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Quality of Braves
According to Bhartrihari, the, the poet, philosopher and yogi turned king of Ujjayini, three categories of
people are seen in the world. The inferiors do not begin for the fear of failures. The mediocres begin with a
mission but leave unfinished facing hurdles. But great are those who despite being hit by obstacles and failures
continue their pursuit to succeed at last !

Determination implies fixedness of purpose, mental concentration and
strength of will. It includes inner motive power at the disposal of an individual. It
is the capacity to force oneself along when under pressure and urgency.

Ancient Wisdom !
In ancient India gambling was prescribed as a must game for Kshatriyas (the warrior class). According to
Mahabharata, Yudhishthir lost everything including his brothers and wife in a gambling match with his cousin
Duryodhana. Gambling instils the quality of taking risk with hope to win. Society discards gambling as a
deplorable addiction. But a warrior must have the addiction of victory !

Courage is the ability to appreciate and take purposive risks willingly. Ability to meet appreciated
dangers, spirit of adventure, and capacity to keep oneself composed in adverse situations are the other
shades of this quality. Courage has got two elements; physical and psychological. The important matter
to remember here is that physical strength has got nothing to do with the quality of courage. Physical
strength may be deterrent to the enemy for a while but courage is primarily a psychological quality. It is
associated with the cause or the values, which the warrior believes to defend.
Another area in which this quality is seen is the spirit of adventure. There are many adventurous
hobbies or sports like trekking, mountaineering, rock climbing, skydiving, river rafting, wind surfing,
hang gliding, sky diving etc. that involve fun and adventure in a single fold. Lot of physical and mental
grit and stamina is needed in these sports.
Mental Courage or Courage of Conviction is associated with faith in the cause for which one is
fighting. Fighting for a cause is not easy. Sufferors not only the person who fights but equally suffers
his family and dependents too. Children remain deprived of love and affection while the other members
of a fighter’s family undergo many hardships. Newspapers and journals are full of stories of the plight
of martyrs’ family members. While the fighter laid down his life in the interest of the nation, his family
members are left to fight with corruption, red-tapism, cruel system of government offices to get
compensation and succour.
To own up one’s mistakes too needs lot of courage. People justify even their wrong deeds
committed knowingly or unknowingly. They by habit shift the blame to others. A true warrior always
accepts the consequences of his acts and omissions gracefully; and is ready to suffer for them come
what may.

Think It Over !
A line from my school prayer book When I am in the wrong; give me the grace to admit it wholly; neither
offering excuses, nor trying to shift the blame… Make me more honest in my thinking; more charitable in my
opinions !
Stamina is the indication of endurance. It is the ability to work hard and consistently. Stamina, like
courage has two aspects—physical and mental. In other words stamina refers to capacity to withstand
protracted physical and mental strain.
Combat leaves lot of strain and stress on fighters. Physical fatigue, anxiety of injury and
death, condition of isolation, fear of being taken as war prisoner and subsequent treatment by
enemy forces and above everything the condition of ambiguity leaves lots of pressure on the
member of any fighting force.