Can a Merciful God Punish?

திருநாவுக்கரசர் அருளிய தேவாரம் தலம் திருக்கயிலாயம் திருநேரிசை 4-ம் திருமுறை திருச்சிற்றம்பலம் கனக மா வயிரம் உந்து மாமணிக் கயிலை கண்டும் உனகனாய் அரக்கன் ஓடி எடுத்தலும் உமையாள் அஞ்ச அனகனாய் நின்ற ஈசன் ஊன்றலும் அலறி வீழ்ந்தான் மனகனாய் ஊன்றினானேல் மறித்து நோக்கு இல்லையன்றே. திருச்சிற்றம்பலம் thirunAvukkaracar aruLiya thEvAram thalam thirukkayilAyam thirun^Ericai 4th thirumuRai thirucciRRambalam kanaka mA vayiram un^thu mAmaNik kayilai kaNDum unaganAy arakkan ODi eDuththalum umaiyAL anyca anaganAy n^inRa Ican UnRalum alaRi vIzn^thAn managanAy UnRinAnEl maRiththu n^Okku illaiyanaRE. thirucciRRambalam Meaning: Even after seeing the golden, great diamond like, great gemlike (glorious) thirukkayilAyam, as an ignoble the demon when hastened and heaved, as the umA got frightened, the Master Who stood as blemishfree, when set (His toe), fell down screaming. Had He firmly kept, there would be no review of it. Notes: 1. When rAvaraNan put together all his strength to uproot the kailAs, the Lord slightly kept a finger down and the daemon crumbled and screamed so pathetically that he got the name rAvaNan. He later pleaded to God for forgiveness and got Its blessings too. If the God had kept the finger down firmly, the demon would have got destroyed on the spot and there would be nobody to even give a look of contradiction, forget questioning the Lord! Being the Almighty, It can do anything. But It does not. It rules by the justice and feeds only those justice that is appropriate and also in the appropriate time and fashion, and all above with the purpose to correct the soul only. It has never an intention of punishing the soul. (If not what is the point in calling It extremely merciful?) 2. kanakam - gold; unagan - mean fellow; anagan - unblemished; managanAy - man aganAy - with firm will.