so hard.. so soft...

अतिकुपिता अपि सुजनाः योगेन मृदूभवन्ति न तु नीचाः।
हेम्नः कठिनस्यापि द्रवणोपायमस्ति न तृणानं॥ ७८
सुभाषितरत्नाकरे॥
atikupitā api sujanāḥ yogena mṛdūbhavanti na tu nīcāḥ|
hemnaḥ kaṭhinasyāpi dravaṇopāyamasti na tṛṇānaṁ|| 78
subhāṣitaratnākare||


A very relevant quote from the great compilation..Subhashita Ratnakaram.. about noble people and men of characte.
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Meaning
Even if a persons of character and nobility is provoked to burning anger, in due time and with proper self control, they become soft and reasonable..
That is not the case with silly evil persons..
Gold is found in nature as a tough solid mass.. But surely there are ways to see the same gold in liquid form.. when heated continuously..
But a mass of grass is also dry and often quite tough. . but in contact with fire, it will burn to ashes.. and would never melt..

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Good people, even though they may flare up when provoked, would calm down and see reason.. And would act only in manner befitting their status.. In fact pleasure and anger of good people would both result in something good and beneficial..

The process is just like smelting gold.. Solid gold material, when treated with fire. would change shape to liquid form, but it will again solidify after getting rid of the impurity and dirt content..

But some showy people of shady credential would show off and make a lot of noise.. and when provoked would multiply their evil vigour... But what would remain in the end is just a lot of noise, and debris without any good for anyone.
It is like a huge bunch of grass burning.. It will burn with a lot of flames.. but the final result would a handful of ashes..

To be gold or to be dried grass is our own choice..