A scene plays out often in my mind these days. It’s from the movie Ashoka. I have mentioned in this blog before that I am not a member of SRK’s fan club. One look at his Samrat Ashoka getup and I wisely stayed away from the movie theatres screening it. But sometime later I chanced on the movie’s end on one TV channel. And it’s that scene that has been playing itself out in front of my mind’s eyes.

Ashoka is sitting with the dead body of the young prince clutched in his arms – unable to accept the reality that greed can be ruthless enough to extinguish a life so young and so innocent, the enormity of the war and his hand in bringing about so much death and destruction finally dawning upon him. Then you see a small group of Budhhist monks (Bhikkus) slowly making their way across the battlefield - their very appearance preaching peace and forgiveness. It’s the moment of truth for Ashoka and the moment that changes his life, forever.

Today as I see violence and destruction claiming the lives of the innocent I wonder when the moment of truth will arrive for those who don’t hold human life in very high esteem. I hope and pray that it’s soon.