| This morning in Bhagavatam class we discussed anger | | | | What are some healthy ways to deal with insults? |
| and how to deal with it. This discussion was in the | | | | One method I call the Jada Bharata method. Jada |
| context of the description of Lord Boar speaking in | | | | Bharata (who was previously Bharata Maharaja and |
| such a way as to make Hiranyaksa angry. "The | | | | then a deer) was insulted by a king when JB was |
| Personality of Godhead said: Indeed, We are | | | | helping to carry the kings' palanquin. Out of |
| creatures of the jungle, and we are searching after | | | | compassion JB was jumping to avoid some ants in his |
| hunting dogs like you. One who is freed from the | | | | path. The king hurled insults at JB, but JB responded |
| entanglement of death has no fear from the loose | | | | by explaining that all the insults the king hurled were |
| talk in which you are indulging,for you are bound up | | | | in relation to the body, and in actually we are not the |
| by the laws of death." | | | | body. |
| In this particular case Krishna wanted to enjoy | | | | So in this particular method of dealing with insults one |
| fighting pastimes, so to enhance His pleasure he | | | | is completely convinced that one is not the body and |
| insulted Hiranyaksa (one whose eyes are always on | | | | is not attached to the body so bodily insults do not |
| the gold), and He was quite successful His endeavor. | | | | affect one. Another method is what I call the Haridas |
| Generally though, Anger is something that is less than | | | | Thakura (compassion) method. |
| desirable. Anger is one of the Anarthas (unwanted | | | | He was being whipped in many different market |
| things) that are impediments in achieving the goal of | | | | places, yet he was feeling overwhelming compassion |
| Krishna consciousness. | | | | towards those who were attempting to torment him. |
| There are so many verses about controlling anger in | | | | The third method I call the Dharma the Bull method. |
| the sastras. The question is though, how should we | | | | With this method one understands that the Supreme |
| deal with anger, especially the anger that arises after | | | | Personality of Godhead has arranged this |
| we have been insulted. Generally we take the tact of | | | | circumstance for one's edification. |
| suppressing or repressing anger. Suppression means | | | | Then one tries to understand what the lord is |
| that we are aware that we are angry but we hide | | | | teaching one, what one has to learn, how one should |
| the symptoms. | | | | act. The fourth method is the Token Reaction |
| Repression means that we push down the anger and | | | | method. This means that one understands that one is |
| deny that we have an issue with it. Both suppression | | | | getting a token reaction for what one has done in |
| and repression are not healthy responses to anger. | | | | the past. |
| The anger will eventually surface in some other | | | | Also one understands that if he/she keeps serving |
| context, either as anger directed towards another | | | | Krishna enthusiastically with his/her body, mind and |
| (innocent) object or sublimated anger, which | | | | words in spite of this reaction, one will be a fit |
| manifests as another harmful emotion. | | | | recipient of Krishna's mercy. "The purport of this |
| Repressed or suppressed anger can also affect a toll | | | | verse is that when a devotee is in a calamitous |
| on the physical body. One can develop different | | | | condition he takes it as a benediction of the Supreme |
| ailments such as TMJ (in which one grinds ones teeth | | | | Lord and takes responsibility himself for his past |
| and may even need a mouthpiece to protect the | | | | misdeeds. |
| teeth at night). Internalized anger can also result in | | | | In such a condition, he offers still more devotional |
| organ damage. | | | | service and is not disturbed. One who lives in such a |
| Usually our bodily difficulties (syndromes) are due to | | | | disposition of mind, engaged in devotional service, is |
| an emotional state that we have not come to terms | | | | the most eligible candidate for promotion to the |
| with. This can even apply to serious illnesses like | | | | spiritual world. In other words, such a devotee's claim |
| cancer and such. We certainly want to deal with our | | | | for promotion to the spiritual world is assured in all |
| response to insults in a healthy Krishna conscious way | | | | circumstances. |
| then. | | | | |