Beware of unsought attention

A lot can be accomplished in life, if we have a genuine understanding of people. Unfortunately most of us learn this art very late in life or sometimes never get around to doing it. It is an art that requires a sharp acumen, deep understanding and keen observation of people and our interactions with them. Even if we lose sight of one of these faculties for some time, we are likely to err in our judgement. Whoever said, “Never judge a book by its cover” was not wrong.

 An incident from the Mahabharata speaks about this human folly. The war of Kurukshetra was declared. The Pandavas and Kauravas started rallying their armies. Kings from all over the country started taking sides. Duryodhana wooed the support of many powerful monarchs using his charismatic generosity and hospitality. King Shalya wanted to support the Pandavas as a show of his solidarity towards the sons of his dead sister Madri. He proceeded with his mighty army towards ground zero with great gusto. As he was closing in on his destination, he was pleasantly surprised to see many tents pitched on the way. These makeshift shelters offered all the basic facilities to the ruler and his men. The fatigue of a long and arduous journey was placated most graciously. 

 Shalya was very pleased with the reception. He told one of the domestic helpers that he would like to thank the person for giving him and his army such a warm welcome. Accordingly, he was led into the tent of the host. The king of Madra was  shocked to see his adversary Duryodhana who welcomed him with open arms. It was only at that point of time, he realised that he had simply assumed that his host would be Yudhisthira, considering that he was the maternal uncle of Nakula and Sahadeva.

Shalya overcame this rude shock and took a conscious decision based on his personal principles and values. He decided to support the Kauravas from a Dharmic dimension because he had savoured their salt by way of their unanticipated hospitality. However he made up for his irrationality by supporting the Pandavas by stressing out Karna  by being his charioteer.

Shalya could have avoided the sweet, sour and bitter aftertaste that his experience gave him in the aftermath had he been cautious before accepting unsought attention.