424. Be Angry, But do not let the Sun go down on your Anger......

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/science-of-spirituality/be-angry-but-do-not-let-the-sun-go-down-on-your-anger

"Be Angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger"- Ephesians 4:26

Anger is not always bad when you need to vent out your emotions for selfless motives. Anger may not always be a violent reaction to things which upset the mental equilibrium. It can be as the voice for the cause that could be of benefit to the masses. Spirituality wants us to be calm which does not mean we need to put up with all the menace. We live in a society (Samaja), the scriptures say Sam Ajati iti Samaja which means society is that which regroup individuals and inspire them to move forward together. Any person or a group of persons who try to pull back the progressively moving society to gain personal mileage have to be reprimanded. A person could be saintly but that does not let him to be a mute spectator to the unholy events around him. He has to raise his voice to protect the larger interest of the society. At times he may lose his temper and get angry, but the anger which has thus erupted is not due to the violent reaction which could upset his mental equilibrium but instead it has come out of his intellectual thinking.

When we say causing harm to the society is a sin, being a mute spectator to it is also sin in equal intensity. There is nothing wrong to be angry for the cause which many benefit to the society. There is a Sukta (hymn) called Manyu Suktam in Rig Veda which cheers the resolve in a person to stand against the injustice vented on the society. It is not right to get confused with Manyu as Krodha. In fact Manyu on contrary is against anger for self. Krodha is a state where an individual loses the level of intellect and patience and mostly the agitation here is pertained to the self centered view point, but Manyu is a state where the individual is fully aware of the situation. He is filled with courage, patience and intelligence and most importantly the outcome of this anger is to serve the cause of the society.

 
Those who are spiritually inclined tend to justify by saying that every event is predestined and whatever is happening is for good. If so then why did Lord Krishna ask Arjuna to fight against Adharma. If we say that it is sin to create havoc and harm the harmony of the society, being a mute spectator to it is also a sin in equal intensity. There are some who cry foul only when it is affecting them even this is not healthy. The purpose of developing Manyu is to destroy problems in our lives, not our relationships. Such anger may be to tell that expectations are too high, the rule is not clear enough, or that the rules are not followed through on consequences consistently. Using the energy of the anger to communicate the rules and reinforce them and then follow it up with consistent discipline is the need.

Sometimes Krodha becomes the vent of emotion if it is guided for selfish acts it is Krodha and this is uncalled for. Manyu is the vent of intellect if it is guided for a selfless act it is very much needed. Anger needs to be managed and channelized in a proper way. Let us invoke Manyu in us and make this place a heaven to live in.