A wise person will have ample clarity about the larger purpose of life and therefore would know when to engage and when to withdraw. He will fight when he is in a position to give a befitting reply. Ram also formed an alliance with Sugriva. On the other hand, an immature person will get entangled unnecessarily and waste time. Unless the larger purpose of life is clear, it is highly likely that a diligent person, due to his fixation on the target, will become irritated by the bullies and waste a great deal of precious time and energy fighting a meaningless battle. That's why Krishna stopped the Pandavas from fighting many unnecessary battles. He knew that they had to fight the battle of Kurukshetra. However, to do that, one needs to understand whether one gets irritated by the bully's behaviour because the bully is stopping one from achieving one's target, or one feels responsible for freeing the world from that kind of bully, as Krishna felt. But then, one has to plan and strategise with equanimity and a peaceful mind like Krishna. Not to rid myself of the irritation of someone who comes between me and my goal, but to create an ecosystem conducive to everyone's growth.
Do you remember the bullies in school? They will bully the students who are serious about their studies. While the diligent students work hard in the classroom, they would just roam around here and there, trying to prove that they are having fun. As if they were very intelligent and the students working hard were stupid. Today, when we go back to our hometowns, we see some of them running small shops and struggling with finances, while some of them have even turned to crime. They could not understand the value of hard work and delayed gratification at their tender age, and they have to pay the price all through their lives. Sometimes, I really get concerned when I get to see such bullies working in offices, and scattered in society all around.
I remember my 12th standard when there were a few bullies in my school who never went to the Physics laboratory. They ran away with my practical notebook just a few days before the exam, and my parents traced the bullies after a lot of hard work and got the notebook back. Similarly, a few of those threatened to beat me if I didn't allow them to cheat from my answer sheet. They threatened to such an extent that my father had to come from his clinic every day to accompany me to the examination centre. Those memories are still alive in me. That's why when I see somebody bullying an innocent person, my blood boils.
But, at the same time, bullying is the reality of this world. The heads of the biggest countries don't miss a chance to bully the heads of small countries. Leave aside normal people. Human beings are quite disconnected from their core, and that's why they are so full of fear. Different people handle their fear in many different ways. Some who have the strength and willingness to work hard become ambitious and strive to obtain the things they believe will keep them safe. Some, who are weak and unwilling to work hard, start bullying others to make others afraid and feel better in the company of people who are more afraid than they are. Bullies are quite weak inside. Generally, they play to the strengths of their group, positions, and an endless capacity to waste time because they lack focus in life.
The bullies understand this weakness in diligent people: they are focused on their work. Bullies know that if they disturb a diligent person pursuing their target, they will feel irritated. That's because the diligent person is also afraid from inside. He believes that achieving the target will allay his fears. The bullies understand this, which is why they try to distract diligent people from their targets. This used to happen with the Rishis as well, who would try to perform the Yajna, and the Rakshasas would bully them by splashing water on the altar. There are two types of solutions. First, what Ram and Lakshmana did. Lakshmana cut off Suparkkha's nose, but then they had to fight the entire battle. Second, Krishna did so. He moved away from Mathura when Jarasandha attacked it repeatedly and founded his kingdom in Dwarka. It all depends on the situation, which strategy is best. Krishna also finally fought the battle of Kurukshetra. But to fight that battle of Kurukshetra, the Pandavas also had to wait for many years.
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