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

 

Three basic needs of human beings

 

CHENNAI, OCT. 5. Even amongst persons considered as illumined and

possessing spiritual knowledge to guide laymen on the path of

religion, they may be found to be displaying three different

attitudes. Some of them will direct the attention of those, who

approach them, towards God, making them realise the Almighty's

qualities. They can be compared to a pious man suggesting to a

hungry person to go to the nearby plantain garden and telling him

about the possibility of obtaining fruits to meet his needs. The

second group may consist of enlightened leaders who can give them

initiation, making them totally attached to God. These wise men

are akin to those who go with the hungry person to the plantain

garden and show them the fruits, asking them to pluck and eat

them. The third class of divine creations are those who have

experienced the presence of God within, displaying total

detachment. They are like the helpers who not only lead the

hungry man to the garden but even pluck the plantain fruits and

make them consume the same.

 

A socio-religious leader, who could be termed a revolutionary,

advocated that no one in this country should go without food and

satisfying the hunger of a man without means, was a divine

obligation. He was Sri Ramalinga Swamigal (popularly known as

Vallalar). He has referred to three basic needs of every human

being. Firstly, man's hunger should be removed and the poor

should be fed as only such a step will give him satisfaction,

contentment and happiness. While this is in respect of caring for

the body, his mind should also be ``fed'' with knowledge for

which he should be provided with ``spiritual education''.

Thirdly, his soul should remain filled with divine thoughts for

which he has to cultivate the quality of compassion to every

creation of God. The saint has pointed out that one should shed

tears even if a crop withers without water.

 

In his lecture on the occasion of Vallalar's birthday, Sri M. K.

Ramanan said the saint had favoured the trilingual formula in the

educational curriculum consisting of Tamil, Sanskrit and English.

He also pleaded for adult education. It is necessary for everyone

to condition his mind and study lessons for soul edification.

Compassion, according to him, was the golden key to open the

doors of heaven. One among the miraculous incidents in his life

was a ``priest'' giving him food on a rainy night when he was

sleeping in the Tiruvotriyur temple. The visitor was none else

than God. On another occasion, he reached his house late and not

desiring to wake up his relatives, spent the night on the pial.

But his ``sister-in- law'' woke him and gave him food. The next

morning, everyone realised that the Goddess had attended on him

as his sister-in-law. Yet another miracle happened when he stayed

with a devotee, while writing his verses during the night with a

light. As time passed the oil was exhausted. Not aware of this,

he had been pouring water in the container and that served as the

``oil''. His work ``Thiruvarutpa'' focusses attention on service

to society. He was against meat-eating. He forcibly brought out

the concept of faultless earning and generous sharing.

 

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