________________
the water loses its coolness
as it is put on fire,
and it
burns, and burns others too! But,
even on putting
a piece of snow on fire
it does not lose its coolness
and it does not burn
nor burns others.
Almost this is the situation
of the sentiment of compassion and that of peace.
Compassion is fluid, it flows,
gets influenced by others quickly.
The sentiment of peace never drifts in any flow,
remains fixed in its position
even though times change. It also sounds from this
that the mixture of vatsalya (affection)
is not possible in compassion;
and,
we cannot call vatsalya hollow or imaginary.
This vatsalya thrills
on the round cheeks of the mother, the great Existence.
Silent Soil:: 157
