Sacrifice

Sacrifice is the practice of offering food, or the lives of animals or people to the gods, as an act of propitiation or worship. The term is also used metaphorically to describe selfless good deeds for others. Here, we mean the latter. Sacrifices may or may not please others but more than anybody else they quite often bring contentment to individuals who sacrifice. Man is under the impression that with sacrifices what is impossible can be made possible.What one sacrifices are sometimes visible & sometimes what one sacrifices aren't visible at all. All those who sacrifice do not come to limelight in this universe at all. Only those who are fortunate only come to limelight in the universe . What one sacrifices goes nowhere at all. They remain in one form or another in the universe. It's they which can make one immortal too.The fruits of a sacrifice seldom come instantaneously.They most often come gradually only. The stories of sacrifice are lessons that are worth emulating in our lives.

Everyone one has to make sacrifice at one time or other in their life. It may be for self or for the sake of some other person. Without it there is no life at all. Sacrifice is always for one reason or another reason. Whose sake& what sacrifice a man would make it couldn't be said at all. Who would sacrifice & who would not sacrifice, it couldn't be said too. Whose sacrifice is great & whose sacrifice is not great , it couldn't be made out easily. It is not easy to compare sacrifices at all. It is usually left to others to make out which sacrifice is great & which sacrifice is not great.In sacrifice, man who sacrifices would not be generally benefited at all . It is world at large or others who get mostly benefited. There are people in universe who sacrifice without their knowledge too .

Sacrifice won't take place in absence of great qualities in anyone. Sacrifice itself is a gem of a quality. Only a few possess it. It depends upon mindset of individual as well as upon circumstances that individual would be in. Some want all the benefits & comforts but are not prepared to make any sacrifices at all. There are various types of sacrifices. Sacrificing life is not the only way to make a great sacrifice . Great sacrifices could be made in other ways also. Who,when ,why , what ,where & how would sacrifice it couldn't be said many times at all. There's no guarantee that a sacrifice would always yield results. Many a times it goes a waste without yielding any results at all. Yet, a sacrifice is a sacrifice.

All that seems to be sacrifice need not be sacrifice at all. Sacrifice is not easy. It is something great.It isn't a dolls play at all.We come across numerous definitions of it.At the outset, what's sacrifice one has to understand in life. All cannot sacrifice . Doing something or foregoing something does not amount to sacrifice. What we do to our parents ,to children and to country are often our duty only. Those who do sacrifice do not claim that they have sacrificed or did sacrifice . A sacrifice must be always without any expectation at all. It must not be without any motive . It is to be made for something that is worthwhile & it is not to be made for anything petty. It must not be for each & everything too. In that case, it won't be a sacrifice at all. It is easy for anybody to make a sacrifice verbally. But practically, it is always an uphill task for anybody to sacrifice at any time.

Those who really sacrifice do not say that they have sacrificed. They do not want any publicity or funfair. Having sacrificed everything, there is nothing to lose or to gain further for them. Those who sacrifice do not think of monetary gain or loss. They make sacrifices in their life for a cause. They suffer through out their life silently without expecting anything in return. Those who sacrifice people are generally enlightened people. They never think about their well being at all .Those who sacrifice neither want to know what they are going to lose or gain nor want to know what others have sacrificed or contributed. They simply do what they want to do and forget. They always think about the society. They are more the men of action than men of thinking. They are the most complacent people too. Sacrifice begins at home. It traverses. It never aims at any coverage. Where it reaches nobody knows. Farther it reaches more it would be fruitful. More would be the glory of person who sacrifices.

Only a person with particular mindset can do a sacrifice.There is a lot of difference between donating & sacrificing. Sacrificing is something great that only a few can do. Sacrifice requires great qualities like forbearance, fortitude, determination and will etc. Those who sacrifice need not be duty bound. They need not wear saffron. Mostly their stories are untold. Just skipping a meal, a movie, or a sleep are not a sacrifice at all. They are all casual. They are mere foregoing something and may be one time affair.

Sacrifice is once for all. Once sacrificed means that will not comeback again. It is gone permanently. However, a sacrifice can be gradually or at a time. Sometimes, sacrifice could not be valued at all. Sacrifice should not be in lieu of anything. In sacrifice, one should not anticipate anything in return. Giving an unwanted or unessential thing isn't a sacrifice. Generally, a sacrifice brings one name & fame. That is why some pretend to do a sacrifice. It's hypocrisy shredded with selfishness. Donating a kidney for money is not a sacrifice whereas donating a kidney to enable somebody to survive without anticipating anything in return from them on humanitarian grounds is certainly a sacrifice. Some people donate their eyes after their death that is not sacrifice. It is a donation. Even Sati cannot be called sacrifice. Sati was performed in some parts India in olden days. It was a custom prevalent in those parts of India. It was under compulsion of that custom a Hindu wife used to jump into burning pyre of her husband and end her life. Waiving of principal and interest to a borrower cannot be termed as sacrifice. It can be called as magnanimity at the most.

One who sacrifices never announces. Foregoing anything under compulsion does not amount to a sacrifice. Sacrifice has got its own sanctity. One need not necessarily give up anything materialistically for a sacrifice. It might be in kind also. Sometimes foregoing one’s legitimate right, silent suffering, renunciation, etc. without expecting anything in return amount to sacrifice. It is always difficult to decide whether it is a sacrifice or magnanimity. It is the public at large who come to the logical conclusion, recognize or decide the nomenclature taking into consideration various factors. The poor man who does all the sacrifice is not bothered about such matters at all. He or she simply sacrifices and forgets. Sometimes the recognition comes immediately. Sometimes it is gradually recognized. Sometimes they remain like unsung heroes their sacrifices are never recognized at all. Further, there are instances also where somebody does the sacrifice or sacrifices and some other person persons get all the credit also. In sacrifice generally somebody sacrifices and some other person or persons who enjoy the fruits. They may not be related to one another at all. Sacrifice may be for the sake of mankind. There are various types of sacrifices. One sacrifices for the sake of another. One sacrifices for the sake of family. One sacrifices for the sake of nation. One sacrifices for the sake of all. Sacrifice is invariably for the sake of others .

Sacrifice is always great. One who does sacrifice would not know nor would like to know what others sacrifice. Sacrifice is not at all competitive. Sacrifice is always voluntary. It is always within oneself and that comes out without much bang at an appropriate moment. Sometimes, it makes its presence known openly, sometimes mysteriously and sometimes does not come to light at all. Mostly sacrifice is hidden. Sometimes we do not find even words to describe it. Sacrifice does not mean that one should lay down life for a cause. It is enough if one devotes all their energy and thinks day and night nothing else but the success of that cause through out their life span without any expectation or remuneration in return. It is really a sacrifice. A real friend, a true wife, a true soldier, faithful children, caring parents, patriot and all such make great sacrifices. Their tribe is small. Even in true love we find sacrifice. Who has made the sacrifice and what sacrifice they have made , sometimes the beneficiary themselves would not be knowing even for those who sacrifice do not leave their name and sometimes it is impossible to trace their name too . Sacrifice is sometimes shredded with suspense. One who does sacrifice is magnanimous and they are great. Sacrifice is a rare quality .

Sacrifices are always worth remembering. We cannot compare one sacrifice with another. Sacrifices are made at different times under different circumstances. Every sacrifice is commendable in its own way. Sacrifices lay guidelines to us to lead our life. It has its own significance. The word sacrifice is a much revered word. It should be used wherever it is appropriate only.Sacrifice cannot be valued at all.It is not whether a rich man or whether a poor man made the sacrifice. It's which big heart that made the sacrifice.Sometimes a man may be forgotten but not his sacrifice. Human qualities are contagious. Either good qualities or bad qualities transfer from man to man. If not totally at least they move partially from one man to another man. Sacrifices of others make one sacrifice something at least.

Everybody wants to claim that they have done a sacrifice to claim recognition. Of course those who have really sacrificed, they never tom-tom saying that I have done this and that I have done that. Whenever we think of our a little contribution to any field that seems to be negligible or nothing before the sacrifices made by great people.

In Ramayana Lakshmana was not bound by Kaikeyee’ conditions to Rama.Yet he volunteers and accompanies Rama and Seetha to the forest in plain clothes on bare foot. He lives on roots and herbs. He sleeps on floor and leads the life of a bachelor for fourteen years. He is an embodiment of sacrifice.

Similarly character of Bhishma in Mahabharata, though he was real successor to the throne of Hastinapura he relinquishes all his rights voluntarily and never aspires or tries to occupy the throne. He devotes his entire life for protecting the throne of Hastinapura. He remains bachelor through out. His sacrifice is also supreme.

Nelson Mandela's sacrifice for South Africa’s freedom has no parallel at all. He spent decades of his life in prison. There isn’t a person past or present who has been nominated more times at Heroes for Humanity than Nobel Peace Prize winner Nelson Mandela. His enormous contributions to society are known throughout the world and the man and his life serve as a symbol to all. An activist since his early 20's, Mandela has spent his life fighting for the equality of all people. For more than 27 years he was imprisoned for his actions against the oppressive apartheid policies in South Africa. He used his prison time wisely and became a leader as well as a symbol against apartheid for those who suffered because of it. When he was released in February 1990, Mandela used his leadership skills to change the face of South Africa forever. It was in 1994 that Mandela became South Africa’s first black president.

Mandela’s sacrifice helped to bring a nation together and he has never wavered in his beliefs. During his presidency he made a great effort to ensure that all people of South Africa, no matter what their race, were treated equally.

At the age of 84, he is taking his activism even further as he fights the epidemic of AIDS in South Africa. Mandela is joining forces with artists from around the world to raise money and awareness of South Africa’s terrible plight.

Mandela lives his life by example and is an inspiration, in South Africa and throughout the world.They become living legends through their sacrifices. One need not go to forest to become a saint. Mahatma Gandhi lived among the masses and led a simple life. That is why he is called as a saint from Sabarmathi. He wore a few pieces of clothes over his body. He is the architect of Indian independence. He is known as the father of the nation and Mahatma. Mahatma means a great person. Through non-violent method he won independence to India. He was the first to use this unique method. He could have led the life of an opulent barrister instead he spent more than seven years in jail. More than once Gandhi used fasting to impress upon others the need to be nonviolent. He developed a method of direct social action based upon the principles courage, nonviolence and truth called Satyagraha. Ultimately assassinated and became a martyr.

A nation is built with the sacrifices of many people. A battle is won with sacrifice of many lives. Behind any great achievement or noble cause there is always definitely a sacrifice or sacrifices. Those who make sacrifices may die but their sacrifices keep them alive for ever. They are always remembered. They do not require any separate epitaph at all. They are calm in their grave. It is we who are perturbed. We are unable to decide who is the great, greater or the greatest. Memorials are generally built in recognition of one’s sacrifice. According to traditions of a country holidays are declared exclusively for remembering such great personalities.