8.
Reverence For
Life Even An Ant Is A Person
There was a holy man who had to go on a long journey. He packed a bundle, filling it with enough bread to last him for the trip. He traveled on foot and stopped at a temple to rest for the night.
The next morning he set out again on the journey and walked quickly for about ten miles and then decided to stop for breakfast. He sat down and opened his bundle to take out the bread. When he opened the pack, he found that it was full of ants.
The next morning he set out again on the journey and walked quickly for about ten miles and then decided to stop for breakfast. He sat down and opened his bundle to take out the bread. When he opened the pack, he found that it was full of ants.
Although Jada Bharata was forced to carry the palanquin, he did not give up his sympathetic feelings toward the poor ants passing on the road. A devotee of the Lord does not forget his devotional service and other favorable activities, even when he is in a most distressful condition. While walking on the road, he could not forget his duty to avoid killing even an ant. A Vaisnava is never envious or unnecessarily violent. There were many ants on the path, but Jada Bharata took care by looking ahead three feet. When the ants were no longer in his way, he would place his foot on the ground. A Vaisnava is always very kind at heart to all living entities.
—Srila Prabhupada (Srimad Bhagavatam 5.10.2)
“Oh, this is too bad,” he thought, “I have taken these poor ants a long way from their home in the temple. They must be missing their families, parents, and children.”
He felt so bad and he had so much compassion for the ants, that the holy man walked the ten miles back to the temple to take the ants back to their home.
This story illustrates the high level of compassion that is available to us; a state where not only do we not want to kill animals for food, but we also don’t want them to suffer in even the slightest way. Compassion toward animals has to start somewhere. For many, adopting a vegetarian way of eating is the next step on their journey toward living a more compassionate life.
He felt so bad and he had so much compassion for the ants, that the holy man walked the ten miles back to the temple to take the ants back to their home.
This story illustrates the high level of compassion that is available to us; a state where not only do we not want to kill animals for food, but we also don’t want them to suffer in even the slightest way. Compassion toward animals has to start somewhere. For many, adopting a vegetarian way of eating is the next step on their journey toward living a more compassionate life.
So many gods, so many creeds,
So many paths that wind and wind,
While just the art of being kind
Is all the sad world needs.
-Ella Wheeler Wilcox
So many paths that wind and wind,
While just the art of being kind
Is all the sad world needs.
-Ella Wheeler Wilcox
