Posted on: 14 Sep 2019
[Several devotees from various places, ranging from illiterate to highly qualified, came to Swami, seeking the clarification of their doubts in spiritual knowledge. Some of the prominent questions, along with the clarifications given by Swami, are given here.]
Swami replied: There are two ways of thinking, which will develop your patience towards your enemy.
You must realize that the loss caused by your enemy to you is never compensated in any way when you take revenge against your enemy. But if you conquer the thought of revenge, God will be pleased with you. He will compensate you for your loss, even if it is a case of harm done by the other person to you in return. If you show divine patience, God will give you this divine gift of compensation! The Kauravas had badly insulted Draupadi and God Krishna had already decided to destroy the Kauravas. It was a fresh case of a crime and not a case of a crime done in return. Even if Draupadi had managed to remain silent and patient, thinking that it was a case of a crime done in return, the Kauravas would have been killed by God, in any case. Draupadi would have been additionally rewarded by Krishna, by making her five sons become kings. But Draupadi always burned with terrible anger and a desire for revenge against the Kauravas. She wanted the Kauravas to be killed. For her attitude of revenge, not only the wicked Kauravas, but even Draupadi was punished by God. Draupadi’s five sons were killed by Aśvatthāmā after the war. Thus, the sons of Draupadi could not become kings. The absence of the attitude for revenge brings a gift from God and presence of the attitude of revenge brings unnecessary extra punishment from God. That is why Jesus said that one should leave the revenge to God and that one should not take revenge against one’s enemy.
Ashvatthaama