Perseverance Supersedes Physical Handicaps

Even if you are talented and capable, sometimes you might get sidelined for some time. But if you have perseverance, you will always be successful in life.

Once upon a time, there was a dwarf man. He was hardly 3 feet tall. His name was Gopi. But he was very good with arrows and the bow—very good at archery. A sharp shooter. But everyone made fun of him because he was short. Nobody took him seriously. People even ridiculed him, saying, 'Don't shoot arrows, you might even fly off with it.'

Gopi thought, 'I am just wasting my life here. I should join the king's army. There, my talent and skill will be recognized.' But with his size, even there, he would not be taken seriously. He might not get a chance to display his skill. Anyway, he started going towards the capital of the kingdom.

On the way, when he was passing through a village, he saw a group of weavers. One among them was a giant—six and a half feet tall, well built. Gopi approached him. His name was Bhima, befitting his big size.

'You have such a good physique, you should be in the king's army. There, you will get a lot of respect and good earnings,' Gopi said.

Bhima replied, 'But I don't know anything about fighting. I know only weaving.'

Gopi said, 'Don't worry, come with me and do as I tell you from time to time.'

As they approached the palace, the soldiers stopped them at the gate.

'Who are you? What do you want?'

'I am an accomplished archer. I want to join the army.'

'Who is this dwarf with you?'

'He is my servant.'

The king was impressed when he saw Bhima and took him into his army.

Soon, the time came for Bhima to display his talent. A tiger was troubling people in some part of the kingdom. They came and complained to the king. The king called Bhima and said, 'Go with them and solve their problem.'

As he came out of the palace, Bhima told Gopi, 'I am running away from here. I am in trouble because of you. If I go with them, I will get killed.'

Gopi said, 'Don't worry, nothing will happen to you. Just do as I tell you.'

'Are you not coming with me?'

'No, you will be able to manage alone. Just do as I tell you.'

Accordingly, Bhima reached the place. He told the villagers, 'You don't have to be scared anymore. I will take care of the tiger alone. But I need your help. The tiger must be hiding somewhere in the forest, and we have to get him out. Then only I will be able to kill him.'

A big group of villagers, 100–150 people, entered the forest, beating drums and shouting. After some time, the tiger came out. When they turned around, Bhima was not to be seen anywhere—he had vanished. But by that time, the tiger pounced upon them. They fought the tiger with sticks and whatever they had, and the tiger was finally killed.

Suddenly, Bhima came to the scene. 'Oh! What have you people done? The tiger should not have been killed. The king has asked me to bring the tiger alive. I had gone to get a rope. In the meantime, you killed him. What will I tell the king now? Tell me, who killed the tiger? I will have to report to the king. He will be severely punished.'

The villagers pleaded, 'Please save us from the king!'

'Okay, I will tell the king that I myself killed the tiger. Now you all help tie up the body of the tiger and carry it to the court.'

Bhima reached the court with the tiger's body. Everyone appreciated his valor and courage.

A few weeks later, another challenge came up for Bhima. This time, it was a wild buffalo that was troubling people. This time too, Bhima tried to run away. Gopi gave him courage and said, 'Do just as you did in the case of the tiger before.'

Bhima played the same trick and came back with the body of the buffalo. But this time, Bhima was a completely changed person. He didn't even bother to look at Gopi. He thought that now that he had learned the trick, he wouldn't need Gopi anymore.

The king appointed Bhima as the commander of his army. He became all the more proud and arrogant. He told the soldiers not to even allow Gopi near him.

But Gopi did not get dejected. He kept on following Bhima wherever he went, looking for an opportunity.

One day, a spy came and informed the king that another king was making moves to attack the kingdom and was about to reach the border. While the king and the army were getting ready to fight, the other king sent a messenger.

The attacking king threw up a challenge. 'You send your best soldier. Let him fight with our best soldier. If your soldier wins, we will go back. If our soldier wins, you will surrender to us.'

The king was confident about Bhima's capability. He accepted the challenge. Even Bhima, by this time, had become so arrogant that he prepared to go, even though he knew nothing about fighting and war.

By this time, Gopi somehow managed to convince Bhima and got on top of the elephant that was to carry Bhima to the border. Have you seen the seat kept on top of an elephant in which one or two people can sit? So, both Bhima and Gopi sat in that seat, and the mahout led the elephant towards the border.

When Bhima saw the enemy soldier whom he was going to fight, he started trembling in fear, jumped down, and ran away.

Gopi told the mahout to lead the elephant ahead. The elephant was trained to fight. The enemy soldier attacked the elephant. The elephant crushed him under his foot.

Gopi led the elephant towards the enemy king, who was also seated on top of an elephant. He grabbed the enemy king, pulled him over to his own elephant, and sped away.

Thus, Gopi took the enemy king captive and produced him in the court.

The king was surprised and in awe, seeing what Gopi had done. A dwarf who single-handedly defeated the enemy king with his presence of mind and swift moves. The enemy king surrendered and was put in prison.

Gopi was made the commander of the army and the king's primary advisor in defense matters.

See, even though he was a dwarf, Gopi achieved so much in life. He dreamed big. He made the effort to go to the capital. He knew he wouldn't get a direct audience with the king, so he took the giant Bhima along. When Bhima ignored him, he didn't get dejected. He kept on persuading. Finally, when the opportunity came, he used his fighting talent and captured the enemy king himself.

We have to keep on working hard. Then, all of a sudden, the right opportunity comes. Then, you can perform and make it big.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi