Article sent from The Hindu on indiaserver.com

[Guest guest]

=============================================================

This article is emailed to you by Ram Chandran ( rchandran )

=============================================================

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

 

Law of Virtue ensures happiness

 

CHENNAI, MARCH 28. Can any human being claim to know anything of

his past life and about his future (in his next)? From where did

he arrive in this world and where will he proceed after his exit

from here? Can he count or recall as to the number of mothers who

had tended him? These are baffling questions for which direct and

specific answers cannot be easily given. But one thing is certain

that anyone, who adheres to Moral Law and upholds the religious

discipline prescribed in the scriptural texts, will have no re-

birth and even if he is born again, he will be surely rewarded.

He has to follow the code of conduct and the golden rules

governing a virtuous living when he can reach God's kingdom. When

he thus stands rooted in righteousness, he will remain

unperturbed when faced with problems and will be calm even in the

wake of receiving bouquets. Thus the Law of Virtue promises

happiness here and hereafter and an easy reach to the

destination.

 

Cultural treasures like the Vedas and subsequent religious works

based on them and classics left by saints like Thiruvalluvar,

Avvaiyar, Ramalinga Swamigal and Arunagirinathar are full of

guidelines to enjoy the presence of God and hence there is no

need for anyone to get distressed. The essence of messages of all

God's representatives is that ``If a man protects the Law of

Righteousness by practising what it has laid, it in turn will

surely afford protection to him''.

 

Scriptures as well as the couplets in the Thirukkural speak of

four surest objects as means to attain the goal of life, viz. to

attain divine status and enjoy eternal Bliss, said Sri M.K.

Ramanan in a lecture. ``Dharma'' among the four, is the greatest

wealth that one should acquire. ``Keep the mind free from evil

thoughts'' is the important instruction given by the Moral Law.

That is the aim of a religious life, which insists on avoidance

of envy, craving for pleasure, anger and harsh utterances. The

familiar statement that in olden days there was rainfall thrice a

month refers to the people who recited the divine hymns for whose

sake showers fall once, for the observance of rectitude, another

and for the ruler who was wedded to justice, the third.

Thirukkural enjoins a man to have self-control, guarding himself

against cupidity, pride and anger. The way to ensure that the

mind does not entertain base thoughts is to enshrine the Lord

therein. Appar explains how the mind, kept cleansed of all

impurities, is like a boat that can take us across the ocean of

life. A Saivite saint, by his devotion, made God sit in his mind

and even ``consecrated'' the ``temple''. God makes the hearts of

all virtuous souls His abode.

 

Copyrights: 2001 The Hindu & indiaserver.com, Inc.

 

Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly

prohibited without the consent of The Hindu & indiaserver.com, Inc.