Sushmajee
Preachers' Diary
Be Kind to Everybody |
Be Kind to Everybody Once when Aadi Shankar was in Kaashee, while returning after a bath in Gangaa River, he was confronted by a Chaandaal with 4 dogs. The Chaandaal was none other than Vishwanaath, the presiding deity of Kaashee, Himself, in disguise. The 4 dogs were the 4 Ved. Not recognizing this, Aadi Shankar requested the Chaandaal and the 4 dogs to move away from his path, whence the Chaandaal questioned that who was to move away - their body or Aatmaa? If Aatmaa is indeed the same amongst every one- a learned scholar, a low-caste person and the dogs, why should Aadi Shankar ask them to move? If Shankar was referring to the body, then by Shankar's own admission, this body was temporary and one should not identify oneself with the body. On this count also, there wasn't any difference between the two of them. Gifted with a razor-sharp intelligence, it did not take long for Shankar to realize his folly and that the Lord Himself was before him in the form of Chaandaal and dogs. He immediately burst out with a philosopher's delight - Maneesh Panchakam a five-stanza exposition of the body-soul concept. Both the Raamaayan and the Mahaabhaarat refer to instances where Raam and Dharm-Putra show a lot of compassion towards dogs. Dharm-Putra refused to be taken to heaven, when a dog that was following him in his final journey, and the dog tried to get into the aerial chariot that Indra had sent to bring him, but was prevented by the charioteer. Dharm-Putra insisted that he would ascend only if the dog was also allowed. The dog immediately turns into Yam (Dharm, who is his father) and admires him for his compassion for a dumb animal. Similarly, in the Uttar Kaand of Raamaayan, there is reference to a complaint made by a dog against a Braahman who had hurt him without any reason. Raam summons the Braahman concerned and admonishes him. He then asked the dog what punishment should be given to the Braahman, and the dog says "Make him a Kulapati (a kind of University Vice Chancellor) for it was such a Kulapati in its previous birth and had hurt many students. Raam laughed but punished the Braahman. Bhoot Dayaa (compassion towards all living beings) is stressed as an essential virtue everywhere, especially in the Bhaagavat. This is why we have cows at home, feed the crow every day first, and do the Kolam with rice powder so that the ants and flies can eat it and survive. How is a cow different from a dog? Cow gives us milk, the dog gives us infinite love. He is a by-word for loyalty. So, the bottom line is, be good to all beings including animals and foster them, if your purse allows it.
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Created by Sushma Gupta on 05/09/04 | Contact: sushmajee@yahoo.com | Modified on 01/01/13