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Sir,

 Nice treatise,

  Shadripuh (six-fold enemies) : kaama (lust), krodha (anger), moha 
(infatuation, delusion), lobha (greed), madha (pride) and mathsara 
(envy)
 Any one of them is more than sufficient to pull anyone!
 The subtlest of the six is moha
  Arjuna's of chapter 1 was bogged down by delusion (infatuated with 
relatives).  The moha of Gandhi (resulted in half-baked partition) and 
Nehru (Kasmir double standard)
 are haunting us ...

The problem with moha is that it goes most unnoticed as it  sounds very 
sincere.

 dAsan,

 K.S. tAtAchAr

 -----Original Message-----
 From: sadagopan <sadagopaniyengar@xxxxxxxx>
 To: SriRangaSri@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
  Cc: Radha Jagannathan <radha@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; CHETLUR SRINIVASAN 
<chetlurvas@xxxxxxxxxxx>; Srinivas Rim <srinivasjam@xxxxxxxxx>; 
ThiruppathyRaguveeradayal <rajamragu@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
 Sent: Thu, 01 Sep 2005 09:03:08 +0530
 Subject: [SriRangaSri] Formidable Foes

 Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:



 Formidable Foes





  My 11year-old son Shriram is not on speaking terms with his friend, 
the
  neighbour's boy. I found this puzzling, because Shriram usually has to 
be
  dragged away from the neighbour's, where he spends all his waking 
hours, but for
  the short time required for his daily chores. When I sought to 
ascertain the
  reasons for his sudden change of heart, my son told me that the boy 
had become
  an "enemy". Some minor misunderstanding was obviously the cause and I 
dropped
  the matter there. However, the term he had used-- "enemy"-- rather a 
strong word
  to describe a tiff between boys, stuck to my mind and set off a train 
of
 thought.



  The Sanskrit word for Enemy is "Shatru". Surprisingly, this word and 
its
  equivalent, "Ripu", appear to be extremely popular with poets, if one 
were to go
  by the number of times the words occur in one single work, viz., 
Srimad
  Ramayanam. I found, to my astonishment, that there were no less than 
445
 mentions of the words, attesting to their widespread usage.



  We make enemies galore all through our long lives, wittingly and 
unwittingly, on
  the personal and official fronts, due to our action or inaction. Some 
of these
  enmities are temporary (like my son's), mere storms in a tea cup, and 
are
  cleared in an hour, a day or at best a week. There are some however, 
with whom
  we remain estranged for life, for some reason or the other. Though 
"Enmity" is
  perhaps a strong term to use for strained personal relationships, 
during the
  period of estrangement, the feelings between the individuals concerned 
run so
  high, that they are perhaps no less than those affecting nations at 
war.



  It might perhaps surprise you to find Shastras emphatically declaring 
that the
  maximum damage and hurt to us is caused not by external enemies, but 
by
  ourselves. We are our own worst enemy, responsible for our own 
downfall, says
 the Gita -



 "Aatma eva aatmano bandhu: Aatma eva ripu: aatmana:"



  It is our mind, plagued by innumerable desires and ambitions, that 
leads us in
 paths of destruction-the role of external factors in this is much less
  significant than that of the Mind, which we call our own. While a 
clear mind,
  unattached to sensual pleasures, is the best friend a man could boast 
of,
  leading him to higher and higher spiritual planes, a mind muddied by 
desire and
  craving is the worst foe he should fear, says Sri Ramanuja in his 
commentary.
  The Mind is verily the reason for both our continued bondage and 
liberty, says
  Sri Vishnu Puranam-"Mana eva manushyaanaam kaaranam bandha mokshayo:". 
The
  Geetaacharya reiterates the concept of Mind being our best friend and 
worst foe,
  telling us that one who has full control over his mind finds it his 
most
  beneficial relative, while one with a wayward mind finds it his sworn 
enemy,
  pulling him down constantly-"Anaatmanastu shatrutve varteta aatmaiva 
shatruvat".

  It is for this reason that the Shruti too calls the Mind the most 
terrifying of
  all foes-"Bheeshmo hi mana:". This is confirmed by another Upanishad, 
which
  terms the Mind the greatest of our enemies-"Mana eva jagat sarvam, 
Mana eva
 mahaa ripu:"



  Which specific emotion thrown up by the mind makes it our enemy? This 
particular
 question is asked of Yudhissttira by the Yaksha, in the famous "Yaksha
 Prasnam"-"Ka: Shatru: durjaya: pumsaam?" Not merely an enemy, but an
  unconquerable one at that? Replies the wise Dharmaputra-"It is none 
other than
  anger"-"Krodha: sudurjaya: shatru:". Fury and rage cause such 
incalculable
  damage, that they could easily be categorised as our worst enemies, 
killing us
  from within. Here is another quote from Srimad Ramayanam, telling us 
what a
 powerful foe anger is-



 "Krodha: shatru: shareerasttho manushyaanaam Dvijottama!"



  The Mahopanishad lists yet another emotion as our principal foe-pride 
and
  arrogance. No other foe harms us as much as Ahankaaram, says the 
Upanishad-



 "Ahankaara vasaat aapat, ahankaara vasaat duraadhaya:

 Ahankaara vasaadeehaa, na ahankaaraat paro ripu:"



  Srimad Ramayanam shows us another adversary, which pushes us down into 
the dumps
  and ensures that we never lift our head-"shoko nasayate sarvam, naasti 
shoka
  samo ripu:" Sorrow and despair are our worst enemies, as they destroy 
hope and
  aspiration that form the basic fabric of the human mind. Many are the 
people who
 have taken their own lives or at least attempted to do so, prompted by
  depression, dejection and despair. If a person of phenomenal mental 
strength
  like Sri Mythily, who could stand abduction, imprisonment and 
harassment at the
  hands of Rakshasis, was driven to contemplate suicide, then nothing 
more need be
 said about the damage potential of despair.



  Sri Nammazhwar lists not one, but five foes that every person has to 
contend
  with. These are none other than our five faculties, the 
Panchendriyaas, which
  constantly keep us under their control and torment us day and night 
without any
  let. These faculties are especially cruel on those who tread the 
spiritual path,
  says Azhwar-"Vinnulaar Perumaarkku adimai seivaaraiyum serum 
iympulangal ivai".
  Azhwar is so enraged at these horrid in-dwelling enemies, that he 
calls them
  "van kayavar". And there is another list of six adversaries-"Shat 
Ripu"-viz.,
  Kaamam, Krodham, Moham, Lobham, Madam and Maatsaryam-which are again 
responsible
 for the downfall of those without sense-control.



  Even one's wife and son are said to be one's foes, under certain 
circumstances.
  With apologies to women readers, here is the adage which tells us that 
a
  beautiful wife is a man's enemy-"Bhaaryaa roopavati shatru:"-- and so 
too is a
 son who is good for nothing-"Putra: shatru: napumsaka:".



 How do you deal with your enemies?



  Srimad Ramayanam shows the way. Even if our opponent is much inferior 
to us in
  status, rank or strength, we should never insult him-"na shatru: 
avamantavya:
 durbalopi baleeyasa"



  And one who knows right and wrong would never harm adversaries, who 
are not of
  sound mind, who are sleeping, who have lost their mount in battle and 
stand
  unarmed on the ground, those who are terrified, those belonging to the 
fairer
 sex and children, says Srimad Bhaagavatam-


 'Mattam pramattam unmattam suptam baalam striyam jadam

 Prapannam viratham bheetam na hanti ripum dharmavit"





  It is this cardinal principle that Sri Raghava was demonstrating, when 
He
  refused to kill Ravana, who stood on ground, his chariot destroyed and 
deprived
  of his weapons. Sri Rama's immortal words, "Indru poi naalai vaa", (Go 
today
  with your life and limb safe and return tomorrow for battle, duly 
armed and
  mounted) addressed to the unarmed but unrepentant adversary whom He 
could have
  killed instantly with ease and with a single arrow, are lessons to us 
never to
  take advantage of an enemy's moment of weakness or helplessness. Sri 
Rama's
 battle was fought strictly according to Dharma, without any resort to
  subterfuge, dishonesty or needing recourse to that oft-abused maxim, 
"All is
 fair in love and war"



  How do you turn sworn enemies into bosom friends? The Taittireeya 
Upanishad has
  an extremely practical solution-just give your foes what they want, 
and they
  will be friends ever after. Generosity and magnanimity are sure cures 
for any
 sort of enmity, avers the Upanishad-

 "Daanena dvishanto mitraa: bhavanti"



  What happens when your sworn enemy runs into great trouble and 
practically falls
  at your feet, seeking protection and succour? Do you gloat over his 
misfortune
  and tell the hapless man to go to hell, or, worse, do you seize him by 
the neck
  and punish him to your heart's content? Neither, we are told, again by 
Srimad
  Ramayanam. Here is a story recounted by none other than Sri Rama, to 
emphasize
  that even our worst enemy, if he seeks our protection, should be 
treated with
  due courtesy and afforded all assistance. This is the quintessence of 
the
  Doctrine of Surrender, explains Sri Raghava to Sugreeva and other 
vaanaras, who
  express themselves against affording refuge to Sri Vibheeshana of the 
enemy
 camp.



  The rain was coming down in torrents. A sharp wind was whistling 
through the
  dense forest, chilling everyone to the morrow. The night's darkness 
added to the
  woes of the hunter, who could hardly lay his hands on even an ant, 
throughout
  the damp day. He was drenched to the skin, blue with cold and his 
innards were
  being gnawed by intense hunger. Desperately searching for something to 
eat, he
  let out a whoop of joy when he found a female dove lying unconscious 
beneath a
  tree, obviously having met with an accident while returning home to 
its mate.
  The hunter put the dove in his cage and went about looking for 
something to make
  a fire with, for preparing his meal as well as to dry his weary and 
cold bones.



  His limbs shaking with cold, the hunter sought refuge under a tree, 
which
  coincidentally happened to be the home of the captured female dove. 
The male
  bird, peering out of the tree-top nest anxiously for its missing mate, 
found her
  in the hunter's cage and began to abuse him. However, the female dove 
hushed its
  partner, pointing out that though their natural enemy, the hunter had 
sought
  refuge in their tree home and that it was their bounden duty to be of 
all
  assistance to him. Reminded of its obligation as a host, the male bird 
arranged
  for dry twigs and brushwood from its own nest, had a fire going within 
a short
  time and invited the hunter to dry himself in the fire. And in a 
supreme gesture
  of sacrifice, it fell into the fire, requesting the hunter to partake 
of its
 cooked flesh.



  "When even a dove could respond in such a magnificent fashion, 
sacrificing its
  life for the sake of its wife's abductor, should I not, as a 
descendant of the
  famed Ikshvaaku Vamsam, offer protection to Vibheeshna?" enquires Sri 
Raghava of
  the Vaanara Veeras. If a person comes to you with folded hands, 
obviously in
  need of succour, even if he is your worst enemy guilty of having 
mortally
  wronged you, you should afford him protection and all possible aid, 
says Sri
 Raghunandana-



 "Baddaanjali putam deenam yaachantam sharanaagatam

 Na hanyaat aanrisamsyaarttham api shatrum Parantapa!".



  Protecting an enemy who surrenders is not only the done thing for the 
wise, but
  if not done, would attract great sin, points out the Prince of 
Ayodhya-"Evam
 dosho mahaan atra prapannaanaam arakshane".



  Not only does Sri Raghava afford protection to Vibheeshana from the 
enemy camp,
  He is prepared to offer "abhayam" to even Ravana, the dastardly 
abductor of His
  beloved Consort, should the rakshasa wish it-"Vibheeshano vaa 
Sugreeva! Yadi vaa
  Ravana: svayam". It is this magnanimity of the Paramapurusha that 
comforts us,
 for, we too are no mean offenders.



  It takes a broad mind to praise your foe-even if he is the repository 
of all
  virtues, you find it difficult to utter a good word about him, the 
enmity
  rankling in your mind preventing you from honest appreciation. All you 
have for
  him are the choicest words of invective. This, however, is not the 
case with
  Ravana-he is generous enough to praise his adversary, even though He 
is
  tormenting Ravana in battle. The glory of Sri Rama is such that even 
His sworn
  foes have only paeans of praise for Him. Here are the glorious words 
of Ravana,
  paying handsome tribute to Raghunandana's bravery and His ability to 
capture the
 hearts of onlookers-



 "Shatro: prakhyaata veeryasya ranjaneeyasya vikramai:

 pasyato yuddha lubdhoham krita: kaa purushastvaya"



  Knowing full well the glory of the Lord, would anyone, least of all 
those close
  to Him, voluntarily seek enmity with Him? And that too, not for one 
single
  birth, but for three consecutive janmas? This is what Jaya and Vijaya, 
the
  gatekeepers of Emperuman at Vishnulokam, did. In their anxiety to 
zealously
  guard the Lord and His privacy, when they prevented a Maharshi from 
walking
  straight into the Lord's quarters, they were cursed by the enraged 
sage to a
  sojourn on earth, losing their exalted position as Dwaarapaalakas. 
Despairing at
  the severity of the punishment, that of being away from their beloved 
Lord, when
  the keepers of the Lord's gates represented to the Maharshi, they were 
given a
  choice-Be born for a hundred births as devotees of the Lord, or just 
three as
  His enemies. Unable to tolerate a long separation from their Master, 
the
  gatekeepers chose to be born just thrice, even though it meant their 
being
  inimical to Emperuman. Thus were born the pairs of 
Rakshasas/Asuras-Hiranya and
  Hiranyaaksha, Ravana and Kumbhakarna and Sisupaala and Dantavaktra-all 
of whom
  led apparent lives of antagonism to the Lord and met their ends at His 
hands,
 returning to a blissful reunion with their Divine Master.



  Apart from the aforesaid pair of asuras who became the Lord's enemy by 
their own
  choice, does Emperuman have anybody whom He can rightfully call His 
enemies,
  despite their being His own progeny? Yes, indeed, and it is none other 
than
  ourselves. We are guilty of the greatest sin, that of "Aatma 
apahaaram" or
  stealing the soul. Though the soul and all else belongs rightfully to 
the Lord,
  due to our pride and possessiveness, we consider our soul to be our 
very own,
  independent and free to act as we please. And even when the Lord, the 
rightful
 owner, demands the soul back, we turn our faces away and assert our
  independence. When He says, "Tvam Me" ("You are mine"), we resist and 
say "Aham
  me" ("I am my own"). We constantly indulge in all sorts of acts 
inimical to the
  Lord, habitually disobeying His dicta, forgetting the Shruti warning 
that none
  is powerful enough to militate against Him-"Brahmanaa ka: arhati 
spardhitum".



  By virtue of all these acts of omission and commission, the Lord ought 
to treat
 us as His enemies and deal with us accordingly. However, His boundless
  compassion and mercy prompt Him to overlook most of our misdemeanours 
and
  constantly strive to wean us away from the path of perdition we insist 
on
  treading. And true to His own words as Sri Rama, whatever be the 
quantum or
  gravity of our offences, He readily pardons us once we bow before Him 
with
 folded hands, performing Saranagati.



  Srimate Sri LakshmiNrisimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri 
Narayana
 Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

 dasan, sadagopan





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