CHARUCHARYA Part IX

 

तीव्रे तपसि लीनानामिन्द्रियाणां न विश्वसेत्‌ | विश्वामित्रोऽपि सोत्कण्ठः कण्ठे जग्राह मेनकाम्‌ ॥ ३६ ॥

tīvre tapasi līnānām indriyāṇāṃ na viśvaset |
viśvāmitro'pi sotkaṇṭhaḥ kaṇṭhe jagrāha menakām || 36 ||

Translation

One should not trust the senses, even of those deeply absorbed in severe austerities.  Even Viśvāmitra, overcome with longing, embraced Menakā.

Explanation

The teaching is psychologically profound. Even intense penance does not permanently neutralize human vulnerability.

Viśvāmitra was a mighty sage performing terrible austerities to gain divine powers. Seeing this, Indra feared losing his position and sent the celestial nymph Menakā to distract him. Her beauty disturbed the sage’s mind, and he succumbed to desire.  The verse teaches: Spiritual achievement does not mean immunity from temptation. Vigilance must be lifelong.

कुर्याद्वियोगदुःखेषु धैर्यमुत्सृज्य दीनताम्‌ । अश्वत्थामवधं श्रुत्वा द्रोणो गतधृतिर्हतः ॥ ३७ ॥

kuryād viyoga-duḥkheṣu dhairyam utsṛjya dīnatām |
aśvatthāmavadhaṃ śrutvā droṇo gatadhṛtir hataḥ || 37 ||

Translation

In the sorrow caused by separation, one should abandon weakness and maintain courage.  Hearing of Aśvatthāman’s death, Droṇa lost his composure and was slain.

Explanation

During the Mahābhārata war, Droṇa was invincible. To defeat him, the Pāṇḍavas spread the half-truth that “Aśvatthāman is dead” (referring to an elephant, not his son). Believing his beloved son was killed, Droṇa was overwhelmed with grief. He dropped his weapons and was killed.

Lesson: Emotional collapse in moments of loss can destroy even the strongest warrior. Grief is natural — but losing mental steadiness can be fatal.

 न क्रोधयातुधानस्य धीमान्‌ गच्छेदधीनताम्‌ । पपौ राक्षसवद्‌ भीमः क्षतजं रिपुवक्षसः ॥ ३८ ॥

na krodha-yātudhānasya dhīmān gacched adhīnatām |
papau rākṣasavad bhīmaḥ kṣatajaṃ ripu-vakṣasaḥ || 38 ||

Translation

A wise person should never fall under the control of the demon called anger. Like a demon, Bhīma drank the blood from his enemy’s chest.

Explanation

“Yātudhāna” means demon. Here anger is compared to a demon that possesses a person.

Bhīma had vowed to drink Duḥśāsana’s blood for insulting Draupadī. In battle, he killed him and, in fury, drank his blood — behaving like a rākṣasa.

The verse does not deny Bhīma’s heroism — it highlights how anger can degrade even a noble warrior into something monstrous.

Moral: Anger transforms the wise into the savage.

त्यजेद्‌ मृगव्यव्यसनं हिंसयातिमलीमसम्‌ । मृगयारसिकः पाण्डुः शापेन तनुमत्यजत्‌ ॥ ३९ ॥

tyajed mṛgavyavyasanaṃ hiṃsayā'ti-malīmasam |
mṛgayā-rasikaḥ pāṇḍuḥ śāpena tanum atyajat || 39 ||

Translation

One should give up the addiction to hunting, which is deeply stained by violence. Fond of hunting, Pāṇḍu lost his life because of a curse.

Explanation

King Pāṇḍu once shot a deer while it was mating. The deer was actually a sage in disguise. The sage cursed him: if he approached his wife with desire, he would die. Later, overcome by passion, Pāṇḍu forgot the curse and died instantly.

The verse teaches two levels: Hunting breeds cruelty; Impulsive action has irreversible consequences.  Pleasure rooted in violence leads to ruin.

शिवेनेव न तुष्टेन बुद्धिर्देया विनाशिनी । भस्मासुराय वरदः स हि तेन विडम्बितः ॥ ४० ॥

śivenaiva na tuṣṭena buddhir deyā vināśinī |
bhasmāsurāya varadaḥ sa hi tena viḍambitaḥ || 40 ||

Translation

Like Śiva, one should not, when pleased, grant a boon that leads to one’s own destruction. By granting a boon to Bhasmāsura, he was himself put into danger.

Explanation

Bhasmāsura obtained a boon from Lord Śiva that whoever’s head he touched would turn to ashes. Intoxicated by power, he tried to test it on Śiva himself! Vishnu, as Mohinī, later saved the situation.

The teaching: Generosity must be guided by wisdom; Kindness without discrimination can become self-destructive.  Compassion without prudence invites danger.

Thematic Summary

All five verses revolve around loss of control:

Weakness	Example	Result
Sensual temptation	Viśvāmitra	Fall from austerity
Emotional grief	Droṇa	Death
Anger	Bhīma	Brutal behavior
Violent addiction	Pāṇḍu	Fatal curse
Careless generosity	Śiva	Self-endangerment

The deeper message is clear: Human greatness collapses not from external enemies - but from inner weaknesses.