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Mahabharata -Rajagopalachari
5.THE MARRIAGE OF DEVAYANI
He who is not moved despite the greatest torments
inflicted by others, will realise his aim. He
who never gets angry is superior to the
ritualist who faith fully performs for a
hundred years the sacrifices ordained by
scripture. Servants, friends, brothers, wife,
children, virtue and truth abandon the man
who gives way to anger. The wise will not
take to heart the words of boys and girls."
Devayani humbly told her father: "I am
indeed a little girl, but, I hope, not too
young to benefit by the great truth taught
by you. Yet, it is not proper to live with
persons who have no sense of decency or
decorum. The wise will not keep company
with those who speak ill of their family.
However rich they may be, the illmannered
are really the veritable chandalas outside the pale of caste. The
virtuous should not mix with them. My
mind is ablaze with the anger roused by
the taunts of Vrishaparva's daughter. The
wounds inflicted by weapons may close in
time; scalds may heal gradually; but
wounds inflicted by words remain painful
as long as one lives."
Sukracharya went to Vrishaparva and
fixing his eyes on him gravely said:
"O king, though one's sins may not bring
immediate punishment they are sure,
sooner or later, to destroy the very germ
of prosperity. Kacha, the son of
Brihaspati, was a brahmacharin who had
conquered his senses and never committed
any sin. He served me with fidelity and
never strayed from the path of virtue.
Your attendants tried to kill him. I bore it.
My daughter, who holds her honor high,
had to hear dishonoring words uttered by
your daughter. Besides, she was pushed
into a well by your daughter. She cannot
any more stay in your kingdom. Without
her I cannot live here either. So, I am
going out of your kingdom."
At these words the king of the asuras was
sorely troubled and said: "I am ignorant of
the charges laid at my door. If you
abandon me, I shall enter fire and die."
Sukracharya replied: "I care more for the
happiness of my daughter than for the fate
of you and your asuras, for she is the one
thing I have and dearer to me than life
itself.
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