Written by London Swaminathan
Post No. 16,283
Date uploaded in London – 8 October 2026
Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com
Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.
this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.
tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
xxxx
part 61
Points to Ponder
Dhammapada verse 316-317 may be compared with Kural 428
alajjitāye lajjanti lajjitāye na lajjare |
micchādiṭṭhisamādānā sattā gacchanti duggatiṃ || 316 ||
abhaye bhayadassino bhaye cā’bhayadassino |
micchādiṭṭhisamādānā sattā gacchanti duggatiṃ || 317 ||
Those fearing what they should not, fearing not what they should are destined for birth in hell.
They are afraid where there is not but where is fear are unafraid, so by embracing evil views beings go to an evil birth.
From Dhammapada (316/7) of Buddha
***
Kural 422 may be compared with Bhagavad Gita sloka 6-19
यथा दीपो निवातस्थो नेङ्गते सोपमा स्मृता ।
योगिनो यतचित्तस्य युञ्जतो योगमात्मनः ॥ ६-१९॥
yathā dīpo nivātastho neṅgate sopamā smṛtā
yogino yatacittasya yuñjato yogamātmanaḥ
As a lamp in a windless place does not waver, so the disciplined yogi, whose mind is controlled, remains always steady in meditation on the transcendent Self.
***
Mind is a Monkey (See Kural 422)
It is a common Hindu simile to compare the undisciplined mind to a restless monkey leaping from tree to tree.
It is impossible to experience the marvellous dance of true knowledge in the Heart unless the antics of the unbridled monkey-mind cease through the Grace-power of the valiant One who wields the divinely granted sword of true knowledge, He who has already cut off and brought down his own mind demon.-Ramana Maharishi on Mind Monkey.
***
All Saivite saints also said it.
Adi Sankara compared Mind to a tiger. Bharatiyar, the greatest of the modern Tamil poets, also has a long poem on the antics of the Mind:
“மனமெனும் பெண்ணே! வாழி நீ கேளாய்!
ஒன்றையே பற்றி ஊசல் ஆடுவாய்
அடுத்ததை நோக்கி அடுதடுத்து உலாவுவாய்
.நன்றையே கொள் எனில் சோர்ந்து கை நழுவுவாய்
விட்டுவிடு என்றதை விடாது போய் விழுவாய்
தொட்டதை மீள மீளவும் தொடுவாய்
புதியது காணில் புலன் அழிந்திடுவாய்
புதியது விரும்புவாய், புதியதை அஞ்சுவாய்
அடிக்கடி மதுவினை அணுகிடும் வண்டு போல
பழமையாம் பொருளினில் பரிந்துபோய் வீழ்வாய்
பழமையேயன்றிப் பார்மிசை ஏதும்
புதுமை காணோம் எனப் பொருமுவாய், சீச்சீ!
.பிணத்தினை விரும்பும் காக்கையே போல
அழுகுதல், சாதல், அஞ்சுதல் முதலிய
இழி பொருள் காணில் விரைந்து அதில் இசைவாய்
அங்ஙனே………………………… Subramanya Bharati.
xxxx 
Go to Project Madurai website for all Tamil books; it is free and trouble free. No advertisements; no cookies!
****
Following Translations are used:
1.A Aranganatha Mudaliyar – ANM+2 ( B.L. Aranganatha iyer and R. Srinivasa Desikan), Year 1933
2.S M Diaz, I G of Police- SMD, Year 2000
3.Rev.Dr.GU Pope – GUP, Year 1886
4.Suddhananda Bharathiyar- SB
5.EVS Publishers, Singapore- EVS, Year 1986
6.H A Popley – HAP (not full book; only selected couplets) Year 1931
7.Tamil Original
****
Chapter 43- On Wisdom; Knowledge; அறிவுடைமை
421.Wisdom is a mighty armour against the blind force of destruction; verily it is citadel that laughs to scorn the assaults of the enemy- A Aranganatha Mudaliyar – ANM+2 ( B.L. Aranganatha iyer and R. Srinivasa Desikan), Year 1933
***
421.Wisdom is the ultimate and impregnable defence for protection against destruction;
It is also the fortress of inner strength against enemy onslaughts -S M Diaz, I G of Police- SMD, Year 2000
***
421
True wisdom wards off woes, A circling fortress high;
Its inner strength man’s eager foes Unshaken will defy.
Wisdom is a weapon to ward off destruction; it is an inner fortress which enemies cannot destroy- Rev.Dr.GU Pope – GUP, Year 1886
***
421.Wisdom’s weapon wards off all woes
It is a fort defying foes. Suddhananda Bharathiyar- SB
***
421.Wisdom is a weapon which defends against decline; it is the inner fortress that baffles the enemy’s entry– EVS Publishers, Singapore – EVS, Year 1986
***
421. அறிவற்றங் காக்குங் கருவி செறுவார்க்கும்
உள்ளழிக்க லாகா அரண்.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
422.Let not the mind roam at will; it is a part of wisdom to curb its wayward course and direct it to useful resources – ANM+2
***
422.It is the hall mark of wisdom to concentrate on the wise and the good.
Instead of letting the mind wander aimlessly everywhere– SMD
***
422
Wisdom restrains, nor suffers mind to wander where it would;
From every evil calls it back, and guides in way of good.
Not to permit the mind to go where it lists, to keep it from evil, and to employ it in good, this is wisdom. – GUP
***
422.Wisdom checks the straying senses
Expels evils, impels goodness. – SB
***
422.Not to let the mind roam where it will, to withdraw it from evil, and direct it to that which is good- this is wisdom- EVS
***
422.Wisdom holds back the mind from wandering where it lists,
Guards it from ill, and leads it to the good -H A Popley – HAP (not full book; only selected couplets) Year 1931
***
422. சென்ற இடத்தால் செலவிடா தீதொரீஇ
நன்றின்பால் உய்ப்ப தறிவு.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
423.Bolt it to the bran whatever discourse you may come across- that is true wisdom– ANM+2
***
423.To discern the truth from whatever source it emanates
Is the true quality of wisdom– SMD
***
423
Though things diverse from divers sages’ lips we learn,
‘Tis wisdom’s part in each the true thing to discern.
To discern the truth in every thing, by whomsoever spoken, is wisdom. – GUP
***
423.To grasp the Truth from everywhere
From everyone is wisdom fair. – SB
***
423.To discern the truth in everything, from whomsoever it may be heard, is wisdom– EVS
***
423.It is wisdom true for men to find the Real
In whatsoever they hear, from whomsoever heard—HAP
***
423. எப்பொருள் யார்யார்வாய்க் கேட்பினும் அப்பொருள்
மெய்ப்பொருள் காண்பது அறிவு.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
424.It is wisdom to make the hearers understand what is spoken and discern the subtlest thought which may be hidden in the words of others– ANM+2
***
424.The wise express even profound thoughts in simple terms,
But would grasp the subtleties of what others say– SMD
***
424
Wisdom hath use of lucid speech, words that acceptance win,
And subtle sense of other men’s discourse takes in.
To speak so as that the meaning may easily enter the mind of the hearer, and to discern the subtlest thought which may lie hidden in the words of others, this is wisdom. – GUP
***
424.Speaking out thoughts in clear trends
Wisdom subtle sense comprehends. – SB
***
424.To speak, making the thought clear and to discern the subtle truth that comes from another’s mouth- this is wisdom– EVS
***
424. எண்பொருள வாகச் செலச்சொல்லித் தான் பிறர்வாய்
நுண்பொருள் காண்பது அறிவு.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
425.Wisdom makes all the world kin; unlike the lotus flower that fades and blooms, it knows no change– ANM+2
***
425.The wise man loves all the world with a certain constancy,
Unlike the kind of bloom that opens and closes frequently– SMD
***
425
Wisdom embraces frank the world, to no caprice exposed;
Unlike the lotus flower, now opened wide, now petals strictly closed.
To secure the friendship of the great is true wisdom; it is (also) wisdom to keep (that friendship unchanged, and) not opening and closing (like the lotus flower). – GUP
***
425.The wise-world the wise befriend
They bloom nor gloom, equal in mind. – SB
***
425.The wise are universal friends, equal-minded without too much blooming and glooming– EVS
***
425.It is wise to win the friendship of the wise;
To keep it without wax or wane is wisdom rare– HAP
***
425. உலகம் தழீஇய தொட்பம் மலர்தலும்
கூம்பலும் இல்ல தறிவு.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
426.To dwell in harmony of the world is wisdom – ANM+2
***
426.It is a part of wisdom to conform
To the ways of the world– SMD
***
426
As dwells the world, so with the world to dwell
In harmony- this is to wisely live and well.
To live as the world lives, is wisdom. – GUP
***
426.As moves the world so move the wise
In tune with changing times and ways. – SB
***
426.To live in conformity with the world is wisdom– EVS
***
426. எவ்வ துறைவது உலகம் உலகத்தோடு
அவ்வ துறைவது அறிவு.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
427.Wisdom prophesies the future; folly knows not the coming events– ANM+2
***
427.Men of wisdom know and are prepared for what is coming;
The ignorant do not know what is ahead of them– SMD
***
427
The wise discern, the foolish fail to see,
And minds prepare for things about to be.
The wise are those who know beforehand what will happen; those who do not know this are the unwise. – GUP
***
427.The wise foresee what is to come
The unwise lack in that wisdom. – SB
***
427.The wise have foresight of events; the ignorant do not foresee. – EVS
***
427. அறிவுடையார் ஆவ தறிவார் அறிவிலார்
அஃதறி கல்லா தவர்.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
428.It is folly to tread where men fear to tread; but it is wisdom to shrink from what portends evil– ANM+2
***
428.The truly wise will fear what is to be feared;
Only the ignorant will be fool hardy. – SMD
***
428
Folly meets fearful ills with fearless heart;
To fear where cause of fear exists is wisdom’s part.
Not to fear what ought to be feared, is folly; it is the work of the wise to fear what should be feared. – GUP
***
428.Fear the frightful and act wisely
Not to fear the frightful’s folly. – SB
***
428.It is folly not to fear what should be feared; to fear that which should be feared is the way of the wise– EVS
***
428.It is folly fearful ills with recklessness to face;
The wiseman fears indeed those things that should be feared– HAP
***
428. அஞ்சுவது அஞ்சாமை பேதைமை அஞ்சுவது
அஞ்சல் அறிவார் தொழில்.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
429.No frightful event is in store for the far-seeing soul that guards itself against coming evils – ANM+2
***
429.Wise men who can read the signs and foresee developments,
Will not be shocked by emerging distressful situations– SMD
***
429
The wise with watchful soul who coming ills foresee;
From coming evil’s dreaded shock are free.
No terrifying calamity will happen to the wise, who (foresee) and guard against coming evils. – GUP
***
429.No frightful evil shocks the wise
Who guard themselves against surprise. – SB
***
429.No dreaded evil shocks the wise who have the foresight to see ahead and guard themselves- EVS
***
429. எதிரதாக் காக்கும் அறிவினார்க் கில்லை
அதிர வருவதோர் நோய்.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
430.Poor is the fool in the midst of his riches; but the wise are blessed with all – ANM+2
***
430.The wise men have all blessings, even if not possessed with worldly goods,
But the ignorant rich have nothing– SMD
***
430
The wise is rich, with ev’ry blessing blest;
The fool is poor, of everything possessed.
Those who possess wisdom, possess every thing; those who have not wisdom, whatever they may possess, have nothing. – GUP
***
430.Who have wisdom they are all full
Whatev’r they own, misfits are nil. – SB
***
430.Those who possess wisdom, possess everything; those who have not wisdom, whatever else they possess, have nothing– EVS
***
430. அறிவுடையார் எல்லாம் உடையார் அறிவிலார்
என்னுடைய ரேனும் இலர்.
–subham—
Tags- Tirukkural Encyclopaedia, Chapter 43, Knowledge, Wisdom, அறிவுடைமை, Mind is a Monkey
