3. If someone misuses freedom beyond a limit, we must react, else we would be taken for granted. Reaction checks the continued misuse of freedom — what is your opinion on this?

The misunderstanding here is that reaction ‘checks’ the misuse of freedom, whereas in reality, reaction only aggravates the situation and this leads to the development of a chain reaction. In the tribal age, a vicious cycle of revenge used to get created and a chain reaction used to continue for hundreds of years leading to bloodshed and in-fighting.

We should think of what options we have and should unilaterally exercise patience. I once met a person who paid me a visit from Basti, UP. He had obtained a license and bought a lorry. The minister of his area saw that it was very useful and parked the lorry in his own house as the license was taken in his name. He later started taking the revenues that the lorry used to earn. The man objected to the minister and the minister ridiculed him by saying that the lorry was his. This man came to me for advice and I said to him:

Remember, every revenge shall be avenged!

So, the question is till when would keep on fighting, knowing that one’s revenge will be met with another revenge. Will one continue fighting till the dying day? The above man followed my advice and consulted me on what he should do with the money he was left with. I told him to start a business with whatever he had. He accepted my suggestion and left. After a few years, when he met me, he had significantly grown his wealth. I told him that if he had avenged, the minister’s sons and grandsons would have killed him. The great wisdom of life, therefore, is in unilaterally putting a full stop to any form of reaction.