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Source: The Hindu (http://www.the-hindu.com)

 

Four categories of human beings

 

CHENNAI, FEB. 20. Saintly men have broadly classified human

beings into four groups. The aim of the life of those in the

first category of persons is to enjoy good food and make merry.

Whatever they earn, they will spend it on the upkeep of their

body not realising that it has to perish, if not immediately but

at some time. Their life can be compared to a top which rotates

on its axis.

 

In the second group are those whose existence can be likened to

the bull of an oilmonger. It is yoked and is made to go round and

round with its eyes covered. In the evening, it feels it has

travelled a long distance but when the blinkers are removed, it

finds itself in the oilmonger's house. Similarly a householder's

eyes are covered but he is busy indulging in worldly activities

and works only to meet the daily needs of his kith and kin. But

when the wheel of attachment is uncovered, he finds himself

caught in the cycle of rebirths to escape from which he was

caused to take human life.

 

The third category of men who are leaders of the public is

likened to race horses. Millions go to races, win or lose money

and animals too earn. They have good stables, servants to groom

them and doctors to attend on them. But still they are not equal

to human beings. Similarly millions go to cheer their leaders,

listen their speeches and even give them purses. The leaders

thrive with enormous comforts, at the expense of those who have

contributed to their success but they have to proceed only on

specified fields like the horses which are allotted specified

tracks. They may turn wicked and ungrateful.

 

In the fourth classification fall prophets, saints and spiritual

guides who have been sent by God only to attend to the welfare of

the society, said Sri Musafir Anand in a lecture. The knowledge

that they provide and the path to eternity they show are

available for the entire mankind. They will teach ways to obtain

peace and salvation. Their message of Truth is common to

everyone.

 

The benefit of equipping oneself with spiritual knowledge,

avoiding desires and resorting to devotional exercises like

meditation and reciting God's names are available only to the

human being who has before him two staircases, one leading to

heaven by doing good acts and the other to hell, by indulging in

wicked deeds. A devotee of God should know that the soul resides

in all His creations, though generally people discriminate

between man and man. A saint is one who understands the real

nature of the soul. In a pure heart, God takes His seat and hence

man should purify it by devotion and meditation.

 

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