Tuesday 17 March 2015

PUNISHMENT AND COMPASSION HARMONIZED

A compassionate  person seldom does justice or  when he does justice it is  less efficient. People who have the authority are passionate to punish without the flavor of compassion.  These two, the compassionate leader and the administrator who is supposed to punish often see their decisions at loggerheads.
Is it possible to harmonize or is harmonizing natural?
Duryodhana was crowned as prince in the scenario of the alleged death of the Pandavas. When Yudhishthira  arrived along with his brothers after getting married to Draupadi there was a major crisis in the constitution. Either Yudhsthira or Duryodhana could be made crown prince. In this situation Bhishma decided to divide the kingdom into two. It was a good solution, but only from the  present perspective and this very solution led to further problems in the future.

From the  legal perspective and the rule of dharma, Yudhishthira was qualified to take over from Duryodhana.  Moreover Bhisma should have taken stern action against Duryodhana for the attempted murder of the Pandavas. Out of compassion and hope of future reformation of Duryodhana, Bhisma retained Duryodhana 's position.  This compassion is  without justice, which only added more madness in Duryodhana.

Lord Krishna on the other hand was very efficient in meting out justice and being kind at the same time.  Bhisma was the recipient of this mercy and justice .

Bhisma's silence during  the attempted disrobing of  Draupadi and his fighting on adharma 's side brought him due punishment. However this punishment was not  at the cost of losing the affectionate grace of Lord Krishna. During his last days, Lord Krishna was there to elevate Bhisma to  the higher realm.
Managerially Bhisma was punished but personally lord Krishna did not lose the  slightest of affection for his great devotee, and awarded him his dues, for krishna 's wonderful heart was full of love.

Only affection without justice leads to non governance and only governance at the cost of brutality  towards the culprits leads to fear. Lord Krishna on the other hand was the perfect balancer, wrong was rectified and the good heart was protected and rewarded.

Can we  do it? Or can we at least appreciate the concept so that we can try to harmonize compassion and justice?

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