Thirukkural  on Wealth:Part II: The second section Porutpaal deals with man’s urge to acquire wealth. Tiruvalluvar gives wonderful advice to those who are in power, including kings, rulers and employers. He lays down high standards of conduct for rulers and leaders of men. Such persons must be learned and courageous, and have an ability to express themselves in public. They must have an ability to choose the right place, time and people for various activities of the State. A king must be humble and listen to the advice of wise men.

Ø  A ruler must be well- read. A wise ruler is a good ruler. He must be versed in both Mathematics and the arts, that is, numbers and letters. These are the true eyes through which man sees the world.

Ø  There must be no hesitation in eradicating faults. A good leader corrects his  own errors first, before pointing out those of others.

Ø  The head of a state cannot afford to make any errors. The spirit of perfect humility, service of the people, and complete freedom from desire are the hallmark of a great king.It is important for a king to have worthy friends.

Ø  As water gets discoloured when a little soil is put into it, so also man’s character, wisdom and reputation are all influenced by the company he keeps.

Ø On Friendship

Ø  Good friendship grows from strength to strength. A full moon is destined to lose its intensity, but good friendship can never weaken. A true and sincere friend is one who gently corrects your faults and helps you to improve. He is always true and frank in his relationship towards you. The face does not always reveal what lies in the heart. So, beware of false friendship.

                                                     "With soil changes the water’s taste;
                                                        With mates changes the mental state".(452)

                                                       "Good men’s friendship grows like crescent moon;
                                                            Friendship with fools, like full moon will wane soon". (782)

                                                      "Though the wicked should unbounded friendship show,
                                                                   It’s better if their friendship does not grow". (811)

                                                                          "Beware of men who are full of deceit,
                                                                       Whose hearts are bitter but whose smile is sweet". (824)

Rulers

Ø  Rulers, while exercising discipline, must be compassionate and kind, and refrain from harshness. Cruelty brings ruin.

                                               "Harsh words and punishment beyond the right
                                                     Is a file that saws away a monarch’s might". (567)

                                                        "True modesty and kindly word combined,
                                                                       He is a jewel; the rest are not refined". (595)

Determination

Ø  Never give up trying. Have a strong will. These are the secrets of success. Without effort there is no gain.

Ø  Be energetic. When troubles come, face them. Every failure is a stepping stone to success. He who refuses to be defeated by failure will overcome all grief and pain.

Ø Effective  Communication

Ø  Those who speak to large audiences have a responsibility. They have to choose their words carefully, and should use the time allotted to them profitably. Book knowledge is empty if one does not have the ability of transmitting it to others effectively. 

Ø  ON WEALTH

Ø  There is no harm in amassing wealth. But such wealth should be earned by the individual by honest means. Money gained by a person in a deceitful manner or by causing pain and suffering to others ought to be spurned.

‘Not Drinking: Despite the seriousness with which Tiruvalluvar deals with lofty themes, there is also a light-hearted side to his nature. His wit overflows in the chapter entitled ‘Not Drinking". The hilarity, with which the poet sage approaches these themes, ought to be sufficient to turn any drinker or gambler away from these vices. The sage says that there is no such thing as drinking ‘secretly’.

"To buy with money one’s unconsciousness,
Is nothing but rank foolishness". (925)

"Who drink in secret and whose eyelids close,
At them the village laughs, for all the village knows". (927)

" I do not drink’, make no such foolish claim,
For what you hide, the drink will soon proclaim". (928)

"To reason with a man who is dead tight
Is like searching under water with a light". (929)

Alcohol, drugs and gambling are addictive. A single taste of any of these vices drives one to greed, and a desire for more.

Ø  A fish, attracted by the bait on a hook, will find it nearly impossible to gain release after a bite at the baited hook. Likewise, an addict cannot escape easily from an addiction.

Ø   This is especially true of gambling. Avoid these vices like one avoids a king cobra. You lose your wealth and your dignity and can gain nothing but poverty.

                               "Dress, wealth, food, fame and learning all depart,
                                         If on gambler’s gain he sets his heart". (939)

On Noble Birth: Tiruvalluvar has written thirteen chapters on themes other than virtue, stately wealth and love. They are described as ‘Miscellaneous’.
The first is on ‘Noble Birth’.Nobility is a state of mind. Although the word is often used to describe people of royal birth, nobility is within the reach of all, even beggars. What then are the signs of nobility? Amongst other things, they are good conduct, modesty, truth, humility, cheerfulness, generosity, and kind and courageous words. One must have a charitable heart even though one does not have the means. He must show excellence in speech, be humble and treat everyone, be he a servant or king, with great respect. He should always speak sweetly and lovingly.

‘The high born will not stray from these things three:
Good conduct, truth and modesty". (952)

"A smile, generosity, good words and courtesy:
These are the signs, they say, of true nobility". (953)

"The high born, though they have no means for charity,
Won’t lose their ancient liberality". (955)

"Plants reveal the soil from which they grow,
And men of noble birth, their speech will show". (959)

On Honour

Ø  Shun acts that will cast doubts on your honour. Success and failure can be used to advantage; success should make one more respectful and failure strengthen one’s dignity.

On greatness

"Living beings are all alike at birth,
The difference comes from acts of special worth". (972)

"High born, whose souls are mean, are never great;
The low, of lofty mind, are not of low estate". (973)

On  Perfection

While the road to perfection is a long, slippery and very difficult one, the mastery of a few virtues will take one there by leaps and bounds. Do not kill any being or creature. Even loftier than this is not to injure anyone in thought, word and deed. Ahimsa is one of the highest of virtues. Give up the detestable faultfinding habit. Always return good for evil.

"Not killing is the essence of penance;
Not finding fault is virtue’s excellence. (984)

"The strength of the noble ones is humility;
With that, the wise disarm all enmity". (985)

On courtesy

"Though sharp as file, their intellect is good,
Who are void of courtesy are blocks of wood". (997)

On Wasted Wealth: What is the use of money if it is not used for the common good? Imagine a fruit tree in a busy market place. If it bears tasty fruit, it brings joy to people, but if it bears poisonous fruit, it is of no use; its presence is a source of great pain. A wealthy miser is like such a tree. He has everything, but is in greater need than others, for he is not really happy and peaceful.

"Who neither spend their wealth nor give,
Amidst their millions, in want they live". (1006)

On Modesty: If you desire to attain perfection, you must not be afraid to have a genuine feeling of shame whenever you commit any mistakes. Those who have no feelings of guilt are usually unaware of their faults. Some people consider it a weakness to blush. On the contrary, blushing is not at all a weakness, but a virtue. It reveals a sense of shame and is a sign of modesty and humility.

‘Food, clothing and the rest are common to the race,
But modesty is mankind’s special grace". (1012)

"Those who have no shame at heart, their stance
Is like wooden dolls; when pulled by string, dance". (1020)

vedaprakasha
http://www.ethicalvaluesfromtirukkural.blogspot.com/