Strategy If Surrounded by Many Rivals - Part 2

Strategy If Surrounded by Many Rivals - Part 2

Suddenly, a mongoose appeared out of nowhere and started baring its teeth, seeing the mouse. It was ready to lunge at him anytime.

It was a really bad day for the mouse. He started cursing himself for having come out. When he looked up, he saw a hungry owl with piercing claws and a diamond-like beak, ready to pounce on him.

'Death is certain; it is only a question of whose hands it will be in,' the mouse thought.

'What should I do now?' the mouse started thinking. 'There is no point in giving up. I should try to find some way out. The mongoose is only waiting for me to get down on the ground, so I can’t do that. If I continue sitting on the net, the owl will swoop at me in no time. If I cut the net with my teeth and get inside, the cat is going to kill me.'

This was the kind of situation about which Yudhishthira was asking Bhishma.

The mouse said to himself, 'I am not going to give up like that. That is not what someone with wisdom would do, no matter how grave the danger is or how hopeless it might appear. One should always try to find a way out. Even though this cat is my sworn enemy, I have no option but to take his help. And he might also find me useful. Let me talk to him. I may be able to convince him to compromise with me. Elders always say that when you are in trouble, you should seek help even from a rival who is nearby.

If someone is wise, then even if he is your enemy, he can be of use. But never look up to a fool for help, even if he is your friend. You are only wasting your time.'

So, the mouse approached the cat and said, 'Look, I have come to you as a friend. I want you to live long. We both can live for long, provided you discard your desire to eat me. I can help you out of this net and, in the process, keep myself out of danger.

See those two—mongoose and owl—they can pounce upon me anytime. We have always been living together in this tree. Though we may not have had a great relationship, we are companions. This is how relationships are made.'

The cat replied, 'Of course, I am open to it. You can trust me. Someone who is not trusted by others and someone who doesn’t trust others—both live a very stressful life. This is a fact.

If people don’t trust you, what kind of life can you have? Everyone looks at you with suspicion, doubting your words and intentions. You rarely feel comfortable when standing before an authority—like going to a bank for a loan or a government office for a certificate. They look at you with suspicious eyes. You don’t feel comfortable.

What if you have to live your entire life like this? It will be very stressful. Earning trust is very important in life. You have to work hard for it and monitor yourself continuously to earn the trust of others.

You should also learn to trust others. Otherwise, it will be a life of paranoia—not at all comfortable. You can trust me.'

The mouse said, 'I will save you, and you save me. We both will protect each other. A man trying to cross a river with a heavy flow sees a stick floating, takes hold of it, and with its help crosses over. But in the process, he also gets the stick out of the river. This is how our mutual relationship will be.'

The cat said, 'I am so happy to have you as my neighbor. You are so intelligent, so thoughtful, so concerned. Let’s go ahead with whatever you have in mind. I will never forget your kindness. Whatever you want me to do in return, I will do. I am fully at your mercy and disposal now.'

The mouse said, 'Okay, I am going to cut through a couple of strings of this net and get inside. But don’t hurt me. Then I will get you out.'

The cat said, 'Please come inside. You are dearer to me than my own life. Why would I ever hurt you? If you want me to do anything to help, I will do it—not only now, but I will continue to serve you forever. I may return your favor, but I will never be as great as you because you are the one doing the original favor. Returning a favor anyone can do, but doing a favor without being sure of reciprocation requires courage and magnanimity.'

This way, trust was established between the two of them. The mouse cut a few strings and got inside the net.

The mongoose and the owl were thoroughly disappointed. They were also surprised—how could a cat and a mouse be together so peacefully? They both went away.

The mouse was very smart. He started to eat away the strings very slowly, every now and then looking out to see if the hunter was approaching. The cat started getting impatient.

The cat said, 'The mouse is doing as he promised, but why is he so slow? Now that you are safe, you are not bothered about my safety? Why are you so slow? That hunter is going to come anytime, and I will be caught while you easily slip away.'

The mouse said, 'Cool down. I will take care of it. I don’t want to hurry. I know very well what will happen to me if I release you now. As soon as I see the hunter approaching, I will speed up and you will be free. Then you will also quickly climb up the tree, and you won’t have anything else in mind. When you are busy doing that, I can also safely return to my hole.'

The cat said, 'Noble beings don’t act like this. See, I readily helped you; I didn’t hesitate at all. Look at you! If you are trying to fool me, the consequences will be grave—you will land in hell. If I have offended you in the past, please forgive me and act fast.'

The mouse said, 'We both know very well why we are together. Anyone who gets into an alliance with someone stronger than him but neglects to take care of his own interests is the biggest fool. These friendships, alliances, and tie-ups all have ulterior motives and selfish interests. Nobody is really bothered.

When a wild elephant is trapped, who would start tying him up and making him a slave? Other elephants—his own species! I don’t believe in your friendship or enmity. They are all transient, selfish, and circumstantial.

Still, I will stick to my word. Let the hunter come, and I will speed up and get you out. I have cut the strings in such a way that, with one final cut, the net will fall open.'

In the morning, when the hunter came, the mouse immediately cut the final string. They both came out of the net—the cat climbed up the tree, and the mouse returned to his hole.

The hunter left empty-handed with his torn-up net.

Knowledge Bank

Does bhakti-marga prescribe renunciation of action?

No. Instead, bhakti marga requires active participation in the divine plan. Every activity the devotee performs is to serve Bhagawan.

What were some of the nationalistic festivals celebrated by Abhinav Bharat?

Abhinav Bharat celebrated festivals like Makara Sankranti, Ganesa Utsava, and Sivaji Utsava to unite the community, instill national pride, and spread revolutionary ideas.