Genuine love

Great men have always had compassion and love for not only fellow human beings, but for all of God’s creations. They are completely selfless in their love. It is not a love that seeks anything in return. It is not a love that constantly calculates what rewards it is likely to get. That is because it is not a show of love. It is genuine.

Helping others may sometimes lead to diiculties for

those who ofer help. But those with genuine love for others
are never concerned about such things, said Sarala
Rajagopalan in a discourse. They have banished self interest
from their lives, and so thoughts about any possible
discomfort to themselves or problems for themselves that
may ensue because of help rendered by them never cross
their minds.

Dadichi was a great sage who had acquired immense

powers because of his penance. Indra was in need of a

weapon that would help him defeat the demons. When he
was told that a weapon made out of Dadichi’s backbone
would result in the Vajrayudha and this would make him
invincible, Indra approached the sage for help in this respect.

Unmindful of the consequences to himself, the sage willingly parted with his bone so that Indra could make the much needed weapon.

Tirumular entered the body of a cowherd in order to save

the cows which were pining for their dead owner. Tirumular
said that the Supreme One was the embodiment of love.
Only those who lacked jnana would think of love and the
Lord as separate entities, he said. Thus he made love central to his philosophy. We also have the example of King Sibi, who in order to save a dove, cut of his own flesh and offered it to the eagle, which wanted to devour a dove.