Condemn not...

People brought a woman who had committed adultery to Jesus Christ. They told him, “This woman has led an impure life. According to Moses, such people should be killed by hitting them with stones. What do you say?” Without looking at them, Jesus was writing on the floor with his feet. They again insisted, “What do you say?” Jesus said, “Ok, the punishment may be carried out. But the first stone should be thrown by the one among you who has not committed any sin.” He again continued to write on the floor with his feet. There was silence and when he raised his head after a few minutes all had left except for that woman, who was looking with amazement at the whole thing. She wept and fell at his feet asking for forgiveness. He told her that she will be forgiven and asked her not to sin anymore.

Although everybody was eager to throw stones, there was no one to throw the first stone. Why? There was no one in the crowd who had not sinned.

Here is an episode that happened in the life of Swami Vivekananda. Once the Swamiji was invited by Raja Ajit Singh of Khetri to visit him and bless his new born son. Swamiji consented and went to Khetri to attend the birthday function. One evening, the maharaja invited him to attend a dance performance in his palace. However, Swami Vivekananda sent word that, as a monk, he was not permitted to enjoy secular pleasures. The girl who was supposed to give the dance performance was hurt when she heard the message and sang the following song, which reached the Swamiji’s ears:

Look not, O Lord, upon my sins!
Is not same-sightedness Thy name?
One piece of iron is in the image in the temple,
And another, the knife in the hand of the butcher;
Yet both of these are turned to gold
When touched by the philosophers’ stone.
So, Lord, look not upon my evil qualities…

Swamiji was greatly moved. This dancer, whom society condemned as impure, had taught him a great lesson: Brahman, the ever-pure, ever-free, ever-illumined, is the essence of all beings. He immediately realized his mistake and joined the party. He later said, “That incident removed the scales from my eyes. Seeing that all are indeed the manifestation of the One, I could no longer condemn anybody.”

Let us never forget the eternal message of Vedanta:

As the different streams having their sources in different places all mingle their water in the sea, so, O Lord, the different paths which men take, through different tendencies, various though they may appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee.