The Dilemma of Using Power

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                                            Image source: Google search

Lord Ram wanted to cross the ocean with his army to reach Lanka. Vibhishana advised him to pray to the sea god Varuna to give a solution. Lord Ram accepted the advice and prayed to the sea god for 3 consecutive days and nights without food and sleep.

There was no sign of any response from Varuna.

Lord Ram understood that praying is not working. He asked Lakshmana to get his bow and arrow so that he could dry the ocean up with his power and make way for his army to march forward.

As Ram mounted an arrow on his bow ready to fire it - Varuna appeared in front of him with folded hands seeking forgiveness and offering a solution to the problem at hand. Ram accepted the apology and the solution and a tragedy was averted. (What Ram did with the mounted arrow is left as an exercise for the reader. Hint: Read Ramayana.)

One who wields power knows the undesirable impact of using it and in many cases doesn't want to use it. Instead of resorting to power first Lord Ram made an effort for peaceful solution with prayer and humility. When that didn't work he resorted to the next alternative - power - even if it had dire consequences. (The war of Mahabharata happened only after attempts for peaceful resolution failed.)

There are 2 very important lessons here which apply in personal life, relationships, career, politics and geopolitics.

1. It's a good idea to seek a peaceful resolution but if it's not working, it's OK to resort to power when there are objectives to be met. In the case of Ram it was rescuing Sita.

2. If somebody is praying/requesting - it's not always a sign of weakness. They may be more powerful than you can imagine and withstand. Their prayer/request could be a deliberate and sincere attempt to avoid use of power. Disregarding peace is an invitation to the use of power.

~S~


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