The Hindu : Miscellaneous / Religion : Anger, man's sworn enemy

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Thursday, Mar 17, 2005

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous - Religion

Anger, man's sworn enemy

CHENNAI, MARCH 17. The blessed are those who keep anger under check. Fortunate, indeed, are those whose intelligence keeps their ire under control verily like a raging fire put out by water. Man's deadly and sworn enemy is anger. The havoc that may be caused when a person is seized with it is tremendous and in such a state he may indulge in any type of heinous crime. Burn anger before it burns you is the warning given to entire mankind. It is but human nature to lose control, some may feel. Granted that anger cannot be suppressed, but it can be sublimated, said Sri M.R. Nagasubramaniam in his discourse. Episodes in our sacred classics refer to the damage caused by anger. A prime example can be found in Aranya Kanda in the Ramayana, where Sita's sudden outburst against Lakshmana whose sane advise she spurned resulted in her abduction by Ravana. In her distress at mistaking the pitiful cry of distress as emanating from Rama she lost all sense of proportion when Lakshmana stood firm in guarding her as ordained by Rama. Angered by the stance taken by him, with fear clouding her judgment she accused him of coveting her himself. The hapless guardian exerted himself in trying to assuage her unwarranted fears stating that she need not labour under fear of harm to Rama since none can best Him. However her anger flared further like a flame kindled with ghee. Faced with such wrath Lakshmana had no choice but to comply with her wishes, paving the way for Ravana to carry out his nefarious deed.

Anjaneya's ire is yet another example of giving way to momentary wrath without any thought to consequences. Surveying the ruins of the fabulous city of Lanka, suddenly he was seized with a fear that the raging flames might have affected Sita also who was being held at the Ashoka grove. ``Enveloped in flames, her mighty warriors slain and her army on the run, Lanka subdued by the angry monkey seemed to be curse-stricken,'' states Valmiki in Sundara Kanda. However, Anjaneya's ire ebbed and was replaced with feelings of disgust at the outrageous and thoughtless deed in reducing Lanka to ashes. Anjaneya, further, reflected on yielding to the monstrous feelings of anger without due diligence to Sita's safety, and feared he had jeopardised the entire purpose of the search mission because of thoughtless action. Fortunately, for him there appeared many good omens portending that all would be well. For her part, Sita remained unaffected, as her fidelity was of such a high order that it rendered her immune to flames.

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