One apparent jiva considers himself (mentally and physically) less distressed than another
jiva, feels for his distress and does something in the shape of relief or redress. This is but stop-
ping or diminishing the unending miseries partly, locally or temporarily. It is frequently seen
that a jiva who feels aggrieved and consequently abstains from committing wrong owing to
weakness or inability, recovers, at such relief, strength or ability enough to commit wrong to
other jivas. So it often happens that such apparently kind services not only bring harm to the
recipient but cause indirect injuries to others. This is one aspect of the thing. Let us turn to
the other. As a gardener prunes a growing tree, allowing its root to grow freely and easily, as
a physician treats a patient leaving the prime-disease undisturbed, so this sort of temporary
kindness stops, no doubt, the growth of the present inconveniences for a while but in no way
uproots the cause whence all these afflictions arise. This cause has been identified with the
enslaved condition of jivas. So real and permanent kindness consists in bringing before the
enslaved jivas a true and vivid picture of their natural, free and blissful existence and reinstat-
ing them in their true position. Thus real kindness is applicable to the real jiva and apparent
kindness to the apparent jiva.
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