Former Attorney General and Senior Advocate K Parasaran played a stellar role in shaping modern India's legal destiny through his unparalleled dedication to legal profession and unimpeachable integrity, Supreme Court Justice Vikram Nath said on Saturday.

He recounted that Parasaran entered the legal profession at a time when free India was young and defining its Constitutional identity.

“For 75 years, he (Parasaran) has walked alongside the republic, shaping its legal destiny. From the very beginning of his career at the Madras Bar, he was known for two qualities that would come to define his life’s work. One, unparalleled preparation and second, unimpeachable integrity.”

Justice Nath was among those who joined in celebrating Parasaran’s platinum jubilee as a lawyer and golden jubilee as a Senior Advocate.

While speaking at the event organised in Chennai today by the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, Justice Nath said that Parasaran's life is nothing short of a modern Ramayana, and that he embodies the timeless lesson imparted by the epic that one's duty shapes destiny.

He opined that the Ramayana is not just a tale about good winning over evil.

"According to me, the Ramayan is far more profound. It teaches us that the performance of one’s individual duty is the surest road to the collective good, to the moral salvation of the society itself. Every character in that epic is defined not by destiny, but by duty… Perhaps, even in the so–called villain, Ravan, we see an unwavering sense of duty to his kingdom, sister and to his pride. The epic is not a tale of conflict alone; it is a timeless lesson in how duty shapes destiny," he said.

The Supreme Court judge went on to remark that Senior Advocate Parasaran is a living embodiment of this idea that one must always show devotion to one's duty.

"In our time, Sri  Parasaran ji’s life and career stand as a living embodiment of that very idea. His journey in the legal profession is nothing short of a modern Ramayan, of Dharma, of unwavering devotion to the duties of his calling, the duties to the court, to the client, and above all, the truth," Justice Nath said.

He noted that it is for similar reasons that Parasaran is often likened to Bhishma of the Mahabharata.

“Like Bhishma, he (Parasaran) has lived a life guided by Dharma, wisdom and selfless service. He never needed to raise his voice; the strength of his reason, compelled the court to listen. He never sought personal glory. His humility illuminated the courtroom he entered. He never treated the law as a mere profession. For him, it was a sacred calling, a pursuit of justice and service to society," the judge added.

Justice Nath also recounted how the senior lawyer is known for entering court halls with handwritten notes prepared with the diligence of a first-year law student, and how no case was too small for him and how no preparation too much.

"Juniors recounted that he treated them not as assistants but as fellow students of law, patiently explaining every point as though he was sharing a treasure. That humility is what sets him apart," Justice Nath said.

The judge urged all to draw inspiration from Parasaran's devotion to duty, by referring to a quote from the Bhagvad Gita which spoke about how the world would endure only so long as each individual performs his duty.

“The same holds true for the legal system. The justice system functions as a living organism. Lawyers, judges and litigants are all its vital organs, each performing a sacred duty towards the ultimate end of justice. Sri Parasaran ji’s life is a living testament to this philosophy. For him, advocacy was not a profession, but a Dharm; a solemn act of service to the truth," Justice Nath added.

The judge also expressed appreciation for the passion with which Parasaran approached the Ayodhya case, adding a caveat that he is not commenting on the judgment itself.

“If one cannot feel the weight of a case in one’s heart, it is unlikely that one will truly rejoice when the court delivers a favourable judgment. I do not intend to comment on the judgment itself, but to understand and appreciate the legacy of Sri Parasaran ji, one must recall what he stood for in that defining moment. It is advised that a lawyer must not get attached to his brief. I respectfully disagree. If you are not passionate about the cause you espouse, how can you persuade an impartial jury that there is merit in it? The law is not black and white. It breathes in the grey, what we call the penumbra – where the true duty of the judiciary begins to interpret, illuminate and do justice. To work through that grey, the advocate himself must first believe in his cause. The first forum of persuasion is the lawyer’s own conscience,” Justice Nath said.

In his response, Senior Advocate K Parasaran too spoke about the need for all to answer one's conscience and carry out one's duties.

“If all of us perform our duties well, no one’s rights would be affected. But all problem arises when we fail in our duties. Do your duty well; there, all the honour lies," he said.

He spoke of how High Courts are not "subordinate" to the Supreme Court and how all judges are part of a family involved in the administration of justice. He recounted the deep impact his father's advice had on him - to always carry out one's duty.

He urged lawyers to ensure that the dignity of the court is maintained at all times.

"We must maintain the highest dignity of the court. It is the institution of god or the temple of divinity. When you enter the court hall, bear in mind, you are entering the abode of the god of divinity ... When you are addressing a court, you must only see a judge and nothing else. And when you argue before a court, how learned a lawyer you must be, you please argue with a presumption that the one sitting there (the judge) knows more than what you know ... Most important thing ... never be aggressive when answering a judge," he said.

He also briefly commented on the hefty fees that some senior lawyers tend to charge. He recounted a former Chief Justice's lament that Senior Advocates nowadays charge "a king’s ransom."

He noted that senior lawyers may have to incur various expenses, such as employing juniors, buying books and building libraries.

However, he urged them to charge only what is needed and required for their daily expenses.

Others who spoke at the event included Madras High Court Chief Justice MM Shrivastava and Justices MS Ramesh and R Suresh Kumar.

Chief Justice Shrivastava spoke of the lessons he learnt by observing Parasaran, including the need to be well-prepared for cases and to maintain composure. He also observed that what makes a man great is not a flamboyant legal practice but being a good human being.

Justice Ramesh lauded Parasaran as being a moral compass who showed that the true greatness lay not only in mastery of law but in humility, character and an unwavering commitment to justice.

Justice Kumar recounted watching Parasaran argue, when he (Justice Kumar) was a young lawyer.

"Instead of being a mere argument of a counsel, it would be a complete demonstration of his legal acumen and brilliance," Justice Kumar remarked.

In opening remarks, Senior Advocate and Vice-Chairman of the Bar Council of India S Prabakaran observed that Parasaran was not just a jurist but a father figure in the legal profession.

Additional Solicitor General of India AR L Sundaresan observed that Parasaran had contributed significantly to the evolution of India's laws.

Advocate General PS Raman while recounting Parasaran's work in the Ayodhya case, said,

"That fire in the belly is what every one of us here should strive for, and if we are able to get just a small spark of that fire, we shall all feel greatly blessed."

Supreme Court judges Justices MM Sundresh, R Mahadevan, PS Narasimha and KV Viswanathan and Attorney General for India R Venkataramani also spoke at the event.