Change comes from within

During the twelve years of exile, the Pandavas and their wife Draupadi roamed around different forests and came in contact with many sages. The sages helped them by telling stories of their ancestors and of importance that had far reaching impact on their thoughts. In a way, the sages were helping the Pandavas grow as leaders. In their early years, with all the education and fun, the Pandavas had grown to be good warriors, administrators and providers. The exile years are considered as the bridge between the princes to the common man that gave birth to great rulers. However, the sages were not the only ones to have taught the Pandavas.

In the period of exile, Arjuna once met a forest dweller Kirata, who challenged Arjuna to show his skill and claim the prize. Despite using all his skills, Arjuna could not come close to Kirata. Finally, Arjuna realized that he was no ordinary human being and prays the Kirata to reveal his true being. Upon surrendering himself, Arjuna then realizes the Kirata to be Shiva who taught him the lesson of humility. Later Shiva praised Arjuna and gifted him his own "Pashupatastra".

In another story, Bhima once brought a divine looking flower to Draupadi in his attempt to appease her. She is pleased but demand more flowers of this kind. The sages suggested that the flowers came from the heavenly lake up above the mountains. Bhima climbed the mountains in search of the flowers. On his way he found an old monkey lying on the path. Since it is considered rude to walk over someone, Bhima asked the monkey to move away. The monkey requested Bhima instead, telling him of his ill health. Bhima who is considered by all and himself the mos powerful of all, could not move even the monkey's tail. Having realized that the monkey is not ordinary, Bhima prayed to the monkey. It was no other than Hanuman who had come to teach the lesson of humbleness to Bhima.

One day while wandering in the forest, Draupadi saw a jamun tree and one mouthwatering ripe jamun fruit close to the ground. Instinctively, Draupadi reached out and plucked the jamun. As she did so, the tree cried as to what had she done? The tree was holding the fruit for 12 years for the sage who had been meditating without food or water for nearly the same time. The sage was to wake up from his meditation this day and eat the fruit. Now Draupadi deprived the sage of the fruit, he waited for twelve years. Draupadi asked her husbands to help put the jamun back in its place. But no one could. The tree again said, Draupadi could do so if she was chaste and was true to her husbands. Much to the astonishment of the Pandavas, they realized Draupadi harboring a secret in her heart. She spoke of her yearning for Karna. Had she not insulted Karna and married him, all the insults to her would have been saved. Pandavas though angry about her secret, were ashamed of having failed her collectively. Hence kept quiet. As Draupadi shared her thoughts and having cleansed her heart, she was chaste again and was able to fix the fruit back in its place.

Bhima was once captured by a python who kept encircling him and wanted to eat him. The python knew how to speak. He said that he was looking for Yudhishthra as he can provide answers to the queries and absolve him of his sins. The python was King Nahusha. When Yudhishthira came to Bhima's help, Nahusha posed him the question – "Who is a Brahman". Yudhishthira thought and replied "A Brahman is one who has mastered his senses, disciplined his mind and learnt Brahma-Vidya, who has attained knowledge of infinite eternal and boundless soul. A brahman is one who is content, generous, and gentle and is always with truth. He may or may not be the one who is born to a Brahman."

In another story, four of the pandava brothers collapsed on the ban of an enchanted lake. They refused to acknowledge the lake's guardian and tried to quench their thirst. Yudhisthira acknowledged the guardian and answered the questions wisely. (We will delve into the questions in the later blog). The guardian was no other than the god of dharma – Yama. At the end, Yama asked him to choose one brother whose life could be granted. Yudhisthira thought again and asked for Nakula. His reason being Nakula was the son of Madri and hence both the wives of Pandu shall have one of their sons living. Yudhishthira had not shown the same thought during the game of dice. He had gambled Madri's sons in the first chance. He had not even thought of any consequences earlier. Clearly something had changed!

All of the above stories, humbled and taught the Pandavas. They changed, matured and became better during their period of exile.

Some say the stories are a work of fiction. Some even laugh at the events or characters in the story.

But look at the idea carried in each story. What we learn from here is that the change comes from within. All the external factors or situations are the triggers that help us understand the need for the change. It is us who have to change and we decide how much and how? We control our own destiny through the path we choose. Its not the situations but us who decide how we fare. The success or the failure is always relative depending on one's perspective of the scenario and their decisions. At the same time, since one controls their destiny and only theirs, no one can change the world without changing oneself. Hence, in order to bring a change, one needs to change.