What is the (right) point….

Which is the right thing for anyone to do? No one really knows …Because what seems to be the right thing, the ultimate sacrifice or martyrism to one person or a particular section of people does shock or kindle the anger of another section of the population…

The leader of one sect may even assume the role of a demi-god to his followers but he may be the epitome of evil to his counterparts on the other side of the camp. So is there really any point in analyzing the actions, words or thoughts of any individual or group? Naturally, to each person, his belief is the ultimate truth. He is going to accept and practice only that doctrine which he trusts, or that which comes from a source which he does not doubt.

Don’t we sometimes ponder as to why there have been so many people who thought their lives were less valuable than the cause for which they gave up their lives? Don’t we also love our country? But how many of us would be ready to lay down all that we consider to be our assets?

The difference is that those people had a conviction. They believed that their cause was their greatest asset. I was really shocked to find that there are actually youngsters who think this sort of sacrifice was made by people “who have some mental problem” !!
But does it mean that these youngsters are bad? No… It is just that their set of values, their idea of satisfaction, joy, sorrow, everything is diametrically opposite to those whom they were criticizing. Is it only because they belong to different generations? If I were to opine, I would say that the difference is not in the time in which people live, but the events and various stimuli from their environment which shape up their personalities.

Also what would be the reaction of the martyrs if they were to revisit the places or people for whom they perished? Would they feel the joy they had been awaiting? Would they feel all those emotions they craved for, but still were ready to give up if it would mean others could benefit from their sacrifice? Sometimes I think it is “Like a child crying for the moon. What would the child do after having the moon?” ( Quoting Rhett Butler from the classic “Gone with the wind”).

This is one of the conundrums which make life such an adventure. Some questions like these give rise to too many answers, triggering further questions and also various interpretations… It is in an attempt to solve this that there have been so many ascetics, sadhus and saints in our land, living in isolation, performing rigorous penances…By the way, do you think there is any point in asking such deep questions? Is life not for just living?

Yet another puzzle for us to sort out?!