Question

duty discipline and devotion essay

Answer 1

It is only the devotion that protects one from problems and accusations. Once upon a time the Pandya kingdom in Tamil Nadu reigned supreme. The Pandya king was very fond of horses. Once he sent his minister to buy horses. He gave him all the money and manpower required to procure the horses. The minister reached a village by name Perundurai. There he came across a holy man, Balayogeeswara. He did not want to waste that pleasant evening so joined the congregation and listened to the discourse of the holy man with rapt attention. He forgot himself as he listened to the discourse. He developed strong faith in that holy man. The minister forgot the task assigned to him by the king and spent days listening to the discourses and got immersed in the contemplation of God. One day he found a Siva temple in a dilapidated condition. He used the money given to him by the king for renovating the Siva temple. The king came to know that he minister had used all the money, given to him to buy horses, to renovate the Siva temple. The king was also a devoted man. But since the minister disobeyed his command he sent his soldiers to bring him back. The king summoned the minister to his presence and asked him what he had done with the money given to him for procuring horses. The minister said, "O king, I used the money for God. Everything is God's gift. What God had given, I gave it back to him. Not only that I have offered myself unto him." But the king asked, whether he was justified in spending the money for a different purpose other than for which it was intended. The minister replied that he did not use the money for worldly purposes, but used it for a sacred purpose. The king became furious at the minister's audacious reply, had him arrested and put in prison. The minister was unruffled. While in prison, he continued to recall the teachings of the holy man, Balayogeeswara, and started writing them down in the form of slokas. He composed many slokas every day. This work is known as Thiruvachakam, meaning sacred reading. He was immersed in bliss while composing hymns in praise of God and thus lost track of time. Later the king realized his mistake and summoned him. He was surprised to see the aura of radiance and brilliance around him.