Cheechee Moments

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Cheechee moments are those when one feels disgusted with the mean behavior of honorable men and women (including oneself).

Our epics are rather full of these.

Let us begin with Ramayan.

Sage Gautama had his cheechee moment when he discovered his wife Ahalya in bed with Indra. Everyone knows the lechery of Indra, so it is no surprise. But according to RKN's rendering of Kamba Ramayan, Gautama was not entirely sure of the innocence of Ahalya...

Dasaratha had his cheechee moment when Kaikeyi stunned him asking to fulfill, ex post facto, the boons he promised her in a weak moment. But his cheechee is nothing compared to Bharatha's when he discovered that his mother, of all people, shamed him.

Laxman's cheechee moment was when Sita imputed mean motives for his refusal to leave her alone and go forth in aid of Raam.

Women!

Raam's own cheechee moment was when he egged Sugriva on to wrestle with Vaali promising that he would slay Vaali; but couldn't, because he didn't take care to distinguish between the two...they were so very alike...and had to watch Vaali pummel Sugriva grievously...and had to ask for a second innings.

Hanuman's cheechee moment was when he raced to Himalayas to fetch the lifesaving herb Sanjivani without asking how to pick it among a hundred lookalikes...and had to carry a whole mountain.

Raavan's cheechee moment was when he discovered his own younger brother Vibhishan whom he dandled on his knees betray him and reveal his deadly secrets to Raam.

And Sita's cheechee moment was when she was asked to perform an encore of Agnipariksha by jumping into flames...she refused and ended her life by seeking her mother's embrace.

Let us turn to Mahabharat which is replete with cheechee moments and pick just a few.

Aswathama's cheechee moment was when he watched his father ask for the right thumb of Ekalvaya.

Arjun's cheechee moment was when he was so badly mauled by Bhishma that Krishna broke his promise and jumped down his chariot and took up his discus...and Arjun had to bend on his knees and pray to his B-i-L for forgiveness. A thrilling version of this episode can be found in Potana's rendering:

http://vimeo.com/2815169

Karna had two:

One when the mother who abandoned him at childbirth seeks a boon that he wouldn't kill her subsequent progeny.

The other was when Indra disguises himself as a Brahmin and asks to peel off and donate his impenetrable armor.

And many many others.

Now, why is it important for us to enumerate such epic cheechee moments?

When did I say it is important?

It is interesting...

And comforting...that we are not the only imperfect beings in this otherwise perfect world...there have been others, much more gifted than us ;-)


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