Those who have immense knowledge possess many things. Others who do not have much knowledge are poor whatever worldly possessions they own (Thirukkural). So as the spiritually wise people, what we must earn is knowledge, complete spiritual knowledge – that is wisdom. Such people get everything. There is no comparison to education. One who practises moral codes of conduct realises that the God is permanent entity and attains godhead. One who does not understand this truth is poor even if he possesses all kinds of wealth and comforts.
Again another poem from Thirukkural says: Whatever other people utter, the wise will see the truth in the statement “meipporul” (real object) means “thiruvadi ” (the noble feet). Moreover, it means that God is the only true, permanent entity. The God is present in the form of light in one’s eyes. His holy feet represent two eyes. Siddhars (spiritually wise people) used such esoteric language to express the universal truth about the means to realize God.
In fact, both “holy feet” and “true entity” refer to the same entity used by saints, to be deciphered by us. “Eyes” are referred to as “the wheel that does not cut” (vettaathe chakkaram), “unspoken holy words” (pesaadha manthiram) “peace and quiet” (maunam) and other encoded words. This is what one must understand; then he becomes a saint. A spiritual teacher is one who has understood this truth and teaches the message to his disciples.
Ramalinga Swamigal said: Now my wisdom takes me to various other zones of the Universe and even beyond them.
The earth we see belongs to the solar system. Likewise, there are so many huge planets belonging to various systems in the Universe, according to the saints. We cannot understand fully about the earth we live in because of our very much limited knowledge. We can realize various aspects of the vast universe, once we gain the supreme, complete wisdom. None but the holy path of wisdom (Jnana Margam) will help one to achieve complete wisdom.
Scientists have discovered that man uses only 5% of his potential capacity of the brain. The remaining 95% is dormant and unused. Some of the western scientists tried to perform an operation in the brain to activate the remaining unused part of brain. As they continued to search for a solution, they found that only Indian saints who have followed the path of wisdom can use the full potential of the human brain. No other way!
In order to realize the power of the path of wisdom, many foreigners have been visiting India. On the other hand, Indians are still sleeping without any awareness about the power of our noble path. There are so many self-realized saints here. Yet common people are intellectually and spiritually ignorant about this. It is because of the foolish beliefs of religious leaders who have deliberately hidden the great power of spirituality, saying that it is to be kept as a secret. People have been cheated. Let us come out of the ignorance and lead a life practising universal brotherhood of man and love and compassion towards all the living beings. As we practise this path, we become wise and lead noble immortal life.
We must hide the evil practices from the public but reveal what is good for them and teach them to lead a supreme life, become generous and make people broad-minded human beings.
However, the government paves the way for people to be led astray through manufacturing liquor and distributing it through retailers. The same government misguides people by advertising that “liquor is harmful to family, country and finally kills the users”. The government makes a lot of money by entering into retail business. This is the deadliest sin of all.
Moreover, the government has given licence to manufacture cigarettes. On the other hand, it punishes those who smoke in public places. The intention of the government seems that people must smoke at home and suffer from cancer and eventually die.
The rulers must put a ban on manufacturing these dangerous products. When you manufacture and sell such injurious products, where do you get guts to publicise slogans against those harmful products?
During the freedom struggle of India, the followers of Mahatma Gandhi protested against drinking “kallu” (an intoxicating juice from Palmyra or coconut trees) and closed the shops selling such injurious drinks. Those who came to power through atheistic principles, made the people mad after alcoholic drinks (“kudimakkal” were asked to “kudi makkale”). Eventually, the citizens were made alcoholics. These rulers paved the way for hell. To whom should I complain? Oh God ! save the people of this country and protect them.
The following is an incident happened in the life of Rama, the divine hero of the epic “The Ramayana”. Once Rama put an arrow on the mud. When he drew it out he saw a frog at the piercing end of his arrow. He asked the frog why it did not make an alarm when it saw the arrow coming down on it. The frog replied: whenever I was afflicted by any pain, I recited the holy name “Rama, Rama” and invoked him for help. Now whom will I ask for help as Rama himself is the cause of my suffering? As a human being Rama made this serious blunder unknowingly.
Kings and rulers represent the God. Citizens will take their problems only to the governing people. Now the government itself sells the liquor. It is a shameful state of affairs. Cigarettes and “Beedis” ( simple smoking products made of tobacco leaves) are available every nook and corner. What is a government for ? Is it the way to protect the people. Does the government act for the welfare of the people? Subramania Bharathiar sang: “My heart would burst when I think of the confused people of this country”. Only the divinity must look into it and solve this problem.
The situation becomes the worst when we witness the followers of Vallalar manufacture alcohol. How can we spread spirituality? What has happened to the wisdom of the people?
How many millions of people sacrificed their lives to get freedom from the Europeans who came to establish trade centres in India? Today government gives licences to foreign companies to start industries and manufacture goods. During the freedom struggle, Indians hated using foreign goods and set fire to clothes which were manufactured in foreign countries. Today everywhere in India, we see only foreign goods. Broadly speaking, world trade must be encouraged. It is not by using foreign goods to the detriment of Indian economy. What a pity!
Both the public and the rulers elected by the public have fallen into the evil ways instead of resorting to spiritualism. This is because of their uncontrollable greediness for wealth and luxurious life. Usually, the people who have accumulated enough amount of sin in the previous births, will easily fall prey to evil ways and wicked deeds. Human mind under such circumstances, will easily follow the evil ways shown by the government. The rulers are expected to show the right path, but they are guiding the citizens into an evil path.
Spiritualism, wisdom, justice and right code of conduct are completely absent in their minds. Oh God! only you can save the country.
Don’t think that I am diverting my thoughts from wisdom. The government has recommended evil ways to earn money to run the government. What is the use of that money, obtained by ruining the life of the citizens?
When the common man is guilty, he is imprisoned. What about the rulers who are committing grave sins to ruin the life of many citizens? Why are they not punished when they sell liquor to destroy the welfare of nation? There are so many confused decisions made by the rulers. If Tamil Nadu bans the business of lottery, people buy the lottery tickets sold by the neighbouring state where the business is run profitably. When the liquor is less expensive in the neighbouring state, people go there and buy the alcoholic drinks. So about cigarettes, intoxicating areca nuts, drugs etc. Rules and regulations differ from state to state and as a result, humans become animals by nature.
Man is suffering already because of the sins committed in the previous births. To make matters worse, the rulers instigate the people to practise all kinds of wicked deeds. This is just like an already drunk and disorderly monkey which is further confused and angered by a sting of a scorpion. People in our country are in the same situation and condition.
Only those who are wise lead spiritual life; others are made stupid idiots by the rulers and further they become more or less animals.
So many spiritual saints have showed us the right path to salvation from generation to generation. Try to understand their message and lead a noble life. Those who have understood such a noble path are wise and guide others in the noble path of salvation. It is important that all of us must become wise. We must understand our true nature.
Wisdom is knowing about all aspects of life. Can we learn about everything in a short span of life? Avvaiyar said, our knowledge is little and very much limited. She compared our knowledge to a handful of sand; while the knowledge yet to be gained is about the size of the earth.
Then can we realize God with our limited knowledge? Yes, it is possible. We should read and feel what is relevant as prescribed by our spiritual teachers. This is the succinct secret leading us to realize God.
Enlightenment depends on this secret. The ways and means are expressed as secret codes in thousands of songs. The quintessence of this knowledge is: the all-pervading, omniscient God (Paramatma) is present in human soul in the form of light in the eyes. One must learn about this truth from a spiritual teacher, understand it, think about it and realize the truth we gain from the knowledge. This is true wisdom. At this stage, man becomes a spiritual person with love and peace of mind.
Today people with many degrees from universities are considered knowledgeable persons. They can recite what they have committed to memory. Have they understood the meaning of what they have in their memory? Does he show affection towards others? One who leads a luxurious life is a peaceful person?
How can a man have knowledge when he is after power, false prestige and luxury?
There is a proverb in Tamil: one who has listened to the story must be corrected by beating him with a shoe. (kathai ketta naayai cheruppaal adi). The saying must be interpreted as follows: People listen to moral stories from the Ramayana, the Mahabharatha and other scriptures in the evening. The following day, they don’t practise what they have learnt the previous day instead, fall on the evil ways as usual. Those people can be corrected with “sandals”, which symbolically mean “the holy feet of God”. If they surrender to the feet of God, they can control their minds, and eventually will lead a happy and peaceful life.
Focusing one’s attention, will arrest unnecessary wanderings of human mind. We must see that the human mind should be made inactive as far as the worldly pleasures are concerned. This is possible when we allow our mind to be possessed by the feet of God. This is the subtle meaning of the mystical expression which must be explained by a “qualified” guru. Once my teacher was using the proverb; one who had been listening to my teacher, became furious and said: He called me a dog and said that I must be beaten with a shoe. I won’t meet you again. Infact, he was a learned person, but could not understand the subtle meaning of the adage. We can’t help it.
Many persons learn some tricks from their education and cheat others by various means. I met a student of engineering, who had failed many times and finally passed the examinations by hook or by crook. I asked him why he should take so much trouble to get an engineering degree. He coolly said that a qualified engineer would be given a lot of money as “dowry” by the bride’s parents ( as wedding gifts). Can we expect such persons to have any knowledge?
Many students study computer science in order to earn a lot of money. Generally people think of God when they encounter some suffering or trouble. They try to bribe God by offering some money or articles. Different kinds of gifts are offered.
It is a pity that they do not understand the significance of prayer. This is because they do not possess true knowledge. It is rare to see a person practising universal brotherhood of man. Tamil saying gives us this message, if you feed your neighbours’ children, your children will be taken care of. That is, God will take care of your children. When we give respect, in turn we get respect. Only when we seek God, He will come towards us at once.
Knowledge does not mean the worldly knowledge alone; it includes mainly the spiritual knowledge which is the most important for us. This knowledge alone will guide man to lead his life as a humanitarian.