DEGREE OF COMPASSION

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DEGREE

OF COMPASSION

 

 

 

How does one measure compassion?It is a subjective and relative one.

Is it subject to comparison? It is not quanitifiable like bananas or

oranges. Hence, can be termed as compassionate, more compassionate

and most compassionate or no compassion.

 

Who is the most compassionate one? The Lord of course. He is the most

compassionate Supreme Being who strives for our retrieval and again

and again creates the universe and gives us opportunity directly or

through AzhwAr-AchAryAs despite our indifference. He takes pity on us

and tries to elevate us from this samsAra and grant us salvation. He

resides in the inermost of our souls and thinks and does things for

our good. He is thus the most compassionate being.

The first sUthram of AchArya hrdhayam will amply corroborate this point.

"kAruNikanAna sarvEswaran aRivilA manisar vuNarvenum chudarvilakku yERRi....."

The compassionate Lord bequeaths the sAsthric knowledge for the good

of the souls for discerning between good and the bad.

He does not come in front of the soul as the soul may reject Him

outright. Notwithstanding this indifference The Lord does good for

the souls remaining in the backstage and seeing to it that the soul

attains the benefit.

 

Full of compassion is the attribute of the Lord. Having said so, can

His compassion be compared with Others? Is there any chance for

anybody else to near to His compassion. Being a subjective phenomenon

can this study be undertaken. After observing that He is the most

compassionate one, it can be mathematically argued that nobody else

can be as compassionate as He is.' He being less compassionate and

anybody more' can be categorised into a null set.

 

Nevertheless, if somebody else can shower more compassion which in a

way eclipses His, can it not be termed as less compassion or

compassionless? That is really implausible. However, thiru

arangahtamudhanAr in his 'irAmAnusa nURRandhAdhi'

has dealt this very topic in the following pAsuram:

 

"vuL ninRu vuyirgaLukku vuRRanavE seiyyum , avarku vuyavE paNNum, paranum parivu ilan Am padi,

palluyirkum viNNin thalai ninRu vEd aLippAn em irAmAnusan maNNin thalthudithu, maRai nAlum

vaLarthananE" irAmAnusa nURRandhAdhi 95

 

The Lord is inside every soul -antharyAmi- and does only the good for

them for their betterment. However, even the Lord can be termed as

compassionless- parivu ilan Am padi - when compared to sri rAmAnujA

who by his works and deeds granted salvation to one and all by

descending to the earth from the Lord's abode.

 

AzhwAr emperumAnAr jEyar thirvadigaLE charaNam

vanamamalai padmanabhan