Why are some (including me) so insensitive?

[Avinash]

I have pondered over this question a lot, but I have still not got a satisfactory answer.

 

Every day, while walking, I see some beggars. I give them some money and some times, little bit of food. It may seem that I do that out of kindness. But, to be honest to myself, I do not think it is because of kindness. Either I do not feel sad over their plight or I feel sad for only a few moments. The money that I give to them may be lots for them, but is very small for me. Much more than kindness, I think I do so for my ego satisfaction. If it was really kindness, then I would try my best to relieve them of their sufferings as much as I could. But I do far less than what is possible for me.

 

Every morning, I read in newspaper about various tragedies being faced by people. Most of the times, these are just news for me. Only some times, I feel sad. But this sadness is temporary. I finish reading the paper and after some time, I get on with my life without thinking about the others - those who are not known to me, but are human beings none-the-less. Often I feel that somebody else will help them. It has rarely happened that I have provided them help. Even in those cases, there was very little of kindness in my heart. It was more of a mechanical job than emotional.

 

A disaster has struck in various nations because of tsunami. I discuss with my friends, relatives and family about how so many are suffering. But my heart does not cry as much for them as may appear due to various words I may choose to describe their sufferings. It is just a topic of discussion for me.

 

Whatever I have written above is true for me. It may be true for some others also, though not necessarily in the same degree.

 

Why are some of us so insensitive? I am asking this more about myself than about others. In the past I have posted some messages in which I have talked about insensitivity in some other people. But, this time, the motive for starting this thread is the insensitivity that I have found in myself.

 

Some may wonder as to why I am asking others about the reasons for my own behaviour. There are two reasons. One is that some may post something that may help me in understanding myself better. Another is that I am thinking aloud; perhaps this may also give me some answer.

[theist]

There are probably maybe reasons why we are so insentive to the suffering of others. I wonder about it too. A couple things come to mind. Our own absorbtion in our petty conception of self as a little phyiscal unit divorced from everyone else, busy running around seeking food to consume, or someone to mate with. A problem doesn't seem real to us until it interfers with one of those goals.

 

The there is our past experience that tells us there is little we can do anyway so why concern ourselves as more things are sure to happen.

 

Both come under the heading of "its not my problem anyway".

 

What do others see?

[Pankaja_Dasa]

 

 

I hardly felt any feelings when I saw the plight in the Earthquake that just occurred. I think we have become accustomed to see this natural disasters, that when they happen now its like 'on another disaster'..what will happen after they re-build the slaughter houses and gambling houses, drinking bars?

 

Samsara, going round and around, tell me how can you have sympathy for this?

 

[theist]

 

Samsara, going round and around, tell me how can you have sympathy for this?

 

 

No reason by calculation. But yet Srila Prabhupada appeared to live as if he was responding to some tragic state of emergency. Must be something beyond our calculation.

 

 

 

[Pankaja_Dasa]

 

The soul.!

[theist]

and the soul's need to be reunited with the Supreme Soul and the Supreme Soul's desire for that to happen.

 

But this doesn't cancel out so-called ordinary acts of kindness. The two are not mutually exclusive.

 

Paraphrased I think "Altruist activities done in the spirit of Sri Isopanisad are another form of karma-yoga."

[krsna]

To be soul sensitive is rare

 

To see the soul is more rare

 

To feel for another soul is rarer still

 

A pure soul can only really feel for the suffering for an impure conditioned one caught in the web of maya.

 

All glories to those rare pure souls called Vaisnavas who really feel for suffering humanity by dint of their genuine love for Krsna.

 

Compassion for the body is one thing;trying to save the dress of a droning man.

 

Campassion for the soul is another; tring to save the person proper from the ocean of bith and death.

 

How many can tell the difference?

[jayaisvara]

I think although donating for humanitarian efforts will not much help those souls in long term, in some cases it might. For example, if we donate to a Vaisnava ashram like Jahnava Nitai Prabhu has advertised, then the Vaisnavas can help those in need. Then those souls will get a nice impression about the Vaisnavas and will be more open towards what the Vaisnavas have to say. Thus, in this way, they can also be saved in short term and also possibly in long term.

 

Just an idea

[theist]

I agree Jayaisvara. Such "relief" programs are not total fixes and that is where the problem lies. Relieving the suffering temporarily does not eliminate the problem. That is the sole domain of the expert Vaisnava.

 

Working on both levels as you suggest is a very good idea. Food For Life and such programs have set a great example I think.

 

But it is also valuable for those participating in such programs. Some have this nature more than others and this is a good way to dovetail that propensity in devotional service.

 

It can be either "good karma" work or karma/bhakti-yoga. Better the latter.

[krsna]

A DEVOTEE DISPLAYS GREAT COMPASSION TOWARD THE CONDITIONED SOULS

 

A Krsna conscious person does not sit down idly. He knows that Krsna consciousness is such an important philosophy that it should be distributed. Therefore the members of this Krsna consciousness society are not just sitting in the temple but are going out on sankirtana parties, preaching and distributing this supreme philosophy. That is the mission of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His disciples.

 

A devotee displays great compassion toward conditioned souls. A devotee is an ocean of mercy, and he naturally wants to distribute this mercy. Lord Jesus Christ, for instance, was God conscious, Krsna conscious, but he was not satisfied in keeping this knowledge within himself. Had he continued to live alone in God consciousness, he would not have met crucifixion. But no. Being a devotee and naturally compassionate, he also wanted to take care of others by making them God conscious. Although he was forbidden to preach God consciousness, he continued to do so at the risk of his own life. This is the nature of a devotee.

 

In this material world, all conditioned souls are under illusion. A doctor treats all patients, and although a patient may be delirious and insult the doctor, the doctor does not refuse to treat him. He still administers the medicine that is required. As Lord Jesus Christ said, we should hate the sin, not the sinner. That is a very nice statement, because the sinner is under illusion. He is mad. If we hate him, how can we deliver him? Therefore, those who are advanced devotees, who are really servants of God, do not hate anyone. When Lord Jesus Christ was being crucified, he said, “My God, forgive them. They know not what they do.” This is the proper attitude of an advanced devotee. He understands that the conditioned souls cannot be hated, because they have become mad due to their materialistic way of thinking. In this Krsna consciousness movement, there is no question of hating anyone. Everyone is welcomed to come and chant Hare Krsna, take krsna-prasada, listen to the philosophy of Bhagavad-gita, and try to rectify material, conditioned life. This is the essential program of Krsna consciousness.

 

Krishna says, “There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be one more dear.” Therefore the devotees go out to preach, and going forth, they sometimes meet opposing elements. Sometimes they are defeated, sometimes disappointed, sometimes able to convince, sometimes unable. It is not that every devotee is well equipped to preach. However one is situated, one should have the determination to go out and preach Krsna consciousness. That endeavor should at least be there, and one who so attempts to preach renders the best service to the Lord. Despite opposition, one should attempt to elevate people to the highest standard of self-realization. One who has actually seen the truth, who is in the trance of self-realization, cannot just sit idly. Sometimes missionaries go forth to educate primitive, uneducated people just because they see that they are human beings and so deserve to be educated in order to understand the value of life. This is due to the missionary’s sympathy. The devotee is similarly motivated. He understands that everyone should know himself to be part and parcel of Krsna. The devotee understands that people are suffering due to their forgetfulness of Krsna. (Path of Perfection)

 

I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaisnava devotees of the Lord, who can fulfill the desires of everyone, just like desire trees, and who are full of compassion for the conditioned souls. (Bhagavad Gita p.2)

 

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare

[Guest guest]

 

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada was traveling through Orissa with some of his disciples.

 

One day as he was coming back from the Sakshi Gopal temple, some beggars asked for alms from the married men who accompanied Srila Prabhupada, but none of them gave anything.

 

Srila Prabhupada, seeing this, stopped, . down and started to talk about the duties of married men.

 

During his chat he said: "If married men think: I must not give any of my money, which I consider reserved for Krishna, to the poor and deprived, then they are really showing symptoms of wretchedness, cruelty, and lack of compassion for others.

 

They should not consider that giving charity to the poor is a fruitive activity. This kind of mentality will make their hearts hard and they will suffer from greed.

 

As a result of this they shall not want to spend their money even on the devotional service of the Supreme Lord, which is the ultimate goal in life. This will invite offenses in service.

 

To save us from this kind of deceit and sinful concept, Sri Gaurasundara used to give money and other things to the poor people during His pastimes as a married man.

 

The money we have, we have only gotten by the

Lord's grace. If we give some of it to the mendicant poor people, then it is not a waste of money rather it is its correct use.

 

Serving prasadam to others is the necessary duty of every married vaishnava. Even if these people have become poor by their karma, even so they are still a part of the Lord's family. Therefore it is definitively the solemn duty of every honest married man to help them".

 

From a reproduction of a conversation with Major Rana N. J. Bahadur, at

Armadale, Darjeeling, on 14 June 1935. Originally published

in The Harmonist magazine (Vol. XXXI, No.21) on 27 June 1935.