The Hindu : Miscellaneous / Religion : Pride leads to fall

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Friday, Feb 04, 2005

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous - Religion

Pride leads to fall

CHENNAI, FEB.4 . The adage that pride comes before a fall has often become true in the lives of well-endowed and gifted people. A person can become arrogant due to birth, wealth, power, learning, beauty, exceptional talent and so on. The zest to be better off than others along with ego will result in a feeling of superiority. Healthy competition and an innate urge to excel in whatever one does are good for achieving success and excellence. But if these qualities are not tempered by modesty, ego can puff up one's pride and this will eventually lead to downfall.

In his discourse, Sri P.R.Vaidyanatha Sastrigal said no less than the king of the celestials, Devendra lost his power and pelf due to haughtiness. The Vishnu Purana relates this incident elaborately in the context of the appearance of Mahalakshmi, consort of Lord Vishnu during the churning of the milk-ocean. Sage Maitreya had questioned Sage Parasara earlier as to how the Divine Mother who was born as the daughter of Sage Bhrugu reappeared from the ocean. Once when Sage Durvasa was wandering through the three worlds in a state of bliss he chanced upon a Vidyadhara maiden who had a garland made of rare flowers. He wanted it, as he knew that she had obtained it from Mahalakshmi. She readily presented it to him for it was befitting that a sage like him should have it.

Wearing it on his person Durvasa reached the heaven and met Indra going round his kingdom on his elephant, Airavata. Thinking that Indra was the right person to benefit from wearing the garland, the sage flung it at him. The ways of such great sages are sometimes strange. But Indra being the king of the Devas was conceited because of his status. He caught it and threw it on his mount, Airavata. The elephant being Indra's it was haughtier than him; it inhaled the fragrance and threw it on the ground, and trampled on it.

Indra's act became a double insult for he had not only shown disrespect towards the sage by not receiving him properly but also slighted him by throwing away what he offered. Durvasa who was known for his temper cursed that he would lose his lordship of the three worlds and Mahalakshmi would desert the worlds because of his irreverent act. Realising his folly Indra sought the sage's pardon but to no avail because the sage wanted his pride to be humbled so that he would not make such mistakes again. Without Lakshmi the worlds suffered and the Asuras became powerful.

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