Humility, hallmark of a balanced person

CHENNAI, OCT. 1. Human beings are endowed differently and even among those who have the same talent, the finesse and ease with which it is expressed will vary from person to person. Only a few are exceptional but this should not make others who are less accomplished jealous of those who are prodigious and resort to bragging about themselves to camouflage their limitations. Their true colours will be known only when their skill is put to the test. When the Pandavas were living incognito in Virata's kingdom during the last year of their exile, Duryodana attacked the country from two sides with the help of Susarma, the king of Trigartas, with the intention of flushing out the Pandavas so that they could be banished again. As they were brave warriors Duryodana was sure that they would come to the aid of their benefactor.

Except Arjuna who had disguised himself as a woman under the name Brihannala and was teaching dance to the princess of the country, the other Pandavas offered their services to Virata and went along with him to fight Susarma's army. On the following day when the Kauravas attacked the city from another direction by capturing all the cows, only the prince, Uttara Kumara, was there in the palace. Hearing the appeal of the distressed people the prince offered to come to their rescue but expressed his predicament that he had no good charioteer.

He bragged, ``I do not care about the enemies. If I have a good charioteer I can tackle Bheeshma, Drona, Kripa, Aswatthama and Radheya single-handed... People who see me fighting will say: `Is it Arjuna? There is no one else who can fight so well'. Please arrange for a charioteer at once.'' Little did that pompous prince realise that he would be witness to Arjuna's valour before the day ended. Sairandhri, Draupadi in disguise, happened to overhear this and greatly angered reported the matter to Arjuna, who told her to tell the princess to convince her brother to take him as his charioteer. The prince was outraged with the suggestion that a woman be made his charioteer but had to agree as it was an emergency, said Sri N.Vaidyanatha Dikshitar in his discourse.

Uttara Kumara turned tail the moment Arjuna positioned the chariot before the Kaurava army and became the laughing stock of the enemy but Arjuna brought him to his senses. Arjuna then offered to fight himself by revealing his identity as the 13-year period of exile was long over and routed the Kaurava army.

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