Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Child dies in road accident; parents end life
Came across this ghastly news of mother and father committing suicide after their child had an accident. What a heart rending news :-(
I was torn between been touched by the parent's loving attachment towards their child (earlier they had two other kids who too died), the enormity of tragedy in the whole incident and a feeling of pity for the mild-hearted parents. I know what it means to loose a near one. My parents have thenselves been thru the pain of loosing two of their children at different stages of their lives. However, sitting in my house, I may never realise what was going thru the minds of the bereaved that drove them to this extreme step.
I'm reading the Mankutimmana Kagga, one of the greatest classics in Kannada literature, and widely regarded as Kannada's equivalent of Bhagavadgeeta. Just today I was reading this couplet (#250) in the Kagga, where DVG says life is a great asset given by the Lord, and you can be grateful to it by dedicating it to service! Is it then a pity that these loving mother and father threw their gift away?
If I am in the dark, let me light a lamp.
-Swami Vivekananda
Came across this ghastly news of mother and father committing suicide after their child had an accident. What a heart rending news :-(
I was torn between been touched by the parent's loving attachment towards their child (earlier they had two other kids who too died), the enormity of tragedy in the whole incident and a feeling of pity for the mild-hearted parents. I know what it means to loose a near one. My parents have thenselves been thru the pain of loosing two of their children at different stages of their lives. However, sitting in my house, I may never realise what was going thru the minds of the bereaved that drove them to this extreme step.
I'm reading the Mankutimmana Kagga, one of the greatest classics in Kannada literature, and widely regarded as Kannada's equivalent of Bhagavadgeeta. Just today I was reading this couplet (#250) in the Kagga, where DVG says life is a great asset given by the Lord, and you can be grateful to it by dedicating it to service! Is it then a pity that these loving mother and father threw their gift away?
If I am in the dark, let me light a lamp.
-Swami Vivekananda
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It is a shame, yes, but one must also keep in mind that the psychological/emotional stress of enduring such traumatic events one after another can lead to loss of rationality. This can happen to varying extents depending on the individual and the support system.
Only when there is a sufficient loss of rationality and perspective does suicide (or homicide) seem like a solution.
The psyche, just like muscles and bones, also can be damaged and also has a breaking point. When damaged, it must be treated and allowed to heal as well. But serious damage to psyche or body, if untreated, can be lethal.
There should be no judgment passed on those who take their lives because judgment presumes rationality. But their choice is irrational. It would be like judging someone with autistm or schizophrenia.
Only when there is a sufficient loss of rationality and perspective does suicide (or homicide) seem like a solution.
The psyche, just like muscles and bones, also can be damaged and also has a breaking point. When damaged, it must be treated and allowed to heal as well. But serious damage to psyche or body, if untreated, can be lethal.
There should be no judgment passed on those who take their lives because judgment presumes rationality. But their choice is irrational. It would be like judging someone with autistm or schizophrenia.
Thanks for the different perspective. Itz interesting that you compare the loss of rational thinking to a physical.
The shame is probably not as much for the couple as for the society.
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The shame is probably not as much for the couple as for the society.
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