Geethartha Chinthane 78: Relieving hardships and accumulating virtue

The Lord says, “You make your effort; do not expect my rewards. Look not at my results when you act; that’s your duty, and this is mine.” If someone falls ill or faces a difficult situation, we might consider it a punishment from God. But does that mean we should not help those in distress? Certainly not. God’s role is His own, while our role is ours. Helping those in hardship is our duty. Addressing their hardships should be less about relieving their suffering and more about accumulating virtue.

From this perspective, the existence of wrongdoers offers an opportunity for the righteous. If there were no evildoers, there would be no merit for the virtuous. God creates hardships as part of a balanced natural order—diseases, doctors, patients, and pathogens all serve a divine purpose. Our understanding is limited to our own perspective; we see happiness and sorrow based on our outlook. God’s intention is for each being to act according to its true nature: thieves should remain thieves, and it becomes problematic when thieves appear virtuous or when the virtuous become like thieves. Neither should be allowed to blur their inherent nature.

~ Sri Sugunendra Theertha Swamiji of Paryaya Sri Puthige Sri Krishna Matha

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