The Gentle Heart

The story illustrates the Kural by showing how Arjun overcomes a selfish impulse by empathizing with the fear and pain of another living being. Of all those who, fearing the permanence of earthly births, have abandoned desire, he is the chief who, fearing (the guilt of) murder, considers how he may avoid the destruction of life

8–14 yr 1 min medium

True greatness lies in protecting life and avoiding the harm of others.

On the edge of a lush forest lived a young boy named Arjun and his grandfather. Arjun's grandfather was a wise man who taught him to respect every living creature. One sunny afternoon, while exploring the woods, Arjun spotted a small rabbit trapped under a heavy, fallen branch. The rabbit was trembling with fear, its tiny heart racing. For a split second, a thought crossed Arjun's mind: 'If I hurt it, no one will know. I could be a brave hunter.' But as he looked into the rabbit's wide, terrified eyes, a wave of empathy washed over him. He realized that the rabbit felt fear and pain just as he did. The thought of causing such suffering made his heart ache. Instead of acting on his impulse, he carefully lifted the branch and freed the little creature. The rabbit paused for a moment, as if saying thank you, and scurried away to its family. When Arjun told his grandfather, the old man smiled and said, 'To master one's desires is great, but to be a leader among men is to live in such a way that you never cause harm to another life, fearing the weight of that sin.'

The Gentle Heart

Choose your favorite font

The Gift from the Skyy

இதுபோன்ற கதைகள் · More like this

ஆதித்வின் முதல் எழுத்து

அறிவும் அடக்கமும்

மனதின் மலரும் இறைவனும்

படிக்க பரிந்துரைகள்

கதைகளை மிஸ் செய்யாதீர்கள்