Quality of Mercy

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Haribol,

I was just reading some Srimad Bhagvatam 1 chp 16, about mercy being one of the four pillars of religion, and it made me think of this Shakespeare passage which is a nicely worded description of what mercy is, and thought it might be nice to post for devotees to read :

The quality of mercy is not strain'd,

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven

Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;

It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:

'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes

The throned monarch better than his crown;

His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,

The attribute to awe and majesty,

Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;

But mercy is above this sceptred sway;

It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,

It is an attribute to God himself;

And earthly power doth then show likest God's

When mercy seasons justice. Therefore though justice be thy plea, consider this, that, in the course of justice, none of us should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;

And that same prayer doth teach us all to render

The deeds of mercy.

 

Merchant of Venice, William Shakespeare

 

Hare Krishna!