On Forbearance

Forbearance is Truth, Forbearance is Righteousness
Forbearance is Yogam, Forbearance is Nonviolence,
Forbearance is Yajnam
Forbearance is Regularity, Forbearance is Compassion
Forbearance is the only basis for everything

Even though forbearance is a primary human value, one must know when, where and how to utilize this virtue. For example, Mohammad Ghori invaded the kingdom of Pridhviraj seventeen times. He was defeated all the seventeen times. Prithviraj was a broad-minded person. Forbearance was his nature. Every time he captured Mohammad Ghori, he forgave him and let him go. But Ghori had no gratitude. With the help of Jayachandra, he invaded again for the eighteenth time and then defeated Prithviraj. Even though forgiven seventeen times, without showing any gratitude he had the eyes of Prithviraj removed. You see, forbearance is good, but there must be a limit. Forbearance towards the cruel does not work at all.

The quality of forbearance will increase by surrendering one's thoughts to God. You know the mother-in-law put Sakkubai to a lot of troubles. But the quality of forbearance gave Sakkubai peace and tolerance. Day and night she was contemplating on the name of Panduranga.

"Ranga, because of you I am carrying on with this shelterless life... If I do not see you, my mind will not be steady. Oh Krishna, won't you come to me, even in my dreams! Come and show me yourself, I cannot bear the separation.

"Take the essence of Vedas, convert it into a melodious music, fill it into the flute, and change it into a song Krishna! Sing the song, with lyrics filled with honey Mukunda, talk to me to the satisfaction of my mind

Sakkubai used to sing like that. One day, her mother-in-law gave her a big sack of rice and commanded that she grind all the rice into rice flour. Sakkubai grew very tired from the hours of rotating the manual grinder wheel.

"Ranga! For how long are these troubles? What for are these lives? Is there no justice? Why do you quarrel with me? Don't you have any compassion towards me? I am your servant, yes? or no? Is it appropriate for you to humiliate me?

"If I am truly your servant, why are these troubles for me? There must be some faults in me, that is why you are delaying. Let me know what my faults are and save me", Sakkubai prayed thus. Then Ranga appeared, dressed exactly like Sakkubai and started doing all her household chores and sent Sakkubai to Pandaripur. [Translator's note: As the story went, Mother-in-law and the rest of the family including her husband went to a festival at the temple of Ranga in Pandaripur. Mother-in-law thought that grinding the rice into flour would keep Sakkubai busy until they returned. After Sakkubai fainted at the grinding wheel, Ranga came in the form of the Mother-in-law, woke her up, nourished her and sent her to Pandaripur. Then He assumed the form of Sakkubai and stayed in the house doing all the work]. Sakkubai reached Pandaripur. She saw the idol of Ranga, forgot herself and walked straight into Him and merged while the mother-in-law and the rest of the family were watching in awe.

A genuine devotee offers everything to God. God is bound by that devotee. That devotee does not need any thing else but to always contemplate on the name of God. God also always contemplates on His devotee.

Ashwaddhaama cut the throats of the sons of Paandavaas and killed them while they were sleeping. Arjuna caught hold of him and brought him before Draupadi. Draupadi touched the feet of Arjuna and said, "Arjuna!, it is not right to kill the fear stricken, the one that surrendered, the sleepy, the drunk, the ashamed, the suddha tamasik, the one that cried, `help me', or women".

But Bhima got angry. Then, Draupadi pleaded to both Bhima and Arjuna, "If you kill Ashwaddhama, the mother of Ashwaddhama will also grieve as much as I am grieving now at the loss of my children! My dead children will not return. This grief is inevitable for me. Why should we kill him and why make his mother also grieve? So, please do not kill him". See how great is the virtue of forbearance of Draupadi! One must recognize the truth that the troubles of others are also one's own troubles. That is real forbearance.