05.Compassion: The Swans of Mansarovar

CHAPTER - 5

Compassion: The Swans of Mansarovar
> The first page of great saint ’s life is written with the letters of compassion.

> Saints are swans of the Mansarovar of compassion.

> The religion is purified by the compassion. Religion without compassion is like a tree without root.

> The entrance-door of religion is compassion; The “Abhishek” (holy bath) of the ‘Samyaktava’ is not possible without entering it.

> The chaste and pure light of “Aatmvata-Sarvabhuteshu” (all beings of the Uni verses are like me) emits through the lamp of compassion.

> Compassion / forgiveness are the breaths and heart-beats of saintly-souls. Like music, their life resonates by the sound of compassion and kindness.

> They grow the “Kalpviraksha” (a tree of paradise that grants all desires) by sowing seed of compassion in the soil of their soul. The fruits of which keep the universe safe and secure.

> Compassion and kindness seek shelter under Achharya Shri. Innumerable incidents resound his compassionate nature.

The incident, in question, is related to the house-hold life (“Grihasth-Jeevan”) of Achharya Shri. When he went towards his fạrm for relieving himself, he saw that his servant had fastened a large bundle of great-millet and was stealthily taking it away. He sat silently with his back towards him. Maharaj Shri thought at that time “What sin can not be committed out of hunger”? If a hungry man cursed with poverty is taking away some grains for his stomach, let him take. His heart was filled with sympathy for the poor. He ignored him by posing as if he had seen noting. The servant was so impressed by this incident that he himself went to the house of Maharaj Shri and begging his pardon, told his elder brother, “Anna! I was tak-ing away some great-millet from the field; Maharaj Shri saw me but said nothing. I am very much ashamed of myself for this act.”A feeling of kindness must be observed towards subordinates.Here is another incident. ‘Chaturmas’ of Achharya Shri was going on in Baramati in 1951. Maharaj Shri was sitting for ‘SamayikA chick of a bird fell down from a nest located at the upper side of the house.

Its wings were not fully developed so it was unable to fly.It was skipping hither and thither being separated from its mother.Maharaj Shri rose from the ‘Samayik’ and thought of its protection lest the crows might take it by squeezing it in the beak.He called for a worker and began to discuss with him. At that very moment Pandit Sumerchand Diwaker came to him for study- ing scriptures. Achharya Shri was talking to the worker. He ex-pressed his feeling about the protection of the chick of the bird.A stair was arranged and the infant was placed in the nest prop-erly. A board was fixed by the nest’s side to secure the chick from falling again. After sometime the chicken’s mother came and took it away. Seeing this, Maharaj Shri took a breath of gratification and said that since the mother of the infant had come; now there was nothing to worry for its life.How much depth is there in the compassion / mercy of saint? He himself was perturbed by the sepa- ration of the bird from its mother.Those who become so arduous (Vajra) in their penance, tender they are in their feeling of compassion,more than the flower. Kindness is the root of religion and proud is the root of sin. It is true that the vocabulary of religion begins with compassion. Kindness is the right scale of religiousness.