Page:The Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years Ago.djvu/159

Rh though it may serve your need,” said he, “to bestow alms is good even if there is no heaven.” “Dauntless valor is heroic, but far nobler than that is kindness to an unlucky being.” He described eloquently the charms of a happy home and exalted a faithful wife to the rank of a saint. “The pipe is sweet, the lute is sweet, say those who have not heard the prattle of their own children.” “The rain will fall at the bidding of her who serves no god but her husband.” He held up to scorn the life of those who seek the company of prostitutes “The false embrace of a harlot,” said he, “is like the clasping of a corpse in a dark room.” Among the different callings of mankind he preferred that of the husbandman. “Those who till the ground are truly happy, all others live by serving and following (the great).” He laughed at fatalists, and declared that greatness can be achieved by labor. “Those who toil with untiring energy will overcome even fate.”

“Be not faint-hearted fancying that a work is very difficult to accomplish. It is diligence that brings greatness.” He recommended learning to all and said that the life of the ignorant was not worth having. “The ignorant live, but are like the sterile ground that yieldeth nothing.” “Like beasts to men are the ignorant to the learned;” “The wise have all that they want, but the ignorant, though having all, are ever poor.” Being. a Nigrantha, he considered it the greatest virtue, not to take the life of any living thing, and spoke with contempt of the bloody sacrifices of the Brahmins. “Better is it to avoid the killing of one living being, than to pour ghee and perform a thousand sacrifices.” He believed in the existence of what is called Nemesis. “If thou dost evil to others in the forenoon, evil would befall thee in the afternoon.” “If thou dost love thyself truly, do not even think of evil deeds.” He warned the learned to live laborious days, not to be proud of their learning, to attempt nothing which will not lead to good, and to revere and obey the Supreme Intelligence which governs the Universe. “He that doth not court pleasure, can never feel pain.” “Never be proud of thyself: never attempt any work that will lead to no good.” “Alas! of what use is learning, if the learned worship not the blessed feet of Him who is all-knowing?”

A work of this kind had never before been written in any