“If anyone speaks ill of you, praise him always. If anyone injures you, serve him nicely. If anyone persecutes you, help him in all possible ways. You will attain immense strength. You will control anger and pride. You will enjoy peace, poise and serenity. You will become divine.” Swami Sivananda.
This quote was posted by one of our facebook friends. Here are some comments - do you have any other comments?
Shobhana: Oh! Thats so very difficult, but we shall try. We generally become revengeful.
Tish: That sounds nice, and that is similar to what I read in the Bible, and was in my childhood home southern belle training.
However, it's called a doormat, and it's what caused me to abused for 23 years in my marriage.
With all due respect, it's easy to flippantly make statements, but deep thought should go into, what the statements actually mean and their consequences, if followed, and especially if they are taught to children, who can't think critically.
Rennie: God I srsly have no clue how to control my anger :(
Shobhana: @Rennie..............It is said that backward counting helps.
Ilhaam: yes it's hard to do, smile in the face of adversity but imagine the serenitity you achieve within yourself to be the better for yourself. Strength and honour, love and harmony i would love to achieve that for myself one day!!
Sita Chaitanya: I don't think this quote means you have to be a doormat. There are some people who are not good to be around and assuming you have stay around is wrong thinking. Actually you have a responsibility to take care of your mental, emotional and physical health, and sometimes that means removing yourself from people and situations.
Tish: Thank you. I agree with the fact that some people aren't good to be around and that you shouldn't stay around them if they are negative. I suppose the status is meant for those who live around positive people who sometimes act negatively....
However, some people present themselves in a deceitful manner, and/or prey on people who are younger and/or vulnerable. Once, you find out who they really are, you can be stuck, for a variety of reasons. That was the case for me.
I, literally, had no choice, but to be, and continue to be with the person who became my abuser. I went to all efforts to leave, including leaving EVERYTHING behind, except my children, and going to a women's shelter. The shelter was a dead end street.
I sought out all help possible before, during, and after the marriage. It's a very long story, and the circumstances were very complex.
Judy: To have arrived at that level takes a strong will, I do pray for that person and the situation, it has not removed the hurt and sadness, that it has caused, and it isolates. Our words are so powerful, choose them wisely. This reminds me o...f the scriptures where as we are asked to pray for our enemies, do good to those who harm, insult you. We are blessed by our actions not to retaliate...my personal views...you don't really want to know. I think it Mary Queen of Scotts who said: 'Off with their Heads'. there that otta do it, problem solved..
Ramesh: one scorpion was drowning in river and near by sivananda was taking bath ....swamiji tried to remove out he bite him several times but swamiji removed him out ......this is difference between two emotions
Silvania: how i would like to be this way...its a long log road
Rukmini: swami sivananda went and personally served a man who tried to kill him with an axe.
i agree one should not allow oneself to be abused in a relationship..
i dont think thats what he was talking about.
Maramganti: it all depends upon ill intention or motive, if the other person speaks or injures or persecutes innocently without any ill intention or motive behind him, he can be praised, served and helped. But when the other person got any ill intention or motive behind his acts then please react appropriately or else it might lead to such an irreversible blunder in one's life that we might lose an opportunity of a life time to hit back the intentionally ill motivated person.
Anusha: My mom used to tell the same thing. If someone speaks ill of you don't take it inside your ears.. Just ignore it and be nice to that person.. How long can he/she take it.. how much can he/she hate u if u keep loving them... I have tried it in my life and i have seen the change. They can't hate u.. They'll have to love you..
Kireet: difficult to practise
Mithu: Nice thought..................
Risham: yah very true...difficult bt possible...n it al depends on ur thnking hw u take things! so take it easy n go ahead! :) hope fr the very best!
Neeraj: @anusha u r very rt....always be poistive and avoid negativity....although it comes in our way...and distract us...but we have to find our way from it and come above it....
Sanjiv: great
Setia: PERFECT..!!
Michael: Wonderfull
Vivek: NOT EASY TO DO , ONLY REAL SAINT CAN DO
Omg: Wow! I like that! Just imagine normally when someone badmouth you,we would definitely feel so angry, what else if someones injures you right? How I wish I can become like what you have said !! Anyhow, I will certainly try to practise what you have said above :)
Ginni: Very hard to follow for sure
Yashpal: The person who possesses the qualities mentioned by Swami Sivananda would definitely be a saint but there are a few people who posses it. If we try our level best to adopt even a single quality mentioned in the quotation of the Swami, it would be a great achievement for us.
But is very difficult to help a person who prosecutes you but I have seen this. I am neither a supporter of Saddam Hussain nor do I appreciate his ideas but for the first time, probably the last time, I saw a person helping the people who were carrying him to gallows and helped them performing their duty.
Maria: I think that if people try and start changing their way of being, even a little in that way, the world would be very different.
Sarala: If every one follows this path, why the blood sheds and world wars!! .
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