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this 1s contained in the Purinas, and it 1s in consequence of the absence of this teaching, that people in this country win lead wicked lives are so destitute of fear. Virtue cannot be expected to{lourish amongst a people who do not regard it as a certainty that a Judge, who sees and knows
all things, will call them to account for their conduct.
ft is true indeed that there are many verses in the Kural, Niladivie and other ethical works in the Tamil languace which Hastrate the way of virtue, bat those works are not rezarded ax relizions works by Minds. They teach not the philosophy or the Vedas, or the way to obtain moksha, or final deliverance, but only the moral duties which are proper to this life. Hence persons who are desirous of obtaining heaven, or final deliverance, are accustomed to abandon both the Purinas and the Kural and apply themselves to the study of treatises on Nina or spivitual wisdom,” but those books also are found to afford no satisfaction to persons who have a longing after righteousness. Those books of“wisdom” throw scorn upon* the three things” treated of In the Kural, Virtue, wealth, and pleasure,” and teach that“it is in the renunciation of all these three that Heavenly Dliss consists.”(Avveyir) Thus they plainly teach that in order to obtain heavenly bliss it is neccessary to renounce virtue! To teach people to renounce virtue is surely a great sin. In the Nanaviisishtam, the Kaivalyanava-uitl and other VE&dantist books in Tamil, we do not tind a single word which enforces the duty of living vir. tuously. They assert on the contrary that both sin and virtue are delusions, which proceed from spiritual ignorance alone. Wherever such madness as this is accepted as “wisdom,” the persuasion that it is a duty to he virtuous must certainly perish down to the roots.