Talk:The Hindu Values of Sportsmanship:Be Humble in Your Victory
By Vishal Agarwal and The Hindu Society of Minnesota
It is unacceptable behavior to become proud of our sporting victories and berate the losers. A true sportsperson accepts his victory with grace and appreciates even his losing compatriots with respect. Hindu tradition teaches us that while our personal efforts and skills go a long way in ensuring our victory, it is truly the grace and support of the Divine that make us a winner. Respect all your fellow athletes.
'Story: Arjuna and Hanumān Meet at Rāmeśvaram'
Before the Mahābhārata war started, Arjuna went on a pilgrimage with some saints to Rāmeśvaram in South India. There, a Brāhmaṇa explained to him how Bhagavān Rāma had constructed a bridge of stones with the help of the army of Sugrīva to cross over to Laṅkā.
Arjuna commented with pride, “Rāma was a great archer like me. Then why did he have to take the help of monkeys? He could have constructed the bridge with his arrows, just like I can!” The Brāhmaṇa felt a bit offended that Arjuna should have insulted Rāma. But he kept quiet and went his way.
A monkey who had been following them said to Arjuna, “You are quite foolish. No bridge of arrows could have sustained the weight of monkeys. It would have collapsed by their weight. If you can construct a stronger bridge with your arrows that can support my weight, I will become your servant!”
“I will show you how. If I fail, I will immolate myself here and now on a pyre,” said Arjuna. So, he started shooting arrows after arrows and soon, a bridge of arrows appeared on the ocean, extending out from Rāmeśvaram towards Laṅkā.
But as soon as the monkey stepped on the bridge, it collapsed and the monkey fell into the water. So, Arjuna created one bridge after the other, stronger than before, but each time, the bridge would collapse no sooner had the monkey taken a few steps.
To keep his vow, Arjuna piled a heap of logs and set them alight to commit suicide. But just then, a young man appeared and stopped him. When Arjuna told him the whole story, the young man said, “But wait, a vow is not valid if there was no witness. How can you be so sure that it was the weight of the monkey that caused the bridge to collapse? Try once more.”
The monkey agreed and Arjuna constructed one more bridge from his arrows. The monkey started walking on it. But unlike the previous times, the bridge did not collapse!
The monkey was none other than Hanumān, who could increase his bodily size at will. So, he bloated himself into a giant. But the bridge would still not collapse! Then, Hanumān started jumping on the bridge, but it still stood intact.
Hanumān realized that the young man was none other than Bhagavān Rāma. Arjuna too realized that the young man was none other than Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa. They both prostrated at the young man’s feet, and immediately, he took his real form as four-armed Bhagavān Viṣṇu, of whom both Rāma and Kṛṣṇa are Avatāras!
Viṣṇu said to them, “I came here because Arjuna was being too vain, and because Hanumān was being too proud of his strength. Remember that I am the true source of everyone’s strength!”