By Syed Shams Uddin
In a tale steeped in the spirit of Rumi’s timeless wisdom, a cobra bites a snake — and is, in turn, strangled to death by the very creature it attacked. Both perish. Neither wins. This seemingly simple parable carries within it a profound warning: when members of the same kind turn on each other, mutual destruction is inevitable. It is a timeless metaphor for societies fractured by internal discord, where people once united by land, heritage, or faith descend into conflict driven by pride, ego, suspicion, and the thirst for dominance.
Rumi’s deeper message could not be more relevant today: when brothers fight, there are no victors — only graves. In our own homeland, nestled in the valleys and mountains rich in heritage yet vulnerable to disruption, this truth reverberates with urgency. The cobra and the snake are not foreign foes; they symbolize us — siblings, neighbors, old friends. Their mutual demise is a reflection of what happens when communities allow internal strife to overtake their shared purpose.
Sectarianism, tribalism, personal rivalries, and political infighting do more than divide; they poison the well of trust, paralyze progress, and invite external forces to exploit our disunity. Every internal rupture weakens the social fabric that holds a community together. The energy that could have been channeled toward development, education, and collective uplift is instead drained by senseless battles for control or ideological superiority.
Rumi’s plea rises above the centuries: "Choose love over ego, unity over pride." He reminds us that the essence of human dignity lies not in overpowering others but in rising above the self. His wisdom urges us to confront the destructive impulses of hate and replace them with compassion, forgiveness, and a greater sense of shared destiny.
In regions like Gilgit-Baltistan — where diversity in language, culture, and belief has long coexisted in fragile harmony — the lessons of this parable are not abstract. They are real, urgent, and deeply personal. We must recognize that our true enemy is not the other tribe, the other sect, or the opposing viewpoint — but the venom of division that blinds us to our common humanity.
If we must compete, let it be in empathy and generosity.
If we must rise, let it be by lifting others.
If we must defend, let it be the bonds that unite, not the lines that divide.
Let the wisdom of Rumi echo louder than the calls of division. Let it guide our mountain homelands and river valleys toward a future rooted not in conflict, but in kinship. Because peace — true peace — cannot be built on the ruins of brotherhood. It must be built upon it.
Comments