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INSPIRING STORIES
quired: “O sage, which Ashrama of life is betterGrahastha or Sannyasa?” The sage did not give any answer He simply kept quiet. He wanted to teach them the glory of Grahastha Ashrama by example. His wife was an ideal, chaste and devoted lady who would never disobey his orders, but would implicitly carry them out. Once Tiruvalluvar was taking cold rice in the morning. He said to her: “O Vasuki, the rice is very hot, bring a fan to cool it.” She was at the time drawing water from the dwell when he called her. She at once left the rope and ran to him with a fan to cool down the rice. She did not say to her husband: "How can cool rice be hot? Why do you want a fan now?” She simply obeyed his commands. The vessel that contained water was hanging half-way in the well fearful of her Pativrata Dharma Shakti. The aspirants noticed this strange phenomenon and the noble conduct of Vasuki, and were struck with amazement.
On another occasion Valluvar called his wife at 1 p.m. and said: “Bring a lamp immediately, O Vasuki. I am stitching a piece of cloth. I cannot see the eye of the needle. I cannot pass the thread properly.” She did not say: "It is broad daylight now. Why do you want a lamp? You can see the needle properly " But she implicitly obeyed his word. The aspirants were much inspired by the ideal life of sage Tiruvalluvar and the exalted conduct of his wife. They did not speak a word to the saint. They quietly
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