History is written by WINNERS

Hisotry is always written by the winner.

Short term or long term, winner is a winner and while you are in charge, no one dares dispute you.  But, the moment you let your grip slip, every one wants to pounce on you. 

While the Nazi were in charge, no one challenged them.  They even managed to host an Olympic ! 
While Japan was in ascendency, everyone wanted to trade and work with them.

While Iraq, Libya, Zimbabwe had powerful dictators in charge, even if the world disliked them, they only condemned them under their breath.  Even heads of governments were happy to visit them and invite them over to the UN with all the fanfare of visiting heads of state.

At one time, Goldman Sachs and Leman Brothers were popular places for the brightest brains in the university to apply for.

However, the moment a “ruler” falls – he is termed a inhumane tyrant, evil dictator.  In some parts of the world, colourful adjectives are regularly applied to ex-rulers who no longer find favour with the current government. 

Same thing happened in Mahabharat. 
While in charge, no one dared to challenge the Kauravas openly.  They voiced their upsets in cryptic fashion, telling them how “unfair” fate / karma was to the Pandavas.  They told the Kauravas to be kinder to their “unfortunate” cousins.  Yet, all those good and great still ate and drank the food of the Kauravas.  They were entertained by them.  They sat in their illustrious halls and spoke at length about “rights and wrongs” of the world.  Why didn’t the say, “You have done evil.  Repent right now.”  Very few said that.  Vidur and Krushna were the rare few who did.  Even Krushna’s brother couldn’t see how Kauravas were better or worse than Pandavas.  Afterall, by coming to the gambling match of their own free will, and gambling away their wealth twice (TWICE) themselves, Pandavas invited this ill fortune on their own head !  No one forced them to gamble !!  This is the line used by many in the Mahabharat to defend the Kauravs.

Once the Pandavas were victorious, everything they did was cast in positive light.  It always is.  Winners are never cast in the negative. 

Even after centuries, no one sees the damage Europeans did to Americas, Australia and Africa.  It is seen as “sad”, but certainly not “horrendous”.  What the Portuguese, Spanish, English and French did to populations around the world did was thousands of times more lethal than what the Nazis did.  Difference is, Spanish, English etc won and Naziz lost. 

No one is flawless.  BUT -
Pandavas were open and honest about their shortcomings.  

Kauravas never admitted their mistakes and thought the world “owed” them more !

That is why Kauravas failed and Pandavas won.   After a while, everyone felt “exhausted” by the amount of “take take take” the Kauravs did.  Everyone felt “refreshed” by the genuine “humanness” of Pandavas.

© Bhagwat Shah   
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