More on this book
Community
Kindle Notes & Highlights
‘Withholding the truth is different from lying!’ Vashishtha remarked with a twinkle in his eye. ‘Not revealing the truth is lying, isn’t it, Guruji?’ ‘No, it isn’t. Sometimes, truth causes pain and suffering. At such times, silence is preferred. In fact, there may be times when a white lie, or even an outright lie, could actually lead to a good outcome.’
Morality of White Lies
Wisdom lies in moderation, in balance. If you lie to save an innocent person from some bandits, is that wrong?’
‘So, I haven’t lied, Sudas. I’ve just not revealed the truth. There’s a difference.’
Trust the boldness of a born rebel.
Ram shook his head. ‘Why are you so cynical?’ ‘Why are you not cynical at all?’
‘Expecting people to follow rules just because they should is being too hopeful. Rules must be designed to dovetail with selfish interest because people are primarily driven by it. They need to be shepherded into good behaviour through this proclivity.’
‘This attitude is basic human nature. We’d rather look outward and blame others for the ills that befall us than point the finger at ourselves.
‘A relationship is not just for fun, it is also about trust and the knowledge that you can depend on your partner. Relationships based on passion and excitement do not last.’
‘I guess what I’m trying to say is that I want a woman
who is better than I am; a woman who will compel me to bow my head in admiration.’ ‘You bow to elders and parents, Dada. A wife is the one you share your life and passions with,’ said Bharat, a crooked grin on his face, brows arched suggestively. ‘By the great Lord Brahma, I pity the woman you will marry. Your relationship will go down in history as the most boring of them all!’
‘An ideal way of life, Guruji,’ said Bharat, ‘is one where everyone is healthy, wealthy, happy, and working in consonance with his purpose in life.’ ‘And, how does a society achieve this?’ ‘It’s probably impossible! But if it were possible at all, it would only be through freedom. Allow people the freedom to forge their own path. They will find their way.’
‘But will freedom help each person realise his dreams? What if one person’s dream is in conflict with that of another’s?’ Bharat gave that question some careful thought before replying. ‘You are right. A strong man’s effort will always overwhelm that of a weak man.’ ‘So?’ ‘So the government has to ensure that it protects the weak. We cannot allow the strong to keep winning. It would create discontent among the masses.’
‘But isn’t that the law of the jungle?’ asked Vashishtha. ‘The weak would die out.’ ‘If you call it the law of the jungle, then I say that this is the law of nature, Guruji,’ said Shatrughan. ‘Who are we to judge nature? If the weakest deer are not killed by tigers, the population of deer will explode. They will eat prodigious amounts of greens and the jungle itself may die out, in the long run. It is better for the jungle if only the strong survive — it is nature’s way of maintaining balance.
government should not interfere with this natural process. It should merely establish systems that ensure the protection of the weak, giving them a fair chance at survival. Beyond that, it must get out of the way and let society find its own path. It’s not the government’s job to ensure that all achieve their dreams.’
But if the government interferes to such an extent that the weak thrive and the strong are oppressed, society itself will collapse over time. A society should not forget that it thrives on the ideas and performance of the talented among its citizens. If you compromise the prospects of the strong, and lean too much towards the interests of the weak, then your society itself goes into decline.’
Emperor Bharat’s empire could be described as the apogee of the feminine way of life — of freedom, passion and beauty. At its best, it is compassionate, creative and especially nurturing towards the weak. But as feminine civilisations decline, they tend to become corrupt, irresponsible and decadent.’
The masculine way of life is defined by truth, duty and honour. At its peak, masculine civilisations are efficient, just and egalitarian. But as they decline, they become fanatical, rigid and especially harsh towards the weak.’ ‘So when feminine civilisations decline, the masculine way is the answer,’ said Ram. ‘And, as masculine civilisations decline, the feminine way should take over.’ ‘Yes,’ said the teacher. ‘Life is cyclical.’
‘A real leader doesn’t choose to lead only the deserving. He will, instead, inspire his people into becoming the best that they are capable of. A real leader will not defend a monster, but convert that demon into a God; tap into the God that dwells within even him. He takes upon himself the burden of dharma sankat, but he ensures that his people become better human beings.’
But the strange thing about anger is that it is like fire; the more you feed it, the more it grows. It takes a lot of wisdom to know when to let anger go.
I’m suggesting is that some good can emerge from the most horrific of events. There is something positive hidden in every negative, and something negative hidden in every positive. Life is complicated, and a balanced person can see both sides.
A fool is worshipped in his home. A chief is worshipped in his village. A king is worshipped in his kingdom. A knowledgeable person is worshipped everywhere.
There’s nothing worse than being married to the wrong person. You should only get married if you find someone you admire, who will help you understand and fulfil your life’s purpose. And you, in turn, can help her fulfil her life’s purpose. If you’re able to find that one person, then marry her.’
people have their limitations. A leader should not expect more from them than what they are capable of. If you stretch them beyond their capacity, they will break.’
Brahmin parents would encourage and push their child towards the pursuit of knowledge. The child, on the other hand, may have a passion for trade. These mismatches led to unhappiness and chaos within society. Furthermore, the society itself suffered as its people were forced to work at jobs they didn’t want to do.
Among the “civilised”, right and wrong is determined by cultural conventions and rules.
