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702
I am the Soul extreme anger. Son! I cannot digest this. Go away, Son, go away before I withdraw my curse. If I withdraw my curse, my brahmatva is dishonoured and if I get more angered then I might burn you down to ashes and I would then commit the sin of killing my disciple. Hence, Son, do not even delay for a moment and go away from here. Let this unfortunate Parashuram remain without a disciple. Go away!'
Brothers! Without uttering a word, without saying anything, like a criminal Karna climbed down the hill and melted into the forest. Although he was retreating after a great defeat, the faith, devotion and respect he had for the Gurudev had not diminished even by an iota. On the contrary there was repentance in him that he had deceived such a benevolent Gurudev and hurt his feelings. The heart was weeping, not because he had lost the knowledge, but because he had hurt the Gurudev.
History is witness that in the Mahabharata War, Karna had his chance while facing Arjuna, who was like the life of that war. It was just a matter of finishing off Arjuna, and victory would have been his. At just that moment, he forgot the art of archery and was mauled, defeated, and lost the war.
Brothers! Karna was an ideal character of a disciple. How he was able to please the Gurudev! The Gurudev's heart had melted for him and he had imparted all his knowledge to Karna. But with the veil on Karna's deception getting lifted, this same Gurudev had set a curse upon him. Yet Karna's heart carried no malice towards the Gurudev. He did not think that Gurudev had done any wrong, but there was immense sorrow within him that he had hurt Gurudev. This indeed is true dedication. This is truly the nature of a disciple. This is indeed humility towards the Guru. Kabir has said that one who remains humble, who shows humility, that one alone can rise high in this world. But one should know how to be humble. Humility comes only when ego is thrown out, not otherwise. He says -
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