Love is the bedrock in the creation of the universe! It's because of His love that God created the universe and all the creatures in it! It is because of the causeless and unconditional love of God all of us lead our lives on this terra firma! God is the universal mother looking after her children despite their failings and atrocities committed on mother earth! Like the ordinary mother who condones her child’s misdeeds and crimes, this Universal mother overlooks all mistakes on the part of man.The affection and compassion of the Providence is incomparable! Love is the most important ingredient in the heart of man! It is the repository of unalloyed love! It is impossible for man to exist without love! It is a wonderful emotion that goes out of one’s being for the welfare of someone irrespective of any relationship! Man loves himself first and foremost! It is very difficult for man to love others because of his selfishness! That is why the Bible says, “Love thy neighbor as thyself!” It is very interesting to see the various ramifications of love in the life of a human being!
“ If you have no love, you are like a lamp without the flame, blind and blinding”. says Bhagawan Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba.The love of parents is called filial love. From being selfish, the love of the couple expands and concentrates on their children! Personal intimacy gives in to the bringing up of the child who is the offspring of their love! They think more about their child and are ready to sacrifice many things for the sake of the child! Selfishness is reduced and gives place to selflessness! That is the beauty of pure love. Love cannot exist without sacrifice. Ideal love is love for love’ sake,not for any material benefit! Unfortunately it is very rare to find such ideal or Platonic love in society! Love of the husband and wife is physical, romantic, and emotional. They are made for each other but the moment they become parents there is a natural, gradual transformation and expansion of their love.Maternal love is par excellence! It has no equal.The child is indebted to her eternally! Mother’s love is far superior to paternal love. Sometimes the mother sacrifices her life so that the child may live! Fraternal love is not always ideal.It leads to disputes especially where property and wealth is concerned! The ideal love between the brothers is that of Sri Rama, Lakshmana, Bharatha and Shatrughna in Valmiki's Ramayana!
Grandparents dote on their grand children! In fact many children love them more than their parents! In modern days where both the parents are employed, children depend increasingly on their grandparents! Love for the country is called patriotism! Every individual is expected to love his native country! “Janani janma bhumischa swargadapi gariyasi” says the Sanskrit adage. Mother and Motherland are greater than Swarga or Heaven. “ Breathes there the man who never to himself has said “This is is my own native land?” asks Sir Walter Scott the famous British poet. Patriotism has led to the sacrifice of many individuals who have martyred themselves for the sake of the nation. They have attained “Veera Swargam!” Their names are etched in Golden letters in the annals of the country.
In his novel “A Tale of Two Cities” Charles Dickens portrays the ideal love of Sydney Carton who loved Lucy. But it was little late when he proposed to her! She married one Charles Darnay! Sydney Carton did not wreak vengeance on Darnay! On the other hand he wished his Love well wherever she lived! It was the period of French Revolution and Charles Darnay was arrested and jailed. Sydney Carton was pained at this news and wanted his Lucy not to suffer. He went to Paris where Lucy was. He wanted to save Darnay who was about to be guillotined! Taking advantage of his similar form and personality, Sydney Carton managed to enter the prison, changed clothes with Charles Darnay, and allowed him to escape! He remained in the prison as Charles Darnay and wet to the guillotine with a smiling face with the satisfaction that he has contributed to the happiness of his lady love though she had married a different person!
Intense love and devotion to God Is called “ Bhakthi”. The bhaktha is always in the thought of the Almighty! Many times he loses himself a forgets everything round him! His bhakthi compels God to come before him! He yearns for salvation or mukti, not for material pleasures and silly wants! He surrenders himself totally to the will of God! In rare cases the Bhaktha merges himself into that Super Consciousness called God! The Bhaktha is mad after God! The common people mistake him for a deranged person! He chants the sacred name of his chosen deity and eventually gains liberation from the cycle of birth and deth!
That is the ideal love which has become a rare commodity in modern society! Love has lost it's meaning to day! It is being abused and misused! Love is mistaken for lust! The lover today is a villain who murders her for not accepting his amorous advances! He flashes acid on her face, maims her and makes life unbearable to her! Can this be called love? Love is a matter of the heart! It is not just the physical satisfaction of the senses! Unfortunately love is equated with satisfaction of the senses! We are appalled at the series of rapes and gang rapes of even minors in the present. Men are behaving worse than animals! The have crossed all limits of decency in behavior! Ethics and morality have no meaning for them! This tendency on the part of modern man has to be curbed! All efforts have to be taken to educate such men and reform them as far as possible and as early as possible. That will be a great boon to society!!!
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