Taatiche Abhang : Abhang 2-2

 

Taatiche Abhang

Abhang 2-2

Part 2

विश्व रागें झाले वन्ही। संती सुखें व्हावें पाणी ॥२॥

Vishwa raage zaale vanhi II

Santi sukhe vhaave paani II2II

Vishwa= universe 

Raage= anger, passion

Zaale= became, set

Vanhi= on fire

Santi = saints 

Sukhe= at peace, calm, happy

Vhaave = be, become

Paani = water

विश्व रागें झाले वन्ही।

This line can be interpreted in more than one way. 

Raag can mean anger. It can also refer to likes, preferences, passion or desire for something. 

In the second and third chapters of the Bhagwad Gita Shri Krishna has elaborated upon the connection between the visible world of objects or sensory experiences and anger. 

इन्द्रियस्येन्द्रियस्यार्थे रागद्वेषौ व्यवस्थितौ |
तयोर्न वशमागच्छेत्तौ ह्यस्य परिपन्थिनौ ||

Bhagwad Gita 3:34

ध्यायतो विषयान्पुंस: सङ्गस्तेषूपजायते |
सङ्गात्सञ्जायते काम: कामात्क्रोधोऽभिजायते || 

Bhagwad Gita 2:62

Each person’s tendency of like or dislike toward any particular object is predetermined by nature. For example one person may like one color very much and hate another color. One person may love traveling, another may not like to leave their home. Some of these affinities may not be as consequential as others. For example if someone likes red clothes it’s ok to wear red clothes. On the other hand if one has diabetes and always desires and eats sweets it can be harmful for health. Someone has been striving for a promotion at work and instead another coworker gets that opportunity.  In the above examples not getting the red clothes or being denied eating sweets or missing out on the promotion will cause unhappiness and frustration. Ultimately this manifests as anger.

If situations are favorable to fulfill the desires, one continues to pursue them to such extent that it becomes a habit and compulsion. Repeated indulgence leads to greed and hoarding. All mental and physical energies are drawn towards this enjoyment. The mind never finds time to look within and find lasting peace and the eternal self. 

The awakening regarding the limited time for these pleasures comes when death is at the doorstep and none of the objects can be carried along into the next life. In a moment the world of enjoyment is set on fire with no time to process the loss. And what fills the void is anger. Anger at the emptiness. Anger at oneself. But directed at the world and the circumstances. 

 Not all desires in the world can be fulfilled. And where there is a lot of vested interest, the anger that arises after rejection of the desire is directly proportional to the invested emotion. 

What is the nature of this anger?

क्रोधाद्भवति सम्मोह: सम्मोहात्स्मृतिविभ्रम: |
स्मृतिभ्रंशाद् बुद्धिनाशो बुद्धिनाशात्प्रणश्यति || 

Bhagwad Gita 2:63

Krodhaad bhavati sammoha

sammohaat smruti vibhramaha 

Smruti bramshad buddhi naasho

 buddhi naashaat pranashyati ( Bh.G 2: 63)

 Anger is irrational. It is inconsolable. It is destructive. It can destroy a person’s ability to think calmly, intelligently and compassionately. It can make the person forgetful of valuable lessons learned in life when they are most needed. It will prevent one from finding the root cause of the problem or accepting responsibility. 

Vishwa raage zaale vanhi !

Anger is equated to heat. It erupts like a fire. It leads to violence more often than not. If you look at the epics Ramayan or Mahabharat you will see plenty of examples of how desire led to anger and anger brought about a lot of destruction. Whether it was Shoorpanakha being enamored by Lakshman or Ravan wanting Sita, what followed was nothing but disaster. Dhritrashtra’s desire for his son to succeed him to the throne, Duryodhan’s love for absolute power or Draupadi’s desire to get even with the Kauravas after they humiliated her. Desire and anger were root causes for the loss of thousands of lives time and again. The Holocaust or the civil and other wars in various countries are examples. There is no going back in these situations because there is no checking of ambition or anger. The entire world is set on fire. 

Passion or desires, whether fulfilled or not, thus lead to anger and this anger in turn sets fires everywhere.

Note that ego is a product of ignorance. Desire and anger are attributes of the ego or body consciousness. When a person’s identity is locked in body consciousness anger is like a lethal weapon in the hands of a madman. 

Under such circumstances how should a saint behave ? 

संती सुखें व्हावें पाणी 

This too is beautifully explained by Shri Krishna in the same chapter, that is chapter 2 of the Bhagwad Gita. And then again in subsequent chapters when discussing the traits of a sthithapradnya. 

आपूर्यमाणमचलप्रतिष्ठं
समुद्रमाप: प्रविशन्ति यद्वत् |
तद्वत्कामा यं प्रविशन्ति सर्वे
स शान्तिमाप्नोति न कामकामी || 

Bhagwad Gita 2:70

Aapooryamaana achala prathishtham 

Samudra maapah pravishanti yadvat 

Tadvat kaamaa yam pravishyanti sarve 

Sa shaantim aapnoti na kaamakaami 

Bh. G 2:70

The rivers all flooded, flow and empty into the ocean, yet the ever full ocean doesn’t get disturbed one bit. Similarly a true devotee or man of realization (sthithapradnya) remains unperturbed in the face of various desirable and sensuous objects. His heart is filled with peace, happiness and satisfaction. Anything more will not add to his happiness. His contentment and happiness is not coming from outside.

In the 16th chapter verse 21 He says 

त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं नाशनमात्मन: |
काम: क्रोधस्तथा लोभस्तस्मादेतत्त्रयं त्यजेत् ||

Bhagwad Gita 16:21

Trividham narkasyedam dwaaram

 naashanamaatmanaaha

Kaamah krodhah stathaa lobhas tasmaad etat trayam tyajet 

Desire, anger and greed are three gates to hell. These destroy one’s soul and lead to one’s downfall. Therefore relinquish these three.

A saint’s mind must be happy under any circumstances. As Wordsworth would describe, such person would have “that inward eye which is the bliss of solitude”!

So far we saw संती सुखें ! A saint is blissful.

व्हावें पाणी vhaave paani ? 

It means ought to be like water!

Why and how?

Opposite of anger is calmness. Opposite of heat is cool. Opposite of fire is water.

Muktabai has very thoughtfully used the metaphor of water for a saint’s temperament. 

Why like water?

Water has many noteworthy properties. 

 It has a natural tendency to extinguish fires. Angry people can be subdued by a true saint. The primary quality of water is that it remains cool. Even if you heat it, it will tend to cool down. If you are feeling hot and you are sprayed with water it will cool you down. True saints are not aggravated by circumstances. They can bring a calm to others who are disturbed. 

Secondly water finds its own level. You pour it into a tall flask or flat tray. Fill the flask with pebbles or petals, it will find its level in both situations. The saints maintain equanimity in favorable or unfavorable conditions. Whether in the company of good or evil. Whether they are treated with respect or disrespect.

Third characteristic is the ability of water to navigate its way around things that come in its way. When a river flows its waters encounter road blocks from big boulders. But it flows and finds its way around them. If Saints are confronted by critics or argumentative people they realize when it’s no use wasting their energy there and carry on with their work irrespective. These river gently caresses the rounded small pebbles in its path. In a similar way the saints share their wisdom and teachings with those that meet them with an earnest desire to learn. 

Fourthly, when water is poured into the ground it percolates between the layers of the soil. Impurities are filtered out. Valuable minerals are added to the purified water until it reaches a rocky surface and gets stored as spring or well water. Similarly these saints walk through life constantly making efforts to give up their shortcomings and absorb virtues from whoever they meet or every situation they encounter. 

Water always tends to seek the lowest level.

To accept shortcomings as well as learn from others, both require humility. Younger Muktabai could give a lesson to Dnyaaneshwar because he accepted it. Another person would have said sarcastically “so now you are going to teach me how to live life?” 

Fifth, is the virtue of water to remain true to itself under any circumstances. When it is boiled it will form steam and evaporate. Evaporated water reaches the clouds, later rains and returns to the earth as pure water. It remains water no matter what. Through thick and thin. Thus even under trying times the saints never forget their purpose in life is to uplift others. They may change their approach but not core values.

Sixth, it quenches thirst. Whoever approaches saints with difficulties is never sent home empty handed. Their sufferings are diminished in some way or other. Either by instilling hope or giving them insight into their lives or correcting their mistakes. 

Seventh, it washes stains. Company of saints automatically purifies a person. Wrongful thinking is changed. Faulty behaviors are gradually modified. While rest of the world may not forgive mistakes, saints will allow these people to reform and totally absolve them of prior wrongdoing. 

Eighth, is its transparency. There are no hidden agendas with true saints. 

Ninth quality is non discrimination. A drop of water will confer the same coolness or moisture when placed on the tongue of a rich man or poor, literate or illiterate, light or dark skinned. The compassion and wisdom of the saints makes no distinction between people they meet. 

Tenth quality is moisture. The hearts of saints are not made of stone. There is emotion, there is compassion, there is love in them.

Eleventh, water can be put into a container of any shape and size. You can’t put a pebble into a flask whose mouth diameter is smaller than the width of the pebble. But you can put water into it. These saints adjust to changing life circumstances without complaining. 

Twelfth, water is a source of life. To grow and thrive, all living beings need water. These saints are similarly a life force. Not only can they ease our paths through mortal life, they can take us further from mortality to immortality with the power of their spiritual knowledge. 

Muktabai is teaching us to become like water. Even if one tries to imbibe a few qualities of water it will make a difference to others and help find happiness within oneself.

In context of the above abhang, water is  primarily used as a metaphor to douse the fiery anger. Instead of getting burned, the saints have inherent qualities to put out the rage. It comes naturally to them. 

To summarize this line, even while the entire world around you is engaged in fulfilling personal desires and caught in the heat of passion, greed and anger, you can find inner joy and contentment through self reflection and self control and remain cool and calm in the face of any circumstances. 

Qualities:

Non aggravation 

Contentment 

Peacefulness 

Blissful 

Soothing