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மறைமலையம் - 29
But I said that though they were no born vegetarians, they too were Saivites in so far as they followed the principles of Saiva religion and adopted the vegetarian mode of living, and that, therefore, they ought to be encouraged, so that other like them might also come up in the hope of mingling with a higher class people and lead a purer and a truer form of religious life. I added that, if their object of conducting such religious meetings were sincere, they should spread the beneficial, teachings of the Saiva religion not in brotherly love and affection towards each other as all are the children of a single Heavenly Father Lord Siva and by prompting those of them who are morally and intellectually stronger to uplift the weaker and make them their own, and that such merciful, tender and benevolent kind of service by drawing together the choice people from every class and community, would not only tend to increase the strength of the Saivite community but would also heighten the value of their service to humanity at large. To this the man curtly replied that it was not the custom to do so. Again, I argued with him at some length pointing out to him that what he called 'the custom' was not really so but the reverse of it was the true one as is evident in the lives of the Saints and Sages who founded and spread the Saiva religion. But unfortunately the man was not amenable to reason, since his false and arrongant notion of the superiority of his caste blinded his whole mental vision. Thereupon I made up my mind to dine rather with the excluded party than with such self-conceited Saivites. And accordingly I did dine with the forbidden brethren. But so much did this action of mine enrage the Saivite brethren that, on the next day, they forbade me entering their dining hall during meal-times. This put me on my mettle and I told them point blank that, as the way to my room lay through their dining - hall, I could not go but through it as usual; and said also that I should not take the meals cooked by their men under their supervision, since i thought the meals prepared in the midst of such inhuman people get themselves contaminated. On that day, the sitting of the Conference was to commence at 3 p.m. with me in the chair; it was nearly 2 p.m., still I had not touched my meals; having seen me persevering in my determination, all the Saivite members, except one or two, had the kindness to come to me and apologize for what the had done and expressed their willingness to
