Vanquishing Anger

One sage came from the Himalayas and declared that he had conquered anger. He met his friends and told them he was totally at peace and that he had no anger in him at all.

One of them asked him, "Sir, have you conquered anger?" "Yes, I have," came the guarded reply. That person reiterated, "Sir! You, of all people! Have you really conquered anger?" "Yes, it is true," came the gruff reply. "What, Sir! It is really impossible to believe. How could you conquer anger?" asked the man for the third time. "Ai! Can't you understand when I have said so?" came the hot reply. "Sir! When this is the case, how could you have oonquered anger?" asked the man for the fourth time. "Are you out of your senses? I told you I have conquered!"

So, while saying that he had conquered anger, he lost control over anger due to repetition of words. If words were not expressed, anger might have cooled down. Due to lack of patience, anger emanates. There is no other remedy for anger. Only cultivation of patience is the answer. If you cultivate patience, then automatically anger will subside. If darkness has to be expelled, light has to be brought. Similarly, to expel anger, patience has to be fostered.

~ Baba ~

Sanathana Sarathi (Sept.1998)