י גשג tיחfאז3}ס, TIIE RELIGION OF LOVE. o Lo religious scriptures of a truly civilized nation which was very well aware of the intimate connection between health on ono side and religion and morality on the other ; “Propor diet, proper amusement, proper exercise, proper work, proper sleep, proper wakefmlness, constitute tho woe-destroying austerity.” * There is a saying current among tho said Ilation that “health is the root of religion, wealth, fruition of desire and cternal salvation., and also another that ‘health of body is the primary condition of the excicise of religion.” 4. Health is mainly promoted by tempelance in eating and drinking, regard to the quality of the food taken, as adapted to the constitution of the individual, and the present state of his body, exercise in the open air, clothing adapted to the state of the weather, proper ventilation and proper supply of light, cleanliness which is next to godliness and forbearance from immoderate sexual intercourse though it be of a lawful character. One should guard the seed as the vestal virgin of old did the sacred fire, for on it depend health, checrsulness, decision and sixity of The immoderation the present false civilization to be treated of here purpose and character. above alluded to is a characteristic of after. The absence of such in moderation is called Brahmocharya in the II indu shastias and is highly recommended by them. 5. Among those things that constitute the woe-destroying austerity is proper diet. What is the proper diet of man, animal or vegetable, has been a question discussed by doctors from remote antiquity and has not yet been decided. When it has not been yet decided, a mixed dict should, for the present, be reckoned as the proper diet of man. But it has becn observed that that mixed diet in which flesh forms the predominating element, increases the inferior propensitios of man such as lust and anger, wherefore it is not suited to a religious life. That mixed diet in which vegetables and milk form the predominating element is therefore preferable to the other. 6. Cheerfulness of mind is the principal constituent of religion. There are some arti
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• Bhagavat Gita or the Song Celestial. ృ(సి
cles of food which promote it and others which destroy it, such as stille and indigestible food. Ah I little do religious men in general mark the connection between diet on one hand, and morality and religion on the other. 7. Temperance in eating and drinking include abstinence fi om the taking of alcoholic liquors in any shape, nay indeed, from the use of any intoxicating substance whatever, tobacco included. 8. And old Eng iish poetssays that health depends on the fol' : ...,g unings: “Great Temperance, open air, En sy labor, little care.” The the characteristics of Which are over-work, ᏣX• present material civilization cessive brain-labor, and an impatience which even the rollway cannot satisfy, is not therefore favorable to the preservation of health. 9. For the practice of religion, nens sama in corpore samo, or a healthy mind in a healthy body is essentially necessary, but the present civilization is not favorable to the attainment of health of body and of mind. 10. A certain “One of the inevitable effects of Reviewer t very ably remarks : cultivation (civilization) is to make men dissatisfied with poverty and deprivation, to stimulate the demands for the comforts of the attain. As society advances, new wants arise, life which mass of toilers can not the luxury of to-day becomes a necess. ary of life tomorrow ; and every want, though essential to man’s improvement and perfec(?) involves victims to suicide tion I) to VW and madness. The telegraph, the railway and the newspaper tell on the nerves of mankind and the weak break down, even the strong often perish from overwork. The struggle for life in civilized countries is becoming more and more the struggle of the intellect ; the brain is the weapon with whicu the fight is waged and when it breaks down, suicide often follows.” Certainly that civilization which promoteth the greatest of all crimes, suicide, is not true Material civilization. is not Religious and moral civili civilization. true civilization. zation, including material civilization and controlling the same, is true civilization. ഇ- ബം ബ: = ബ स्वं खञ्ज- ======ط - - -
- Sir Philip Sidney. # The Review of Reviews for May 1891
