“The mouse, the cat and the hunter: Mahabharata’s geostrategic lessons for today’s Bharat”, First Post, October 24, 2025
“At the foot of a grand banyan tree lived a mouse named Palit. Every night, a cat called Lomesh slept on its branches. There was also a hunter who often visited the forest, spreading his net in the evening and returning in the morning to collect his prey. One day, Lomesh was caught in the hunter’s net. Palit, who had long feared the cat, rejoiced. He could now roam freely, unafraid of being caught by the cat.
As fate would have it, Palit spotted a piece of flesh trapped in the same net. Tempted, he climbed up to nibble it—only to see a mongoose positioned near the net to strike him down and an owl glaring from above the branches. Death surrounded him. He couldn’t leave the net—Harin, the mongoose, would strike. He couldn’t stay—the owl would swoop. The only shelter was inside the net… beside Lomesh.
Palit decided to help Lomesh escape the net; in return, he wanted the cat to stand by him against the mongoose and the owl. Desperate, Lomesh agreed. The mouse slipped into the net. Seeing them together, the owl and mongoose withdrew. Safe for now, Palit began gnawing at the net—but slowly…….”
Read full article at firstpost.com
