Thirukkural with stories

Thiruvalluvar’s first chapter deals with civil and social values. He extols hardwork, objective knowledge, kindness, and patience. He upholds moral codes as the highest virtue. Thirukkural is a cultural legacy of an agrarian society upholding the virtues of a farmer’s life and the system of family. His ideologies represent a civilization that gave importance to family traditions and social networking with an emphasis on relationships.

An ordered life needs a centre. It needs a higher phenomenon. Thiruvalluvar places God as the highest power in front the people. The society needs a faith. Only then it can operate the social system. The poet does not mention any particular religious God. Instead, he projects the concept of God. This makes Thirukkual universal as it can be fitted into any religious system. 

Religious faith becomes essential to lead a peaceful and successful life. Training the mind to surrender the human will to God is the aim of humanity. Once we acquire complete faith in God, we learn to approach life with composure. We keep tension and stress outside our lives. We can continue to tackle the challenges of life with more equanimity.

 

 

 

1.

அகர முதல எழுத்தெல்லாம் ஆதி
பகவன் முதற்றே உலகு.

Agara mudala eluthellaam aadi

Bagawan muthatre ulagu.

                                                               

எழுத்துக்கள் எல்லாம் அகரத்தை அடிப்படையாக கொண்டிருக்கின்றன. அதுபோல உலகம் கடவுளை அடிப்படையாக கொண்டிருக்கிறது.

Most of the languages have the sound ‘a’ as their first sound. Sounds precede letters. Similarly the world has God as its primary concept. Every civilization that has sprung up in the world has insisted on a God for worship. Religions have been born to create a platform for worship. Scriptures have been written to help people pray.

                                                                                                        

2.

கற்றதனால் ஆய பயனென்கொல் வாலறிவன்
நற்றாள் தொழாஅர் எனின்.

தூய அறிவு வடிவாக விளங்கும் இறைவனுடைய நல்ல திருவடிகளை தொழாமல் இருப்பாரானால், அவர் கற்ற கல்வியினால் ஆகிய பயன் என்ன?

Even if a man is highly educated, if he does not believe in God his education is wasted. Faith in God gives him the sensitivity to respect other human beings and kindness. A man who cannot pray to God cannot understand fellow human beings. It does not give him the much needed focus to do things effectively and calmly.

3.

Keep the Lord in your heart

And be a part of eternity.

மலர்மிசை ஏகினான் மாணடி சேர்ந்தார்
நிலமிசை நீடுவாழ் வார்.

அன்பரின் அகமாகிய மலரில் வீற்றிருக்கும் கடவுளின் சிறந்த திருவடிகளை பொருந்தி நினைக்கின்றவர், இன்ப உலகில் நிலைத்து வாழ்வார்.

We have to keep God in our heart. It gives us concentration and focus. Our minds normally are caught in various emotions and thoughts. These thoughts take away our energy and bring down our efficiency. If we practice thinking of God in our minds, it helps us to acquire a high level of concentration. Also, it gives us calmness and thus paves way for good health.

4.

Detached heart has no troubles

As it thinks of God always.

வேண்டுதல் வேண்டாமை இலானடி சேர்ந்தார்க்கு
யாண்டும் இடும்பை இல.

விருப்பு வெறுப்பு இல்லாத கடவுளின் திருவடிகளை பொருந்தி நினைக்கின்றவர்க்கு எப்போதும் எவ்விடத்திலும் துன்பம் இல்லை.

God is a concept. He does not have any qualities. He has no region or personal qualities. A man who learns to think of God acquires these qualtities too. He becomes detached from the bondage of emotions and thoughts. He gets the ability to look at the big picture as he positions himself away enough to get a clear picture of things around him.

5.

Keep the Lord in heart

Be beyond good and evil.

இருள்சேர் இருவினையும் சேரா இறைவன்
பொருள்சேர் புகழ்புரிந்தார் மாட்டு.

கடவுளின் உண்மைப் புகழை விரும்பி அன்பு செலுத்துகின்றவரிடம் அறியாமையால் விளையும் இருவகை வினையும் சேர்வதில்லை.

We are generally caught in the results of our actions. We think certain actions are good, but in the long run we realise these ‘good’ actions bring bad results. That is why Indian philosophy does not always trust in ‘good’ as something right. We may mean well, still our actions can bring bad results. Such situations are common in all our lives. How do we keep ourselves out of these results of actions? The only way is to think of God and surrender our actions and their results to Him.

6.

Praying, controlling senses

Will result in long life.

பொறிவாயில் ஐந்தவித்தான் பொய்தீர் ஒழுக்க
நெறிநின்றார் நீடுவாழ் வார்.

ஐம்பொறி வாயிலாக பிறக்கும் வேட்கைகளை அவித்த இறைவனுடைய பொய்யற்ற ஒழுக்க நெறியில் நின்றவர், நிலை பெற்ற நல்வாழ்க்கை வாழ்வர்.

Controlling senses is the most important aspect of Indian intellectual training. God is personified as a great scholar who has mastered his five senses. We have kept the model of a God who has controlled his body, ears, eyes, mouth, and nose. If we live with this ideology, we acquire a calm and composed attitude that paves the way for longitude.

7.

It is hard to be at ease

If God doesn't live in you

தனக்குவமை இல்லாதான் தாள்சேர்ந்தார்க் கல்லால்
மனக்கவலை மாற்றல் அரிது.

தனக்கு ஒப்புமை இல்லாத தலைவனுடைய திருவடிகளைப் பொருந்தி நினைக்கின்றவர் அல்லாமல், மற்றவர்க்கு மனக்கவலையை மாற்ற முடியாது.

Unless we worship God ion our mind, we feel we are carrying the burden of life on our shoulders. How do we meet the problems of our life? Our short life on this earth has to face a lot of issues on its way. Can we get upset for every little problem? Nervousness and depression and anger may not help us solve issues. We need to be rational and calm to find solutions. Faith in God and surrendering our will to God will help us become calm to see and understand the situations better.

8.

Worship the feet of the Lord

Swim across life's problems.

அறவாழி அந்தணன் தாள்சேர்ந்தார்க் கல்லால்
பிறவாழி நீந்தல் அரிது.

அறக்கடலாக விளங்கும் கடவுளின் திருவடிகளைப் பொருந்தி நினைக்கின்றவர் அல்லாமல், மற்றவர் பொருளும் இன்பமுமாகிய மற்ற கடல்களைக் கடக்க முடியாது.

Indian mind has created the metaphor of the sea to refer to the difficulties of life. Life is difficult ofr all of us. We need to have certain skills to sail across comfortably. Surrendering ourselves to God is one such spiritual skill that helps us handle the issues of life easily.

9.

Heads not bowing to God

Lose sensory perception.

கோளில் பொறியின் குணமிலவே எண்குணத்தான்
தாளை வணங்காத் தலை.

கேட்காதசெவி, பார்க்காத கண் போன்ற எண் குணங்களை உடைய கடவுளின் திருவடிகளை வணங்காதவரின் தலைகள் பயனற்றவைகளாம்.

Thinking of God makes one more alert. It gives him a fine perception of life. What is a fine perception? It is the ability to see more and nderstand more by keeping oneself away. It is like having a better view of a hill when we stand away from it. God does not bow down to human perceptions. He has no good or evil. For him everyone is the same. We have to move in this direction of thinking to get calmness. If we believe in the evil of some one, it means we secretly blame that person for our failures. God does not have such limitations. So, we have to bow down to this great entity called God who is limitless.

10.

Only the blessings of God

Take you across seas of troubles.

பிறவிப் பெருங்கடல் நீந்துவர் நீந்தார்
இறைவன் அடிசேரா தார்.

இறைவனுடைய திருவடிகளை பொருந்தி நினைக்கின்றவர் பிறவியாகிய பெரிய கடலைக் கடக்க முடியும். மற்றவர் கடக்க முடியாது.

This life is full of challenges. Thinking of God always will help us tackle these challenges well.

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Thiruvalluvar insists on keeping God in the mind always. To lead a meaningful life, to achive great things in life, we have to learn to rest our emotions and thoughts on a higher concept than the actual issue. If you are going to write an examination, and if you keep thinking about it again and again, you might become nervous at a point. Focusing on God and praying might help you avoid this nervousness.

Mahatma Gandhi began his life as a highly nervous man. He couldn’t even argue a case in the court in Gujarat. Gandhi spent years focusing his mind in prayer and that gave him the charisma to win over the hearts of a sub-continent that belonged to two races and spoke a variety of languages. Prayer helped him to train his emotions and thoughts; he was able to operate his senses; he managed to acquire a personality that did not recognize any thing as evil; everyone was his friend; he became detached from the results of his actions as he left the results to God.

In 1920, Gandhi came back to India as an internationally well-known leader. The youngman who left India earlier in shame because he couldn’t argue a case, now returned as a powerful leader with a huge following. He could go to places where no one understood Hindi or English or Gujarati and still keep the crowds waiting for him to listen to him. India calls him Mahatma – the great soul.

This is the possibility of prayers in heart always. Thiruvalluvar keeps prayer as the foundation of a civilized mind and therefore begins Thirukkural with 10 verses on the power of prayer. Norman Vincent Peale in his various books on personality development also insists on prayer to cleanse the mind.

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These ten couplets are in praise of an agrarian society where the landowning farmer decides the economy. The farming class was considered as a civilized class where as other forms of economical efforts are classified as less cultured ones by Thiruvalluvar. He hails the rains as the savior of an agrarian society on its way to progess and success.

11 

வான்நின்று உலகம் வழங்கி வருதலால்
தான்அமிழ்தம் என்றுணரற் பாற்று.

The rains are Gods' nectar     

Protecting lives.

The rains are like the nectar of Gods to human beings.  Without it there can be no life on earth.  

மழை பெய்ய உலகம் வாழ்ந்து வருவதால், மழையானது உலகத்து வாழும் உயிர்களுக்கு அமிழ்தம் என்று உணரத்தக்கதாகும்.

12

துப்பார்க்குத் துப்பாய துப்பாக்கித் துப்பார்க்குத்
துப்பாய தூஉம் மழை.

The source of food

Offering itself as food.

The rains help food production. Also it becomes drinkable water. Without rain we cannot be alive as the sea water is extremely salty.

உண்பவர்க்குத் தக்க உணவுப் பொருள்களை விளைவித்துத் தருவதோடு, பருகுவோர்க்குத் தானும் ஓர் உணவாக இருப்பது மழையாகும்.

13 

விண்இன்று பொய்ப்பின் விரிநீர் வியனுலகத்து
உள்நின்று உடற்றும் பசி.

Rainless seasons will bring

Starvation to people.

If there are no rains people will only starve as there will not be any agricultural work in the world. The rains are the foundation of plant growth and thus human growth too.

மழை பெய்யாமல் பொய்படுமானால், கடல் சூழ்ந்த அகன்ற உலகமாக இருந்தும் பசி உள்ளே நிலைத்து நின்று உயிர்களை வருத்தும்.

14 

ஏரின் உழாஅர் உழவர் புயல்என்னும்
வாரி வளங்குன்றிக் கால்.

The farmer is desolate

 If rains are absent.

The farmer will not plough his lands if there is no rain. There will be famine in the country.

மழை என்னும் வருவாய் வளம் குன்றி விட்டால், ( உணவுப் பொருள்களை உண்டாக்கும்) உழவரும் ஏர் கொண்டு உழமாட்டார்.

15 

கெடுப்பதூஉம் கெட்டார்க்குச் சார்வாய்மற் றாங்கே
எடுப்பதூஉம் எல்லாம் மழை.

Its absence destroys

Its presence restores.

If there is no rain, people will suffer. If there is rain, it will make people prosperous.

பெய்யாமல் வாழ்வைக் கெடுக்க வல்லதும் மழை; மழையில்லாமல் வளம் கெட்டு நொந்தவர்க்கும் துணையாய் அவ்வாறே காக்க வல்லதும் மழையாகும்.

16 

விசும்பின் துளிவீழின் அல்லால்மற் றாங்கே
பசும்புல் தலைகாண்பு அரிது.

Without clouds' drops

Even grass can't grow.

Clouds play a major role in the climate-change equation.  They bring rains. Even grass will not grow if there is no rain. Drops  of rain are so important for any growth in the world.

வானத்திலிருந்து மழைத்துளி வீழ்ந்தால் அல்லாமல், உலகத்தில் ஓரறிவுயிராகிய பசும்புல்லின் தலையையும் காண முடியாது.

17 

நெடுங்கடலும் தன்நீர்மை குன்றும் தடிந்தெழிலி
தான்நல்கா தாகி விடின்.

The seas will die

 If clouds don't rain.

If there is no rain in the seas, they will gradually die. Rain plays a major role in the hydrologic cycle. It is born from the moisture from the oceans that evaporates. This later condenses into clouds and precipitates back to earth. Eventually it returns to the ocean via streams and rivers to repeat the cycle again.

மேகம் கடலிலிருந்து நீரைக் கொண்டு அதனிடத்திலேயே பெய்யாமல் விடுமானால், பெரிய கடலும் தன் வளம் குன்றிப் போகும்.

18 

சிறப்பொடு பூசனை செல்லாது வானம்
வறக்குமேல் வானோர்க்கும் ஈண்டு.

Festivals are called off

If clouds are dry

People will not have the mood to celebrate if there are no rains. Extreme weather will have an impact on food supply.

மழை பெய்யாமல் போகுமானால் இவ்வுலகத்தில் வானோர்க்காக நடைபெறும் திருவிழாவும் நடைபெறாது; நாள் வழிபாடும் நடைபெறாது.

19 

தானம் தவம்இரண்டும் தங்கா வியன்உலகம்
வானம் வழங்கா தெனின்.

Dharma and prayer

Disappear if rains fail

If there are no rains there will be no generosity in the minds of people.  The poet is talking about the social implications of climat change. A rain is a physical phenomenon of the planet Earth. The changes in its presence bring about ethical changes as people repond to climate changes and form new ways of thinking. A society that is starving has no mental space for generosity and meditation. It has no scope for spirituality as its people are only worried about hunger – the fundamental need that has to be fulfilled.

மழை பெய்யவில்லையானால், இந்த பெரிய உலகத்தில் பிறர் பொருட்டு செய்யும் தானமும், தம் பொருட்டு செய்யும் தவமும் இல்லையாகும்.

20 

நீர்இன்று அமையாது உலகெனின் யார்யார்க்கும்
வான்இன்று அமையாது ஒழுக்கு.

Water is life's source

Skies decide rules.

The rains decide the kind of life we need.  Ethics and economics go hand in hand the poet argues. We have to provide for all in the society. If we provide only for a few, the rest of the people will have a severe moral crisis. They will be forced to braek the codes of society for survival. Rains help the land remain fertile and produce more products, and thus help the market to keep affordable prices and thus protect ethics. When people find actual living difficult, they decide to live by any means. Such a society will become lawless. Fertile soil and regular rains are very important for a country to keep its ethical codes alive. Starvation will induce the population to go in search of food that they bein to rob or steal or kill to get material things. A government can effectively practice codes of conduct only if the rains are regular.

எப்படிப்பட்டவர்க்கும் நீர் இல்லாமல் உலக வாழ்க்கை நடைபெறாது என்றால், மழை இல்லையானால் ஒழுக்கமும் நிலைபெறாமல் போகும்.

The poet puts the rain in front of us as a symbol of working without any expectation. Also these 10 couplets sing the glory of nature.

Nature quietly works without complain. It does not develop theories of life or philosophies of life. It just exists. Its presence decides the quality of life. Geography and location decide the culture of the place. A rainless land will have peculiar charecteristics different from a fertlile land which gets periodical rains.

Thiruvalluvar does not talk about the God of rains, Indhiran here. He prefers to look at the rain as an entity that exists for the welfare of mankind. The rains do their work quietly as a part of the planetary system in total objectivity, the poet suggests. He does not use any mythological base to express his views.

In the process of planet building, rains played a major role. Lack of rains will affect the ecosystem and will minimize the opportunities for the human species to continue. Society depends upon bio-diversity and eco system and if there are no rains this will bring disaster to us. Climate change affects economics, politics and sociology.

The farmer is affected if there is no rain. There would be no festival if there is no rain. Society ceases to function. Thiruvalluvar understands his world as dependent on rains for survival as the economy was agrarian, and rains were the  main part of this kind of economy. Crime rates increase during a famine in society. There is a close interaction between climatic conditions and human societies.

We have understood the importance of rains that we have myths centring on rains. In Mahabharatham, there is a story about sage Rishya Shringar. His father’s name was Vibhandakar. Rishya Shringar did not come into human contact other than his mother as his mother was no more. The father and son lived iin deep forest away from the humdrum of life. Rishya Shringar grew up seeped into scholarship and meditation and prayers. He had great spiritual powers, therefore. The neighbouring country Anka Desam was caught in a famine. Rains did not favour the country at all for many years. People were dying of starvation. Scholars told the king Romapathan that if a great sage sets foot on the country it would rain. They identified Rishya Shringar as the right person. With great difficulty the sage was brought to the famine struck country and immediately it began to rain.

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நீத்தார் பெருமை

3. The Greatness Of objectivity

குறள் 21: 

ஒழுக்கத்து நீத்தார் பெருமை விழுப்பத்து
வேண்டும் பனுவல் துணிவு.

ஒழுக்கத்தில் நிலைத்து நின்று பற்று விட்டவர்களின் பெருமையைச் சிறந்ததாக போற்றி கூறுவதே நூல்களின் துணிவாகும்.

21. Restraint and disinterest

      Are ends of knowledge.

To acquire complete knowledge we have to restrain our emotions.  We need a rational approach towards the situations around us. Assessing any position, studying its facets are the primary functions on the way to knowledge. Literature praises people who have trained their minds to read life with such objectivity. Humanity has put up great leaders’ lives in front of us as models.

குறள் 22: 

துறந்தார் பெருமை துணைக்கூறின் வையத்து
இறந்தாரை எண்ணிக்கொண் டற்று.

பற்றுக்களைத் துறந்தவர்களின் பெருமையை அளந்து கூறுதல், உலகத்தில் இதுவரை பிறந்து இறந்தவர்களை கணக்கிடுவதைப்போன்றது.

22.  Telling ascetics' greatness

       Is hard as counting souls.

Is it even possible to list the numerous good things that result out of an objective approach to life? People who have learnt this art achieve a lot in this life. These are the people who contribute to society as they have learnt to put their personal emotions behind and instead focus on the affairs of the world. They direct their energies towards the welfare of the world.

குறள் 23: 

இருமை வகைதெரிந்து ஈண்டுஅறம் பூண்டார்
பெருமை பிறங்கிற்று உலகு.

பிறப்பு வீடு என்பன போல் இரண்டிரண்டாக உள்ளவைகளின் கூறுபாடுகளை ஆராய்ந்தறிந்து அறத்தை மேற்கொண்டவரின் பெருமையே உலகத்தில் உயர்ந்தது.

23. The virtue of a great man

      Is in analyzing both worlds.

The great men are people who know the limitations of this birth. They know most of the aspects of life have two sides. Any situation will have two sides. Any thing can be interpreted in two ways. We can read a situation as positive or negative. Our ideas are usually caught in ne of these two ways of looking at life. A great man has to be aware of this possibility and walking on this balanced path makes him achieve great things. The world celebrates such people.

குறள் 24: 

உரனென்னும் தோட்டியான் ஓரைந்தும் காப்பான்
வரனென்னும் வைப்பிற்கோர் வித்தது.

அறிவு என்னும் கருவியினால் ஐம்பொறிகளாகிய யானைகளை அடக்கி காக்க வல்லவன், மேலான வீட்டிற்கு விதை போன்றவன்.

24. Men acquire godliness

      Commanding five senses.

Intelligence is the weapon of a leader. With critical thinking we have to assess the experiences around us.  A thoroughly rational approach to happenings around us will help us plan and execute things well. Quite normally our senses will intervene and affect our judgement. Our likes and dislikes will silently affect our judgements. A leader has to take care that his perceptions do not affect his judgement.

குறள் 25: 

ஐந்தவித்தான் ஆற்றல் அகல்விசும்பு ளார்கோமான்
இந்திரனே சாலுங் கரி.

ஐந்து புலன்களாலாகும் ஆசைகளை ஒழித்தவனுடைய வல்லமைக்கு, வானுலகத்தாரின் தலைவனாகிய இந்திரனே போதுமான சான்று ஆவான்.

25. Indiran is an example

      Of self-discipline's power.

Indhiran is the God of Devas according to Vedic Hinduism and later Buddhism and Jainism.  He is a great leader who commands the entire heaven as he has already mastered his five senses. He knows the right in wrong and the wrong in the right. Certain things may appear as right; certain things might appear wrong. The thing is if we analyse closely without confusing ourselves with our emotional responses, we might see the complexitites in the things. Then we realise nothing can be completely right and nothing can be completely wrong. That is the moment of greatness. A leader needs this quality of seeing through situations.

குறள் 26: 

செயற்கரிய செய்வார் பெரியர் சிறியர்
செயற்கரிய செய்கலா தார்.

செய்வதற்கு அருமையான செயல்களை செய்ய வல்லவரே பெரியோர். செய்வதற்கு அரிய செயல்களைச் செய்யமாட்டாதவர் சிறியோர்.

26. Quality of effort decides

      Great and small.

Great leaders spend their lives planning for difficult things. They get themselves involved in the work so thoroughly that the end up enjoying the work it slef. Work becomes a pleasant challenge for them. These great and complex deeds make the people great. Greatness is not in birth; it is in actions and achievements. Any one who learns to enjoy the difficulties on the way to success becomes a great man. Small men do not even try. They spend their time talking about great people.

குறள் 27: 

சுவைஒளி ஊறுஓசை நாற்றமென ஐந்தின்
வகைதெரிவான் கட்டே உலகு.

சுவை, ஒளி, ஊறு, ஓசை, நாற்றம் என்று சொல்லப்படும் ஐந்தின் வகைகளையும் ஆராய்ந்து அறிய வல்லவனுடைய அறிவில் உள்ளது உலகம்.

27.  Intelligence is ability

       To analyze emotions.

A leader knows the five ways of acquiring perceptions – taste, light, body, sound and smell. Racial prejudices are received through eyes – light. Class consciousness is received through smell and sight, as poverty can’t afford the style and decorum of the rich. Academic arrogance or humility is practiced by listening to some one speak – we easily judge some one as stupid or intelligent depending upon our intellectual status. An objective man is aware of these five perceptions in him, and accordingly he uses them in his day to day life. He will not be a slave to these five perceptions. He knows they are only perceived notions. Above all, every human being has to be respected, he knows.

குறள் 28: 

நிறைமொழி மாந்தர் பெருமை நிலத்து
மறைமொழி காட்டி விடும்.

பயன் நிறைந்த மொழிகளில் வல்ல சான்றோரின் பெருமையை, உலகத்தில் அழியாமல் விளங்கும் அவர்களுடைய மறைமொழிகளே காட்டிவிடும்.

28. Objective minds' wisdom  

      Is revealed in their words.

Truths have to differentiate themselves from perceptions. What is truth? It is not one person feels or even thinks. It is the presentation of the two sides of an argument.  Seeing the two sides of any experience is the practice of objective thinking. A leader speaks without any prejudices or likes. There is a dignity in his approach. There is something universal in his attitude. His ides are not limited to nation or region. They talk about the welfare of the world.

குறள் 29: 

குணமென்னும் குன்றேறி நின்றார் வெகுளி
கணமேயும் காத்தல் அரிது.

நல்ல பண்புகளாகிய மலையின்மேல் ஏறி நின்ற பெரியோர், ஒரு கணப்பொழுதே சினம் கொள்வார் ஆயினும் அதிலிருந்து ஒருவரைக் காத்தல் அரிதாகும்.

29. Awful will be the fury

      Of the detached ones.

Can we consider such objective thinking as unworldly? Can people who practice objectivity survive in this world? Definitely. Their objective thought gradually builds a spiritual power around them as they have not spent their energies in spreading negative stories about their fello human beings. They have not wasted their  births in character assasinantion or similar such negative attitudes. Therefore their will and energies are complete. If any one hurts them purposely, they do not retaliate as they understand the reason. They use ther ntelligence to understand how right actions also can create wrong reactions. Hence there is no anger inthem. But this angerless attitude harms the person who tries to hurt  spiritually great men.

குறள் 30: 

அந்தணர் என்போர் அறவோர்மற் றெவ்வுயிர்க்கும்
செந்தண்மை பூண்டொழுக லான்.

எல்லா உயிர்களிடத்திலும் செம்மையான அருளை மேற்கொண்டு ஒழுகுவதால், அறவோரே அந்தணர் எனப்படுவோர் ஆவர்.

30.  Unoffending and gracious

       Man becomes noble.

Who are the the really noble people? The people who cannot hate others are the really noble people. There is a blessing in them for others. If we spend some time with them, we feel truly blessed. They make our lives meaningful. They  do not burn in anger. They forgive as they can understand human fraility. Their intelligence is so high that they hold no grudge over others. Only when we do not understand human heart, we hate. Objective thinking opens our minds and our level of understanding increases tremendously. We truly become wise.

Thiruvalluvar puts infront of us the model of objectivity in intellectual approach when we study people and political or economic situations around us. Our decisions are decided by the clarity of seeing. The poet gives the blue print for an unprejudiced and clear approach to life. Statesmen and leaders or any person in charge of other people in their lives need to develop this strategy for understanding life to take correct decisions.

King Janaka, the father of Sita in the epic Ramayana was hailed as a Raja Rishi. He was a great scholar as well as a statesman and warrior. He was supposed to have had the detachment necessary for a great leader from ordinary mundane issues. He was a rare man who tackled samsara along with the detachment of a sage. This kind of attitude was an important model put up for future leaders. A powerful leader negotiates between his family and his society, keeping his clarity of thought and  clarity of mind consistently.

Bernard Shaw created a similar character called King Magnus steeped in statesmanship and administrative skills in his play The Apple Cart. Magnus tackles challenges with an ease normally impossible, as he uses his rational approach to understand problems. Shaw gives the character very high intellectual ability that helps him analyse situations well.

Epics and literature project this model of behavior for a king or a leader. Thiruvalluvar calls it as the greatness of objectivity.

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