<p>There are times when people feel gullible in the face of obstacles and hassles. They are intimidated by the person or the circumstances causing them. At such times a little retrospection and analysis of the issue can salvage us safely. </p>.<p>A tale from the Hitopadesha succinctly puts across this idea. Once, during a very hot summer a large herd of elephants suffered acute scarcity of water. When they approached their leader Karpuratilaka with the problem, the leader scouted for a solution and found a large lake full of fresh water in a neighbouring forest.</p>.<p>Thereafter the herd of elephants marched to the newfound source, oblivious to the havoc they were wreaking along the path on their trek. The colony of rabbits that lived around the Moonlake suffered the most. A fluffle of them discussed the menace, then Vijaya a senior rabbit assured them of reprieve.</p>.<p>That day when the herd marched towards the lake, Vijaya scrambled up a hillock beside the lake and addressed the herd. He notified the leader to meet the Moon, the original owner of the lake that night. When Karpuratilaka arrived at the venue at the said time, the veteran scaled up the knoll again and asked Karpuratilaka to look at the lake. The sight of the reflection of the Moon in the waters, quivering with anger made Karpuratilaka go on his knees. Vijaya then told the guilt-ridden leader that the Moon was miffed with the pachyderms. When Karpuratilaka hung his head in shame, Vijaya looked at the moon and said that the elephantine trampling was wholly unintentional and could be forgiven.</p>.<p>A moment later when the mammoth raised his head and look up in askance the rabbit directed Karpuratilaka to steer clear of Moon lake forever. The mammoth left wordlessly as the rabbits scampered up the hill to congratulate their saviour. Vijaya had resorted to a manipulation by roping in the moon, but it worked in his favour because Karpuratilaka was guilty of the blunder albeit committed unknowingly. Thus, a clever, feeble and old rabbit managed to restore peace for his clan by evoking guilt in the malefactor’s mind. When the underlying feelings like greed, guilt, grudge, grouse or gluttony, which form cornerstones of heinous acts of odious perpetrators, are tackled with ingenuity it can break new grounds and pave way for peace and harmony.</p>
<p>There are times when people feel gullible in the face of obstacles and hassles. They are intimidated by the person or the circumstances causing them. At such times a little retrospection and analysis of the issue can salvage us safely. </p>.<p>A tale from the Hitopadesha succinctly puts across this idea. Once, during a very hot summer a large herd of elephants suffered acute scarcity of water. When they approached their leader Karpuratilaka with the problem, the leader scouted for a solution and found a large lake full of fresh water in a neighbouring forest.</p>.<p>Thereafter the herd of elephants marched to the newfound source, oblivious to the havoc they were wreaking along the path on their trek. The colony of rabbits that lived around the Moonlake suffered the most. A fluffle of them discussed the menace, then Vijaya a senior rabbit assured them of reprieve.</p>.<p>That day when the herd marched towards the lake, Vijaya scrambled up a hillock beside the lake and addressed the herd. He notified the leader to meet the Moon, the original owner of the lake that night. When Karpuratilaka arrived at the venue at the said time, the veteran scaled up the knoll again and asked Karpuratilaka to look at the lake. The sight of the reflection of the Moon in the waters, quivering with anger made Karpuratilaka go on his knees. Vijaya then told the guilt-ridden leader that the Moon was miffed with the pachyderms. When Karpuratilaka hung his head in shame, Vijaya looked at the moon and said that the elephantine trampling was wholly unintentional and could be forgiven.</p>.<p>A moment later when the mammoth raised his head and look up in askance the rabbit directed Karpuratilaka to steer clear of Moon lake forever. The mammoth left wordlessly as the rabbits scampered up the hill to congratulate their saviour. Vijaya had resorted to a manipulation by roping in the moon, but it worked in his favour because Karpuratilaka was guilty of the blunder albeit committed unknowingly. Thus, a clever, feeble and old rabbit managed to restore peace for his clan by evoking guilt in the malefactor’s mind. When the underlying feelings like greed, guilt, grudge, grouse or gluttony, which form cornerstones of heinous acts of odious perpetrators, are tackled with ingenuity it can break new grounds and pave way for peace and harmony.</p>