Sentiments, Sensitivity & Sentimentalism

Honoring human sentiments have a deep significance in the bhakti tradition. A stone lacks emotion. Plants have covered sentiments. Animals showcase feelings, but they are underdeveloped. Humans have the ability and they own the responsibility to repose the right emotions at the right place, at the right time and in the right quantity. Human sensitivity is to respond aptly with empathy, care and compassion. An insensitive person lacks sentiments. Any excess of undue emotions is termed as sentimentalism. One has to avoid the pendulum of sentiments going to the extremes of insensitivity and sentimentalism.

The Stone-Hearted One
When there are no sentiments

Aśvatthāmā, the son of Droṇācārya, fought against the Pāṇḍavas in the battlefield of Kurukṣetra. Being unable to defeat them, his cruel mind and perverse intelligence made him do the unthinkable. He plotted to mercilessly butcher the Pāṇḍavas while they were asleep. But, instead of killing the five Pāṇḍavas, he mistakenly beheaded the five sleeping sons of the Pāṇḍavas. His brutal act demonstrated the epitome of insensitivity. His stone-like heart fostered in unhealthy association made him immune to others’ feelings. Even the evil-minded Duryodhana disapproved this heinous act and wasn’t the least pleased.

The Soft-Hearted One
When sentiments are balanced with sensitivity

Draupadī began to cry in distress after hearing her sons’ fate. Arjuna pacified her by vowing to bring back Aśvatthāmā’s head. Arjuna got on his chariot and chased Aśvatthāmā. Fearing death, Aśvatthāmā released a brahmastra. Arjuna countered the weapon by seeking help from Kṛṣṇa. Thereafter, he expertly arrested Aśvatthāmā and bound him with ropes like an animal. Kṛṣṇa urged Arjuna to kill the murderer of innocent children, thereby fulfilling his promise to Draupadī. Arjuna didn’t like the idea of killing Aśvatthāmā, and brought him before his family members. Draupadī, upon seeing Aśvatthāmā, showed him due respects as a brāhmaṇa. She could not tolerate Aśvatthāmā’s being bound by ropes and requested Arjuna to release him.
Was Draupadī sentimental in not administering justice to an aggressor?

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam denies this. Her statements were perfectly in accordance with the principles of religion, and were justified, glorious, full of mercy and equity, and without duplicity. Draupadī sympathized with Kṛpī, the mother of Aśvatthāmā. She didn’t want Kṛpī to undergo the same suffering she was going through. She regarded Aśvatthāmā as the son of their teacher, Droṇā. Even in such an extreme case, Draupadī had the perfect sensitivity and handled her sentiments justly without giving vent to either hatred, anger or sentimentalism. Śrīla Prabhupāda says, “Draupadī desired that Aśvatthāmā be at once released, and it was all the same a good sentiment for her. This means that a devotee of the Lord can tolerate all sorts of tribulation personally, but still such devotees are never unkind to others, even to the enemy. These are the characteristics of one who is a pure devotee of the Lord.” (SB 1.7.43 P)

The Weak-Hearted One
When sensitivity turns into sentimentalism

Mahārāja Bharata was a great king in the days of yore. After religiously ruling his kingdom for many thousands of years, he divided his kingdom among his sons and retired from family life. He chose Pulaha-asrama on the banks of Gandaki river as his place of meditation and worship. Once, while chanting his mantras, he witnessed a doe coming to drink water from the river. A lion’s roar made the doe fearful and she jumped. Because of the doe being pregnant, her jump made the baby deer fall from her womb into the flowing waters of the river. Being separated from her flock and distressed by her miscarriage, the black doe fell down in a cave and died instantly. Mahārāja Bharata, seeing the plight of the baby deer, lifted and brought it to his asrama. A devotee is naturally compassionate to all the living beings. Mahārāja Bharata was perfectly sensitive in rescuing the deer.

Gradually, Mahārāja Bharata became very affectionate to the deer. He would pat it, caress it and sometimes kiss it out of love. He forgot the rules and regulations for advancement in spiritual life, and gradually forgot to worship even the Supreme Lord.
Wasn’t Mahārāja Bharata sensitive to the needs of the deer in caring for it?

No. Here is when Mahārāja Bharata’s sensitivity turned into sentimentalism. He forgot his connection with Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, he could not even see the deer as a child of God. He considered himself as the whole and sole maintainer of the deer. Due to his intense attachment, he died in separation thinking of the deer, thus getting the body of a deer in the next life. In his consequent life as Jaḍa Bharata, he was highly sensitive not to put sentiments at the wrong place. He perfected his life and gave instructions to a king named Rahūgaṇa.

Life’s journey is to go from insensitivity to sensitive behavior, to develop pleasing sentiments towards Kṛṣṇa and to not let the sentiments go so unnoticed that sentimentalism creeps in. Human life is a waste without developing love for Kṛṣṇa. Undue sentiments for any object or person that hampers this goal of life is an unworthy investment. Mahārāja Bharata had to take two births for this reason. His affection for the deer turned into misplaced compassion. Sentimentalism or weak-heartedness can also take the form of attachment to temporary objects, duplicitous dealings, envy or desire for fame. A pure devotee exhibits the topmost sentiments in connection with Kṛṣṇa, in accordance with scriptures. He or she is not interested in cheap adoration from public by showcasing sentimentalism like the sahajiyās (cheap imitators).

Draupadi exemplified devotion to Kṛṣṇa. She was always remembering Him, and sincerely cried out for Kṛṣṇa with pure devotional sentiments while being tortured by the Kauravas in the unchaste assembly. Her sensitivity in dealing with Aśvatthāmā was perfect. It was approved by Kṛṣṇa Himself. By being in constant touch with guru, sadhu (devotees) and śāstras (scriptures), one can develop a strong and soft heart (as opposed to a weak and hard heart), by which one can simultaneously be sensitive and possess rich sentiments for Krsna without being sentimental.

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