COMPASSION

COMPASSION

Compassion is the mother of all virtues.  It is related to the other virtues namely kindness, love, mercy and affection.  The person who exhibits compassion and kindness derives mental peace and harmony.  The person who shows compassion is not only benefited, but also the person who receives it.

For instance, Sri Swami Sivananda, had intense love and compassion for all animals, birds and insects. He even exhibited compassion towards the poisonous creatures like snakes and scorpions.  He viewed the almighty in all forms of life.  He didn’t like the torture and cruelty to animals.

Once, Swami Chinmayananda was delivering a talk.  At that moment, a scorpion was noticed near his desk.  Vishnu Swami tried to catch it with a tongs and flashed his torch over it.  The creature curled up its tail and ready to sting.  But someone of the ashram, killed it, looked at both the master and dead scorpion.  He told Swamiji that the creature might have killed someone, if it was not killed.  Swamiji said that if we leave it without slaining, it will move on its own way.

Killing of animals will certainly create an impression in our mind.  It is really difficult to eradicate it from one’s mind.  Only if those impressions are driven out from our mind, we will derive complete joy and peace.  Kabir had compassion for all creatures on earth.  He declared that only those who gave up flesh food would be allowed to participate in his prayer meeting.  To him, the birds and beasts are brothers and sisters.  He greeted those creatures and exhibited his heartfelt love and compassion.  Kabir was bred as muslim.  He considered the cows and other living creatures as sacred beings.

On a particular day, the Former President of India, Dr. Abdul Kalam, witnessed a peacock in his garden, was suffering to swallow the food provided.  He was greatly moved with compassion and kindness.  He atonce called the veterinarians to attend and offer treatment for the ailing peacock.  The veterinary doctors found cancerous growth, in its throat and performed surgery forthwith, and solved the problem of the poor creature. He was also a strict vegetarian, because of his great compassion towards all living beings.

Out of compassion and kindness, towards animals the entire State of Gujarat once followed vegetarianism during 1089 AD to 1173 AD.  Acharya Hemachandracharya always exhibited compassion and kindness towards all animals.  He convinced the Kind Kumarpal of Gujarat to issue an order to all his citizens to stop animal torturing, killing for food, sports or fun.  Thus for many generations, the entire State of Gujaratfollowed vegetarianism.

Nowadays, millions of animals are tortured brutally in slaughter houses and killed for flesh and leather. Many beasts are also cruelly treated to manufacture many products such as varak, silk, gelatin, leather, musk, rennet etc.  If the human beings have the real compassion in their bosom, they will not kill them for their own benefits.  If we stop slaining the voiceless creatures for our own greed, then we can save the earth from disaster, pollution and environmental degradation.  Therefore, we human beings must always treat the fauna and flora with immense compassion and love.