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DISCOURSE 18
315
Even while punishing them, you should have compassion for them. "What a sin do these jivas commit? They will experience sorrow as a consequence". You must have such a compassionate attitude towards them. Suvrat thought that the thieves should not be punished. He thought, "I will try to get them released. I will convince them of their mistake and they will not commit a theft in their lives".
Suvrat went to the king's court even without having performed the completion ceremony of the austerity of fasting, he had gone through. The king had a high regard for Suvrat Shresti. He received Suvrat with great honour and asked him why he had come to the court in the morning. Suvrat requested the king to grant his wish that the thieves should not be punished or killed. Meanwhile, the guard brought the four thieves into the court. The king was very angry with the thieves, who had tried to rob such a great man as Suvrat. But Suvrat tried to appease the king, "Your highness, the fault lies not with the thieves but with me. Being an affluent man, I never thought of helping poor people with my money and of removing their sorrow. So, these people had to think of committing a theft. Kindly release them today, and I will give an assurance to you that they would never commit a theft in their lives. I will give them whatever they want”. KNOW NOT ONLY THE PEOPLE IN DISTRESS BUT ALSO THEIR DISTRESS
Instead of punishing those in distress try to remove their distress. Instead of thinking that those who commit thefts are sinners, wicked people and morally low people first think thus, "Those who commit thefts are in distress". If you think that they are wicked, your hatred will increase. If you think of their distress, you would treat them with compassion. Suvrat saw the thieves as men in great distress. They were in distress in this life and will be so in the next life also. That was why there arose compassion in his heart for them.
Suvrat's tremendous compassion made a profound impact on the four thieves. They fell at his feet. The tears flowed from
their eyes. With their voices shaken by emotion they said, "Oh
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