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Source: The Hindu

(http://www.hinduonnet.com/2002/03/18/stories/2002031800770800.htm)

Miscellaneous

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Religion

 

 

Develop love towards all consciously

 

 

 

 

CHENNAI

MARCH 18

 

.. There are elaborate descriptions about the qualities of saints and the man of

wisdom in scriptural texts like the Bhagavad Gita. If one ponders over the

reason for such depictions it will become apparent that they are meant for

spiritual aspirants and the lay people. They can recognise a God-realised person

by these characteristics and try to emulate him. It is meant for self-judgment

and not to be utilised for evaluating others. A spiritual seeker must be ever

vigilant to his merits and demerits and constantly try to live up to the ideals

of spiritual life.

 

In her discourse, Swamini Satyavratananda Saraswati said a spiritual aspirant

could make a beginning by practising one simple virtue like not hating anyone.

Even this is not easy if it is seriously pursued and when it is difficult it

will be helpful to remind oneself that everyone deserves one's love and not

hatred because God is present in all. Further, one can rationalise the reason

for not liking a person. One cannot hate the person but only his misbehaviour.

When this nuance is understood one can learn to resist the attitude of hatred.

Study of the scriptures will enable one to develop this sensitivity and subtle

discriminating quality.

 

How does a man of wisdom retain his compassionate nature in all circumstances? A

wise man has the magnanimity to pray to God for those who dislike him so that

they will also eventually develop love and compassion towards all. For a

layperson it may not be feasible to develop this quality suddenly but he can

slowly orient himself by conscious effort. At the religious level one must

understand that the relationships in the world work at the level of Karma and

hence one is only reaping in this life what one has sown in earlier lives. If

one is philosophically inclined one can easily ignore it by reminding oneself

that such emotions pertain only to the level of the body-mind-intellect and do

not affect the Self.

 

At the worldly level one can develop a pragmatic outlook by understanding that

by hating someone one is causing damage to one's mind. Hence it is only

self-destructive and not going to affect the other person in any way. Besides,

love and hatred cannot coexist together. So if one works constantly on

developing love and compassion towards all, hatred will be eliminated as a

matter of consequence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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