17. CONQUEST OF ANGER

D: How is anger to be conquered?

A: “I am in no way profited by my anger. This person is chiding me. What do I lose by that? Nothing. Then why should I give room to anger?” – if one entertains such thoughts, anger will eventually subside.

D: Is thinking on the above lines sufficient?

A: Further thought may be necessary. “If I now abuse this person due to my anger, it may seem that I have achieved a great feat. However, in reality, have I not become a slave to my anger? In attempting to dominate a foe, I have been conquered by another. Anger not only overpowers me, it spoils my intellect and tempts me to do what I should not do. Why should I become a slave to this anger? I will get much more benefit and satisfaction by the control of anger than by abusing any person” – one should think thus. If one is alert, the advent of anger can be sensed. If its rise is foreseen, effort can be made to control it before it manifests. Half the anger will subside the moment its arousal is recognized. However, many are aware of their anger only after it has erupted. Even such people can develop the habit of sensing it before its eruption.

D: Will anger create obstacles to spiritual progress?

CONQUEST OF ANGER 117

A: Yes. The Lord has mentioned desire, anger and greed as the triple gates to hell. An angry person does not think of what he is doing and even resorts to dangerous steps. He eventually incurs sin. Anger destroys him through his sins. Therefore, no place should be given to anger.

D: Does ‘giving no place to anger’ imply that one cannot instruct subordinates in a stern manner?

A: Commands should be given wherever they should be. Otherwise, an official may not be effective in places like offices. ‘Giving no place to anger’ only means that ideas such as, “I should harm this person or take revenge on him” should not be permitted. At the outset, instructions can be given calmly. If they are not adhered to, one may take recourse to stern language to convey that they should be carried out. However, anger must not be allowed to rise and upset one’s calmness.

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❑ Discourses of Acharyal

When a person sets his mind on external objects, he develops an attachment to them. This generates a desire to possess them. If he is unable to get them, he is angry and frustrated. This anger reduces his judgement and discrimination, which, in turn, leads to the forgetting of good things he has learnt. At this stage his sense of right and wrong disappears. Such a person becomes incompetent to do the things that are good for him and avoid the things that are bad for him.

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In keeping with the scriptural teachings, Acharyal has taught that one has to strive to conquer anger in order to enjoy peace of mind. In a speech, He took up a verse from Bhagavatpāda’s Śataślokī, and highlighted the need to quell anger for getting great benefits both here and hereafter and also ultimate liberation. Acharyal said that anger has to be won over by practising forgiveness, kṣamā.

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❑ Experiences of Devotees

After my graduation from the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta in 1968, I joined a leading textile manufacturing firm. There, I often had to take my subordinates, some of them old enough to be my father, to task. I felt that I was being rude with them and therefore was disgusted with myself. I met Acharyal at Sringeri and explained my state of mind. When we were together the same afternoon, Acharyal suddenly got up and proceeded with great speed, beckoning me to follow Him. We quickly reached the Śāradāmbā temple where a new gopura was being built. Some workers were found to be idling, instead of attending to their tasks. Acharyal climbed the scaffolding with great agility and then proceeded to reprimand them in no uncertain terms. Acharyal then climbed down rapidly and walked back towards the bridge. His face bore a delightful smile directed at me. I was completely astounded to see how someone who seemed so red faced, choleric and in a sense almost abusive in His haranguing the labourers could suddenly seem to be so peaceful and jolly. It was only several days later that I gradually came to understand the impact of His Holiness’ action on that day. What in effect His Holiness was telling me through action, even more eloquently than by word, was that sometimes it is absolutely necessary to be hard on some people when more gentle methods of giving instructions might be somewhat lost. But more important than this was the message that all this must be carried on like an actor playing a part on stage rather than becoming identified with the emotion evinced. [Sri Nagendra Rao]

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