COMPASSION

Compassion
U.N.Biswas
We may perhaps be pretty accurate if we state that compassion is the hallmark of a humanist. Being compassionate is the litmus test of a humanist. Therefore it is felt necessary to deal compassion to identify its essential features. We can understand better compassion, if we use the Ancient Indian term Karuna. What is karuna? Karuna is, ‘The quality which makes the heart of the good man tremble and quiver at the distress of others.’ ‘The quality that rouses tender feelings in the good man at the sight of other’s suffering.’ Opposite of Karuna is hatred, cruelty and violence. A compassionate person refrains from hatred and does no harm or oppresses others. He relieves a person from distress without any distinction. He does it to all irrespective of colour, creed or religion. Thirdly, he acts without selfishness. It is a sacrifice. He does not want any return. Selflessness is an essential requirement to be compassionate. This is a public service asking no compensation.
Fourthly this is not an irrational act. Since his mind is free from selfishness, he can see as things as they are. So, if he wants to help a person in danger, he can act as the situation demands. Let us illustrate. A person is seriously injured in a road accident and bleeds profusely lying on the road. In a crowded road many onlookers gather. They see and feel sad and some even cry but do not lift the victim from the road and give him any relief. Then comes a person who also looks at the victim and rationally assess the condition of the injured and feels that the victim needs immediate hospitalization otherwise he may not survive. He hires a cab and takes the injured to a hospital for attendance of a doctor. This is real compassion. When a relative of ours dies or is in danger, we cry for him. We are sad because he is some one dear to us. This sadness is not compassion.
Compassion is a selfless state of mind to help others who are in suffering. And we know there are millions of people in the world who starve or suffer oppression and need immediate relief.
Compassion is not a weak state of mind. Only a man of strong mind can be compassionate as compassion demands sacrifice even the supreme sacrifice. We may be killed or suffer irreparable loss in the act of compassion
Compassion is an act. It has to be done. Merely talking or sermonizing compassion is not compassion. If we want to lead people to practice compassion, we have to set examples by doing an act of compassion.
We cannot practice compassion in secrecy. Our act has to be transparent. People may like to scrutinize whether we really practicing compassion honestly, objectively without any personal interest or even craving for fame or reward. We have to remain vigilant to ensure that we put service to the others above our personal interests.
The act of compassion is done without any discrimination. We can not be selective. All are treated equal. We need to be fair and just.
Karuna is sublime. Karuna is a state of true love. There is no room for cruelty or violence. Violence destroys while Karuna creates. Modern world is a violent world. It is an age of selfishness, hatred, anger and terrorism. Compassion can only liberate us from this bondage.
Everybody needs compassion. Asoka said, ‘All are my children.’ This is a great form of compassion. Even, the cruel and the wicked need compassion. To be precise, those who are the victims of cruelty, hatred, discrimination of all forms, inequality, oppression, bondage, poverty, disease, violence, war, injustice and abridgement of human rights desperately need compassion.
Compassion has a vast connotation. It is not easy to cover all aspects of compassion in short span.
Compassion is serving people in distress with sacrifice, love, selflessness, equality, fraternity, objectivity, rationality and leadership.
Karuna has nothing to do with religious beliefs. Those who want to practice humanism may ask themselves whether they are men of Karuna.