Angry is also a Boon

The query raised by @muralipirer made me to think of this issue. Thanks to him.

Why sometimes Gods/Goddesses are shown or depicted angry? This question needs to be analyzed properly. In Bhagavata, this question is answered. See the commentary on Bhagavata by Bubodhini Commentator quoting Krishnopanishad (SB-10-106-1) “प्रलंबादीनां नित्यलीलास्थक्रोधादिरूपत्वेन कृष्णोपनिषद्युक्तत्वात्”. Angry and other Tamasa and Rajasa qualities of Krishna come under eternal sport of Bhagavan. Hence, those qualities are not to be taken as the real qualities of Krishna. Further it is staed that “कामक्रोधाभिमानी कश्चन दैत्यः । प्रलंबादय एव ह्यभिमानिनो वा । अथवा । महाशनः क्रोधरूपः कालयवनः”. Those qualities are part of Bhagavan. However, He is not changed or influenced by these qualities. It is said “यस्तु क्रोधादिविक्रियां प्राप्नोति स संहारको भवति, अयं च सत्त्वरजस्तमोगुणातीतः अत एव नास्य कापि विक्रिया, अतः कूटस्थोयं निरीहः”. He would not be changed or disformed by these qualities, because he is beyond the three qualities Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas. He is an unchangeable Supreme Soul. “कामक्रोधादयो दैत्या इति कृष्णोपनिषदः नित्यक्रीडास्थाः”.

The commentator in Bubodhini says “तत्राह रोषसमन्यित इति, रोषेण सम्यगन्वितः, यथा तदीयोशो दुष्टो भगवति सम्बद्धो न भवति यथा वा स सर्वोप्यंशो दग्धो भवति, भगवान् सर्वसमन्वित इति क्रोधसमन्वितत्वेपि न दोष, समं रोषसमन्वित इत्युक्तं, सर्वात्मकत्वात् नासङ्गत्वक्षतिः न तु तस्या मारणार्थं रोषोऽपेक्ष्यते, वीर्यस्योक्तत्वात्स्तनद्वारापि प्राणपानं न विरुध्यते, साधनफलरूपा तदीया क्रिया नाशितेति ज्ञापयितुं कराभ्यामित्युक्तम्”. He is associated with angry but would not affect by angry. Bhagavan does not require angry to kill or teach someone. So the commentator Viraghavaacharya says, “क्रोधोऽपि देवस्य वरेण तुल्यः” इत्युक्तिमाश्रित्य लोकदृष्टौ निग्रहोऽपि फलदोऽहुनुग्रह एवेति भावः” Even angry is also equal to a boon.It may look like “killing” or “punishing” in our perception but in fact that is also a reward or blessing. That is said in Pandavagita (10) as “ये ये हताश्चक्रधरेण राजंत्रैलोक्यनाथेन जनार्दनेन । ते ते गता विष्णुपुरीं नरेन्द्र! क्रोधोपि देवस्य वरेण तुल्यः” Whoever were killed by the holder of Chakra and the God of three worlds attained the place of Vishnu, so the angry also is equal to a boon. Whatever angry or seems to be angry are in fact blessings. “क्रोधोऽपि क्रोधत्वेन प्रतीयमानोऽपी अनुग्रह एव सम्मतः”. The commentator Sanatana Goswami says in his commentary Vaishnavatoshini “निग्रहस्याप्यनुग्रहविशेषत्वं क्रोधस्यापि परमप्रसादे एव पर्यवसानात्”. Meaning punishing or angry have the end of blessing of extreme mercy.  

It is quoted in Bhavarthadipika a commentary on Bhagavata as “कामं क्रोधं भयं स्नेहमैक्यं सौहृदमेव च । नित्यं हरौ विदधतो यान्ति तन्मयतां हि ते ॥ येन केनाप्युगायेन मनः कृष्णे निवेशयेत्” Whatever way express your devotion, they will attain the Suprewme Brahman. In whaever way try to keep your mind in Krishna is the essence.

Further, it is said that Bhagavan does not have angry at all, as He is a pure nature and Ultimate Reality is the soul of all, and the doer of all actions, how can He have angry? Angry is the resultant factor of Rajas and Tamas which were not at all in Bhagavan, hence, He cannot be associated with angry. Whatever, we see or experience as angry in Bhagavan is the sport of the Supreme Ulmighty. See the commentary of Balabidhini on Bhagavatam. तत्र प्रथमं भगवतः क्रोधे हेतुर्नास्तीत्याह विशुद्धसत्त्वमिति, परमार्थतस्तु सर्वात्मा सर्वकर्ता सर्वप्रेरकोतः क्रोधः सम्भावित एव न, आविर्भावप्रकारेणापि लीलापि क्रोधे हेतुर्नारतीत्युच्यते, तत्र क्रोधे रजस्तमसी हेतू ते त्वयि न स्त इत्याह विशुद्धसत्त्वं तत्त्वं धामेति। So desire or love is in the form of Gopikas, angry is in the form of Chaidyas and fear is in the form of Kamsa. “तस्मात्त्वया सामान्यतस्तावदेष सिद्धान्तोऽवधार्य्यतामित्याह, कामं गोपीजनादयः क्रोधं द्वेषं चैद्यादयः भयं कंसादयः”। And love and affection are Nanda etc., union in the form of Atmmaram, friendship in the form of Pandavas. So they all attain Him keeping their own method of Upasana. “स्नेहं वात्सल्यं नन्दादयः ऐक्यम् आत्मारामाः सौहृदं वृष्णिपाण्डवादयः नित्यं विदधत इत्यधुनापि ते ते तं तं भावं कुर्वन्तस्तन्मयतां यान्तीति तासां तासां लीलानां नित्यत्वं ज्ञापयति तन्मयतां गोप्यादयस्तदासक्ततां यथा स्त्रीमयः कामुक इति अन्ये सायुज्यम्”।

Veda says “anavadyatma” that means “one who is without desire, angry etc.”। “अनवद्यात्मेति । अनवद्य कामक्रोधादिदोषरहितः आत्मा यस्य”।

So with these analyses of qualities of Bhagavan Krishna, we can conclude that Bhagavan is without all these qualities. However, we with triguna have these qualities and export those qualities on Bhagavan. For Bhagavan He is without any dis-qualities as he is only विशुद्धसत्त्व. As essence we can क़ुओते “यो यथा मां प्रपद्यन्ते” from Gita.

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