What A Metaphor!

(Jalapradanika Parva of Stree Parva- Mahabharata)

King Janamejaya was very curious to know what happened to king Dhritarashtra and his ancestors Pandavas! He said, ‘O rishi! Tell me in detail the condition of king Dhritarashtra and king Yudhishthira after the dreadful end of Mahabharata war! And what consolation had given by Sanjay and Mahatma Vidur ji to king Dhritarashtra?’

Vaishampayan said, ‘O king!The blind king Dhritarashtra was overwhelmed with grief after losing all his hundred of sons! He went on lamenting for his own mistakes, his blindly support to his son Duryodhana and not paying a heed to the noble words of his well- wishers- Pitamaha Bhishma, Achrya Kripacharya and Guru Dronacharya and above all mighty hand Lord Krishna! He admitted his sinful act by not listening the nectar like counsels of Lord Parsurama and his own brother mahatma Vidura! Indulging himself in sinful act, he found no way to survive any longer! He lost all his dear ones! However, without acknowledging his own mistakes, Dhritarashtra blamed that everything has come upon him through the force of destiny!

Beholding the miserable condition of the king, his minister Sanjay addressed him softly to dispel his grief! Sanjaya said, ‘O monarch! Cast off your grief! When your well- wishers offered their good advice, you didn't accept it. Surrounded by all the wicked minded friends, your son Duryodhana made the whole world his enemy! Affection towards your wicked minded, discontented son Duryodhana crippled your wisdom and intelligence! You could never deliver a good advice to him for the benefits of your Dynasty! Invoking the Parth-fire, your sons fell into it like insects! Your sinful act worked as clarified butter in that blazing fire! O king! It behoves you not to grieve now for your sons who met their Kshatriya death in the battle field! O Bharata! Virtue was not regarded by them. Battle was the only word on their lips! Desire, covetousness, and pride filled their mind. They underestimated the power of Pandavas! Now, cast off your grief because the man who indulges in grief never wins wealth! Destroy your grief with your intelligence and try to be true to yourself!’ 

After Sanjaya’s consolation, learned Vidura said, ‘O king! Be patient! In the life-cycle, death and birth both are inevitable! One comes after another. There is nothing new! Rise up! Lamenting over the dead ones is meaningless! Death waits for none? O Bharata! Death drags both the hero and the coward! Birth is always followed by death and union is ended with separation! O bull among the kings! These are Universal truth! It behoves you not to grieve for them who have been slain in the battle, who are never yours nor you are theirs! All living creatures, O king, invisible before their birth and disappear after their death! Only in the middle period, they exist! O Bharata! Death on the battle field is only achieved by the high souled Kshatriyas! They have truly attained to the blessedness! It is improper thyself to suffer in such a way!’

Hearing the nectar like words of Vidura, Dhritarashtra said, ‘O learned Vidur! My doubt has been dispelled with your nectar like words but yet I am confused regarding the wilderness of duties! O wise Vidura, explain in detail how a person can understand the wilderness of duties! A person has to face multiple duties but he has to understand his priority.’

Vidura, the wisest among all the Kurus paid his respect to the Supreme Lord, began to explain the true meaning of wilderness of lie! He knew that mere words would have no effect on Dhritarashtra, Examples might have better impact than words! Thus, he sited one example:——-

‘Once a Brahmin found himself in the midst of a thick forest which was abounded by several dangerous carnivorous animals! Intermittently the forest was filled with the dreadful roaring sound of lions and elephants! It looked so frightful that even the god of Death would run away to save his own life! Out of fear the man ran hither and thither to save himself from these wild beasts of prey. He got goosebumps all over his body! His heart was pounding badly. Breathlessly, he ran here and there searching for a shelter! 

Suddenly, he noticed that the terrible forest was surrounded with a net and a fearful woman stood there extending her arms. That was not enough! When he saw the strange five-headed snakes of huge form rolling around the whole forest, he lost his sense! There was an invisible pit whose mouth was completely covered with creepers and trees. Wandering here and there carelessly, the Brahmin fell into that invisible pit! He was entangled by these creepers and remained in a hanging posture of up side down— feet upwards, and head downwards! 

There was no end of calamities that overtook him! Beholding a mighty snake within the pit and an extraordinarily formed gigantic elephant moving forward, towards the pit, the Brahmin was terrified! The elephant had six faces and twelve feet. Not only that the branches of the tree- that stood near the mouth of the pit bore a honey comb where honey-bees swarmed in large numbers to collect the honey. The man even in that terrible hanging position was drinking honey that fell in many jets below! Being trapped in that posture, he was still not satisfied and desired to drink more  honey! At the same time, a number of black and white rats were eating away the roots of that tree, indicating its fall at anytime! 

In that miserable plight also, the Brahmin was still longing for life! He was terrified from beasts of prey, from terrible woman with outstretched arms, from huge snake in the pit, from the typical elephant of extraordinary features, from the danger of falling of tree by the action of black and white rats, and lastly a large number of bees swarmed to taste the honey! But, the poor Brahmin lost his intelligence (sense) to understand the impending dangers awaiting for him! Without realising the truth, he desired for longing life!’  

Hearing these nectar like words of Vidura, Dhritarashtra assumed it true and showed his concern to help that Brahmin. He showed his compassion to rescue the Brahmin. Looking at Dhritarashtra’s anxiety, Vidura said, ‘O king! Understanding the true meaning of this story, one can attain the eternal bliss! There is no such Brahmin who is in danger, we all are suffering in the same type of situations, but we are not aware of the consequence that are awaiting for us! Wise people knowing well life's course as such, they cut off the bonds of attachment following the path to gain true knowledge!'

The wilderness described here is- this great world. (a complex maze where everyone is trapped!)

The inaccessible forest is- one’s own life. (full of confusions to locate the right path)

The beasts of prey are the diseases. (to which we are subject)

The lady with outstretched arm was identified as Decrepitude (who takes away our beauty.)

The pit represents the body !

The huge snake living in that pit is no one but Time, the destroyer of all living creatures! (Yes, Time is the universal destroyer, indeed!)

The creepers are compared as desires for life.(never ending process)

The six-faced huge elephant is the year. Six faces are the seasons and twelve feet are the twelve months.

The black and white rats are the compared as days and night, (every moment lessening our life span! )

Bees are the nonstop desires!

Thus, the ignorant man is always caught in the wheel of births and deaths! It was a warning to King Dhritarashtra to be prepared for the repercussions of his excess greed and injustice he had done to Pandavas! However, this story serves as a stark reminder that in this wilderness of life, we are in danger and yet clinging to material (worldly) attachments when the net result is futile!

O king! Only the wise, and the sages know life’s course to be so. Renouncing all the material attachment, they follow the path to gaining knowledge of Self- Brahman! One who understands Brahman can get eternal bliss!