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Life of an aspirant
93
influence and attachment. We wish to suppress our anger, to hide it so that others do not think of us as short-tempered; also because we do not want its negative consequences to affect our body. But just like fire is concealed in ashes, the heat of anger remains within us, masked in the veil of diplomacy.
You may recall - I recently stated in a discourse that if you want to see a person's true colour, see him in his home. Outside, a person wears many masks, he responds to social and societal pressures, he fears for his reputation. Therefore, a person's true colours are revealed only in the privacy of his home and not outside. At home, he is free of societal pressure and so is able to express himself freely. In man's life, there is a constant play of diplomacy. He presents different facets of himself at different times depending on what is required of him, thus rarely revealing his true self. In today's world, political diplomacy has invaded simple, mundane lives as well.
In the Mahābhārata, Vyāsa has stated the qualities of a king:
A king's words are soft like butter, but his heart is like a sharp-edged knife.
That is, keeping his innermost thoughts hidden, maintaining an external calm, speaking sweet words of diplomacy, and weaving deadly plots to weaken an enemy's barriers - these are the distinguishing features of a king.
Thousands of years later, this political ethos continues. I agree that in the past, such tactics were part of political policies, but today they have become an integral part of even our family and personal life. What was earlier considered as a necessary evil to combat enemies has now been adopted and justified as a way of life. A Sanskrit verse says:
Three indicators of a wicked person are: Face radiant like lotus, speech soothing like sandal paste and heart sharp like scissors."
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văn navanītam, hrudayam tīksna-dhāram -- Adiparva 3/123 mukham padmadalākäras väni candana-sitalā hrudayam karttaritulyaṁ, trividhaṁ dhūrta-lakṣaṇam
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