36
மறைமலையம் -31
LDM MLDMWILI – 31
Then, the sections thirtythree and thirtyfour treat of the ascetic mode of living with which the latter part of the ancient Tamilians' life was occupied. It has been already pointed out that the Tamilian forefathers, even while they were rolling in riches and enjoying the pleasures of life to their heats content, never for an instant allowed themselves to lose sight of the momentous fact that their present happiness was due in a large measure to the virtuous deeds they did in their former births, and that, if their future lives also should be made enjoyable that could be achieved only by making the present life also virtuous in every respect so that it might contribute its moulding power to their future existence and render it progressively happy. Such constant application of their mind to a serius consideration of the indissoluble connection of their present state with their past and future states of life, naturally bred in them an aversion to implicating themselves continually in a material life which continually changes, and which, however carefully led, brings on painful experiences and cannot afford a permanent and unalloyed pleasure even to highly developed souls. And so, after making their life fruitful, and before old age was approaching to sap their vitality, they retired from the worldly life in time and set their mind and energy on freeing themselves from the whirlpool of births and deaths and putting an end to their gross and impure material existence. And in order to achieve this end, they thought recourse must be had to the perfect. Being who alone being beyond births and deaths can redeem them from the clutches of mortal life and set them in the realm of light and imperishable enjoyment.
Now, what characterizes the ascetic life of the ancient Tamils is that they never forsook their wives and children like the Buddhist monks, but lived with them and devoted with them their whole time to the contemplation of God, to His Divine service, and to the service of humanity. So long as they were serving their own purpose and the purpose of their kith and kin, their love was moving on the limited plane of self-interest; but now entering the ascetic life which aims at breaking down the barrier of self-interest and merging it in the disinterested universal love of God, they looked upon all
