Acharya Prashant addresses the question of how God can be perceived as cruel, specifically in the context of Bulleh Shah's poetry where a saint is sent to the gallows. He explains that from the perspective of non-duality, there is no 'other' to be cruel to; the Divine is the soldier, the judge, the executioner, and the one on the gallows. Human values like mercy and kindness are dualistic concepts that apply only to those who perceive themselves as separate entities. He categorizes values into three types: those that lead away from truth, those that lead toward truth, and the ultimate state where all values dissolve into a natural flow. While high-quality values like compassion and forgiveness are useful tools for a seeker, they are ultimately methods to be discarded once their purpose is served. He emphasizes the fundamental difference between human mercy and divine compassion. Mercy is a mental construct based on human values, whereas compassion is a state of being that is inherently auspicious for the entire universe. Acharya Prashant warns against the ego's tendency to judge the Divine by human standards or to demand equality. He argues that ideologies promoting absolute equality often fail to recognize the transcendental reality, leading to a denial of the Divine. True spiritual progress requires the dissolution of the 'I' or the ego. One cannot know the Truth while maintaining their own separate identity and prejudices. He concludes that if one refuses to surrender to the Higher Reality, they are condemned to serve and bow before lower, worldly trivialities.
