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God's compassion

CHENNAI : Among the infinite auspicious qualities of the Supreme Being His compassion for humanity is very important to a spiritual seeker because it makes Him pardon human failings. The Lord being the ruler of His creation has to be impartial when dispensing man's Karma and hence an individual has to face the consequences of his sins. But His justice is tempered with mercy, which is the reason why He condones man's faults when he submits to Him.

In his discourse, Sri B. Sundar Kumar said God's compassion could be seen in the manner Rama pardoned Kakasura when it surrendered to Him. After Hanuman convinced Sita of his identity as Rama's messenger he offered to transport Her back to Rama seeing Her grief and the ultimatum of one month she had stipulated for Her rescue. But She declined adducing several reasons as to why Her Lord alone should come to claim Her. Hanuman then asked for some token to convince Rama that he had met Her. Sita then narrated an incident, which happened when they were staying in the vicinity of Chitrakoota about which only they knew. Kakasura, which was actually Indra's son Jayanta in the form of a crow, had pecked and wounded Her but She had kept quiet as Rama was asleep in Her arms. He woke up when the warm blood dripped on His face.

Incensed that someone had dared to do such a heinous act in His presence Rama took a blade of grass and aimed it with the spell of Brahma's missile (Brahmastra), and it burst into flames and pursued the crow. No one in the three worlds including its father Indra gave asylum to that wretched bird and exhausted it finally sought refuge in Rama. He pardoned it though He allowed the missile to destroy its right eye as once discharged the missile could not be totally ineffectual. It may seem a travesty of justice that Ravana had to pay with his life while the crow was pardoned for a greater offence. The Ramayana notes that the crow's life was spared because it surrendered to the Lord and hence His mercy prevailed. Vibhishana's surrender however merited Rama's acceptance because it fulfilled all the prerequisites of seeking refuge.

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