Thursday, May 25, 2017

SRIMAD MAHABHARATA - AADI PARVA - SAMBHAVA (UPA) PARVA - PART 87


"Vaishampaayana said, 'While that king of kings (Yayaati) stayed in heaven--the home of Devas, he was respected by Devas, Saadhyas, Marutas, and Vasus. Of sacred actions, and mind under complete control, the monarch (Yayaati) used to travel now and then from Devaloka to Brahmaloka. It has been heard by me that he stayed for a long time in heaven.


"One day that best of kings, Yayaati, went to (Lord) Indra and there in course of conversation the lord of Earth (Yayaati) was asked by Shakra (Lord Indra) as follows:

'O king (Yayaati), what did you say when your son Pooru took your old age on Earth and when you gave him your kingdom?'

"Yayaati answered, 'I told him that the whole country between the rivers Ganga and Yamuna was his. That is, indeed, the central region of the Earth, while the out-lying regions are to be the territories of your brothers. I also told him that those without anger were ever superior to those under its rule (under the rule of anger), those willing to forgive were ever superior to the unforgiving. Man is superior to the lower animals. Among men again the learned are superior to the un-learned. If someone commits any wrong to you, you should not wrong in return. One's anger, if disregarded, burns one's own self; but he that regards it not takes away all the Dharma of him that shows it (shows one's anger). Never you should pain others by cruel speeches. Never subdue your enemies by wrong means; and never utter such scorching and sinful words as may torture others. He that pricks men, as if with thorns, by means of hard and cruel words, you must know, ever carries in his mouth the Rakshasas. Prosperity and luck fly away at his very sight. You should ever keep the people who follow Dharma before you as your models; you should ever with retrospective eye (look back) compare your acts with those of the people of Dharma; you should always disregard the hard words of the wicked. You should ever make the conduct of the wise, the model upon which you are to act yourself. The man hurt by the arrows of cruel speech hurled from one's lips, weeps day and night. Indeed, these strike at the core of the body. Therefore the wise never throw these arrows at others. There is nothing in the three worlds by which you can worship and adore the deities better than by kindness, friendship, charity and sweet speeches to all. Therefore, you should always utter words that calm, and not those that burns. You should regard those that deserve your regards, and should always give but never beg!"'

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