The Art Of Tolerance And Dharma
B V Vaman Maharaj
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Much noise was made over the issue of the fundamental right of living beings. The pertinent question going around was who is to decide what to eat and what not to eat. Is his the decision of an individual living being or a governing body?What to eat
In the broader sense, does one earn he liberty on the choice of food as soon as he is born? The answer is `No'. Not only human beings, but all species on his planet depend on Mother Nature to provide them their basic need of food and water.
A child cannot decide what is good or him. Likewise a sick person cannot decide what is good for him. Though he may yearn for spicy food, he has to ollow a doctor's advice. Similar situa ions exist in the regions where there is everity of atmospheric conditions or cultural limitations or financial problems. Sometimes this is also atta ched to religious sentiments. One cannot eat everything available as everyone has limited means of eating. One cannot eat as much quantity as one wants, due to limited body capacity and so on.
Follow dharma
So, what do we do? We follow the dharma of tolerance. What is dharma?
Dharma means that which holds the individual, family , society, country that is, the whole world together. Where there is dharma, there can be no conflict.For dharma enables a way of life that enables peace and harmony , truth and justice. When the path of dharma is abandoned, you find yourself following adharma, which is just the opposite.
We have been brought closer to each other by science physically but our hearts are apart now. Cultivation of love can remove this distance between hearts. We tolerate our limitations, for those we have love and affection. We tolerate our family, and our friends but we tend to forget this when there is some other motive or interest.Universal love Sreela Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupad explained that developing love for Krishna the Absolute Whole will foster love for all.When you love someone, you will love him as a whole. You will not love one part of the body of the lover.This means when someone will love God, then naturally he will develop love for all the creation of God including human beings and animals and other life forms. The one who loves God, will never commit violence.
Non-violence as well as tolerance are automatic in the culture of pure love. Love of God is the greatest force on earth which can bring unity of hearts among all human beings.Name of God Scriptures state that amongst all spiritual practices, Sri Harinam-sankirtan is the best and most effective practice to attain `Krishnaprema' or love for Godhead in `Kaliyuga'. This spiritual practice of `Nama-sankirtan' is a universal religion under whose banner people of all sects and rank can unite.
When human beings have lost the capacity to understand the difference between a civilised and uncivilised society; when they no longer know the difference between good and bad, they have lost everything. There is one pithy saying to know the criterion to understand what is good and bad, beneficial and non-beneficial: `When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; and when character is lost, everything is lost.
(The writer heads the Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math, Chandigarh.)
In the broader sense, does one earn he liberty on the choice of food as soon as he is born? The answer is `No'. Not only human beings, but all species on his planet depend on Mother Nature to provide them their basic need of food and water.
A child cannot decide what is good or him. Likewise a sick person cannot decide what is good for him. Though he may yearn for spicy food, he has to ollow a doctor's advice. Similar situa ions exist in the regions where there is everity of atmospheric conditions or cultural limitations or financial problems. Sometimes this is also atta ched to religious sentiments. One cannot eat everything available as everyone has limited means of eating. One cannot eat as much quantity as one wants, due to limited body capacity and so on.
Follow dharma
So, what do we do? We follow the dharma of tolerance. What is dharma?
Dharma means that which holds the individual, family , society, country that is, the whole world together. Where there is dharma, there can be no conflict.For dharma enables a way of life that enables peace and harmony , truth and justice. When the path of dharma is abandoned, you find yourself following adharma, which is just the opposite.
We have been brought closer to each other by science physically but our hearts are apart now. Cultivation of love can remove this distance between hearts. We tolerate our limitations, for those we have love and affection. We tolerate our family, and our friends but we tend to forget this when there is some other motive or interest.Universal love Sreela Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupad explained that developing love for Krishna the Absolute Whole will foster love for all.When you love someone, you will love him as a whole. You will not love one part of the body of the lover.This means when someone will love God, then naturally he will develop love for all the creation of God including human beings and animals and other life forms. The one who loves God, will never commit violence.
Non-violence as well as tolerance are automatic in the culture of pure love. Love of God is the greatest force on earth which can bring unity of hearts among all human beings.Name of God Scriptures state that amongst all spiritual practices, Sri Harinam-sankirtan is the best and most effective practice to attain `Krishnaprema' or love for Godhead in `Kaliyuga'. This spiritual practice of `Nama-sankirtan' is a universal religion under whose banner people of all sects and rank can unite.
When human beings have lost the capacity to understand the difference between a civilised and uncivilised society; when they no longer know the difference between good and bad, they have lost everything. There is one pithy saying to know the criterion to understand what is good and bad, beneficial and non-beneficial: `When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; and when character is lost, everything is lost.
(The writer heads the Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math, Chandigarh.)
