Article written by London swaminathan

Date: 25 May 2016

Post No. 2839

Time uploaded in London :–  16-35

( Thanks for the Pictures)

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(for old articles go to tamilandvedas.com OR swamiindology.blogspot.com)

There is a beautiful sloka/couplet in the Mahabharata:

Akrodhena jayet krodham, asaadhum saadhunaa jayet

Jayet kadaryam daanena, jayet satyena caanrutam

Meaning:-

Conquer the anger of others by non-anger

Conquer evildoers by saintliness,

Conquer the miser by gifts

Conquer falsehood by truth

-Udhyogaparva, 38-73,74

It is interesting to compare it with what the Budhha said:-

Overcome anger by peacefulness

Overcome evil by good

Overcome the mean by generosity

And the man who lies by truth

–Dhammapada 223

Buddha came approximately 2500 years after Vyasa, the author of Mahabharata.

Now Tiruvalluvar who came 2500 years after the Buddha says

“Where is the superiority of the worthy man, if he does not choose to make,

A good turn even to those who do him wrong”

-Tirukkural 987

The idea of forgiving, forgetting and doing good in return, had been developing among philosophers, prophets and great men of the world over centuries. Noble characters forget injuries; base ones forget benefits.

Lao Tse of China said, “requite injury with kindness” which is very different from the law of Hammurabi, based on, “eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth”.

The bible says , “whoever strikes thee on the right cheek,

Turn to him the other also”.

-Mathews 5,39

The best way to punish those who harm you is to make them feel abashed by doing them good and thinking no more of it.

-Tirukkural 314

That is, the best punishment for those who do evil to you, is to shame them by returning good for evil.

Dr S M Diaz in his commentary says,

“I am reminded of JR Lowell’s poem ‘Youssouf’ in which the great and generous sheik of the desert avenged the killing of his first born son by speeding the murderer to safety with enough gold and a speed horse. In his heart

Youssouf’ felt that in doing thus he was acting ‘as one lamp lights another, nor grows less, so nobleness enkindleth nobleness’.

Youssouf’s conduct in this connection went one step ahead of just forgiveness. It is n line with Seneca’s view  that ‘the mark of true greatness is not to notice that you have received a blow’ –that a wrong has been done to you”.

–subham–