WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE MERCIFUL?

All religions have their own beliefs and principles, but they have one thing in common — their adherents seek compassion or blessings.

Compassion is regarded as the essence of every religion. If someone is lacking in kindness, or is not compassionate, they are not considered religious. Religion is equated with compassion.

The foremost quality of a spiritual or religious person is kindness — towards the self, the people they come in contact with, and the world at large. We need to ask ourselves if we are always kind and merciful with everyone, or does our kindness vary from person to person.

Who needs kindness? One who is weak, deprived, or in some kind of bondage. Such persons wish to be treated kindly and mercifully, and even if they have no such desire, a generous person will have good wishes for them.

A kind and charitable attitude can melt even a stone-hearted person. It can turn enemies into friends. But for that one must have compassion, a quality that is very much in need today.

The sign of a compassionate soul is that they will be virtuous and humble. They will also be generous. Being kind and merciful with others when they need it can resolve many interpersonal issues.

Those who are magnanimous do not expect anything from others; they give love and respect unconditionally. They do not count how many times they have been nice to someone. “They were rude to me, so I responded in kind”, “They did this, that is why I reacted that way” — these are not the words of a large-hearted soul.

Being merciful means to be kind to everyone regardless of what they are like or how they speak or behave.

B.K. Geeta is a senior Rajyoga teacher at the Brahma Kumaris headquarters in Abu Road, Rajasthan