One of the things that most philosophers go gaga about is this weird beast called self-control. AND the way they go on and on about this would make you feel that you have been given a self ONLY in order for it to be controlled.
Possibly true that. I mean, unless there is a huge design flaw (which is also likely), this thing of making all delicious things unhealthy and all healthy things yucky IS, shall we say, insane unless it has been done specifically for the purpose of ensuring that you get an opportunity for this self-control gig. I mean, I am yet to come across anyone who believably says that he salivates at the thought of broccoli and gags at the smells from a bakery or chaatwallah. What sort of design is that, pray, when that green muck is supposed to be healthy and these yummy delights are a strict no-no? Unless, as I said before, someone was trying to ensure that you had ample need for exercising self-control.
Well, then, Tiru proves no exception as a philosopher. He has this to say
Orumaiyul aamai pol aindhadakkal aatrin ezhumayum yemaappudaitthu - Tirukkural
If, like the tortoise which pulls in its limbs and head into its shell, you control your five senses in one life, you shall be protected for seven births - Loose translation
So there. You need to control your sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell throughout life. When Tiru says 'control' what he means is that that your senses are what lead you to temptation and, therefore, you need to either avoid seeing, hearing, touching, smelling or tasting things that can tempt you; OR control your mind from being tempted by what the five senses feed to it. In other words, either avoid the smell of bakeries OR avoid being tempted into trying out those luscious goodies OR both.
Now, this control over your senses and your mind, if you can achieve it over your whole lifetime - or what remains of it - IS what molds your character. You may not carry across births the weight that you put on by giving in to every culinary attraction; but that weakness of character which does not allow you to control yourself WILL carry over. So, this seven-birth protective charm may not be (or may nor JUST be) the karma but also the strength of character that you develop by such self-control. E.O.D Atman meets Paramatman only when it becomes closer in nature to the latter; and it is tough to see Paramatman as a slave to its tongue...no matter how we like to portray and see Ganesha and Krishna. (AND, perhaps, it IS that modak-eating OR butter-guzzling nature, which is given to them, that endears them to us. It makes them seem more human and, thus, more approachable!)
(Oh, yeah, I AM aware that there are other temptation from the other senses as well. The problem is that most such seem to be troll-magnets and, therefore, I'm sticking safely to food. Though, yes, these days one can attract trolls by any culinary ism which is why I avoid the whole lot of them in my post.)
Now, you see, where the problem lies, right? Bingo! It is the belief in these seven births that creates the need for self-control! If you just abandon the belief, if you think that this is your only birth, there you are, free to do what you want.
Alas, not really! THIS birth, generally, happens to be one of the seven when these chaps like Tiru say 'Seven births'. So, if you really want to be protected from trouble even in the current life...
...your five senses need to be under control. Drat!
