Power of the position

By Justice Markandey Katju

There is a Sanskrit shloka :

जानामि नागेश तव प्रभावम्

कण्ठस्थितः गर्जसि शंकरस्य

स्थानम् प्रधानम् न च बलम प्रधानम्

द्वारस्थितः कोअपि न सिंघः

“Jaanami Nagesh tava prabhaavam

Kanthasthitah garjasi Shankarasya

Sthaanam pradhanam na cha balam pradhanam

Dwarasthitah ko api na Singhah ? “

“O King of the Serpents, I know your powers

You are hissing at me only because you are on the neck of Lord Shiva

The position one occupies is important, not one’s strength

At one’s own door, who is not a Lion.”