Compassion comes from the heart. When a person is unkind, we say that he is heartless. He does not understand the pain and sorrow of others. A wild animal is cruel. It has no pity for other creatures. It kills. A person with out compassion is like a wild animal.

You must show kindness to all forms of life. The Bible says that only those who are kind to animals as well as men can be called kind. Hazrat Mohammed has said that Allah is king to those who are kind to Allah’s creatures. Non-violence is the basis of Hindu teachings.

In spite of all this, violence is constantly increasing. No religion teaching us to resort to violence. Yet, we kill birds and animals in order to eat their flesh.

Gandhi used to say that any religion that does not preach kindness is false religion. Where there is no compassion, there can be no love. For example, when you see someone in pain, you feel sad. If you are not moved to kindness by pain and suffering, you simply cannot be called a religious person.

On your way to the church or temple, mosque, you see a beggar. You are moved by his plight and wish to help him. You feel for him. But if such feelings do not arise in your heart there is no point in going to the place of worship. For, where there is no compassion there can be no devotion either.

Always try to understand the pain and suffering of others.

We pray to God to be kind to us, don’t we? But if we ourselves are cruel or ruthless most of the time, do we have the right to ask God for kindness? Infact, it is our duty to be compassionate because God has made all the things, just as he has made us.

Gandhi always said that a person who was truly compassionate could win over even the most dangerous animal. Such a person can have no enemies.