I Am Not Yet Ready

 

What is the difference between human beings and animals? Can the difference be defined with a most notable single feature? It is the capacity to think, understand and relate. The human brain works at different levels at the same time. It takes in multiple inputs, sorts and understands them, store and retrieve the required parts as and when desired. There is also the capacity to transfer these stored and accumulated information and knowledge. Some animals also display such qualities but they are to a very limited extent. Dogs and Parrots are the best examples. Other animals are also trained to do certain actions and used in shows and circus. Some of them like Elephants are used to work as well so that the life of humans is simplified and made easy. But all these meet with limited success. This basic distinction also results in the capacity of human beings being able to visualise things, plan their execution and act decisively to achieve those plans. This makes human life interesting as well as complicated! 

Human beings visualise, plan and execute those plans. This requires action or a series of actions. As a human being is executing many plans simultaneously, there are multiple sets of actions in implementation at any point in time. In case of team tasks, there are multiple sets of actions being implemented by each member of the team to achieve the common goal. 

What are the basic objectives behind all these actions? This is a very interesting question. One of our well known ancient philosophers Kumarila Bhatta has quoted from Parashara Samhita (Verse 59 of 13th Chapter) that even a stupid person will not venture into something without evaluating its utility  (प्रयोजनमनुद्दिश्य न मन्दोपि प्रवर्तते - Prayojanamanuddishya na mandopi pravartate). His evaluation may be defective, but it is another matter. This being the case why does a person act in a given direction?

Each action has two basic objectives; to get rid of some difficulty or sorrow and achieve some pleasure (दुःख निवृत्ति, आनंद प्राप्ति). Thus many actions lead to a second situation (action) to rid of an existing situation. The funniest part is that each pleasure so derived often brings its own pain either immediately or with a time lag. This leads to a further action and so on....

The above chain is very well chronicled in the birth of Draupadi in Mahabharata. 

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Sage Bharadwaja is one of the Saptarshis, the seven revered sages, and is credited with immense contributions to our Vedic literature, Ayurveda and many other branches of learning. He is the son of Devaguru Brihaspati and devoted his entire life to learning and teaching. He had taken a vow of celibacy and remained a bachelor. One morning he was going to the river near his hermitage to take bath and start his daily routine. Ghrutachi, a celestial nymph (apsara) had just finished her bath in the river and came up. A strong wind blew away the thin cloth she was covering herself with. She recovered her cloth and went away. Rishi Bharadwaja saw her and for a moment his mind was severely disturbed. Surprised at the happening, but satisfied that this was due to some cosmic will of the Lord, he collected the semen in a vessel made of leaves. In due course of time, a handsome boy came out from the pot. The boy was named as Drona, as he was born not from a mother's womb but a Drona, a container made from leaves. 

Sage Bharadwaja brought up the boy by giving him proper education. The prince of Panchala kingdom, Drupada, joined the gurukul of Bharadwaja. Drona and Drupada became close friends. Drupada once promised that when he becomes the king of Panchala, Drona can have anything he wants, even half of his kingdom. In due course, Drona came to be known as Dronacharya and was appointed by Bhishma as the Chancellor of the Archery and Weapons Training School in Hastinapur. Drupada became the king of Panchala. Dronacharya married Krupi,  the sister of Krupacharya, Guru of the Hastinapur kings. The son of Dronacharya and Krupi was named as Ashwatthama, who later became an important General in the army of the Kauravas.

Dronacharya was leading a contented life with Krupi before coming to Hastinapur, without asking any favours from anyone else. Young Ashwatthama was being given rice flour mixed in water as milk. After becoming friend with Duryodhana, once he had a chance to drink the real milk in the palace. Ashwatthama demanded that he be given real milk henceforth. Krupi persuaded Dronacharya to approach his childhood friend Drupada, who had now become a king, for getting a cow so that Ashwatthama can be given proper milk. Though unwilling, Dronacharya went to king Drupada. Drupada laughed at his friend and said there cannot be any friendship between a king and a pauper. Enraged at this behaviour of Drupada, Dronacharya took a vow that he would have Drupada captured by his disciples to teach him a lesson. A new set of actions were set in motion now.

At the convocation of the Archery and Weapon School in Hastinapur, the issue of giving "Guru Dakshina" (a fee by the student to his teacher) came up. Dronacharya used the opportunity and told kauravas and pandavas that he would like them to defeat Drupada, capture and present him at Guru's feet. Kauravas went first but were defeated by Drupada and his army. Pandavas went in next and Arjuna succeeded in in defeating and capturing Drupada. Dronacharya pardoned Drupada and sent him away saying that he is now gifting away the entire panchala kingdom to Drupada.

Now it was the turn of Drupada to feel insulted. He was extremely impressed by the bravery and skills of Arjuna. He now decided that he would do something to get a son who would kill Dronacharya to get his revenge. He will also get a daughter so that he can make Arjuna his son-in-law. The twin desires now put a further set of actions in motion!

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The task was not an easy one. There must be some method to achieve these twin objectives, Drupada thought. He entrusted the kingdom to his ministers and set forth in search of someone who could guide him to achieve his goals. He went to the forest and found a Rishi who appeared competent to guide him. The rishi was Upayaja, a brother of rishi Yaja (Similar to Indra and Upendra, Upa meaning younger brother). After hearing Drupada's request, Upayaja refused and said that he is not willing to get involved. On repeated requests by Drupada, Upayaja said that he can approach his elder brother Yaja who may accept his request. After serving Yaja for a long time, he agreed to do a holy ritual (Yagna) to achieve the objectives. But Yaja put a condition; it was not possible for him to do it alone and his brother Upayaja should join him in the conduct of the ritual! Drupada was now again forced to go to Upayaja. Upayaja agreed to assist Yaja as it was a command of his elder brother. The two brothers made all arrangements and started the ritual.

The time was set for the ritual. Drupada and his wife Queen Prishati started the proceedings. After the initial phase, Prishati was permitted to attend to the guests and arrangements at the site and advised to be available as and when called to take further part in the ritual. At the conclusion of the ritual, a divine messenger appeared from the fire and handed over the "Yagna Phala" to Chief of the ritual, Rishi Yaja. Yaja advised Drupada to call his queen Prishati to join him to receive the Yagna Phala. When the queen was called to the site of the sacred fire, she said "I Am Not Yet Ready" to receive the Phala as she was busy with some chore and had perfume in her hands. Enraged at this Rishi Yaga shouted and said that the divine events do not care whether anyone is ready to respond to them. He said that a ritual done under the leadership of Yaja and Upayaja cannot go waste nor can it wait for someone to come. He put back the yagna phala back into the sacred fire with a prayer.

As a consequence of this, a remarkable boy of about 14 years in shining armour emerged from the fire. Following him, a very beautiful girl with dark complexion emerged from the fire. The boy was named Drishtadyumna and the girl was named as Krishnaa due to her complexion. She was later known as Draupadi, the daughter of Drupada. The one born without a mother's womb (Dronacharya) was now destined to be killed by another born without a mother's womb (Drishtadyumna). Another set of actions were set in motion now.

Queen Prishati was now crestfallen. She had looked forward to be a proud mother of divine children, but now was deprived of this distinction. She was also worried as to how the two children would deal with her now that the bond a mother had with her children she delivered is absent. She requested Yaja and Upayaja to bless her. The two brothers recognised her position and gave her a boon. "The two children will treat you as if you have given birth to them. You will enjoy all the blessings and happiness a mother can expect from her children. Shower your love and affection on them as well", they blessed her. Thus ended the saga of the sacred ritual, but it was only sowing the seeds of the future actions.

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In all such sacred rituals, Yagna Phala results in the couple getting children delivered by the mother, but this was an exception when the children emerged from the sacred fire itself. It is a very interesting and intriguing story. 

Is there a lesson in this for us? Revenge opens the gates for another revenge, is the first one. Forgiving and starting a new chapter in one's life is more beneficial than keeping old wounds open and seeking to settle scores with our friends who may sometimes offend us. Understanding that elders and events do not wait for us and we should be ever ready, is the second. The main objective should not be forgotten while looking into allied things, one should remember. If and when something adverse happens, one should try to retrieve and salvage whatever best is possible, as done by Queen Prishati, is the third.

Do you find any other lesson as well?