In all living beings, the sense of attachment and cruelty varies. Recently I came across a video where a big elephant is saving a drowning dear. It was a case of special attachment, even though they are different species, the sense of attachment made the elephant in saving dear. Attachment and cruelty are distinct feelings in every living being. While attachment is a bond formed through connection, Cruelty, is the intentional infliction of suffering, often driven by a lack of empathy or a desire for dominance. These natural instict was well described by Sanskrit in following lines :
मार्जार भक्षिते दुःखं यादृशं गृहकुक्कुटे |
न ताद्रुशममताशून्ये कलविङ्केSथ मूषके||
Maarjaar bhakshite duhkham yaadrusham grahakukkute,
Na taadrushamamataashoonye kalavinketha mooshake.
Maarjaar = a cat.
Bhakshite = devouring, eating.
Duhkham = distress, grief.
Yaadrushm = as is to,
Grahkukkute = domestic cock.
Na = not.
Taadrushmamataashoonye = taadrusham + mamata + shoonye.
Taadrush = like that.
Mamataa = interest, feeling of attachment,
Shoonye = devoid of interest.
Kalvinketha = kalvinke + atha.
Kalvinke = a sparrow.
Atha = certainly, moreover.
Mooshake = a mouse.
i.e. The kind of sorrow (fear) that a chicken raised in a house feels that the cat (raised with it) will eat it, that kind of affection, emptiness (cruelty) a mouse does not have towards a sparrow.
The manner in which a domestic cock feels distressed and fears that the cat devoid of any feeling of attachment will devour it at any time , similar feeling of distress and fear is not experienced by a sparrow from a mouse.
The idea behind the Sanskrit verses is that feeling of attachment and cruelty is never the same in all living beings and it depends upon their nature and the size. The big and powerful always try to suppress the weaker in the society, while the common person does not have any cruel intention about others. The sense of attachment and cruelity varies and each living being act accordingly.
