'Mental worry is more devastating ...': Supreme Court quotes Sanskrit shloka while allowing passive euthanasia

NEW DELHI: "You are not giving up on your son. You are allowing him to leave with dignity. It reflects the depth of your selfless love and devotion towards him," Supreme Court told the parents, sharing their emotions on allowing passive euthanasia of their 32-year old son Harish Rana.

A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and K V Viswanathan deeply appreciated the effort of the parents in taking care of their son for the last thirteen years and said its order would end the suffering of Harish. It said it is not as if their agony will be entirely wiped away by its order but the distress that they experience due to what Harish is undergoing will at least be over.

Quoting an ancient Sanskrit shloka, Justice Viswanathan said: ‘Between the funeral fire and the mental worry, it is the mental worry which is more devastating. While the funeral fire burns only the dead body, the mental worry burns the living one.'

"..a mention needs to be made of the love and affection by which the parents and the siblings have nursed Harish for the last more than 12 years. Harish has been in a vegetative state but the parents and siblings have left no stone unturned in ensuring best treatment for Harish. It is only when the matter reached a point of no return, that to relieve Harish from what he is undergoing they have resorted to this legal course of action. One can only imagine the agony they would have undergone during this period," Justice Viswanathan said .

"To Harish's family, we want to acknowledge the deep emotional weight this decision carries. This decision can feel like an act of surrender, but we believe it is, in truth, an act of profound compassion and courage," Justice Pardiwala noted in his verdict..

"Our decision today does not neatly fit within logic and reason alone. It sits in a space between love, loss, medicine and mercy. This decision is not about choosing death, but is rather one of not artificially prolonging life. It is the decision to withdraw life sustaining treatment when that treatment no longer heals, restores, or meaningfully improves life. It is allowing nature to take its course when medicine can only delay the inevitable because survival is not always the same as living," he said.