Question: How can I deal with the sorrow I feel from having compassion for others?

Sri Chinmoy: In human life the word ‘compassion’ does not apply. Compassion only God has. Compassion is only in God’s case and in the case of spiritual Masters of the highest order who can detach themselves from the subject or object. Otherwise, ordinary human beings are unconsciously attached to something or someone. We may call it compassion, but it is unconscious attachment that is playing its role. We make ourselves feel that we are superior to somebody and showing them compassion, but we are only fooling ourselves. So let us be more careful in our prayers and meditations.

The deeper we go, the sooner we realise that we do not need to show anybody compassion. It is we who need compassion more than anybody else. The very person who is eager to show compassion to the rest of the world, if he enters into the depths of his heart, will feel that he is a real beggar who desperately needs Compassion from God. If we feel that we are superior to someone, if we feel that we have more kindness than they have, we are only fooling ourselves. Only God and those who have realised God can, on the strength of their oneness with humanity, bless others with compassion.

If you think of showing compassion to someone, first you have to know what God’s Will is. If it is God’s Will for you to help someone in a special way, then God will show you the light. That light you can call compassion, wisdom, illumination or peace. But only God’s Will will carry the necessary capacity for you to offer something to the individual you feel you have to help. Compassion is not the right word. It is light you need to illumine that person.

From:Sri Chinmoy,Sri Chinmoy answers, part 20, Agni Press, 1999
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/sca_20