Story 7
(Vedavyasa Mahabharatam – the story, the ethics, morals & the traditions)
Story of “Parīkṣit being cursed by Srungi”[i]
About the Story
Anger Management is the basic requisite for a human to become humane. Anger leads to delusion and destroys discriminating intellect. The story of Parīkṣit epitomizes the importance of anger management in day today life.
Background of the story
Uttanka suffered a lot in the hands of the serpent, Takshaka. He wanted to take revenge against the whole race of serpents. He reached Janamejaya, the king of Hastinapura and said that the latter’s father was killed by Takshaka. He asked him to take revenge against the serpents.)
The Story
Janamejaya was a child when he ascended the throne of Hastinapura and he was not aware of the details of his father’s death. For the first time he heard from Uttanka that his father was bitterly bitten by a serpent, Takshaka. He asked Uttanka to narrate the story of his father, Parīkṣit. Uttanka started narrating the story.
We all know the story of Abhimanyu, the son of Arjuna who fought ferociously and finally fell in the Maha Bharata war. Abhimanyu’s son was Parīkṣit who ruled the country upholding dharma in the twilight zone of Treta Yuga and the dawn of Kali Yuga.
स्थिताः सुमनसो राजन् तेन राज्ञा स्वधिष्ठिताः
विधवानाथ विकलान् कृपणांश्च बभार सः – Adi Parva 49.11
(He was so popular that he introduced number of welfare activities for the sake of widows, orphans, and handicapped and depressed sections of people and was bearing all their expenses[ii]).
He was also fond of hunting and one day he was chasing an animal which took him into the thick forest and disappeared.
After some time, he became thirsty and reached a place where he saw a sage Samīka, a muni who was sitting in deep meditation. Parīkṣit introduced himself as the king of Hastinapur and asked whether he had seen the animal anywhere. The muni was in the path of ‘maunavratam’ (adherence to silence) at that time, and further he was in meditation mode. Hence, he did not reply. Parīkṣit was already tired and hungry. When he did not get a reply, he got very angry at the attitude of the sage that he picked up a dead serpent with his bow and put it on the neck of the sage. The sage was totally in equanimity of mind. Despite being humiliated by the king; he did not allow himself to be swayed by anger. He just ignored and never reacted. Later the king repented and left the place for his kingdom.
Srungi was the son of Samīka. He was as powerful as his father in tapas, but he could easily be provoked by small incidents as he was infested with anger. When the incident took place, Srungi was not at the place. He got the news through his friend Krusa. ‘What is the use of your tapas when your father is insulted by a king?’ Krusa instigated. Srungi heard what had happened and got very angry and cursed Parīkṣit that he would die in seven days by the bite of Takshaka, a deadly serpent. Then he reached his father hurriedly and saw the dead serpent hanging over his father’s neck. He wept bitterly and said, ‘Dear father, see how arrogant the king is! He has insulted you and he deserved my curse. I cursed him that he would die by the bite of Takshaka in seven days.
‘What a wrong thing you have done, my dear son? The king has been upholding dharma in this universe; and by his death, there will be none to safeguard dharma. All of us are under his protection and with his death we all will perish’, Samīka told. He further added,
राज्ञा प्रतिष्ठितो धर्मः धर्मात् स्वर्गः प्रतिष्ठितः|
राज्ञो यज्ञ क्रियास्सर्वा यज्ञाद् देवाः प्रतिष्ठिताः||
देवाद्वृष्टिः प्रवर्तेत वृष्टेरोषधयः स्मृताः|
ओषधिभ्यो मनुष्याणां धारयन् सततं हितम्|| -Adi Parva 41- 29,30
(‘The king establishes righteousness in the world. We can perform yagnas and thereby do social good under his protection only. The gods are pleased when we perform yagnas and they, in turn bless the world with rains; and through rains, the flora & fauna flourish[iii]). What you have done is out of your utter ignorance and foolishness and I admonish you’.
Srungi realized his mistake. Basically, he was a prodigy but had fallen prey to fury and had cursed Parīkṣit. The sober words of his father had smoothened his wrath. But he never uttered an untruth in his life and his words can never go to waste. Parīkṣit was destined to die, and his curse would remain truth. Samīka wanted to correct his son and advised him to go to forest and have satvic food and control his senses.
शम एव यतीनां हि क्षमिणां सिद्धि कारकः
क्षमावता मयं लोकः परश्चैव क्षमावताम् – Adi Parva 42. 9
(‘This world and the higher worlds belong to those who adhere to the principle of forgiveness[iv]).
Then Samīka sent a word to Parīkṣit through a disciple and advised him to think of saving his life from the deadly curse. Parīkṣit received the messenger with all humility and heard his message. He was more worried about the humiliation meted out to muni than his own imminent death. He repented his mistake and sought forgiveness from Samīka.
The king called for a meeting of his ministers and upon their advice shifted his accommodation to a palace supported by a single pillar to obviate the entry of any serpent inside. But the curse of Srungi was designed by destiny. The palace supported by a single pillar was no longer a barrier for Takshaka. Takshaka ordered his fellow serpents to enter the palace in disguise as Brahmins. They entered as servants to the king carrying different varieties of fruits. Takshaka entered the palace as a small insect[v] through a mango; and on the seventh day he emerged out in his original form, encircled the neck, and killed the king with his deadly bite. When Parīkṣit collapsed and scorched to ashes, there was a state of petrified agony, and the ministers enthroned his minor child as the king of Hastinapura.
Uttanka concluded the story of Parīkṣit and said, ‘Oh king! Your father was innocent and never harmed the serpents. Still, Takshaka had bitten him to death. It is now the time for you to take a revenge against Parīkṣit and also the entire race of serpents.’ Janamejaya was very furious and he had taken a decision to punish the whole race of serpents.
Story- An analysis
It is said that while MahaBharata analyzes krodha (anger) in all aspects, the Ramayana analyzes kama (lust). In Mahabharata, the main character, Duryodhana was described as the personification of anger. In the story of Parīkṣit, we can see how a moment of anger can destroy lives and destinies of the countries. Parīkṣit, an upholder of dharma lost temper in a fit of rage and humiliated a muni, Samīka. The word ‘Samīka’ is derived from ‘śama’. It is antar-indriya- nigraha (control of senses, particularly mind). A person with ‘śama’ cannot be instigated with any amount of rage. The muni observed Parīkṣit putting a serpent in his neck, but he just ignored. Psychologically an angry person becomes weak if he is not confronted with an equally angry person. So Parikshit mellowed and repented profusely. Samīka knows how the quality of forgiveness is supreme in the world. Srungi, the son of Samīka is an aggressive character and he is swayed by anger. He cursed the king foolishly knowing fully well that the entire world sustains only under the benevolent leadership of the king. He never anticipated in his fury the outcome of the death of a great king. He lost his control over senses and got deluded in his thoughts; with result he lost capacity of discriminating intellect. Gita says,
क्रोधाद्भवति संमोहः संमोहात्स्मृतिविभ्रमः।
स्मृतिभ्रंशाद् बुद्धिनाशो बुद्धिनाशात्प्रणश्यति। Gita 2.63.
(From anger, delusion arises, and from delusion bewilderment of memory. When memory is bewildered, discriminating intellect is lost. When intelligence is lost, one falls again (to the world of maya). The momentary anger of Parīkṣit resulted in insulting a muni and a momentary anger of Srungi caused the destruction of the king and the kingdom. In Srimad Bhagavata, we come across the same story of Parīkṣit as to how Kalki made inroads into the earth after the death of Parīkṣit.
The grand narrative of the story is to inform the audience of the destructive effect of anger. The story also highlights as to how ‘śama’ (control of inner senses) gives rise to pragmatic quality of forgiveness which ultimately sustains the world. No one can conquer the man of calm mind. The story also gives a hint as to how we can develop this quality. Samīka asks his son to do three things- have satvic food, control anger and adhere to the path of dharma.
Ayurveda, therefore, beautifully links āhāra (food), vihāra (lifestyle) and vicāra (thought process) for the development of a harmonious individual. Every art, every science, and every field of knowledge in India try to synchronize the subtle qualities of an individual for social good.
Sociological perspectives
The story talks of a palace constructed upon the support of a single pillar. Do Indians know the architectural skills of building a palace on a single pillar? This aspect must be further probed. References of single pillar supported structures are found during 15th century AD when we find a story of poet Srinatha mentioning about a single pillar structure constructed by the king, Vema Reddy.
Describing Samīka, it is stated that he was living on the froth flown in the air when the calves were sucking the udders of mother cows. Sages appear to have been lived on austerity without any disgrace in the society in those days. Society might not have been such materialistic to loath the poor and austere community of people. In fact, they were recognized, and their intellect respected. The simplicity of their lives must have been an inspiration for others to emulate.
Takshaka, a mighty serpent became a small insect. This aspect of reducing smaller than smallest is a spiritual power mentioned in many texts of Yoga and in Amara Kosa[vi]. Five thousand years ago, the people of Mahabbharata age knew this spiritual art. We have these references in Ramayana also.
Points to ponder:
- What are the destructive aspects of anger?
- What is the importance of anger management in life?
- How can we control anger? What are the things suggested in this story?
- Do you feel that anger sprouts and shoots up by instigation? What kind of people can never be instigated?
- How to weaken an any angry opponent- by offence or by avoidance?
Footnotes
[i] This story is taken from Adi Parva of Maha Bharata written by sage Vyasa. The story also appears in Srimad Bhagavatam in more elaborative fashion. But here only the version from Adi Parva of Maha Bharata alone is taken for analysis. In Srimad Bhagavatam, there is no reference of a mansion built on a single pillar.
[ii] sthitāḥ sumanaso rājan tena rājñā svadhiṣṭhitāḥ
vidhavānātha vikalān kṛpaṇāṃśca babhāra saḥ – Adi Parva 49.11
[iii] rājñā pratiṣṭito dharmaḥ dharmāt svargaḥ pratiṣṭhitaḥ
rājño yajña kriyāhaḥ sarvā yajñād devāḥ pratiṣṭhitāḥ
devād vṛṣṭiha: pravarteta vṛṣṭe roṣadayaḥ smṛtāḥ
oṣadibhyo manuṣyāṇāṃ dhārayan satataṃ hitaṃ -Adi Parva 41- 29,30
[iv] śama eva yatīnāṃ hi kṣamiṇāṃ siddhi kārakaḥ
kṣamāvatā mayaṃ lokaḥ paraścaiva kṣamāvatām – Adi Parva 42. 9
[v] Amara Kosa mentions eight powers a person can attain – Aṇimā, Mahima, Garima, Laghima, Prāpti, Prākāmya, Iṣiṭva, Vaśitva. Aṇimā is the power of becoming smaller than the smallest.
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