Talk:The Hindu Values of Sportsmanship:Fairness
By Vishal Agarwal and The Hindu Society of Minnesota
Due to our birth we all have some in-born advantages and disadvantages that can lead to our victory or defeat in specific sports. There is a limit to which we can overcome them through practice and training. In general, in day-to-day life, affirmative actions aim to equalize these inequalities and this is fair. As illustrated in the story below from the Mahābhārata.
Ṛṣi Vyāsa Advocates for the Weaker Pāṇḍavas Ṛṣi Veda Vyāsa had convinced Duryodhana to turn back from the forest where the Pāṇḍavas were living. He decided to give good sense to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra. Vyāsa then narrated the following story to Dhṛtarāṣṭra:
"Long ago, Surabhī, who is the Mother of all cows and bulls on this earth, went to Indra in heaven. She wept in front of Indra saying, "King of Devas, look at that weak bull, my son below on the earth. He is pulling a plough with another son of mine, a stronger bull. A farmer is beating him with a stick, and twisting his tail because he is too weak to pull along with my stronger son." Indra said, "There are thousands of sons of yours who are pulling carts and ploughs for different people on the earth. Then why do you cry only for that weak son?"" The Mother Cow Kāmadhenu replied, “My Bhagavān, I know that my stronger sons will be able to do their work without any pain. They can take care of themselves. You are correct that they are all my own children. But the heart of the mother always weeps, and gets filled with love for her weakest children. And this is the reason why I cry for that weak bull.”
Ṛṣi Veda Vyāsa then said to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, “King, Mother Kāmadhenu had a special love for that weak bull, even though all the cows and bulls on this earth are her children. After King Paṇḍu died, you are father not only of the Kauravas, but also of the Pāṇḍavas. The Kauravas are one hundred, the Pāṇḍavas were only five in number. The Kauravas were already enjoying living in the Kingdom since their birth, whereas the Pāṇḍavas suffered a lot in their childhood. Even now, because of your partiality, the Pāṇḍavas are roaming like beggars in a forest. Their clothes are torn, and they have barely enough to eat. And yet, you still love only the powerful and rich Kauravas as your sons. Why does not your heart melt at the suffering of the Pāṇḍavas? Don’t you have any compassion in your heart? Where is your sense of justice?”
Discussion: We have separate Olympic competitions for the able-bodied versus the specially abled; and also for men and women. In the ongoing 2024 Paris Olympics, there has been some controversy over transgender participation in sport events to compete with athletes with a different biological gender. What are your thoughts on this?