The Hindu : Self-control, mark of culture

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 09, 2002

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous - Religion

Self-control, mark of culture

CHENNAI DEC.9. It has been the traditional practice to elucidate the Bhagavad Gita from the second chapter onwards as the emphasis of this text is on spirituality but a detailed perusal of the opening chapter becomes necessary to situate the work in the Mahabharata in which it occurs. From this perspective the first chapter becomes the seed of the Gita and it gives insight into human nature through the different characters it portrays. The Gita opens with a description of the events in the battlefield as narrated by Sanjaya to the blind king, Dhritarashtra. Seeing the army of the Pandavas arrayed in battle Duryodana approached the teachers of the princes, Drona, and spoke to him without even saluting him.

An eminent scholar observed, "Culture is control". So a person who is cultured is expected to exercise self-control in his social behaviour. If this yardstick is applied Duryodana lacked culture. There is a famous Vedic dictum, which behoves a student to revere his parents and teacher as God. Duryodana should have at least had the courtesy to greet Dronacharya first. But his arrogance made him speak the way he did, "Teacher! Behold this great army of the sons of Pandu, arrayed in battle order by your talented disciple, the son of Drupada." He spoke words laced with sarcasm, not sense, for he was not cultured though born in a great lineage and taught by such a great teacher.

In her discourse, Smt. Prema Pandurang said Duryodana's behaviour should be seen in the context of the Mahabharata story. Drona and Drupada were close childhood friends who subsequently became sworn enemies proving the cliché that there is only a very thin line dividing friendship and enemity. When Drona sought his friend to alleviate his poverty, the king turned him away with the harsh words that he could not claim friendship with him, as they were not equals. Their friendship soured to the extent that Drona became a warrior and a renowned teacher in archery to the Kuru princes and as fee for teaching them asked Bhima and Arjuna to defeat Drupada and bring him bound alive. And, to add insult to injury Drona returned half his kingdom back to him when he released him saying they were now equals. To take revenge Drupada sired his son Drishtadyumna with the sole intention of killing Drona but he trained in warfare under this great teacher. Duryodana taunted his teacher for his magnanimity in imparting archery to Drishtadyumna.

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