RADHIKA SEKAR

has a PhD in religious studies and taught Hinduism at Carleton University. She is a disciple of the Sri Ramakrishna Mission.

The story of a Raja Harishchandra was my father’s favourite.

Harishchandra had two unique qualities: he never went back on his word and never lied. These twin qualities were heavily tested by various circumstances that led him to penury and separation from his family.

But he stood firm to his principles, even when it meant selling himself and his family into slavery, and demanding further sacrifices of his wife when she came to cremate their son!

I am still unsure why he kept repeating the story to me, for it never impressed me. How can someone be so perfect? Would you want to be? And was it perfection or his colossal ego that went to such lengths to maintain his reputation? What about compassion for his wife?

Dad would try to make me understand that the story was meant to inspire duty, courage, honesty and ultimately faith. (The gods and the Sage appear in the end to praise the Raja and bring his son back to life). But I remain unconvinced to this day.

On the other hand, the story of Sage Valmiki strikes a chord. A brutal highway robber, one day Valmiki happened to accost Sage Narada. Narada asked him why he led a life of crime, and Valmiki replied that he had a large family to support. He was only doing his duty.

The Sage then asked if his family were prepared to share his bad karma.

To his great disillusionment Valmiki discovered, that while happy to share his spoils, none of them were willing to share his bad karma. He alone was responsible for the consequences of his actions. Renouncing everything, he began a lifelong penance and became a great sage.

Every saint has a past and every “sinner” a future, which is encouraging, for it implies that there is hope for the rest of us.