FEAR OF EVIL DEEDS AND CONSEQUENCESMan’s natural
instincts play an important influencing role in determining the nature of his
actions and the motives behind such actions. But then,what these
factors are which contribute to man’s natural proclivities is hard to isolate and identify.The answer is perhaps that it is not just one single factor which is the sole cause but a combination of factors which act as the determinants of a man’s basic worldview and his natural instincts.Man could have control over some of these factors, provided he has the discerning eye and outlook to recognise them and identify those other factors which are believed to be beyond his control. For example, the subject of developmental psychology theorises that it is indeed possible to mould and shape a human being’s overall personality by consciously working towards proper evolution of his personality ever since the day he is born,but of course this will have to be done not just by the man but by all those around him till such time he is
able to take care of himself.It is possible that there could be certain other factors such as attitudes inherited from parents, which are genetic over which a man may not have control to completely eliminate from his psyche, though he may be able to superficially minimise the effects of, by constant effort. But even there,rationality is defied at times, in certain families, where siblings vastly differ in respect of their attitudes and values.Natural instincts, good or bad, would,to a great extent, lead others to label a man as being good or bad,judging by the actions, induced by his instincts.There are no two opinions that a man with bad instincts will not fight shy of committing evil actions without any remorse. In the chapter titled ‘Fear of evil deeds’,Thiruvalluvar discusses the nature of men with such bad instincts and the nature and
CONSEQUENCES of such of those actions.Thiruvalluvar says that there are men with abhorrent attitudes who would even take pride in performing evil deeds.Such men naturally would not
FEAR evil actions for they would also not be able to visualise the consequences.But men of excellence would always dread committing actions which would cause harm to others.It is inevitable that evil actions born out of evil
intentions would produce only devastating consequences to oneselves. So one should fear committing evil actions even more than he would fear approaching flame.According to Thiruvalluvar, the most virtuous quality could be described as that quality in a man who would not harm the interests of even his sworn enemy. Here,one should make an attempt to understand what it would take to develop such an attitude.Would it be only tolerance and kindness or any other such as an empathetical outlook and understanding others’emotions and sensibilities from their own view point..It could also be just that such a person has the capacity to dismiss with disdain any harm inflicted upon himself.In another of the verse,Valluvar says that even abject poverty is no justification for a man to harbour evil intentions towards others for his own aggrandisement,as perhaps acts done with an evil intention could not be expected to confer benefits upon the doer.One may be able to survive and lead a life of peaceful existence in some manner even though he may have intense enmity with others ,but one who has committed an evil act to others will never be able to bear with the consequences of enmity caused by his own evil actions to others.The one who would desire to be at peace with himself and loves himself, should not ever harbour evil intentions about others. Harbouring evil intentions would cause immense mental agony to oneselves in a rather unconscious manner and ruin his peace. Further,harbouring evil intentions would not allow a man to rest in peace,but would constantly propel him into resorting to inadvisable actions.In the last verse on the chapter, Thiruvalluvar says that it is possible to categorise one as a virtuous individual,he who has never strayed from the righteous path and has committed no action which could be described as a sin,in spite of the fact that he has not specifically involved himself in any virtuous act as well.
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