[Advaita-l] ***UNCHECKED*** Re: Subtle Aspects of Truthfulness - The Multifaceted Jivanmukta

[V Subrahmanian]

On Wed, Jan 13, 2021 at 8:30 PM Vishesh Bhat via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> This is a truly beautiful story. Is the book available online?
>

https://svfonline.net/TheMultifacetedJivanmukta.pdf         You can
download the book for free.


regards
subbu

>
> On Wed, 13 Jan 2021, 08:04 Divya Meedin via Advaita-l, <
> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>
> > An excerpt from The Multifaceted Jivanmukta, page 479 onwards
> >
> > Subtle Aspects of Truthfulness
> >
> > After the death of Droṇa, Karṇa became the commander-in-chief of the
> > Kaurava forces. In an encounter with Karṇa, Yudhiṣṭhira, Nakula and
> > Sahadeva were worsted and injured. Humiliated and in much pain,
> Yudhiṣṭhira
> > withdrew from the battlefield to his tent to take some rest. The battle
> > raged on. After a while, being anxious about Yudhiṣṭhira, Arjuna wanted
> to
> > see him. So, leaving the Pāṇḍava forces under
> > the control of Bhīma, he asked Kṛṣṇa to take him to Yudhiṣṭhira’s tent.
> > When Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna came to pay their respects, Yudhiṣṭhira wrongly
> > assumed that Karṇa had been killed by Arjuna. He sought to know the
> > details. Arjuna explained to him that till that point of time, he had not
> > been successful in putting an end to Karṇa’s life. He averred that he
> would
> > definitely do so.
> >
> > On hearing Arjuna’s words, Yudhiṣṭhira felt greatly dissatisfied and gave
> > way to wrath. He severely censured Arjuna saying, “Unable to defeat
> Karṇa,
> > and moved by fear, you have left Bhīma in command of the forces and come
> > away here. Had you told me long ago that you would not fight Karṇa, I
> would
> > have taken my decisions in a different manner. You promised that you
> would
> > kill Karṇa but have not fulfilled your promise. Your chariot has been
> > fashioned by Viśvakarma and on it, there is a flag with the symbol of
> > Hanumān. You have the Gāṇḍīva bow with you. Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself is your
> > charioteer. Still, out of fear of Karṇa, you have run away and come here.
> > Give away your Gāṇḍīva to Kṛṣṇa. Let Him do the needful by killing Karṇa.
> > Alternatively, give your Gāṇḍīva to somebody else. You are unfit to have
> > it. Shame on you! Shame on your prowess! Shame on your Gāṇḍīva!”
> >
> > Yudhiṣṭhira’s rebuff stung Arjuna enough to make him lose his temper. He
> > started to pull out his sword. Seeing this, Kṛṣṇa asked him, “What is it
> > that you are trying to do? There are no foes here. Why do you want to
> pull
> > out your sword?” Arjuna said, “I am going to kill Yudhiṣṭhira. I had
> > secretly vowed that if anyone were to tell me, ‘Give away your Gāṇḍīva’,
> I
> > would certainly slay him. Now, in fulfilment of my promise, I am going to
> > murder Yudhiṣṭhira, for he has insulted me by asking me to give away the
> > Gāṇḍīva
> > to another and regarded me as unfit for wielding it.”
> >
> > Kṛṣṇa said, “Shame on you, Arjuna! Nobody who knows the true nature of
> > dharmawould behave the way you intend to. Upholding the truth is most
> > exalted. However, the nature of truth, as upheld by noble persons, is not
> > readily comprehensible. There are occasions when a person may tell a lie
> > without incurring sin. For instance, one can utter a falsehood to save
> > one’s life or to protect oneself from complete ruin or for the well-being
> > of a holy one. By doing so, one does not become guilty of
> unrighteousness.
> > There are also occasions when, by bluntly speaking the truth, one incurs
> > not merit but sin.”
> >
> > Kṛṣṇa then narrated the story of a man named Kauśika who was not very
> > learned but who wanted to be truthful. He was well-known as a speaker of
> > the truth. One day, when he was seated, certain people ran past him. A
> > short while later, he saw a gang of dacoits. They approached him and
> asked
> > him about the whereabouts of the persons they were following. Deeming
> > utterance of truth to be priceless, Kauśika indicated where the people
> had
> > gone. The dacoits resumed their pursuit and finally massacred them.
> > Kṛṣṇa then explained that by virtue of his factual speech, Kauśika not
> only
> > did not acquire merit, he incurred sin. The Lord said that in the
> > circumstances, Kauśika should have remained silent. Alternatively, if his
> > silence itself would have been a hint to the effect that the persons had
> > run in that direction, he could have misled the dacoits.
> >
> > Kṛṣṇa clarified to Arjuna that Yudhiṣṭhira was in great pain and had been
> > humiliated by Karṇa. Karṇa had attacked Yudhiṣṭhira even after the latter
> > had stopped fighting. Thus, Yudhiṣṭhira was in a sad plight when he
> > censured Arjuna. Further, by his sharp words, he sought to exhort Arjuna
> to
> > bring about the death of Karṇa, for he knew that Arjuna had the requisite
> > capacity. The Lord explained that since Yudhiṣṭhira was a noble person
> who
> > deserved to be venerated by Arjuna and since his words could be
> > satisfactorily justified, it would be thoroughly improper for Arjuna to
> > slay him; such an act would be a gross violation of ahimsā, which is
> > paramount.
> >
> > Arjuna requested Kṛṣṇa to unequivocally specify what he should do, for,
> on
> > the one hand, it was wrong for him to assassinate Yudhiṣṭhira and, on the
> > other, he had to fulfil his vow. The Lord said, “When extreme opprobrium
> is
> > inflicted on a great, highly-respected person, he dies, as it were. The
> > Atharva-veda teaches that speaking disrespectfully to an august leader is
> > tantamount to slaying him without extinguishing his life. Taking recourse
> > to this scriptural pronouncement, fulfil your vow by insulting
> > Yudhiṣṭhira.
> > Thereafter, fall at his feet and seek his forgiveness. Being pious and
> > understanding, he will excuse you.”
> >
> > As instructed by Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna began to rudely reproach Yudhiṣṭhira. “You
> > have escaped to this place that is far removed from the battlefield and
> are
> > fully dependent for your safety on the prowess of your well-wishers.
> What a
> > contrast there is between you and the heroic and powerful Bhīma!
> > Unlike him, you are quite unfit to find fault with me. You are addicted
> to
> > gambling. It is  because of you that we lost our kingdom and had to face
> > severe hardships,” said Arjuna.
> >
> > As he finished his tirade, he was overcome with remorse. He again drew
> out
> > his sword. Seemingly surprised, Kṛṣṇa queried, “What is the problem
> > now?” Arjuna said that he intended to get rid of his body with which he
> had
> > behaved in an unbecoming manner towards his elder brother who was truly
> > worthy of being worshipped by him.
> >
> > The Lord stopped him saying, “Think of how terrible it would have been if
> > you had slain Yudhiṣṭhira. It was only to avoid that unrighteous act that
> > you spoke rudely to him. Why, then, are you drowned in grief? You want to
> > commit suicide but that is something that wise men never do. If you kill
> > yourself, the sin you shall incur will be more than the sin that would
> have
> > accrued to you had you assassinated your brother; you will experience
> > overwhelming agony in hell. Self-glorification is on par with suicide.
> So,
> > eulogize yourself and thereby commit the equivalent of the self-killing
> > you
> > intended to indulge in.”
> >
> > Arjuna then began to boast, “With the sole exception of Lord Śiva, the
> > wielder of the bow Pināka, there is none who is a match for me in
> archery.
> > I can single-handedly destroy the entire world with its inhabitants. I
> was
> > the one who earlier defeated the kings ruling in the various directions
> and
> > made them subservient to you, O Yudhiṣṭhira. I have now destroyed half
> the
> > Kaurava forces.” Having been saved by the Lord from the sins of breaking
> > his vow, slaying Yudhiṣṭhira and committing suicide, Arjuna paid
> obeisance
> > to his brother and begged to be forgiven.
> >
> > Having propitiated Yudhiṣṭhira, Arjuna readied himself to return to
> > battlefield. “My life is for doing what is pleasing to you,” he asserted.
> > In the meantime, Yudhiṣṭhira, who had earlier listened silently to
> Arjuna’s
> > stinging rebuke, became dejected and felt that he was despicable. He
> said,
> > “I am a vile sinner  who has caused all of you so much trouble. I deserve
> > to be killed. Bhīma is fit to rule and should become the monarch, not I
> who
> > am impotent. I shall depart for the forest.”
> >
> > Yudhiṣṭhira got up from his cot to leave but Kṛṣṇa fell at his feet and
> > pleaded, “Arjuna could not falsify his vow to kill anyone who asked him
> to
> > give
> > the Gāṇḍīva to another. Hence, in keeping with my advice, he spoke
> > disrespectfully to you and thereby fulfilled his promise. We seek refuge
> > in
> > you. Prostrating before you, I beseech you to kindly forgive our
> > transgressions. You desired the death of Karṇa. Today, he shall be slain
> > and
> > the earth shall drink his blood.”
> >
> > Thoroughly appeased, Yudhiṣṭhira lifted Kṛṣṇa up and said to Him, “Arjuna
> > and I were deluded and would have drowned in the ocean of calamity and
> > sorrow. You saved us. Your wisdom is the boat that enabled us to safely
> > reach the shore.”
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