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Adi Sankara, Avvaiyar agree with Valluvar; Tirukkural Encyclopaedia -Chapter 46- Avoiding Mean company –சிற்றினஞ் சேராமை
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Associating with good people or bad people and the effects of it on a man is a topic dealt with in Sanskrit and Tamil didactic works and Subhashitas.
Kural couplets 441 and 442:
Greatest philosopher of India, Adi Shankara, says,
“ Satsangatve nissangatvam
Nissangatve nirmohatvam
Nirmohatve nischalatattvam
Nischalatattve jeevanmuktih” –Bhajagovindam (9)
“Through the company of the good, there arises non-attachment; through non-attachment there arises freedom from delusion; through freedom from delusion there arises steadfastness; through steadfastness, there arises liberation in life”- Bhajagovindam
Tamil poetess Avvaiyar, who lived several centuries ago, says
“Sweet is solitude; sweeter is to meditate upon god. Sweeter still is the company of wise people (saints); and the sweetest is to think about the great people always, whether you are wide awake or sleeping. (i.e.to follow them is the sweetest thing in the world)”
In another verse in ‘Vaakkundaam’, she reemphasizes this point,
“It is good to see good people; good to listen to them, it is better to talk about their virtues and the best is to go along with them”.
It is in Bhatruhari’s Niti Sataka as well.
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Mano, Vaak, Kaayam =Thought, Word and Deed must be pure is insisted in Hindu scriptures. Those who have this virtue will be worshipped as a great saint. Even a common man with this quality will command great respect. This is found only in Hindu scriptures. Here in this chapter, Valluvar also emphasize it..
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Kural 459 says that You become What You Think. The benefit goes up to one’s next birth!
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Part 64
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Go to Project Madurai website for all Tamil books; it is free and trouble free. No advertisements; no cookies!
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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
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Chapter 46-On Avoiding Low Company-On Avoiding Vulgarity-Mean- Avoiding mean Associations- சிற்றினஞ் சேராமை
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451.The great shrink from vulgar company; the low revel in it A Aranganatha Mudaliyar – ANM+2 ( B.L. Aranganatha iyer and R. Srinivasa Desikan), Year 1933
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451.Men of worth keep away from vulgar associations,
Which to the mean are their own kin- S M Diaz, I G of Police- SMD, Year 2000
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451
The great of soul will mean association fear;
The mean of soul regard mean men as kinsmen dear.
(True) greatness fears the society of the base; it is only the low – minded who will regard them as friends.- Rev.Dr.GU Pope – GUP, Year 1886
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451.The ignoble the noble fear
The mean hold them as kinsmen dear. Suddhananda Bharathiyar – SB
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451.Noble men dread vulgar company; mean men treat the vulgar as kinsmen- EVS Publishers, Singapore- EVS, Year 1986
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451. சிற்றினம் அஞ்சும் பெருமை சிறுமைதான்
சுற்றமாச் சூழ்ந்து விடும்.
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452.Water is racy of the soil through which it flows; the mind of man takes the mould and hue of its associations– ANM+2
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452.Water takes the character of the soil through which it flows ;
So too men’s character change with their associations– SMD
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452
The waters’ virtues change with soil through which they flow;
As man’s companionship so will his wisdom show.
As water changes (its nature), from the nature of the soil (in which it flows), so will the character of men resemble that of their associates. – GUP
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452.With soil changes water’s taste
With mates changes the mental state. – SB
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452.The quality of water changes with the soil. The mind changes with association- EVS Publishers
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452.The water’s nature changes with the nature of the soil; so changes knowledge with the nature of one’s friends- H A Popley – HAP (not full book; only selected couplets) Year 1931
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452. நிலத்தியல்பால் நீர்திரிந் தற்றாகும் மாந்தர்க்கு
இனத்தியல்ப தாகும் அறிவு.
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453.A man’s understanding is known by the vigour of the mind; but his reputation is known by the company he keeps– ANM+2
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453.Men’s perceptions are of their own mind,
But their nature is known by their kind– SMD
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453
Perceptions manifold in men are of the mind alone;
The value of the man by his companionship is known.
The power of knowing is from the mind; (but) his character is from that of his associates. – GUP
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453.Wisdom depends upon the mind
The worth of man upon his friend. – SB
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453.intelligence depends upon the mind and character of a man upon companions- EVS Publishers
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453. மனத்தானாம் மாந்தர்க் குணர்ச்சி இனத்தானாம்
இன்னான் எனப்படுஞ் சொல்.
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454.Wisdom seems to be the offspring of a man’s mind; but it is of a piece with the company he delights in– ANM+2
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454.It looks as if one’s knowledge and dispositions arise from the mind
But in reality, they stem largely from one’s own company– SMD
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454
Man’s wisdom seems the offspring of his mind;
‘Tis outcome of companionship we find.
Wisdom appears to rest in the mind, but it really exists to a man in his companions. – GUP
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454.Wisdom seems to come from mind
But it truly flows from the kind. – SB
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454.Wisdom appears to be in the mind; but it really exists in a man’s companions- EVS Publishers
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454. மனத்து ளதுபோலக் காட்டி ஒருவற்கு
இனத்துள தாகும் அறிவு.
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455.Only on noble company does depend the purity of thought and need– ANM+2
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455.Purity of mind and purity of actions
Spring from purity off associations– SMD
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455.Purity of the thought and deed
Comes from good company indeed. – SB
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455.Purity of heart and purity of action both come from purity of good company – EVS Publishers
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455.True purity of thought and true purity of deed-
Both on the purity of friendship rest- H A Popley
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455. மனந்தூய்மை செய்வினை தூய்மை இரண்டும்
இனம்தூய்மை தூவா வரும்.
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456.The pure of heart shall have worthy descendants; those, who cultivate the company of thee pure and the good, shall know no evil– ANM+2
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456.The pure of heart leave behind a virtuous line; on the other hand,
The efforts of those with clean associations will never fail– SMD
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456.Pure-hearted get good progeny
Pure friendship acts with victory. – SB
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456.The pure hearted get good children. The pure companioned succeed in endeavours- EVS Publishers
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456. மனம்தூயார்க் கெச்சம்நன் றாகும் இனம்தூயார்க்கு
இல்லைநன் றாகா வினை.
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457.Al riches unto the man who is pure of mind; all honour and glory unto the man who seeks good fellowship– ANM+2
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457.Purity of mind ushers in spiritual growth and personal prosperity
While good associations lead to glory– SMD
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457.Goodness of mind increases gain
Good friendship fosters fame again. – SB
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457.Goodness of heart is wealth to them that live; good company bring all praises as well- EVS Publishers
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457. மனநலம் மன்னுயிர்க் காக்கம் இனநலம்
எல்லாப் புகழும் தரும்.
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458.The companionship of the great strengthens the native vigour of one’s mind– ANM+2
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458.Even wise and virtuous gentlemen of pure mind
Need good associations for effective strength– SMD
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458.Men of wisdom, though good in mind
In friends of worth a new strength find. – SB
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458.The wise are good in heart. Still, they find new joy and energy in good friends EVS Publishers
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458. மனநலம் நன்குடைய ராயினும் சான்றோர்க்கு
இனநலம் ஏமாப் புடைத்து.
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459.Future bliss is the result of the goodness of mind; and even this acquires strength from the society of the good– ANM+2
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459.Admittedly purity of mind would lead to heaven,
Even so, good associations provide strong support– SMD
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V V S Iyer’ translation:
Virtue leadeth unto heaven; and the company of the
Good steadieth a man in the practice thereof
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459.Good mind decides the future bliss
Good company gains strength to this. – SB
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459.Good pure mind decides future bliss. This is strengthened by good company- EVS Publishers
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459.By inward purity Heaven may be surely won;
That, too, will gain in power from good companionship H A Popley
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459. மனநலத்தின் ஆகும் மறுமைமற் றஃதும்
இனநலத்தின் ஏமாப் புடைத்து.
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460.There is nothing so good as good company; there is nothing so ruinous as evil company– ANM+2
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460.Good associations provide the greatest of help
Bad company is productive of the worst evil– SMD
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460
Than good companionship no surer help we know;
Than bad companionship nought causes direr woe.
There is no greater help than the company of the good; there is no greater source of sorrow than the company of the wicked. – GUP
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460.No help good company exceeds;
The bad to untold anguish leads. – SB
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460.There is no help better than good company and no trouble worse than bad company –EVS Publishers
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460.No greater help is there than good companionship;
Than bad companionship there is no direr foe- H A Popley
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460. நல்லினத்தி னூங்குந் துணையில்லை தீயினத்தின்
அல்லற் படுப்பதூஉம் இல்.
—Subham—
Tags- Adi Sankara, Avvaiyar agree with Valluvar on Avoiding Low Company; Tirukkural Encyclopaedia Chapter 46, சிற்றினஞ் சேராமை
