In the ladder of life, one gets the support of many in climbing the steps of success. It becomes the foremost duty to always remember their help and support and thank them for the same. At the same time, there are people who make the climb a difficult one and lead us to difficulties, but, life becomes easy when one can forgive them and hold no grudge against them which makes the climb more supportive and easy to reach the final goal. The acts of remembrance and forgiveness was beautifully balanced by Shri Ram. His compassion is such that he teaches us to acknowledge people who give even the smallest support given in life and to forgive those people who cause the greatest difficulties.
Shri Ram was known for acknowledging and being kind to every person he met. The humility he showed earned him massive respect of one and all. At the advent of exile, along with Mata Sita and Lakshman, he comes to the tribal kingdom of Shrinagaverpur and immediately remembers his childhood friend Nishad Raj. When Nishad Raj Guh comes visiting him, Shri Ram embraces his dear old friend with the same warmth of childhood friendship and remembers the wonderful days they spent during the Gurukul Ashram. With this act of affection, Shri Ram makes Nishad Raj Guh feel that being a son of an emperor never changed Shri Ram as his friend and a caring person, and he never foregot his simple tribal friend.
It is easier to remember the faults of a person but difficult to forgive. But Shri Ram was just the opposite. He never held any grudge against people who made him go through miserable hardships. Manthara was a mere maid in the palace of Ayodhya, and Shri Ram had all the right to punish her for instigating Queen Kaikeyi. But Shri Ram in fact not even questions the reason for her doing so and shows the same respect to her as Queen Kaikeyi.
Right from Maharaj Dasarath, all rebuke Kaikeyi for her deeds, but Shri Ram never complains on his mother and also convinces his brothers Bharat and Lakshman to forgive and treat her with respect. Shri Ram shows that grudges increase the gaps between people and forgiveness brings them closer and successfully saves the family from falling apart.
While the preparations of the battle of Lanka are going on, the spies Shuk and Saran come spying on the battle strategies of Shri Ram’s army, but are caught by Vibhishan. When they are taken to Shri Ram, instead of punishing them, he releases and forgives them without any hesitation. Shri Ram also mentions that he is ready to forgive Ravan too, if he gives back Mata Sita with due honour to him as he is not an enemy of Ravan but the enemy of his injustice and evil. After he emerges victorious in the battle, he respects Ravan as a great warrior asks Vibhishan to perform his final rites in a manner befitting a great king, thus showing no hatred or grudge towards Ravan.
Gratitude and remembering all those who help us in the way of life is a beautiful virtue. If the virtue of forgiveness is added to the same, then life becomes a smooth path as with forgiveness, we leave all thoughts of pride and arrogance and understand the true meaning of life is to live and let live with compassion for all.