Discretion

courtesy: Sri.KV.Anantanaryanan

Discretion is the best part of valour*

*A story from Pananchatantram of Vishnusharma.*

* *

* A fox named Mahaachathuraka lived in a forest. For him food was scarce
and he was roaming aimlessly in search of something to fill his tummy. As
if by great fortune, he came across the carcass of a dead elephant.. He ran
around it jubilantly but knew he could not eat any meat unless the thick
hide covering the body of the elephant was cut open by another beast. As
he was pondering ways and means to satiate his hunger, a lion also came
there from nowhere. Immediately on seeing the lion, the fox became all
humility.
*

* With affected socicitousness, he said, " My Lord, Victory to you. I saw
this dead elephant a few hours ago, and just from that moment I was
standing guard for your Majesty to arrive and have his Royal Dinner.. Please
permit me to have the honour of offering this hospitality to your Majesty".

*

* With these words the fox prostrated himself before the lion.
*

*Seeing the silly fox and his sillier gestures, the lion said. " You fool,
do not you know that I never eat the flesh of any animal which I have not
killed myself? A highborn like me will not eat the leftovers of others,
even at the cost of their lives. So I leave this food for you. You can
yourself eat to your heart's content."..
*

*This is what the fox expected. He thought. " It is befitting of a
blue-blooded aristocrat. Noble men do not let go of their purity at any
time. The conch will remain shiningly white even if it put in fire" *

*A tiger came that way immediately after the lion left.
*

*The fox thought. " I could manage to send off the lion by playing upon his
vanity and sense of superiority. The tiger is a cruel and crude
fellow. Flattery
will have no impact on him. I can only use mild deceit on him to keep him
away from my food. A fellow who cannot be befriended with nice words or by
gift can definitely be won over by deceit.
*

*
*

*Having thought like this, the fox addressed the tiger in a affected tone of
a well-wisher. " Uncle, why have you come here to jump into the mouth of
sure death? A lion has killed this elephant just a few minutes ago. He
has appointed me as a sentry to guard his food and has gone to the river to
have his Royal bath. His instructions are that if a tiger or some such mean
creature comes near his food, he should be informed immediately. I will
take care of him properly. I had a bitter experience of a dirty tiger once
desecrating my food by eating a part of it while I was away and ruining my
lunch. So next time any tiger comes anywhere near my food, it is sure death
for him".
*

*The tiger was frightened for his life. " Please my nephew, do not even
whisper a word to the lion. I want to live. I am off."
*

*Saying this he bolted. *

*
*

*The next visitor was a hyena.
*

*The fox thought. " This fellow has very sharp teeth. He can open the hide
of the elephant. One the hide is ripped open, the way for me is clear. It
is prudent to allow him also to eat some flesh because my purpose will be
served." Thinking thus, he told the hyena, " Oh my dear nephew, it is a
long time since I saw you. You look very thin and hungry. You are my dear
guest. Here, you see the body of an elephant killed by a lion. The lion is
off for his bath before having his supper. So you please can relish some
elephant flesh and go away before the lion comes."
*

* The hyena was reluctant. " Uncle, I really do not need the flesh of a dead
elephant. I can get hold of many living creatures to eat. I am of the view
that one should eat only what is easy to get, easy to eat , easy to digest
and nutritious to the body.. So I am off."
*

* The fox replied. " you coward, do not try to conceal your fear of the
lion by speaking generalities. Eat slowly. I shall warn you well in time
if the lion is on his way back."
*

*Thus reassured, the hyena sat for his dinner.. and immediately on seeing
that the hyena had broken the skin of the dead elephant, came the warning
of the fox, " Sonny, you bolt, the lion is back".. The hyena bolted leaving
no trace at all.
*

*The fox started eating with relish the flesh from the body of the elephant
pried open by the hyena. *

*The final visitor was another fox. This time the fox did not wait for any
tricks. He jumped straight on the adversary, attacked him with teeth and
nails, defeated him and lived on the food provided by the carcass of the
elephant for a very long time.*

*The lesson of the parable is that if the enemy is noble, surrender to him.
If he is stronger than you, defeat him through some deceitful act. If he is
lowly rascal, bribe him and get rid of him. And if the enemy is equal in
prowess, attack him and defeat him. *

knr

--
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.

  Every moment, thank God