On loving all

On loving all

An innocent comment by Mr. Chandramouli in his letter (The Jakarta Post, Dec. 14, 1995) invited an interesting discussion by Mr. D. Prabhakar in his letter of Dec. 21, 1995. While I do agree with most of his views, the following points need to be raised.

While loving all is an easy task, one can and should progress towards that goal. Human beings are endowed with a developed intellect which helps them to progress towards the goal of human life. The real purpose of life is to identify ourselves with the unity in diversity, i.e. identify ourselves as the "real living principle" and not with this body, mind and intellect which are the equipment which differentiate living beings. Once we identify our real self we know that it is the same self in all beings and the love flows automatically to all beings in this world. Nobody needs to teach us to love our own self.

Mr. Prabhakar says that Lord himself does not love all. The Hindu scriptures indicate that the whole world represents a portion of the cosmic body of the Lord and when a portion of our body becomes septic, we, in the interest of and love for ourself may amputate a part of the body, and this action, not out of hate for that part, but out of love for the remaining part of the body, is undertaken. Similarly when the Lord descends he does so to annihilate the evil tendencies, out of his love to promote dharma to enable human beings to fulfill the goal of life.

A wise man does not differentiate a scholar, a cow, an elephant or a dog as he has identified himself with the unity in all beings, the self and so the outwardly equipment are only external appearances like the dresses one may wear may be different but the individual is one and the same. Mr. Prabhakar comments "Love of two conflicting forces will result in inaction." Love is not a mathematical equation as an algebraic sum of two equal conflicting forces to result in inaction. Rather, actions arising out of self realized wise men are soaked in love and hence they vibrate love in the hearts of all persons associated with them.

Hindu scriptures are full of examples wherein realized masters continued actions like King Janaka, Sage Vyasa, and so on; I do agree with Mr. D. Prabhakar's views that action is essential, but it is only means towards the goal of "loving all." Once the goal is attained, the quality of actions arising out of wise men towards the betterment of society will certainly be millions of times better as it arises out of the ocean of love for the entire world.

V. RAMABHADRAN

Jakarta