What sacrifices have you made in life?
King Dashrath, noticing signs of ageing, decides to crown his elder son Ram as crown prince, but his second queen, Kaikeyi, demands Ram’s exile and her son Bharat’s coronation due to manipulation. Ram accepts the exile with dignity, showcasing true sacrifice, which entails giving up cherished possessions for greater causes. The text distinguishes genuine sacrifices, like those made by soldiers and selfless individuals, from trivial claims of sacrifice for minor inconveniences. It emphasizes that real sacrifice stems from selflessness and extraordinary commitment, urging respect for significant acts of duty and care in society, while criticizing superficial interpretations of sacrifice today.
While looking at a mirror, King Dashrath noticed silvery streaks on his sideburns. Thinking that he was getting old, he should declare his elder son Ram crown prince and gradually start to go to the deep for penance. After consultation with the seniors and sages of his kingdom, he decided to go ahead with his thought. Wide preparations were started in Ayodhya. Denizens were also happy about the decision, but suddenly the table was turned, and things became topsy-turvy.
Kaykayie, the second queen of Dashrath, under the spell of her wanton help, Manthara, started a drama. She demanded two long-due boons from his husband. One was the exile of Ram to the forest for fourteen years, and the second coronation of Bharat as crown prince.
Dashrath became restless and unconscious. When Ram came to know about it all, he readily accepted the verdict. Ram, with his younger brother Laxman and wife Sita, set out to go to the jungle. Ram presented an ideal, placed his father’s verdict over everything and left for the jungle.
Sacrifice is a big word. It means to give up one’s most cherished and valuable possessions for a bigger cause. It is not that one lent his clothes to his younger brother during childhood and now claims to have sacrificed his desires. Should these petty things be termed as a sacrifice? These things undermine the seriousness and greatness of the noun or the verb we know as a sacrifice.
In the current time, it has become a vogue to talk shallowly about serious things. The deep-rooted materialistic thought process is to be blamed for it. Routine things have become big, and ludicrous boasting is routine.
In ancient India, feeding the hungry and offering water to the thirsty was a routine. People used to attach great social importance to it without an iota of reciprocal return.
He was ready to sacrifice his son in obedience to God. He not only offered his son for sacrifice but was ready to slay him as per God’s command. It was an exemplary act of Supreme sacrifice.
A soldier stands guard to save his motherland, sacrifices his life, defending the motherland and millions of compatriots. His gallantry and Supreme sacrifice are unparalleled. Other petty things are nothing but a part of current-day fake drama and part of showbiz.
Some would say that they “sacrificed” their will to opt for a particular topic and studied a different topic, as their parent wanted them to. Is it a sacrifice, like really?
It goes without saying that family is an established system and a unit of society. It is a group of close-knit members joined together by filial bonds. A family runs on mutual trust and cooperation. How can the sharing of something among siblings be treated as a “sacrifice”? It is a mutual exchange without consideration. Boasting it as an act of sacrifice is tantamount to the selfish attitude of the person who is viewing things from their parochial angle. It should not be termed as “sacrifice”, not even tangentially.
What one does for family is one’s duty. Similarly, thinking about the country is also a duty, but with a difference. The nation is our mother who nourishes us and takes care of us. What one gives in return to save and strengthen it is a token gesture of obligation, what one is getting. But if one goes overboard to something extraordinary and courageous without considering own self is an act of sacrifice.
An argument is often put forth that those who stand guard on frontiers under the harshest of situations are making their choice. It is a selfish perspective presented in a ludicrous way. Being a soldier can be a choice, but hats off to that choice which encourages a person to serve the nation with their lives on the stake.
Those who advocate and try to thrust their “intelligent” thought of choosing a work or profession, it would be more than enough to understand that every citizen of the nation is a partner in its progress. They are contributing their bit in every field, and each one is getting their proportionate due in the form of wages. It is the thumb rule and linchpin of economic activity. They are all doing their ordained job according to their calibre and qualification. Taking any job profile with disdain and pooh-poohing it is not congruent with the dignity of labour. It is noteworthy that if a banker is contributing their share, then a frontline worker in any field is also contributing. The difference is in their grade. While one is considered a white collared job while the latter is a blue-collar one. Though this discriminatory division is not good as well, it is inevitable because of practical constraints.
What is then a sacrifice? It has been discussed above that a sacrifice is a big term that does not consider personal gain. It places mass advantage before everything else, including personal gains. A person in any field can show an extraordinary or exemplary act that benefits the organisation in general and the nation in particular is an act of sacrifice.
Gangs of people instantly start relief operations soon after a natural calamity occurs. Though they are also workers, they execute it with utmost accuracy and swiftness without thinking of themselves taking precautions. While fulfilling their duty, it is clear that the work they do requires specialized skills and training. They know the risks involved and their possible fallout. They deal with a situation which is different from other jobs. They deal with the emotional trauma of the affected individuals. Besides helping them of the situation, they take carevictims’tims emotional trauma as well.
In a similar context, a doctor who is tirelessly caring for the victims of the stampede is fulfilling his responsibilities, though in a different way. His efforts to save lives and guarantee the health of his patients show a noble form of service. Every worker deserves encouragement and praise because they are not only contributing but also giving their best. In a sense, every one of us is sacrificing something to strengthen the nation and society.
He was going to appear in an examination. Engrossed in his thoughts about the examination paper, he was revising his preparation. Suddenly, he saw a serious accident. The victim was wriggling with pain, copiously bleeding he needed urgent medical attention. The first thing that came to his mind was to take the victim to the hospital. Not caring about his examination, he did the necessary and took the victim to the hospital. He sacrificed his future, as this was his only try to get a job, but he preferred to take the victim to the hospital.
Such outstanding acts do not go to waste. They are adequately rewarded by the unseen force that is omnipresent and all-powerful. When the authorities learned about the real situation, our protagonist was permitted to take the examination. Additionally, they granted extra time to finish his paper.
His good work was recognised, and he cleared his examination and got the job. Needless to say, sacrifice is a big thing that requires extraordinary courage, dedication and commitment to the cause. It is not a casual thing. So, it should be mentioned with care and respect.
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