In my new book Business Sutra, I speak of how things are used to position ourselves. When Hanuman, a monkey, entered Lanka and identified himself as Ram’s messenger and asked for a seat as protocol demanded, he was spurned by the rakshasa-king, Ravan, who insulted him by denying him one.

Hanuman retaliated by announcing that he would create a seat for himself: he extended his tail, coiled it around and created a seat higher than Ravan’s throne. Instead of being amused or impressed, Ravan was infuriated. His power was threatened. In a fit of rage, he ordered Hanuman’s tail be set aflame.