Geethartha Chinthane-45: Keeping our records clean is important

When discussing matters of legal and ethical responsibilities, we must pay close attention to even the subtlest details. For example, let’s say a father is considered a wicked person. Should the son still perform his last rites? This is the question Prahlada faced. Hiranyakashipu, who was wicked, was killed by Narasimha himself.

In such a situation, Prahlada performed the funeral rites and other rituals. After killing Duryodhana and others, the Pandavas too performed their last rites. Similarly, after killing Ravana, Lord Rama instructed Vibhishana to conduct the final rituals.

Now, imagine a bank goes bankrupt and collapses. Should the loans taken from the bank still be repaid? The answer is yes, they must be repaid. Let’s say a wicked person has done us a favor. Should we express our gratitude? Yes, we should. Suppose an evil person has been sentenced to death. If we had borrowed money from him, should we repay it or not? The answer is that we must repay it.

In all these situations, the most important thing is to ensure that our future records remain clean. It doesn’t matter whether they were wicked or noble, or whether the bank is in loss or profit; what matters is that our record is clear and ethical.

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

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