Being in Moderation Is the Best Strategy

अतिरूपेण वै सीता
अति गर्वेण रावणः
अतिदानात् बलिर्बद्धो
अति सर्वत्र वर्जयेत्

Seetha Devi was abducted because of her excessive beauty.
Excessive pride and arrogance led to Ravana’s defeat.
Too much charity led to the fall of Mahabali.
So, it is wise to avoid too much of anything. Excess of everything is dangerous.

The problem with excess is its visibility.
When it becomes visible, it catches attention.
These three cases — Seetha Devi, Ravana, and Mahabali — they are different.

Beauty is a natural gift. Maybe you can enhance it a little bit through makeup or dressing.
But see — it led Seetha Devi to trouble.
Seetha Matha was modest. She was in the forest, living a modest life. Still, it led her to trouble.
Imagine the case of those who are trying to show off their beauty or handsomeness.

Society has both sides — good and bad. There are good people and evil-minded people.
Ultimately, you only can protect yourself.
Modesty in dressing and restraint in behaviour can help.
Flamboyance on a movie screen or TV screen — seeing that, if you try to imitate, it can be dangerous.
Those actors have got bodyguards to protect them.
And it is acting. It is their profession. They get paid for it.

In real life, you have to live with reality.
Did Seetha Matha do anything to attract attention? No.
Still, she was abducted.
At least, you can avoid things that attract unwanted attention.

I remember a situation — someone was facing a threat to his life due to some professional rivalry.
He wanted to keep an armed bodyguard.
An expert was consulted. He evaluated the situation and gave an honest advice:
'Today it is only the perception of a threat. If you start moving about with an armed bodyguard — a gunman — this threat will soon become real. You will catch the attention of every criminal and you will expose yourself to more risk. Who is this with a gunman? Must be a rich person.'
And the gunman will run away when there is a real problem.

Avoid unwanted visibility and exposure — excessive visibility and exposure.

Ravana's story is different. His arrogance had two facets — one, because of his physical power, and two, that he was the greatest devotee of Lord Shiva.
Ravana became so arrogant as a devotee that he laughed at Nandi and said,
'Look at your form. You say you are so close to the Lord — why don’t you ask Him to change it?'
Nandi told him,
'I will myself come and be the cause of your complete destruction.'

Confidence is one thing.
To understand one’s own capability is one thing.
But arrogance will bring wrong judgement — arrogance about power, arrogance about knowledge, arrogance about capability, arrogance about wealth — they all lead to trouble only.

What Bali did was charity — a good thing.
He wouldn’t say no to anyone.
He became so famous for his magnanimity that his charity itself became the cause of his end.
'You ask for anything, I will give' — that’s what he told Vamana.

Here also, see — charity had turned into arrogance.
One big mistake that Bali did was he displayed his charity.
He put it on display.

Vamana understood — this is his weakness — and took advantage of it.
Defeating Bali by force was not even needed. That would have taken more effort.
He had already conquered the three worlds. He had driven away the mighty Devas from Swarga.
Devas were not meek — still they lost.

Vamana was shown by Bali himself,
'Look — this is where you can hit me.'

Same with Karna also.
Same with Shankhachuda also — Tulasi’s husband.
They all ignored one principle — in charity, your left hand should not know what your right hand is doing.

When you help someone and go around talking about it, then help will be sought from you again and again.
Everyone in your family, everyone in your circle will look up to you —
'He is a good person. He will help.'
And you will not be able to say no — because of ego.
How can you refuse?
You are such a great noble soul.

You have only dug this for yourself.
Then, you will stand guarantee to others’ borrowings.
You will pledge your property for others’ needs — beyond your capacity.
Then your foundation will start shaking.

Help — no problem — as much as you can, within your capacity.

Looking at all these, only our elders said —
The best situation is being in moderation.

Being moderately beautiful — Ravana would not have even noticed Seetha Matha.
Being moderately powerful — only when you are a superpower, you think you can do anything and act like big brother.
With moderate power, you don’t get into adventures.

Charity is good — be moderate even there.
You should not end up giving away everything that you have got,
end up on the road, and start looking for charity yourself.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi