Rajesh Pathak
This was the time when the great war of Mahabharata was all set to begin. Yet, as a last effort to avert the war, Shri Krishna decided to approach Duryodhana to work out some compromise. But Yudhishthira, fearing that the evil-natured Duryodhana seeing the (Krishna) alone might harm him, grew concerned about his [Krishna] safety. He expressed this to Krishna and advised him to take force along with him. To this what Krishna replied is very instructive. He said, “You needn’t worry Yudhishthira. For, if so happens you would get entire kingdom without a war as I myself alone would destroy Duryodhana and his host of allies along with their armies.”
Obviously, even to live peacefully or to work out compromise with the adversaries we need to be strong enough or else our overtures for the peace will be mistaken for weakness and cowardice. This is exactly what we learn from the character of Krishna as exhibited in the above episode. It is in the view of this crucial worldly ways of life that our seers and sages in order to infuse the virtues of strength among the people laid the tradition of celebrating Vijayadashmi—the festival of worshipping the weapons, the symbol of strength. Truly, though, with the passing of the time this festival began to be celebrated more as a victory of good over the evil, with symbolically burning the effigy of Ravana as the evil. Yet, message is the same and clear that the evil in whatever form it is, it is to be dealt with the strength alone, as once did Rama.
Today, in the form of terrorism is Ravana before us, which is far dangerous than the one of Rama’s time. Because, in sheer contrast to it (of Rama’s time), today’s Ravana i.e. terrorism is invisible. Invisible in the sense that ones aiding and abetting it may be anybody—may be of your own town, even may be your neighbour, acquaintance or friend; illiterate or literate— even may be engineer, doctor or computer wizard; or who else nobody knows. And this is not all. Where Rama had one Vibhishana fighting against Ravana, today there are so many Vibhisanas fighting for the cause of Ravana vis-à-vis Rama. They are in different garb—some calling themselves to be secular; and some, the advocates of human rights. For them the lives of innocent people and the security personnel risking their lives in carrying out their duties have no value before that of terrorists.
So, this time the fight against Ravana is evenmore of complex nature. Security agencies could fight with the terrorists, but before these breeds of Vibhishanas they are helpless. Thus, rising above the narrow loyalties of caste, creed and region etc, we must get organized to wipe out the terrorism, and teach the lesson to those having sympathy with them.
To subjugate them, common people will have to come forward. But divided they can do it. All over gods and goddesses bear the weapon in one hand, and scripture in another.
