Written by London Swaminathan 

 

Date: 22 JANUARY 2018

 

Time uploaded in London – 20-22

 

Post No. 4650

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There are many amazing similarities between Sangam Tamil poets and Chanakya. There is a time gap of at least five hundred years and there is a distance gap of at least two thousand miles between the two. But yet they had similar views on life. Where is Heaven? They answer in the same way!

 

Pisiranthaiyaar was a famous Tamil poet of Sangam age. He must have lived in the first or second century of our era. And we all knew that Chanakya lived in the third century BCE. Chanakya was a great genius and his Niti shastra and Arthashastra are very famous.

What is the secret of black hair? 

 

Stress triggers or complicates most of the diseases is a modern discovery. But a Tamil Cankam/ Sangam poet called Pisiranthaiyar who lived 2000 years ago gives the secret of his black hair at a ripe old age in a beautiful Tamil poem.

When Pisiranthaiyar went to see the great Chola king Kopperun cholan (who was starving himself to death following an ancient Tamil rite) all were amazed to see an old poet without any grey hair. When they asked about the secret of his black hair, he sang;

“How can it be you don’t have any grey hair, through you have lived for many years?

You have asked the question and I will give you an answer!

My children have gone far in learning. My wife is rich in her virtue!

My servants do what I wish and my king, who shuns corruption, protects us!

And in my city there are many noble men who through deep knowledge, have acquired calm, have become self -controlled, and the choices they make in their lives are built on the quality of restraint.”

-(Purananuru 191 by Pisiranthaiyar)

To put it in a nutshell:

My son is well educated ( so obedient)

My wife is very cooperative

My servants are obedient

My king is a good ruler

My town is full of scholars

If one has all these, one need not worry. If you lead a care free life, you won’t be stressed. You will be ever young like Markandeya. Modern science says that stress triggers blood pressure, heart diseases, cancer and diabetes.

Now look at what Chanakya says about the same topic

 

“He whose son is obedient, whose wife acts as per his wish and who is contented with what he has, for him the heaven is here, in this world. Itself.”

Chanakya  Niti, chapter 2, sloka 3

 

Yasya putra vasiibhuutho bhaaryaa chandaanugaaminii

Vibhave yasya santhaanushti tasya svarga ehaivahi

 

Xxx

Education in Low Family 

‘In extremity, one is permitted to learn even the Vedas from someone who is not a Brahmin and to walk behind him and obey him like a Guru as long as the instruction lasts’ — Manu 2-241

It is interesting that Tamil king Nedunchezian who lived 2000 years ago also said the same about education in verse 183 of Purananuru.

A rough translation of the verse runs like this:

“Learn by all means, spend money on education, render help to your Guru. The reason is that even mothers favour the learned among her sons. Even the king would call for service the learned even if he is the youngest in a family. Even among the four castes, if a low caste man is educated, the high caste would respect him and follow him”

 

Tamil poet Tiruvalluvar who lived 1500 years ago also said the same:-

“Though high born, an unlettered man is lower than a learned man of lower birth” – Kural  409

 

Chanakya says,

“What has one to do with a high family where there is no education? One born in a low family, if learned is adored even by gods”.

Chapter 8, sloka 19

Kim kulena visaalena vidhyaahiinena dehinaam

Dushkuliino api vidhvaamsca devairapi supuujyate

Great Men Think Alike!!!

Subham