455. After the Change in Babu's Outlook...

Sachidanandam had been inculcating good values in the mind of his son Babu, right from his childhood. He was particularly emphasizing that Babu should be affectionate and compassionate towards every one and that he should feel even the mild the pain of others, as he would feel his own.

The values he had inculcated made a deep impression in the mind of Babu much beyond the expectation of Sachidanandam and moulded Babu into a man filled with love and compassion. Sachidanandam felt proud of his son. He was also proud of his own efforts in sowing such values in his son's mind.

After completing his education, Babu took up a job, got married and settled down in life.

Babu told Sachidanandam, "Dad! I want to become a member of our caste association."

"What for? You have been leading a good life and helping others. This is more than what most of the people could do. Don't digress from your path" said Sachidanandam.

"Dad! My objective of becoming a member of our caste association is only to help people belonging to our caste. We are well off. Shouldn't other people belonging to our caste also come up in life? It is only to further their cause that I want to join our caste association and work for the welfare of people of our caste."

'Why did you divert your thinking from the noble intention 'everyone should be well off' to the narrow 'people of my caste should be well off''?' thought Sachidanandam. But he didn't pose this question to Babu, since it was clear to him that Babu was not likely to change his mind. He refrained from saying anything more on the subject.

After joining the caste association, Babu began to involve himself vigorously in the activities of the  association. During his conversations with his father, Babu often spoke disparagingly of the people belonging to another caste that was considered inimical to his caste.

"Babu! It is one thing to think of doing good to people of our caste. But, there is no need for you to adopt a hostile attitude towards people belonging to another caste" said Sachidanandam.

"When they are subverting the progress of people belonging to our caste, how can I refrain from considering them as our enemies?" countered Babu.

Sachidanandam felt sad that the qualities of love and compassion imbibed in the mind of Babu had been replaced by feelings of hatred and enmity, but he didn't know how to extricate Babu from the dangerous path he was treading.

A clash erupted between people belonging to Sachidanandam's caste and those belonging to the caste perceived to be hostile to them. A few people were killed on either side.

Since Babu had gone out when the clashes were taking place, Sachidanandam was worried. He was relieved when Babu returned home after a while.

For the next two days, Babu didn't leave the house. He was sitting at home, watching the news on TV about the cashes, the arrests that followed, the efforts made to resolve the problem etc.

Sachidanandam was surprised, but also relieved to find that Babu didn't make any outbursts against the people belonging to the other caste, blaming them for the violence. 'Perhaps, he has realized that a hostile attitude towards people belonging to another caste would only lead to consequences like violence, murders etc,' thought Sachidanandam.

After a couple of days, the police came to Schidanandam's house and arrested Babu.

They told Sachidanandam that during the early stages of the clashes, Babu had stabbed two people belonging to the other caste and then hidden in his house and that he was being arrested based on the statements issued by the persons who were stabbed by him.

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 46
Shunning the Company of Mean People

Verse 455 (in Tamil):

manam thUymai seyvinai thUymai iraNdum
inam thUymai thUvA varum.

Meaning:

The purity of mind and the purity of action are derived from the purity of the company you keep.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'maganidam oru mARRam' by the same author.)

Verse 455
Verse 454