Friends And Foes

Hey all,

Was thinking of friends and foes…was embedded in deep thought and was unable to conclude anything…and for one more time my guru came to my rescue…he asked me to read Shanti Parva…

In Shanti Parva…there is a moment when the king fears of falling in distress…he asks the following to his fellows…and keep on expecting for a solution…This is what he asked…

“When a king falls into distress, a large number of foes, provoked by his past acts, range themselves against him and seek to vanquish him. How may a king, weak and alone, succeed in holding up his head when he is challenged on all sides by many powerful kings leagued together? How does a king at such times make friends and foes? How should he behave at such a time towards both friends and foes? When those that have indications of friends really become his foes, what should the king then do if he is to obtain happiness? With whom should he make war and with whom should he make peace? Even if he were strong, how should he behave in the midst of foes? O scorcher of foes, this I regard to be the highest of all questions connected with the discharge of kingly duties.”

On listening this, few men were looking at others for the answer but none was to reply…Under these circumstances, one of the fellows firmly stood up and started his comment….
He started with the famous story of Palita, Lomasa, Harita and Chandraka…(story not included in this blog)...to conclude the following…

“A foe becomes a friend and a friend also becomes a foe. The course of human actions, through the combination of circumstances, becomes very uncertain. As regards, therefore, what should be done and what should not, it is necessary that paying heed to the requirements of time and place, one should either trust one’s foes or make war. One should, even exerting one’s self to one’s best, make friends with men of intelligence and knowledge that desire one’s welfare. One should make peace with even one’s foes, when one’s life cannot otherwise be saved. That foolish man, who never makes peace with foes, never succeeds in winning any gain or acquiring any of those fruits for which others endeavour. He again who makes peace with foes and quarrels with even friends after a full consideration of circumstances, succeeds in obtaining great fruits.

There is no condition that deserves permanently the name either of friendship or hostility. Both friends and foes arise from considerations of interest and gain. Friendship becomes changed into enmity in the course of time. A foe also becomes a friend. Self-interest is very powerful. He who reposes blind trust on friends and always behaves with mistrust towards foes without paying any regard to considerations of policy, finds his life to be unsafe. He who, disregarding all considerations of policy, sets his heart upon an affectionate union with either friends or foes, comes to be regarded as a person whose understanding has been unhinged. One should not repose trust upon a person undeserving of trust, nor should one trust too much a person deserving of trust. The danger that arises from blind reposing of confidence is such that it cuts the very roots (of the person that reposes such confidence). The father, the mother, the son, the maternal uncle, the sister’s son, other relatives and kinsmen, are all guided by considerations of interest and profit. Father and mother may be seen to discard the dear son if fallen.

One becomes dear from an adequate cause. One becomes a foe from an adequate cause. This whole world of creatures is moved by the desire of gain (in some form or other). One never becomes dear to another (without cause). The friendship between two uterine brothers, the love between husband and wife, depends upon interest. If, as is sometimes seen, uterine brothers or husband and wife having quarreled reunite together from a natural affection, such a thing is not to be seen in persons unconnected with one another”

And believe me, this was that what really soothed me…gave answer to my querries…now am on the quest to know who are those to be really trusted and who is that who will see his / her self-interest in my interest…again may be a friend…or even a foe…depends on the circumstances…is it?

So that’s all for now…this is 12th blog…still 88 remaing for the century…

Till then…CYA…