love as we understand it...

love as we understand it...

Love is not related to reason, but is a twin brother of emotion.. And human mind is so muddled that a huge bundle of emotions and attitudes including prejudices, selfishness, desires of carnal nature and many such things are mixed with what is called love.. 

The opening portion of Devi Mahatyam is an eye opener..

A king named Suratha, driven away from his kingdom by his enemies, takes shelter in the hermitage of a Rishi called Medhas.. 

In a conversation with the sage, the King says that the attachment to one's family, wealth and even the objects of enjoyment which used to be his, binds him too much and human being with superior knowledge and instincts act the same way as the birds and animals with not so much of such knowledge..

The sage replies that all living beings have been provided with sufficient intelligence and survival modes, and humans are not much better..

The sage further says that when a bird is just coming out of its eggshells and is crying for food, the mother bird collects food in her own mouth without swallowing even though it is very hungry, but passes the food to the chick.. without any expectation.. and when the chick is grown enough to fend for itself, just drives it away, never expecting anything from it..

But human being usually love others with many strings attached and many expectations implied.. 

Usually we love others taking into account the benefits we might derive from them in the present or in the future..