“Grief is the price to pay for Love”
Shantanu Naidu's statement on the demise of Shri Ratan Tata ji on 9th October 2024. We all know him as an entrepreneur( he never addressed himself as a businessman as businesses are only meant for generating profits, leaving no space for humanity), philanthropist, and a great role model.
Shantanu Naidu, a millennial friend of his, his assistant, the youngest GM, a graduate from Cornell University (just like Ratan Tata ji) came back to India to work with him as his family has always been associated with Tata group for decades and he too wanted to be part of that legacy. And of course, he has a couple of NGOs under his belt that give voices to the less-heard groups of our society like animals & old age people.
But for now, I want to bring back your focus to his statement and how it echoes the principle of Jainism which is वीतरागता.
वीतरागता means जिसका राग बीत गया है ।राग से रहित ।
राग = Love / Affection.
वीतरागता means beyond Love/affection.
The feeling of neutrality (समतामाव).
भगवान are वीतरागी.
भगवान neither love anybody nor do they hate anybody.
ना राग रहे ना द्वेष
'No hate' is implicit in वीतरागता as hate can't exist alone. There must exist any bias/ Love/affection towards something or someone. For example, kids
don't like to study as they love playing. Similarly, adults don't like going to the office as they enjoy the comfort of their homes more. So hating is directly linked to loving something.
If you don't have a liking towards anything then the feeling of hatred will never arise.
Cause ----> राग (Love/Affection)
Effect -----> द्वेष( Hatred/ Disliking)
So if we eliminate the 'cause', the 'effect' or the repercussion will vanish on its own.
Love gives us happiness and hate gives us distress. And for eliminating distress we have to get rid of the cause which is Love.
But now the question comes what are we left with if we don't have either of them? What is that which भगवान experiences?
Beyond Love & Hate, there exists 'PEACE'.
The feeling of completeness. A desireless state. Love or Hate, both situations take away our peace.
If we lose someone we LOVE we get Sorrow
If we are angry at someone we HATE we still get upset.
That's why
Grief is the Price to pay for 'LOVE'.
Distress is the Price to pay for 'HATE'.
Beyond them, you get the reward of 'PEACE'.
{**वीतरागता ही एक उपादेय है! ** }
जय जिनेन्द्र
Neeti Jain
(10/10/2024)