu, Drona’s son
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and our grandfather Vyasa always speak about peace. Always urged by all of them towards peace, I think the king
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will return the kingdom. If he does not, he will face destruction. A terrible time has come about. It will lead to the destruction of the Bharatas. O beautiful one! I am certain that this has been decreed by destiny a long time ago, and thereafter. Suyodhana is undeserving of forgiveness and therefore he finds none. I deserve it and therefore, forgiveness has taken possession of me. Forgiveness and gentleness are eternal dharma and the conduct of those who have control over their own selves. Therefore, that is the way I will act.”’

‘Droupadi said, “I bow before Dhata and Vidhata,
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who have confused you. You should follow the conduct of your father
and grandfather. But your mind leads you in a different direction. A man never obtains prosperity in this world through dharma, gentleness, forgiveness, uprightness and tenderness. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! Else, this miserable calamity would not have befallen you. Neither you, nor your immensely energetic brothers, deserve this. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! Then, and even now, they know that nothing is as loved by you as dharma, which is more dear to you than even life. The brahmanas, the superiors and even the gods know that your kingdom is for dharma and your life is also for dharma. I think that you can give up Bhimasena, Arjuna, Madri’s two sons and me, but you will never forsake dharma. I have heard from aryas
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that a king protects dharma and dharma in turn protects him. But I think it does not protect you. O tiger among men! Like a man is followed by his own shadow, you have always steadily followed dharma. You have never disparaged your equals or your inferiors, not to speak of your superiors. Even after conquering the entire earth, your vanity did not increase. O Partha! You have always served the gods, the ancestors and the brahmanas through
svaha
s,
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svadha
s
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and other forms of worship. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! You have always satisfied brahmanas, ascetics, those who desire salvation and householders with every object that they desire. You have given forest-dwellers iron
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vessels. In your house, there is nothing to be seen that cannot be given to brahmanas. O king! Every morning and every evening, at the end of the
vaishvadeva
ritual,
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you give to guests and servants and survive on what remains. Sacrifices to obtain wishes, sacrifices with animals, sacrifices to gratify desires, sacrifices connected with cooking and other sacrificial tasks are always performed. Even in this great and deserted forest, populated by bandits, your recourse to dharma has not diminished, even though you have been deprived of your kingdom. You have observed great
sacrifices like the horse sacrifice, the rajasuya, the lotus sacrifice and the cow sacrifice and offered large quantities of dakshina.