Let's Be Proud Of Our Country And Armed Forces

On a nationalistic front, the past month has been punctuated with emotions like patriotism, pride and revenge.

- PRIYA S. TANDON

On a nationalistic front, the past month has been punctuated with emotions like patriotism, pride and revenge. The feelings of the common Bharatiya have been potently aggressive and intolerant towards terrorism.

The Hindu culture expounds the maximum of Ahimsa Parmo Dharma. Meaning: Nonviolence is the highest moral virtue. But if your adversary habitually practices violence as a way of life, then is Ahimsa your Parmo Dharma? No! In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna repeatedly counselled the Kauravas to be fair to the Pandavas. After the completion of twelve years of exile and one year of Agyaat-vaas, when the Pandavas returned to Hastinapur and claimed their share of the kingdom, Duryodhana refused to give it. In the course of negotiation, Krishna asked Duryodhana to give just five villages to the Pandavas. He assured Duryodhana that in the interest of peace, the Pandavas would not fight for their right. Duryodhana said that he would not give them land equal to even a pin's head. In that eventuality, the Pandavas stood in confrontation with the Kauravas at Kurukshetra, and the Mahabharata war happened. It was a fratricidal carnage, but it was the only way forward. The Mahabharata war put an end to all those who supported adharma.

Also, Krishna gave a hundred opportunities to Shishupala to err against or abuse Krishna. When Shishupala abused Him for the 101st time, Krishna severed Shishupala's head from his body, because enough was enough!

In the Ramayana, Devi Sita was abducted by Ravana. Ravana's grandfather Malyavan, wife Mandodari, brother Kumbhkarna, Rama's envoy Angad, Lord Hanuman and many others counselled Ravana but he did not agree to return Devi Sita back to Bhagwan Rama. War was the only answer.

India has too many axes to grind with Pakistan. I was in college when terrorism was at its peak in Punjab. In the larger interest of the safety of the country, punitive action had to be taken against the terrorists.