Bageshwar Dham Sarkar
What is the difference between compassion (karuna) and pity (daya)?
Karuna flows by nature; daya needs a sight of pain
Daya (pity) arises when you see someone's pain, while karuna is a feeling within that wishes everyone's welfare and bursts forth by nature. Daya brings the feeling of being the doer, but karuna brings no such feeling.
Karuna means wanting the welfare of all, springing up by nature. Daya (pity) arises on seeing someone's sorrow and pain.