{"id":113796,"date":"2025-01-25T12:27:36","date_gmt":"2025-01-25T11:27:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/?p=113796"},"modified":"2025-01-25T12:27:36","modified_gmt":"2025-01-25T11:27:36","slug":"unhappy-to-see-the-distress-of-other-living-beings-and-happy-to-see-their-happiness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/?p=113796","title":{"rendered":"Unhappy to see the distress of other living beings and happy to see their happiness"},"content":{"rendered":"

Translation
\nIf one is unhappy to see the distress of other living beings and happy to see their happiness, his religious principles are appreciated as imperishable by exalted persons who are considered pious and benevolent.
\nPurport
\nOne generally follows different types of religious principles or performs various occupational duties according to the body given to him by the modes of material nature. In this verse, however, real religious principles are explained. Everyone should be unhappy to see others in distress and happy to see others happy. \u0100tmavat sarva-bh\u016bte\u1e63u: one should feel the happiness and distress of others as his own. It is on this basis that the Buddhist religious principle of nonviolence \u2014 ahi\u1e41sa\u1e25 parama-dharma\u1e25 \u2014 is established. We feel pain when someone disturbs us, and therefore we should not inflict pain upon other living beings. Lord Buddha\u2019s mission was to stop unnecessary animal killing, and therefore he preached that the greatest religious principle is nonviolence.
\nOne cannot continue killing animals and at the same time be a religious man. That is the greatest hypocrisy. Jesus Christ said, \u201cDo not kill,\u201d but hypocrites nevertheless maintain thousands of slaughterhouses while posing as Christians. Such hypocrisy is condemned in this verse. One should be happy to see others happy, and one should be unhappy to see others unhappy. This is the principle to be followed. Unfortunately, at the present moment so-called philanthropists and humanitarians advocate the happiness of humanity at the cost of the lives of poor animals. That is not recommended herein. This verse clearly says that one should be compassionate to all living entities. Regardless of whether human, animal, tree or plant, all living entities are sons of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Lord K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a says in Bhagavad-g\u012bt\u0101 (14.4):
\nsarva-yoni\u1e63u kaunteya
\nm\u016brtaya\u1e25 sambhavanti y\u0101\u1e25
\nt\u0101s\u0101\u1e41 brahma mahad yonir
\naha\u1e41 b\u012bja-prada\u1e25 pit\u0101
\n\u201cIt should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kunt\u012b, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father.\u201d The different forms of these living entities are only their external dresses. Every living being is actually a spirit soul, a part and parcel of God. Therefore one should not favor only one kind of living being. A Vai\u1e63\u1e47ava sees all living entities as part and parcel of God. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-g\u012bt\u0101 (5.18 and 18.54):
\nvidy\u0101-vinaya-sampanne
\nbr\u0101hma\u1e47e gavi hastini
\n\u015buni caiva \u015bvap\u0101ke ca
\npa\u1e47\u1e0dit\u0101\u1e25 sama-dar\u015bina\u1e25
\n\u201cThe humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle br\u0101hma\u1e47a, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste].\u201d
\nbrahma-bh\u016bta\u1e25 prasann\u0101tm\u0101
\nna \u015bocati na k\u0101\u1e45k\u1e63ati
\nsama\u1e25 sarve\u1e63u bh\u016bte\u1e63u
\nmad-bhakti\u1e41 labhate par\u0101m
\n\u201cOne who is transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments or desires to have anything; he is equally disposed to every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me.\u201d A Vai\u1e63\u1e47ava, therefore, is truly a perfect person because he laments to see others unhappy and feels joy at seeing others happy. A Vai\u1e63\u1e47ava is para-du\u1e25kha-du\u1e25kh\u012b; he is always unhappy to see the conditioned souls in an unhappy state of materialism. Therefore a Vai\u1e63\u1e47ava is always busy preaching K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a consciousness throughout the world.
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