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Be like a Crow! and Indian Politics! Tiruukural Encyclopaedia Chapter 53 Cherishing one’s Kith and Kin சுற்றந்தழால்
Points to Ponder
Valluvar says “Be like a Crow; when you get something, don’t enjoy it all alone!” Hindus are great nature lovers! Bhagavad Gita used tortoise for self control; Manu and Valluvar used heron to strike at right time. A Sanskrit sloka said six thigs one should learn from a crow. Dattatreya gave us a list of Nature teachers; Valluvar used Anicham flower as similes in a few couplets. He used Yak which will die if the hair is removed. This list is a long list. From Rig Vedic Vaatsalyam (affection between calf and cow) to the latest scriptures, we get lot of animal phrases as well. Sangam Tamil poet Kabilar listed 99 flowers at one go! (all these things are dealt with in my articles separately in this blog).
In short, Hindu literature has hundreds of Wordsworths!
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INDIAN POLITICS
Last two couplets in this chapter echo what is happening in Indian political Scene today!
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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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Part 71; Chapter 53 in Tirukkural Book:
CHAPTER 53. CHERISHING ONE’S KINDRED ;Cherishing one’s Kindred; சுற்றந்தழால்
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521.Constancy of love belongs only to our kindred, even in the days of our gloom- A Aranganatha Mudaliyar – ANM+2 ( B.L. Aranganatha iyer and R. Srinivasa Desikan), Year 1933
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521.Constancy of attachment even in adversity
Is the characteristic only of the king – S M Diaz, I G of Police – SMD, Year 2000
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521
When wealth is fled, old kindness still to show,
Is kindly grace that only kinsmen know.
Even when (a man’s) property is all gone, relatives will act towards him with their accustomed (kindness). -Rev.Dr.GU Pope – GUP, Year 1886
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521.Let fortunes go; yet kinsmen know
The old accustomed love to show. Suddhananda Bharathiyar
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521.Even when wealth is lost, kinsmen alone will show the accustomed attachment to you- EVS Publishers, Singapore- EVS, Year 1986
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521. பற்றற்ற கண்ணும் பழமைபா ராட்டுதல்
சுற்றத்தார் கண்ணே யுள
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522.Fortune ever smiles on him who has never-failing relatives- ANM+2
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522.With kindred that retain unfailing love,
A man’s fortunes will proper in many ways– SMD
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522
The gift of kin’s unfailing love bestows
Much gain of good, like flower that fadeless blows.
If (a man’s) relatives remain attached to him with unchanging love, it will be a source of ever-increasing wealth. – GUP
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522.The gift of loving Kins bestows
Fadeless fortune’s fresh flowers. – SB
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522.Fortunes bloom and boom ever afresh in the life of one who has the gift of loving kinsmen – EVS, Year 1986
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522. விருப்பறாச் சுற்றம் இயையின் அருப்பறா
ஆக்கம் பலவுந் தரும்.
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523.Like the waters of a bundless lake, does the fortune of a man ebb away who rejoices not in the sweet concord of friendship with his kith and kin- ANM+2
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523.A man, who does not have appropriate social intercourse with his affectionate kindred,
Is like lake without bunds getting a bountiful supply of water– SMD
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523
His joy of life who mingles not with kinsmen gathered round,
Is lake where streams pour in, with no encircling bound.
The wealth of one who does not mingle freely with his relatives, will be like the filling of water in a spacious tank that has no banks. – GUP
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523. A kinless wealth is like a tank
Which overflows without a bank– SB
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523.The life of a rich man who lacks loving kinsmen is like an overflowing tank without a protective bund- EVS, Year 1986
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523. அளவளா வில்லாதான் வாழ்க்கை குளவளாக்
கோடின்றி நீர்நிறைந் தற்று.
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524.To form a happy circle of relatives around our hearth is the only happiness that wealth can bestow- ANM+2
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524.To gather together and establish social intercourse with one’s own class,
Should be the end-result of one’s prosperity– SMD
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524
The profit gained by wealth’s increase,
Is living compassed round by relatives in peace.
To live surrounded by relatives, is the advantage to be derived from the acquisition of wealth. – GUP
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524.The fruit of growing wealth is gained
When kith and kin are happy found– SB
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524.To live happily with one’s kith and kin around is the real benefit of a wealthy life- EVS, Year 1986
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524. சுற்றத்தால் சுற்றப் படஒழுகல் செல்வந்தான்
பெற்றத்தால் பெற்ற பயன்.
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525.There is a ceaseless stream of relatives in the happy home of him who has a sweet voice and a loving and a generous heart- ANM+2
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525.If a man has a kind word and generous hand, his kindred,
Will gather round in serried ranks– SMD
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525
Who knows the use of pleasant words, and liberal gifts can give,
Connections, heaps of them, surrounding him shall live.
He will be surrounded by numerous relatives who manifests generosity and affability. – GUP
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525.Loving words and liberal hand
Encircle kith and kin around– SB
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525.Relatives crowd around the man who is generous in gifts and receives them with kind words- EVS, Year 1986
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525. கொடுத்தலும் இன்சொலும் ஆற்றின் அடுக்கிய
சுற்றத்தால் சுற்றப் படும்.
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526.Innumerable are they who claim kinship with him who is a mine of bounty and knows no wrath – ANM+2
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526.If a man is generous with his gifts and free from anger,
There is no limit to the loyal people who surround him– SMD
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526
Than one who gifts bestows and wrath restrains,
Through the wide world none larger following gains.
No one, in all the world, will have so many relatives (about him), as he who makes large gift, and does not give way to anger. – GUP
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526.Large giver and wrathless man
Commands on earth countless kinsmen– SB
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526.The prince who gives largely and who never gets angry, commands on earth countless relatives- EVS, Year 1986
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526. பெரும்கொடையான் பேணான் வெகுளி அவனின்
மருங்குஉடையார் மாநிலத்து இல்.
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527.The crow beckons to its kind to share a common prey. Only with men of such disposition does fortune abide- ANM+2
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527.The crow does not hide what it has got , but cries out to its fellows before it eats,
Prosperity among men will come only to those who have this disposition – SMD
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527
The crows conceal not, call their friends to come, then eat;
Increase of good such worthy ones shall meet.
The crows do not conceal (their prey), but will call out for others (to share with them) while they eat it; wealth will be with those who show a similar disposition (towards their relatives). – GUP
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527.The crows hide not; thy call and eat
Welfare abides a man of heart– SB
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527.The crow invites its kind to share its prey without concealing it; fortune abides only with men of a similar nature – EVS, Year 1986
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527. காக்கை கரவா கரைந்துண்ணும் ஆக்கமும்
அன்னநீ ரார்க்கே உள.
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528.Relatives flock unto the kings who respect their ranks and lineage- ANM+2
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528.The king does not treat all alike, but each according to his merit and desert,
Many in the court look forward to such distinctions– SMD
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528
Where king regards not all alike, but each in his degree,
‘Neath such discerning rule many dwell happily.
Many relatives will live near a king, when they observe that he does not look on all alike, but that he looks on each man according to his merit. – GUP
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528.From public gaze when kings perceive
Each one’s merits so many thrive– SB
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528.The man who does not regard all alike but each according to his quality is held in regard by many- EVS, Year 1986
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528. பொதுநோக்கான் வேந்தன் வரிசையா நோக்கின்
அதுநோக்கி வாழ்வார் பலர்.
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529.Close the rift in the lute: kinsmen who have grown cold and sullen towards you, will gather round you again- ANM+2
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529.The kinsfolk, who were with you and left for some reason,
Will return if that reason is no longer there – SMD
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529
Who once were his, and then forsook him, as before
Will come around, when cause of disagreement is no more.
Those who have been friends and have afterwards forsaken him, will return and join themselves (to him), when the cause of disagreement is not to be found in him. – GUP
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529.Forsaken friends will come and stay
When cause for discord goes away. – SB
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529.Friends that have forsaken you will return and stay, as soon as the cause of discord disappears- EVS, Year 1986
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529. தமராகித் தற்றுறந்தார் சுற்றம் அமராமைக்
காரணம் இன்றி வரும்.
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530.Let the king welcome back into his fold the deserter who returns to him; but let him be cautious of him- ANM+2
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530.Even if some kinsmen, who had left the Royal Camp, return to him for their own reason,
They may not be summarily rejected, but taken after suitable tests – SMD
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530
Who causeless went away, then to return, for any cause, ask leave;
The king should sift their motives well, consider, and receive!
When one may have left him, and for some cause has returned to him, let the king fulfil the object (for which he has come back) and thoughtfully receive him again. – GUP
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530.Who leaves and returns with motive
The king should test him and receive. – SB
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530.The leader should carefully test and receive a friend who deserted him and returns with a secret motive- EVS, Year 1986
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530. உழைப்பிரிந்து காரணத்தின் வந்தானை வேந்தன்
இழைத்திருந்து எண்ணிக் கொளல்.
—subham—–
tags- Be like a Crow! and Indian Politics! Tiruukural Encyclopaedia Chapter 53 Cherishing one’s Kith and Kin சுற்றந்தழால்
