Forgiveness How and Why

Anger breeds anger. We can understand that with the help of the story of Drona – the greatest teacher in archery and who lived in ancient India.

Drona and prince Droupada studied together in the same gurukulam (school). They learnt from the same guru.

While Drona was poor, Droupada was the son of a king. But, they were very good friends.

After their gurukulam was over, Droupada went to rule his kingdom.

Drona got married and had a son by name Asuvatama. They were so poor, that they didn’t have money to buy milkfor their son. They would mix flour in water and give it to him.

Drona’s wife asked him to approach king Droupada.

Drona approached the king, who insulted him saying, “You are a poor Brahmin. Those days are gone. I am the king of entire Panchala Desam now. Don’t expect any favours from me”.

Drona became so angry that he wanted to wreak vengeance. He searched for a job. He got a job to teach archery to Pandavas.

After the training was over, it was time for offerings to guru Drona. He asked Arjuna to defeat Droupada, tie him to the wheel of hischariot and bring him to Drona.

Arjuna Defeats Droupada

Arjuna defeated the king and brought him to Drona. He told Droupada, “You insulted me. See what happened to you now”.

Drona took the southern part of Panchala.

Was the incident over after this?

Droupada challenged that he will beget a son, through whom he will kill Drona. He did a penance to beget a son by name Drishtithyumna.

So many years elapsed. Just before the great Gurushetra war began, Dharmar (the head of Pandavas) – the eldest brother of Arjuna, prostrated to Drona – who was in the side of Gouravas – enemies of Pandavas, and sought his blessings.

Drona informed him, “Had you not come, you would have lost the battle. I will tell you the secret of killing me. If I receive any sad news, I will give up the battle. Ask somebody to kill me then”.

Dharmar passed this info to Krishna.

During the battle, elephant Asuvatama was killed. Krishna spread the news saying that Asuvatama was killed in the battle.

When Drona heard this, he asked Dharmar – who always spoke the truth. Krishna blew the conch at that time, making sure Drona did not hear anything except “Asuvatama killed”.

Immediately Drona, threw his weapons away, and sat on the ground. Drishtithyumna reached him and cut his head.

Asuvatama Takes Revenge

Asuvatamacame to know about this, and decided to take revenge against Pandavas. Pandavas were sleeping in the night then. He killed all the children of Pandavas.

Arjuna made a vow that he wouldkill Asuvatama. Eventually Asuvatama was defeated in the battle and was brought in front of Krishna.

Krishna said, “Don’t kill Asuvatama, but forgive him instead”. His crop of his hair was removedby Arjuna and he was pardoned as Krishna requested for.

Asuvatama got angry and charged Pandavas with Brhmastram (it’s like an atom bomb). Abhimanyu’s wife was pregnant then.

Krishna saved the child with his Sudarsana Chakra. His name was Parikshit.

Krishna got angry with Asuvatama and cursed him by saying, “You have so much revenge in your mind that you should live in this world without a company, with no body to talk to, have no food or water, for next three thousand years”.

Lessons Learned

The revenge acts mentioned above are nothing but the acts of the mind. Isn’t it?

It’s the nature of the mind to get angry and take revenge. The nature of Soul is to forgive, love and be in divine nature.