9. The Head That Won't Bow to God!

He was a person who came up by his own efforts. He had been proud of this fact. 

He didn't believe in God.

"What did God do? I underwent education. I worked hard. I thought, planned and did things in a systematic way. Whenever I encountered problems, I remained unfazed and took steps to resolve them. I didn't seek God's help. I don't know whether there is a God. I don't find any need to worship him" he would say.

He got married. His wife had faith in God. He didn't question her faith.

After many years of marriage, his wife posed this question to him: "We have five sense organs. Can you tell me what purposes they serve?"

"You are asking me a question a school teacher would ask of his student! Okay, let me see whether I remember what I studied in the school. Eyes - make us see; Ears - make us hear; Tongue - makes us experience taste; Nose - Makes us smell; Skin - makes us feel the touch."

"Fine. What do we have our heads for?"

"You are asking something that is obvious! The purpose of the head is to house the brain and to act as a cover above the face to protect the body by preventing moisture, dust etc. from falling into the body from above!"

"The head has an even more important function. It is it to bow to God!" said his wife.

"Oh! You are just back from the temple. Did you hear this in some discourse in the temple?"

"Not exactly. I met a person in the temple. He has a son, whose five senses have been dysfunctional from the time of his birth. His eyes appear to be open but they can't see anything. His tongue cannot recognize any taste. Whatever food is given to him, he will swallow it without sensing any taste. His nose can't smell anything. He can't distinguish between the fragrance of a flower and the stink of the gutter. He can't hear anything. His body can't experience any sensation. If he is hurt, he can't feel any pain. He is virtually like a dead body that still has some life in it."

"Very pathetic, indeed. It is cruel that the boy has the five organs but they are dysfunctional. But, what is the connection between this and your theory that the main purpose of the head is to bow to God?"

"I remembered a verse from the Tamil classic ThirukkuRaL."

"Which verse?"

"In this verse, the poet ThiruvaLLuvar says that the head that won't bow to God is like a sense organ that is dysfunctional."

"ThiruvaLLuvar is a believer. It is only natural for him to say so. If I ever become a believer, I may also accept this view."

"I have the faith that some day you will develop the faith in the existence of God."

ThirukkuRaL
Section I - The Path of Virtue

Chapter 1

In Praise of God

Verse 9 (inTamil)
kOLil poRiyin guNamilavE eNguNaththAn
thALai vaNangAth thalai

Meaning:
The head that won't bow to the God of eight traits is useless, just as an organ that can't function is.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'vaNangAtha thalai' by the same author)

Verse 10

Verse 8