Hercules
Many of us must have read the story of Hercules and how he cleansed the Augean stable. Let the story be repeated so that one can appreciate the efforts of Anna Hazare, who has taken up the cudgels to what is called as “Eradicate Corruption “ or Brashtachar Hatao.†Very beautiful phrase and it augurs well to the ears. One would like to see the administration to be clean and corruption free. The point for consideration therefore is whether it is practical and whether we can bring about such a change in this country through legislation. It is in this connection one has to turn the pages of Greek history and one will come across the story of Hercules and how he cleansed the Augean stables. The following story is an adaptation from one of the versions of the story.
In Helia (Elis) at the west cost of Peloponnesus, there was a kingdom of the famous and very rich king Augeas. Augeas possessed vast herds of cattle ( some say horses) which had deposited their manure in such quantity over the years that a thick aroma hung over the entire Peloponnesus. Hercules had been ordered by the Oracle to serve, Eurvstheus king of Mycenae, for atonement of his crimes. The kind Eurystheus on the assumption that Hercules would be unable to fulfill the conditions, sent him on a series of tasks known as the Labors of Hercules. One of such tasks was the cleaning of Augean stable.
Hercules was told “ In the kingdom of Augeas you will march and there you will find your fifth taskâ€, said Eurystheas.
– What would I do there? Is there any horrible beast or serpent threatening the land that I should kill? asked Hercules.
– No, no beast or serpent is threatening the land and you will nor fight or kill where you will go. King Augeas wants you to clean his stables in a single day. Fail to do that and you will stay there in his palace to serve and clean his stables for the rest of your life.
Hercules had the impression that the Augean stables will be as the ones he already knew. But when he looked at them he was dazzled from the size and the filthiness of the place. The stable was huge and not in a years time was possible to clean up all that manure.
The hero realized that this task was not a matter of strength but brains. After taking a good look of the whole area he noticed that the stable was between two great rivers, Alfios and Pinios, and a bright idea came into his mind, and when king Augean asked him if he could accomplish this labor within a day, Hercules agreed and without revealing the command of Eurystheus, said that he would carry out the dung in one day, if Augeas would give him the tenth part of the cattle.
Augeas was incredulous, but promised. Having taken Augeas’ son Phyleus to witness, Hercules was about to do the impossible on the next day.
Early in the morning our hero set his plan in motion. Hercules made a breach in the foundations of the cattle-yard, and then diverting the courses of the two rivers, he turned them into the stable-yard and within few hours he got the job done without getting dirty and in less than a days time.
Hercules was very proud of his accomplishment, but when Agues learned that this had been accomplished at the command of Eurystheus, he refused to pay the reward to Hercules and when arbitrators were called Phyleus bore witness against his father and Augeas was forced to pay but ordered both Phyleus and Hercules to leave Elis. But because he had demanded payment of Augeas, Eurytheus also refused to count this as a Labor.
Perhaps the second part of the story has no connection with the present Corruption Hatao campaign. But one can imagine how Anna Hazare must have felt when he thought of cleansing the country of this filth of corruption. It was a Himalayan task. One would shudder to think whether it could be done. But Anna Hazare has made a small dent in the middle class society of this country, who always used to be silent spectators by igniting in them the need to come out of their slumber and fight the menace of corruption. He instilled in the citizens of the country a sense of hope for better future. Like Hercules, he made the politicians agree to present the Lokpal Bill and get it passed by the parliament within four days – a problem which was hanging fire for the last over 42 years!!! He must have thought that cleansing the administration of corruption was not possible at the time of polls but should be done by making the middle class and the youth to come on the streets and demand what is their right. He adopted the Gandhigiri in this respect and compelled the Government to agree to take up the task of passing of Lokpal Bill. Brains and not strength is needed. Modern day Hercules- Anna Hazare!