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Source: The Hindu (http://www.hinduonnet.com)

 

Three types of behaviour of human beings

 

CHENNAI, SEPT. 6. The behaviour of a human being, based on his

intellectual equipment, may broadly fall into three types. Some

will discharge their obligations and carry out their duties as

well as orders even without being told or goaded, voluntarily,

unhesitatingly and willingly. There are some who will do a work

only when requested or commanded or compelled. The third category

of ordinary people will be inactive who will neither work on

their own accord nor when forced. A divine poetess compares the

three groups to three varieties of trees - the jack which yields

fruits even without flowering; the mango which flowers in

profusion and also bears a lot of fruits; the ``trumpet''

(Paadiri) which only flowers but gives nothing and is of no

benefit.

 

This distinguished messenger of God has left many morals in

simple Tamil which can be followed even by a growing child. Great

truths and directives are embedded in her aphorisms and in her

indelible poems. Since God had sent her with a mission, she

shunned entanglement in domestic chores even while young and

since she felt she would be compelled to marry, she made a very

strange plea to God viz., to grant her an aged woman's look. The

request having been acceded to by God, she, as a respected old

woman, went round singing God's praise, advising people and

bringing about peace among warring sections. This was the famed

``Avvaiyar'' whose poems convey great thoughts. One of them

refers to the ``atomic'' form of the Almighty and how His

presence can be experienced within one's heart as He presents

Himself like the sweetness (not to be seen but tasted) in sugar.

Her personal deities were Ganesa and Subramania.

 

The replies Avvaiyar gave when Lord Subramania, assuming the role

of a shepherd, raised four important questions relating to human

life are relevant even today. Explaining the same in a lecture,

Sri M. K. Ramanan said the Lord asked her which is the worst

inimical factor that should be dreaded. She replied ``poverty'',

that too in one's young days. ``What constitutes happiness'' was

the next to which the answer was ``to remain aloof and meditate

and whenever opportunities arise, associate oneself with pious

people''. ``What is the biggest asset in the world'' was the

third question to which she referred to the company of saints and

sincere devotees. To the final query as to which is rare,

Avvaiyar said ``to be born as a human being is the greatest gift

of God, that too without any physical deformity, capable of

acquiring spiritual knowledge and engaging in divine service''.

 

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