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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