{"id":3194,"date":"2013-07-13T01:46:35","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:46:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=3194"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:46:35","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:46:35","slug":"05-the-ideal-of-forgiveness-vol-writings-in-bengali-translation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/01-works-of-sri-aurobindo\/02-other-editions\/writings-in-bengali-translation\/05-the-ideal-of-forgiveness-vol-writings-in-bengali-translation","title":{"rendered":"-05_The Ideal of Forgiveness.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\n\n
\n


\nThe Ideal of Forgiveness <\/font><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\nIn the sky, the moon drifted slowly through the
\nclouds. Far below, the river mingled its murmur with the winds, as it danced
\nalong on its course; and the earth looked bathed in beauty in the half-light of
\nthe moon. All around were the forest retreats of the Rishis, each charming
\nenough to put the Elysian fields to shame: every hermitage was a perfect picture
\nof sylvan loveliness with its trees and flowers and <\/font><\/p>\n

\nfoliage. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nOn this moon-enraptured night, said Brahmarshi (the
\nseer who has known the Supreme) Vashishtha to his spouse Arundhati Devi, "Devi
\n(literally,<\/i> goddess), go and beg some salt of the Rishi Vishvamitra, and
\nbring it here soon." <\/font><\/p>\n

\nTaken aback, she replied, "My lord, what is this
\nyou are asking me to do? I cannot understand you! He who has robbed me of my
\nhundred sons…" She could say no more, for her voice was choked with sobs as
\nmemories of the past rose up to disturb that sweet home of serenity, her heart,
\nand to fill it with pain to its depths. After a time she recovered her composure
\nto continue: "All my hundred sons were learned in the Vedas and dedicated to the
\nDivine. They would go about in moonlight such as this singing His praises, but
\nhe… he has destroyed them all. And you bid me go and beg at his door for a
\nlittle salt! My lord, you bewilder me!" <\/font><\/p>\n

\nSlowly the sage’s face filled with light; slowly
\nfrom the ocean-depths of his heart came the words, "But, Devi, I love him!"
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nArundhati’s bewilderment increased, and she said,
\n"If you love him you might just as well have addressed him as Brahmarshi! The
\nwhole trouble would have ended there, <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-21<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nand I should have had my hundred sons left to me." <\/font><\/p>\n

\nThe Rishi’s face took on a singular beauty as he said, "It
\nwas because I love him that I did not call him Brahmarshi. It
\nwas because I did not call him that, that he still has a chance
\nof becoming a Brahmarshi." <\/font><\/p>\n

\nVishvamitra was beside himself with rage. He could not
\nconcentrate on his tapasya.<\/i> He had vowed that if Vashishtha
\ndid not acknowledge him as a Brahmarshi that day, he would
\nkill him. To carry out this resolve, he armed himself with a
\nsword as he left his hermitage. Slowly he came to Vashishth<\/font><\/p>\n

\naadeva’s cottage and stood outside, listening. He heard
\nwhat the great sage was saying to Devi Arundhati about him.
\nThe grip on his sword-hilt relaxed as he thought, "Heavens,
\nwhat was I about to do in my ignorance! To think of trying to
\nhurt one whose soul is so far above all pettiness!" He felt the
\nsting of a hundred bees in his conscience, and ran forward
\nand fell at Vashishtha’s feet. For a time he could not speak,
\nbut in a little while he recovered his speech and said,
\n"Pardon me, O pardon me! But I am unworthy even of your
\nmercy!" He. could say no more, for his pride still held him
\nfast. But Vashishtha stretched out both arms to raise him.
\n"Rise, Brahmarshi!" he gently said. But Vishwamitra, in his
\nshame and mortification, could not believe that Vashishtha
\nmeant what he said. <\/font><\/p>\n

\n"Do not deride me, my lord," he cried. <\/font><\/p>\n

\n"I never say what is false," replied Vashishtha. "You have
\nbecome a Brahmarshi today. You have earned that status
\nbecause you have shed your haughty self-conceit." <\/font><\/p>\n

\n"Teach me divine lore, then," implored Vishvamitra. <\/font><\/p>\n

\n"Go to Anantadeva, he will give you what you desire,"
\nsaid Vashishtha. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nVishvamitra came to where Anantadeva stood with the
\nEarth resting on his head. "Yes, I will teach you what you
\nwant to learn. But, first, you must hold up the Earth." <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-22<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nProud of his tapasyā-won<\/i> powers, Vishvamitra said, "Very
\nwell, relinquish your burden and let me bear it." <\/font><\/p>\n

\n"Hold it then," said Anantadeva, moving away. And the
\nEarth began to spin down and down in space. <\/font><\/p>\n

\n"Here and now I give up all the fruits of my tapasya,"
\n<\/i>shouted Vishvamitra, "only let the Earth not sink down-
\nwards." <\/font><\/p>\n

\n"You have not done tapasya<\/i> enough to hold up the Earth,
\nO Vishvamitra." Anantadeva shouted back. "Have you ever
\nassociated with holy men? If you have, offer up the merit
\nyou have so acquired." <\/font><\/p>\n

\n"For a moment only, I was with Vashishtha," answered
\nVishvamitra. <\/font><\/p>\n

\n"Offer up the fruits of that contact then," commanded
\nAnantadeva. <\/font><\/p>\n

\n"I do here offer them up," said Vishvamitra. Slowly the
\nEarth stopped sinking downwards. <\/font><\/p>\n

\n"Give me divine knowledge, now", importuned Vishvamitra. <\/font><\/p>\n

\n"Fool !" exclaimed Anantadeva, "you com6 to me<\/i> for
\ndivine knowledge turning away from him whose momentary
\ntouch has given you virtue enough to hold up the Earth !" <\/font><\/p>\n

\nVishvamitra grew angry at the thought that
\nVashishtha-deva had played him a trick. So he hurried back to him and
\ndemanded why he had deceived him. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nUnruffled, Vashishtha answered him in slow and solemn
\ntones: "If I had given you the knowledge you asked for then,
\nyou would not have accepted it as true. Now you will have
\nfaith in me." <\/font><\/p>\n

\nAnd so Vishvamitra came to acquire knowledge of the
\nDivine from Vashishtha. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nSuch were the saints and sages of India in the olden days,
\nand such was their ideal of forgiveness. So great was the <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-23<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\npower they had acquired by their tapasya<\/i> that they could
\neven carry the Earth on their shoulders. Such sages are being
\nborn in India again, today. They will dim the lustre of the
\nRishis of old by their radiance, and confer on India a glory
\ngreater than any she has ever known. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-24<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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