Sage Rishabha talks about the advice of Sage Tanu on hope
Well, it is quite apparent that all of us keep hopes for something or from someone. Here hope is known as most weak since it makes a person feeble. King Yudhisthira hoped too. He was then cautioned by Bhishma Pitamaha to give up the same, let us understand why? After Yudhisthira was crowned as King of Hastinapur, Lord Krishna freed amazing Bhishma from all of his sufferings prior to his death and asked him to alleviate Yudhisthira from mourning over the dead Kshatriyas thru the manner of advising him on Dharma. Yudhishthira asked, “Pitamaha! in all men modesty is stated to be the major. Now I need to recognize how did hope originate? What is hope? I had great hopes on Duryodhana that he might do the right thing while the possibility of war arose. I used to think that, he would return half of the kingdom to me without fighting. There is a few wonderful hope inside the heart of almost all of us. There is great despair whilst it breaks up, somebody even dies. That evil, son of Dhritarashtra, disappointed me in my thoughts. Look how unfortunate I'm. king! I trust hope is bigger than a mountain with trees or it's far more incomprehensible than the sky. It's tough to win. What is rarer than hope?” In response, Bhishma told about the tale of the king Sumitra and Rishabha sage.
‘One day king Sumitra of Heheya country went on hunting in the
forest. He injured a deer from its group with an arrow. The deer went thru the
ground and ran away to the flat route. The king was also younger and full of
hearty force, he was wearing the armour. He carried his bows, arrows, sword and
began following him. On the other hand that deer at the same time as roaming
within the forest alone was crossing rivers, forests over and over again. That
fast deer on his wish was coming near the king, and again running away with
excellent pace and great jumping. Despite the fact that the king's many arrows were
pierced inside the deer’s frame, however, he was playing frequently through
coming close to the king. The deer was the chief of its group. His pace was
superb and intense. Then the king shot a fierce sharp arrow that was
going to tear the body of that deer. Seeing this, the deer left two kos
distance far away from the way of the arrow and stood there even as smiling. Whilst
that first-rate arrow of the king fell on the earth, then The deer entered the
exceptional wooded area, even at that point the king didn't stop following.
In the terrific wooded area after getting into, King Sumitra
reached the ashrams of many Tapasvis or ascetics and sat there tired. He was
very hungry. Noticing him holding a bow many sages came there and they all
together welcomed him. King additionally asked approximately the growth in
their penance. After that, the sages asked the motive of his coming there and about
his identification and clan. King Sumitra informed them that, “Tapodhana! I was
born in Heheya state. I'm King Sumitra. I was wandering after shooting many
arrows at deers. I had a massive army with me. Protected by means of them, I
got here with the minister. I injured a deer however it ran away. Even as
chasing him, I unexpectedly entered this forest and have come close to you. All
my limits have come to be devastated now. I am desperate and stricken by hard
labour. What can be greater painful than being suffered so much because of my
tough work and keeping my feet in your ashrams as frustrated after all my
royalty is corrupted? The abandonment of the city and the emblems aren't giving
severe pain to me, as my broken hopes are giving. Tremendous mountain, The Himalayas can not equate hope by way of its vastness. As there is no end to the
sky, similarly, I could not find the end of hope. Everything is known to you considering the fact that the sages are omniscient. You're an exquisite lucky ascetic, that's why
I ask you my doubts. If on one side there's a hopeful person and on another side, there is the limitless sky, then, who's bigger to you in terms of greatness inside
the world? If it's not always a secret to you please describe it to me. If this
question of mine disturbs your penance I'll take a break from it and if you
have time for our verbal exchange, solve the question which I have put forward.
I need to hear precisely about the purpose of hope and associated with the
capability.”
Then amongst all the sages, terrific Brahmarishi, Rishabha
said, ‘King! A long time ago, when I used to travel in all of the pilgrimages,
I reached the divine ashram of Lord Nara Narayana. Wherein there's the delightful
Badrika tree, and a Vaihayas Kund and where Ashvashira (Hayagriva) is the
source of the eternal Vedas, there's Naranarayanashram. (Vihaasa Gachhantya
Mandakinya Vaihayasva Ayam Vaihayasah means, by travelling through the sky
Mandakini or The name of Ganga in the sky is Vaihayasi. Due to it being full of
water, the kund is called Vaihayas. The name of Ganga in Badrikashram is
Alaknanda.)
After bathing in that Vaihayas Kund, I duly carried out Tarpan for the deities and the pitras or ancestors. Then I entered within the ashram, where awesome great Nara and Narayana reside. After that, I went to another ashram near from there wherein a sage named Tanu lived, who wore rags and deerskin. His body was very tall and really weak. He was eight times taller than other humans. I had in no way seen weakness like his before! His body was thin also like a little finger. His neck, arms, both legs, and hair appeared strange too. His speech and gesture were simple. I was worried to see that thin brahmin and became very sad in my heart; then bow at his feet. After giving my identification through name, gotra, and father's introduction in front of him, I sat on the seat given by him. Thereupon, the best among the virtuous rishis, Tanu sat in the middle and began advised related to Dharma and Artha.
At that time, a king who had lotus-like eyes reached there
via powerful horses along with his army and ministers. His name was
Veeradyumna. His son named Bhuridyumna was lost inside the forest. He was
getting very sad by remembering his son. King Veeradyumna, bound by
the hope of finding his son, was wandering in that forest in those days. He was non-secular. He repeatedly said there that, regardless of having a sight of
his son was rare, yet in his mind, he had substantially hoped for meeting his
son and that hope had taken over his complete body for which he could accept
even death. Hearing this from king Veerdyumna, superb Tanu meditated with
his head down, while sitting silently for some time. King was very unhappy to
look at the sage contemplating. He again and again in a slow voice asked the sage
that which is rare and what is greater than the hope? Then the sage said -
“King! earlier due to misfortune through a silly intellect your son
insulted a revered Maharishi. That sage was asking for a golden urn and bark
cloth. Your son by way of disobeying that wish made the Vipra Rishi very
disappointed and upset.”
King Veeradyumna was tired and therefore he rested there. After that, all the Maharishis welcomed the king with the right etiquette and offered him Padya and ardhya (water to wash feet and for drinking purposes). Then all those sages Surrounded by his aspect, sat there and asked him the entire purpose of visiting. The king gave his introduction and mentioned his only son for whom he got here to the forest searching and wandering around to locate him. When the king said so, all the sages remained sitting silently with their face down.
(In earlier times, the same king didn't have much respect for those sages. Their hopes were shattered. With this those sages had decided that they would in no way accept the donation given by way of any king or other varna people. They were confirmed that hope that lasts for a long term is only for the foolish guy consequently put it away and then engaged themselves in long penance.)
Here Veeradyumna again asked the excellent sage about what is greater weakening than hope and what is the rarest on this earth? Then that weak-bodied sage at the same time as remembering all the matters, reminded the king of those too by means of saying that, “King! there is no different weakening like hope. While having hope for something, due to its rarity simplest, I've solicited many kings here.”
The king said, “Brahman! I now well understood that one who is bound by hope, is weak and he who has conquered hope is powerful. I took all of your statements like Vedavakya and understood that what is hoped is very rare. If anything is not confidential to you or if you can't hide, then please inform me what's weakest even more than you?”
The sage with the weak body said to him that, “One who's capable of having patience in place of soliciting others, that is, don't ask every person for it even on the time of need, It is rare. One that never disregards the pleader respectfully fulfils his needs, this type of man is the rarest in the world. Whilst a person offers hope to the solicitor after giving hospitality to him and does no longer do him favor according to his capability, at that moment the hope that is inside the mind of all beings are the weakest than me. The hope that is in guys who're ungrateful, ruthless, lazy, and disrespecting others for in no way getting fulfilled makes them weak from worry. Consequently, he is very weak than me. The father of the only son whilst on losing him or not getting any news when he is long past to a foreign country, then the hope that takes place in his heart is weak more than me too. The hope that resides within the heart of old women for having a son and hope within the mind of wealthy guys for obtaining extra money and profit is weak than mine. The hope that arises from the marriage discussion, within the hearts of the daughters at a young age who hold the desire for marriage, is even greater weak than mine.
Listening to the words of that sage, the superior Brahmin, the king Veeradyumna along with the queen fell on his feet. The king stated, “God! I want to please you. I have got a great desire to meet with my son. Whatever you informed me at the moment, is genuine, no doubt about it.” Then the exceptional among the righteous sage Tanu smiled and called the prince soon there along with his penance and know-how of scriptures. Superb sage Tanu then gave them his glimpse of the true form of Dharma. After that Tanu went to the forest.
‘After saying this, Rishabha Muni told king Sumitra, “I've personally witnessed it and heard it. Within the same manner, you also abandon the body weakening hope of locating the deer.” King Sumitra immediately left hope according to the sage then.
Bhishma advised Yudhisthira to surrender hope and be as consistent as the Himalayas. He moreover referred to that even on the time of such crisis, Yudhisthira was asking appropriate questions and being attentive to suitable solutions; that's why Yudhisthira should no longer be unhappy about that pact which couldn't be accomplished with Duryodhana.
Ref: Mahabharata book Shanti Parva
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