The best way to handle any provocation is to prioritize staying calm, disengaging from the interaction, and setting boundaries. The much it sounds easier, the more difficult it is to implement in real scenario. There are very few people who can easily cope up the provocation by staying calm. These are the elite group of the society called as gentlman or a noble person. They remain alter with any provocation. These qualities of the noble individual were nicely explained in following Sanskrit proverb ;
अप्रियवचनाङ्गारैर्दग्धोSपि न विप्रयं वदत्यार्यः |
किं दह्यमानमगरु स्वभावसुरभि परित्यजति ||
Apriyavachaanaangaarairdagdhopi na viprym vadatyaaryh. Kim dahyamaanamagaru svabhaavasurabhi parityajati.
Apriya = unkind, harsh.
Vachanaangarairdagdhopi = vachana + angaraih + dagdho + api.
Vachana = spoken words.
Angaraih = burning lumps of coal.
Dagdho = burned
Api = even, and .
Na = not.
Viprayam = offence.
Vadatyaaryah = vadati + aaryah.
Vadati = speaks.
Aaryah = a gentleman, a noble person.
Kim = what ?
Dahyamaanamagaru = dahyamaanam + agaru. Dahyamaanam = in flames.
Agaru = a kind of grass which produces sweet smell. and is used for making incense sticks.
Svabhava = nature.
Surabhi = sweet smelling.
Paratyajati = abandon, give up.
i.e. Even after being hurt by unpleasant words like burning embers, gentlemen like noble person do not give up their calm nature and do not get angry and speak harsh words in reply. Does agarwood give up its natural fragrance even after being burnt?
In this proverb, the calm nature of gentlemen is praised with the help of the fragrant substance agur. Just as agur does not give up its fragrance even when burnt, similarly a gentleman does not give up his calm nature even when he is mistreated.
A Noble individuals are mindful that their actions reflect their character. They understand that reacting with anger, even when provoked, can damage their reputation and the respect others have for them. They choose to maintain their composure as a way to uphold their values and integrity. Retaliation is often seen as a negative behavior, and they strive to embody positive traits instead. Reacting with anger or aggression can easily escalate a conflict, leading to further negativity and potential harm. A noble person understands this and seeks to de-escalate situations by maintaining their composure and choosing peaceful responses.
Noble individuals often adhere to a personal code of ethics that emphasizes kindness, forgiveness, and non-violence. This is not something which can easily be implemented in a common individual.