Compassion!


As Rām lay unconscious after hearing news of illusory Sitā been killed by Indrajit, Laxman angrily said-Since there is absence of calamity for Rāvan & misfortune occurring to my brother, the result of vice is obtained thro’ virtue & result of virtue is obtained thro’ vice. Those who are unrighteous are prosperous while those who live by virtue suffer. Hence virtue & vice are useless concepts


O Rām! If sinful doers are killed by their own vice, then vice will itself be destroyed. Or if someone is killed by a recourse to a ritual prescribed in scriptures or kills another (by recourse to such ritual), then destiny alone, which is caused by that ritual, is tainted by that sinful act & not the agent of killing. It is not clear how prosperity can be reached by righteousness, which has never known how to retaliate, hence, virtue seems to be non-existent


If virtue is there, no evil would have accrued to you. As you’ve reaped such calamity, the hypotheses that destiny is brought by virtuous acts does not prove to be real. Or else, if virtue becomes weak & cowardly, surrendering itself to might, then in my opinion that virtue, which lacks strength & is deprived of its capacity, should no longer be pursued. If virtue is subordinate to might, we should give up predominance of virtue. Virtue only destroys enemies when united with might


When Rām spurned throne on account of his father’s words, the very roots of virtue are cut. He who was brought up in comfort, renounced everything on account of righteousness & from then evil follows him as punishment. One who has riches has friends, relatives & power. With it he is fortunate, prudent & distinguished. Delight, sensuous pleasure, pride, virtue, peace, & control of senses are all attained from wealth. Those who renounce wealth, for them practice of virtue gets lost


O Rām! Your beloved wife is killed by Indrajit. I'll now completely destroy Lankā with Rāvan. Let the might win


The utterance of such apparently incoherent words by Laxman in a fit of agony, seeing Rām agonized, shows that his agitation is caused by his undying love. He speaks thus to assuage grief of Rām & spur him to action. In compassion Laxman goes to other extreme of denouncing virtue itself, when he knew that his brother only respects virtue


Compassion is understanding where others are & what they are undergoing, rather who we are & what is important to us. It requires humility to hear & understand what others are going through & where they are coming from, with their experiences. Then we can determine how we can help them & expand their perspective by customizing our response so that it is absorbed and makes difference in their lives


When we impress our conceptions (however true & good they are) on others without being compassionate, we may find them unconvinced & unreceptive to our feedback, which could be scholarly but makes no impact. A connection of heart is potent than the connection of brain


Thoughts? #gameoflife

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