Have you seen a statue of the old Geek statue of justice? She is shown as a blindfolded woman holding a pair of scales. You may ask ``Why the blindfold? How can you judge with your eyes shut? It means that true justice is impartial. And why the scales are? It is to remember that there are two pans that have balance perfectly. Justice listens to both sides of a story.

Do you always listen to both sides of a story before you judge someone? Or do you base your judgment on someone’s opinion or a rumor or gossip? Quite often, we fall prey to vice. We often pass information without verifying the facts. This carelessness can cause a lot of pain to others.

Cheat

When the children were writing their final history examination, sativa was called to the principal’s office. She got up and left at once, looking scared.

She did not come back.

The moment the exam was over, the buzz started, `It must be for cheating’, said one girl. `Otherwise the principal would never have called her out in the middle of an examination. She has been sent home’.

Soon the rumor was flying all round the school that sativa had been sent home for cheating. Sativa was a good student and quite popular too. Yet no one asked the question, ``why would she cheat?’’ and, of course, no one asked, `Is this true?’

The next day, sativa was absent her classmates looked at her empty desk and whispered together. At the end of the class, the teacher said, `I want you all to say a special prayer for sativa. Her mother suddenly became seriously ill yesterday, and she is in hospital.’ there were a lot of red faces in that classroom! The children were ashamed of themselves.

Many were in tears.

A famous statue

The `Samurai’ were a noble warrior class in Japan. A master sculptor once made a statue of a samurai warrior. In one hand, the samurai held a sward. In his other hand was lamp. `What does it mean?’ a man asked the sculptor. `Why does the samurai hold both a sward and a lamp?’

The sculptor said, `The sword stands for justice. With it, the samurai will fight injustice everywhere. But he should not strike out with it in darkness, because that would cause harm and injury to people. He has to see the truth clearly. For this he needs the lamp. The lamp is the light of truth and reason.