Bullets At Home
By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam
02 April 2026
“Besides what endless brawls by wives are bred,
The curtain lecture makes a mournful bed.”
― Juvenal, The satyrs of Decimus Junius Juvenalis and of Aulus Persius Flaccus
"You should always agree with her. When you agree to what she says, you'll always remain happy. If she tells you to look this way, do that. And if she tells you the next moment to look the other way, again do that," Retired Justice Markandey Katju of the Supreme Court advised a husband in a divorce case long ago.
This reminded me of the song, "Jo tum ko ho pasand wahi baat karenge...." from the film ' Safar ' (1970). You just cannot ignore a wife, let alone flay her. P G Wodehouse narrated a humorous incident in one of his books." A beleaguered husband went to the police station to lodge a complaint against his tarmagant wife. The inspector called the man's wife to the police station and asked her whether she agreed with what her husband stated in his complaint. She said that he was rather 'generous' in his complaint." He didn't mention that he was my punching-bag! "
A husband is truly his wife's punching-bag. And if the wife happens to be a shrew like the Wodehouse character, not even god can save the unfortunate husband. I've heard that there's a registered association of tormented husbands in Bihar. That only Bihari men are scared of their wives is not right. All men of all regions, all over the world are genuinely terrified. I think the term ' weaker sex' for women is a misnomer. They're invariably the stronger sex at home and men (read husbands) are perennially at the receiving end. I've seen my friends relegated into mice, after their marriage. They're now at their wives' beck and call and daren't defy them (wives).
Famous Army General Maxwell Thurman (1931-1995), known as a 'lifelong bachelor' who commanded the US Southern Command, never tied the knot. A BBC correspondent, Glenn Nash, asked him why he remained unmarried. He gave him a classic response," I was bold enough to face the bullets in the battlefield, but not courageous enough to face them on home front."
So very true. Wife's fusillades can unnerve the best of the soldiers. So, who're we lesser mortals? That man must have been at the receiving end who thought of the acronym for a WIFE: Worries Invited for Eternity. All said and done, marriage as an institution still has its importance. I'm not belittling it despite never having taken the plunge and got married.
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A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian.
URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/bullets-at-home-/d/139507
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