It is the rays of the Sun that make the lotus bloom. But does the flower make a formal request to the Sun to shine on it? The Sun rises of its own accord, and the lotus bud blooms into a pretty flower.
Likewise, those who are in need do not have to petition good people for help. A person with satvik qualities automatically helps those in distress, said Goda Venkateswara Sastrigal.
The Sun causes the waters of the ocean to evaporate and clouds then give us rain. Do we ask the Sun and the clouds for help? They do what needs to be done for our welfare.
Those with satvik qualities deem it their duty to help others. Compassion is second nature to them. They do not discriminate when it comes to rendering help. In fact, the five elements which are essential for our life on this earth show no discrimination. In the same way, good people treat everyone equally and help anyone who needs help.
Even if rendering help to others should inconvenience them in some way, they will still help. They put others before themselves. A mother would be an example of a selfless person, but her selflessness is limited to her children. A good person's selflessness extends beyond his own near and dear ones.
There are some who will help others, if they themselves will benefit in some way in return. In the past, villagers would get together and build temples, and tanks for the temples.
No one minded contributing, because he too could worship at the temple and use the water in the tank. There are yet others who want everything for themselves; they want to destroy others, so that there will be no claimants to what they seek. Such people are demons in human form.
Ravana had everything he wanted, yet he was not content. He took away even the Pushpaka Vimana that Kubera had, and Kubera was his half-brother. Even blood ties did not stand in the way of Ravana's greed. But there is a fourth category of people who are much worse. They take pleasure in hurting others, even when their acts of cruelty are not going to bring them any benefit.
