(Uttama
Mardava Dhama)
Compassion
or supreme tenderness (Uttam Mardav) gets the second place amidst
the ten tenets of Jainism. In the book ‘Sarvartha Siddhi’ the
reverend Acharya Pujya Pad Swamy tells the meaning of compassion (Mardav);
“Mridorbhavi
mardvam”
The feeling
of humility or tenderness is compassion. In the sixth verse of the ninth
chapter of this book compassion (Mardav) is explained to mean:
“Jatyadimadaveshadbhimanabhavo mardavam”
I.e.,
Absence of pride, born out of the arrogant feeling or boast of ancestry,
clan and tribe etc.
Compassion (Mardava) means
to put an end to vanity or egotism. The foundation of compassion is
tenderness or humility. It is an inherent trait of the soul. Telling
humility the root of religion in ‘Bodh Pahud’ Acharya Shri
Kundkund Swamy states’ dhamo dyavisidho’ i.e. ‘Religion
means to be adorned with pity’. In ‘Rayansar’ the same has been
stated thus; ‘Dyai sadhamo’ i.e., Mercy is the true religion’. Just
as the construction of a building in the absence of a foundation, the
existence of a tree in the absence of roots, the rainfall in the absence
of clouds is impossible. Likewise birth of the virtue of compassion (Mardava
Dharma) and Right Belief (Samyak Darshan) is impossible for
want of humility. The attainment of salvation (Moksha) lies in
humility or compassion.
Where there are no gentle
thoughts, no polite temperament, no humility; it is all futile to go on a
pilgrimage, observing vows, taking holy pledges and performing meditation;
for these cannot remain stable in a being lacking in compassion i.e., in
one who is not free from pride and prejudice. In order to achieve the
superb virtue of compassion, it is essential for us to root out pride and
prejudice from our heart. Its easiest way is not to be vain.
Once some children were playing ‘Gulli-Danda’
on the seashore. In this game the players of one team throw the ‘Gulli’
from a cavity in the ground using a small wooden rod ‘Danda’ as
distant as possible, and the players in the opposite team try to catch
hold of the ‘Gulli’. The ‘gulli’ throwing team let off the
gulli. When a child, player of the opposite team tried to catch hold of
the gulli by jumping; instead he caught hold a crow flying very low in the
sky. The children felt very happy on catching the crow. All the children
flocked at a place leaving their game. They picked up a sparkling conch
shell (seepi) from the seashore. They drilled a hole in it,
threaded it and put it around the neck of the crow. The children felt very
happy on adorning the crow. The crow also began to think, “Oh! There is no
bird to match me in the world.” The crow said this very thing to the
children as well. A child said, “Oh! You are puffed up with vanity at this
petty adoration. Can you match the bird swan?” Overtaken by false pride
the crow spoke, “Why not? Certainly I can.” A swan sat a little afar. The
children said to it, “Oh Swan! So far you alone are the bird famous for
flying across the sea, but see our this black crow can also fly across the
sea.” The swan said, “Don’t be proud in vain.” But the children persisted.
The swan said, “Well! It is all right. Get your crow ready to take a
flight with me.” They both became ready and the two set on the flight. The
swan fluttered its wings to take the flight and covered a long distance,
whereas the crow was tired of fluttering its wings but could not overtake
the swan. The swan said to the crow, “Why are you tired?” The crow replied
with vanity, “No, how can I get tired so soon?” After flying some more
distance, the swan again asked, “Have you got tired?” Out of pride the
crow replied, “No, not in the least.” But in reality the crow was dead
tired out of flying. No end of seashore was visible. Still he had to
travel a long distance. The crow was finding it difficult to flutter its
wings due to fatigue. It began to roll down. The swan questioned again,
“Have you got tired now?” Even then the crow replied, “No, not tired as
yet?” The crow began to drown in the seawater; only its beak was visible
out of water. The swan understood that the crow was about to die due to
false vanity. Hence, an ocean of mercy, the swan lifted it up and brought
it on the seashore. The crow would have lost its life due to its false
pride or vanity. We should always remember - “Society has this good at
least, that it lessens our conceit, by teaching us our insignificance and
making us acquainted with our betters.”
In this world many kings,
emperors and Chakarvartis have lost their lives simply in order to
safeguard their vanity. A man should possess self-esteem, not false pride
in life. False pride leads a man to downfall, while self-esteem raises him
to lofty heights. Rightly has it been said:
Pride goeth on horse back grand and gay
But
cometh back on foot, begging its way.
Ravan was a mighty king and a
great devotee of Lord Jinendra. In order to worship God, the great Ravan
used to play on the lyre (Veena) manufactured by the veins carved
out of his own body. Ravan was known as an ‘Ardh-chakari on
this earth. Even such a renowned Ravan kidnapped Sita out of false vanity
and brought her to Lanka. Overpowered with egotism he used to say, “No man
like me has ever existed on this earth, nor ever will be.”
Na bhuto na bhavishayati
Ravan had
to go to hell due to this false vanity. Then what can be said of an
ordinary living being?
Hitler was arrogant and given to false ride. Consequently he got
innumerable people killed and also suffered his own downfall and ruin.
Lord Bahubali failed to obtain enlightenment (Keval Gyan) due to
being possessed with little vanity born out of Sanjivalan; and had to
perform penance for many years. If someone boasts, “I have gone through so
many scriptures (Shastras); I am very affluent and powerful; I have
numerous weapons, a huge army and no body can cause me harm,” he is
arrogant. Thus if someone prides in his vanity, he falls down into a deep
well of ruin by his vanity. Remember, “Vanity is an inborn vice in man; it
is often fed and fostered by his own fellow beings. It is therefore almost
impossible for him to eradicate it. Though it is not infrequent that a
man’s vanity is wounded, crushed or even smashed, but it grows again like
the Phoenix from its own ashes.”
Some ideas must be remembered,
pondered and ruminated again and again in order to practice compassion (Uttama
Mardav). One has taken birth in this world, times without number in a
low state. High births and low births both are not everlasting.
Ultimately, even on taking birth in a higher state of being it is ruined
again and we may get birth in a lower state. This world abounds in persons
of so many special castes, clans and creeds. So it is useless for a person
to be proud or vain. Secondly, man has passed through these castes and
clans etc., many times in his previous lives in the past. Is it then
worthwhile to be puffed up with pride in these? The man, who acts in an
innocent manner discarding the faults causing disgrace, is the truly
self-esteemed. But no body can be termed as self esteemed for being proud
even when he is wanting in virtues. This pride and egotism gives rise to
many evils in this birth and in the next births. Realizing this the gentle
persons get rid of vanity. A man with false pride suffers disgrace
everywhere. He can never cherish noble ideas. So, as long as the poisonous
snake in the guise of pride and egotism remains hidden in the heart of a
person, none can be friendly with him. He generates enmity with all
wherever he goes.
Seth lived poor man named Viney Kumar, who earned his bread and
butter by making baskets. Viney Kumar was polite and diligent by nature.
He had become very popular due to his humility. All praised him. Despite
being poor Viney Kumar was content and happy. Seth Maan Mal had
grown jealous of Viney Kumar at heart on seeing his happiness and
popularity. The jealousy of Maan Mal assumed a furious shape. Out of
jealousy he got the cottage of Viney Kumar set on fire. As a result Viney
Kumar was totally ruined. The implements and raw materials like bamboo and
twigs etc., used for making the baskets were also burnt to ashes along
with the cottage. However, the life of Viney Kumar was saved. He appealed
to the judge in the court for justice. In order to affirm whether Seth
Maan Mal was really jealous of Viney Kumar, the judge sent them both to a
far off unknown island.
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