Beauty is only skin deep

Ranadil was the begum of Dara, the eldest son of Emperor Shah Jahan, and hence the rightful heir to the throne. But his hopes were dashed when his brother Aurangzeb rose in revolt. Dara went out to quell the revolt. Both the princes knew that it was a fight to the finish. Aurangzeb emerged the winner. Dara was killed. The news reached Ranadil. She wept inconsolably. She too had lost all. On his return to Agra, Aurangzeb detained Emperor Shah Jahan at the Agra Fort and seized power. He remembered that victor took all. Why should not he claim Ranadil as his own? He sent a message to Ranadi I through a courtier. The courtier told her, "Accept the offer. Enjoy life. You are young. You are beautifu I." Ranadi I rejected the proposal. The courtier went back to Aurangzeb and reported the result of his mission. "Go again. Tell her I can't live without her. She has bewitching charms. What bright eyes! What rosy skin! Her face is indeed her fortune," Aurangzeb sang in praise of Ranadil. The courtier met Ranadil again and appealed to her to accept his master's offer. She smiled, wanly. "Your master says that my face is my fortune. Is it really so? Let me check," she signalled to the courtier to wait and ran to the full-length mirror in her bed room. She surveyed her face. "The face is indeed my fortune. But I don't need this fortune any more," she mumbled, picked up a dagger and ran it several times across her cheeks. Bleeding from every pore, she walked back to the presence of the courtier. She wiped the blood with her dupatta and handed it to the courtier and said, "Give this to your master. Tell him that my face is no longer my fortune. That fortune was only for my Lord, my dear Dara. So I have destroyed it. Now, I have a face bleeding from cuts. Soon these cuts will turn into scars."
The courtier turned his face away, unable to stand the gory sight. It took him time to regain his voice. Then he told her, "You are great, Oh daring Begumsahiba. Prince Dara would be proud of you and your loyalty." She watched him till she could see him no more. Then she ran back and collapsed into the bed and cried her heart out. Thus Rana held Aurangzeb at bay by sending him the message that beauty was only skin deep. He did not bother her again.



Meaning: Don't be led by the exterior. Give more attention to what lies beneath the skin.

Alternative: Appearances are deceptive.

An enemy's enemy is a friend

World War II broke out in 1939. Hitler overran many nations of Europe, including Czechoslovakia, Poland, and France. Britain was under grave threat. Winston Churchill assumed office as Prime Minister. He organised the defence of the nation. To strengthen the defence, he wanted help from India. The Indian nationalists saw their chance to gain more rights for the people. They requested the government to give Indians a role in the conduct of India's defence. "Make an Indian member of the") Viceroy's Executive Council responsible for war affairs," they said. Britain ignored this appeal. By then, Subhash Chandra Bose had escaped from house arrest at Calcutta. He disguised himself as a Pathan, went through China and Russia to Europe. There he met Hitler. Later, he heard from Rash Behari Bose, another nationalist who had settled down in Japan, "Come over. Organise the Indian prisoners of War. Japan will provide all help," informed Rash Behari Bose. Subhash, sdid not ask why Japan would provide help. Japan was the member of the Axis powers. Germany and Italy were fighting the Allies in Europe and Africa. Japan took on the task in Asia. Thus Japan, an enemy of Britain, became a friend of Indians fighting against the British rule in India. Subhash accepted the invitation. He organised the INA. The members of the INA fought shoulder to shoulder with the Japanese forces. Subhash Chandra Bose became immortal as Netaji Bose.


Meaning: it has been so all through the ages. A and B dislike C. So the two get together and become friends. Together they try to make life miser- able for C. Nations too have come together to fight the common enemy.

Alternative: Love, friendship and respect do not unite as much as a common hatred.

All is fair in love and war

The Mahabharat War was on. The Kaurav forces were led by Bhishmapitamaha. With him were Acharya Drona, Daanveer Karn and many others. "How do we beat such a strong force?" asked Yudhishter. "Don't you have faith in your fighting skill? How can you underestimate great warriors like Bhim and Arjun?" Lord Krishna asked. "Oh Krishna! You are our greatest strength," said Yudhishter. Lord Krishna reminded Pandavas about the valour of Bhishmapitamaha and then suggested a plan. "Shikhandi is a eunuch. Let Shikandi lead our men against the old warrior, in the battle tomorrow. Bhishmapitamaha will not fight Shikhandi. He will hold back all his weapons, even if he is in peril. Thus he can be overpowered easily". Lord Krishna said. That plan worked. Bhishmapitamaha fell. Dronacharya took over as the Supreme Commander. He organised the Kaurava forces with great skill. The Pandavs found it impossible to penetrate the enemy lines. They suffered heavy casualities. "We will never win," groaned Yudhishter. "That is a defeatist attitude. We can always find a way out," said Lord Krishna. "What do you suggest?" Yudhishter turned to Lord Krishna. "You are Dharmaputra. The whole world knows you never lie. If you agree to piay a trick, we can beat Dronacharya," said Lord Krishna. "How'^Yudhishter enquired. "Get hold of an elephant. Name the elephant Ashwathama after the son of Dronacharya. Kill the elephant. Then announce, Ashwthama Hatah, (Ashwathama has been killed)" said Lord Krishna. "That would be a lie," Yudhishter showed his disapproval. "No. You will add, Kunjara, (the elephant). But when you add those words, the drums will be beaten so loudly that Dronacharya shall only hear the first two words, Ashwathama Hatah, not the word Kunjara. The news of the loss of his only son will make Dronacharya lose interest in the battle," Lord Krishna waited, while Yudhishter turned the suggestion over in his mind. "No. That won't be fair," Yudhishter protested weakly. "All is fair in love and war," Lord Krishna argued. Reluctantly, Yudhishter agreed. The plan was carried out. Dronacharya was killed in the battlefield. Thus the Pandavasgot rid of a major obstacle in their path of victory.


Meaning: This proverb gives the lover or the fighter the right to use all means, even tricks, lies and deceptions, to make his hopes come true.
Alternative: Where drums beat the Laws are silent.

All are equal in the eyes of the law

Emperor Jahangir hung a bell at the entrance of his palace. Drummers went round, telling the people, "Have you any complaint? Come and ring the bell at the entrance of the palace. The emperor shall hear you and do justice."

The news went round. The people hailed the emperor.

One day. Nur Jahan was practising archery. She shot arrows at chosen targets. Before closing the day's session, she sent an arrow, whizzing through space, towards the river bed, which lay close by. Then she walked back to the harem.

A little later, someone rang the bell. The sentry found a washerwoman, sobbing with grief. In her hand she held an arrow. "I want justice." She wailed. The sentry led her to the emperor.

The woman bowed. She placed the arrow down on the carpet and said between sobs, "Someone killed my husband with this arrow. Who will now look after me and my children?"

The emperor picked up the arrow. It had the royal stamp. Someone from the palace had caused the tragedy. The emperor sent the sentry to find out who had practised archery, on that day. The sentry came back, soon enough. He hesitated. The emperor pressed. Almost in a whisper, the sentry named Nur Jahan, the queen, as the guilty.

The emperor sentfor Nur Jahan. She appeared, soon enough. The emperor pulled out a dagger from his belt and held it out to the woman. "The empress made you a widow. Kill me with the dagger. That will meet the demand of justice."

The woman shied away, "Oh, no, Bad hshah. I can never do

that." The emperor granted her a pension. She thanked him and left. He turned to Nur Jahan who sulked, "You took a grave risk. What if the woman had carried out your command!"

The emperor replied, "I would have died. Butjustice would have been done. For all are equal in the eyes of the law. Be careful in future," said the emperor.

  

 

Meaning:         The law is supreme. It treats all as equals. It applies to the rich and the poor, the ruler and the ruled alike. Nobody is outside the law.

Alternatives: The law takes its own course.

Nobody is beyond the law.