“A person should not be too honest. Straight trees
are cut first and honest people are victimized first” says Chanakya, the adviser
and prime minister of Emperor Chandragupta of the Maurya dynasty.
Looking at the quote by the wise man one could
decide that honesty doesn't pay and conclude being crooked is the order of the
day. Now was the wise man wrong in saying so then??? No, honesty is the trait
which never loses its glitter. Chanakya had a bad time when he was under King
Nanda whom he overthrew and made Chandragupta the new king. Maybe it was that
experience which made Chanakya to quote so.
Our National motto is “Satyameva Jayate” meaning “Truth
alone Triumphs.” Being Honest is complete truthfulness to oneself and not to deceive
others. Honest and too honest are two different things. Honest person is pure
in his actions at the same time he is also alert, while too honest person
though pure in his actions he is not alert. Being too honest invites other
to take him for a ride. So the best way to deal with corrupt is by not being
too honest with them.This is a strategy to deal with corrupts as they are
large in number.
At the Great War of Kurukshetra, Shri Krishna shuns being too
honest when it became too difficult to win over mighty Dronacharya. He dealt with it
very tactfully by making Yudhishthira utter half lie. When Dronacharya asked Yudhishthira if
Aswatthama was killed, Yudhishthira confirmed it. Drona meant Aswatthama, his
son; in fact, it was an elephant named Aswatthama which had been killed by his
brother Bhima, to which Yudhishthira was mentioning. Yudhishthira distinctly said that
Aswatthama was dead, adding indistinctly the word elephant before the name
Ashwatthama. Weakened by the thought of his son’s death, Drona lost the will to
fight and drops his ammunition. Seizing that opportunity Dhrishtadyumna attacks Drona to finish him.
Even so while at incognito in the palace of Virata, Draupadi
dons the role of governess to queen Sudeshna. Kichaka, the queens lustful brother gets infatuated
to the beauty of Draupadi and desire for her. Unable to stop his advances
Draupadi informs Bhima who assumed the role of cook at the palace. Bhima asks Draupadi
to invite Kichaka to a specified place for a secret meeting at night. Draupadi
does so and at the specified place, Kichaka finds a woman sleeping on a cot.
Kichaka quickly moves towards the cot and tries to hug the sleeping women thinking
it was Draupadi. Bhima in the guise of the sleeping women crushes Kichaka to
death.
Honesty is not its own reward. It is just one aspect
of living with integrity and kindness. One has to live an honest life and at
the same time should not let anyone take advantage of that honesty……. Am I right???
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