Mitraha, maitreyi (friendship)

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This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content.

Regular practice is the way forward

The Times of India, May 13 2016

Satsang: Swami Sukhabodhananda

What kind of healthy attitudes should we develop towards people, things and events in our life to be happy and peaceful?

In Sanskrit there are two related words, mitraha and maitreyi. Mitraha means friendship, maitreyi is friendliness. In the Bhagwad Gita, Krishna says, “Adweshta sarva bhutaanaam maitra karuna evacha ­ Don't have dwesha (animosity) towards anything or anybody , but have maitreyi (friendliness and karuna) towards all beings.“ He does not use the word mitraha which means friendship ... that is relationship which is defined and confined while maitreyi refers to quality in a relationship.Friendliness is not limited to relationship.It is the same quality that makes a flower give its fragrance to all without regard to their social, economic or intellectual status; regardless of whether they appreciate the fragrance or not. It imparts its fragrance to a stone lying nearby or a buffalo that brushes against it as it grazes the grass around the bush.

A human being with evolved sensibilities and an enlightened mind should be like a flower; willing to make friends with, willing to share knowledge and possessions with anything or anybody in life. Friendliness is a quality of unconditional caring, loving and forgiving. Mitraha is friendship that has been nurtured and developed, while maitreyi stands for friendliness that evolves into forgiveness when needed. Is this concept relevant to us in dealing with our sense of guilt? Yes, because it is important for us to forgive ourselves so that we do not nurse guilt. We can overcome our past failures, mistakes, or wrongdoings and get on with life. When one is wise, one can let go of one's guilt, hurt, frustrations. Whipping, hitting, or criticising a guilty person is not going to reform him. Similarly , pitying yourself over an ill-advised act is not going to help you grow out of it. Forgiveness of both self and others proceeds from the quality of maitreyi.

Roots of crime go deeper than the physical body and the organs involved in the commission of a particu lar crime. It is here that maitreyi, friendliness, should really come into play . Friendliness encompasses much more than friendship or love. It is inclusive of mercy , care and compassion. It arises in and applies to the heart, not the body. It is truly twice-blessed.