Man’s Natural Shield

Man’s Natural Shield

1989 8 August 18-19 Man’s Natural Shield (515) In 1973, there were about 1800 tigers in the jungles of India. Then a plan called ‘Project Tiger’ was worked out to protect the species and increase its numbers, so that now there are more than 4,000. This increase in the number of tigers, however, has also increased the danger to other animals and to human beings. In the national park, situation in the jungle area of eastern UP and the Sundarban park situated between India and Bangladesh; the tigers often come out of the jungles and kill the villagers’ cattle.

It is seldom, however, that the tiger attacks man. Even when it does so, it attacks from the rear. This is because the tiger fears the human face. According to a report published in the Times of India (December 11, 1988) “those who do enter the buffer zone of the Sunderbans wear masks on the backs of their heads because a tiger seldom attacks a man from the front.”

Man’s face has been gifted by nature with the capacity to inspire awe. The tiger, thus intimidated by man’s face, does not dare to attack him. It will attack him only if in some way he shows himself the weaker of the two, and, in fact, a tiger becomes a man-eater only when a human hunter wounds him without killing him.

The awe inspired by man’s face serves as a check not only to animals but also to other ill-intentioned human beings. Man, by nature, remains in awe of the faces of other men. This feeling of awe is dissipated only when some external happening upsets what is, after all, a natural state of affairs.

There is a hadith which says, “God created Adam in His own form.” This saying may not be quite authentic in respect of its chain of narrators, but it is true in meaning. It is a fact that human face is the most impressive thing in the whole universe. It has a certain grandeur to it.

God has made of your face and your personality an invincible shield, which you may bring into play on all occasions. Your success in moments of adversity will then depend upon what image of yourself you have projected – how you appear in others’ eyes.

If you are pictured as a superficial, worthless person, someone ready to pick a quarrel at the slightest provocation, raising slogans about moving forward, while all the time in retreat, your appears will carry no weight with friends and enemies alike. You will be like a broken shield which can afford no protection to others.

However, if others picture you as a man of iron, a man of high principles, when you come before them, they will yield pride of place to you. Your very appearance will suggest the words, “He came, he saw, he conquered.”

The human face is an awe-inspiring shield. You will be attacked only if you are foolish enough to show your adversary that you are the weaker of the two. Wisdom lies in continually commanding respect, and then no one will dare to harm you.