Written by London Swaminathan
Post No. 16,360
Date uploaded in London – 31 October 2026
Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com
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Points to ponder
Compare Kural 534 with Bhagavad Gita 2-3
क्लैब्यं मा स्म गमः पार्थ नैतत्त्वय्युपपद्यते ।
क्षुद्रं हृदयदौर्बल्यं त्यक्त्वोत्तिष्ठ परन्तप ॥ 2-3
“O son of Pṛthā, do not yield to this degrading cowardice/ impotence. It does not become you. Give up such petty weakness of heart and arise, O chastiser of the enemy.BG 2–3
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Compare Kural 540 with Bhagavad Gita 6-5
उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् ।
आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मन: ॥6-5
“One must elevate oneself by one’s own self, not degrade oneself. The self alone is the friend of the self, and the self alone is the enemy of the self.6-5
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Note SEVEN BIRTHS in Kural 538. Valluvar repeatedly declare that he is a Hindutva person!
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Note Kural 533 says Nuulor= Authors of Scriptures; this shows that Valluvar studied Smritis (Hindu Law Books) and repeat it.
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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 72; Chapter 54 in Tirukkural Book: பொச்சாவாமை
CHAPTER 54. Against Forgetfulness; Vigilance; ON AVOIDING ARROGANT THOUGHTLESSNESS; Unforgetfulness; பொச்சாவாமை
531.Luxurious indolence, born of excessive self-complacency and forgetfulness, is worse than blind wrath –A Aranganatha Mudaliyar – ANM+2 ( B.L. Aranganatha iyer and R. Srinivasa Desikan), Year 1933
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531.Worse than excessive rage is the arrogant unguardedness,
Arising from unbounded and inebriating pleasure- S M Diaz, I G of Police – SMD, Year 2000
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531
‘Tis greater ill, it rapture of o’erweening gladness to the soul
Bring self-forgetfulness than if transcendent wrath control.
More evil than excessive anger, is forgetfulness which springs from the intoxication of great joy.- Rev.Dr.GU Pope – GUP, Year 1886
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531.Worse than wrath in excess is
Forgetfulness in joy-excess. Suddhananda Bharathiyar – SB
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531.Worse than excessive wrath is neglect that arises from excessive self-complacency –EVS Publishers, Singapore- EVS, Year 1986
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531. இறந்த வெகுளியின் தீதே சிறந்த
உவகை மகிழ்ச்சியிற் சோர்வு.
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532.Poverty freezes the genial current of the soul. Forgetfulness blights its glory– ANM+2
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532.A false sense of security kills glory
Even as indigence crushes understanding– SMD
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532
Perpetual, poverty is death to wisdom of the wise;
When man forgets himself his glory dies!
Forgetfulness will destroy fame, even as constant poverty destroys knowledge. – GUP
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532.Negligence kills renown just as
Ceaseless want wisdom destroys– SB
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532.negligence of duty kills renown just as constant poverty destroys one’s wisdom- EVS, Year 1986
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532. பொச்சாப்புக் கொல்லும் புகழை அறிவினை
நிச்ச நிரப்புக்கொன் றாங்கு.
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533.All the scriptures and the wisdom of the world have declared that the thoughtless know no fame– ANM+2
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533.The people, who are not watchful, will earn no renown,
Which is the considered view of all schools of thought– SMD
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533
‘To self-oblivious men no praise’; this rule
Decisive wisdom sums of every school.
Thoughtlessness will never acquire fame; and this tenet is upheld by all treatises in the world. – GUP
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533.Forgetful nature fails of fame
All schools of thinkers say the same. – SB
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533.Men of forgetful nature cannot mount to glory. All schools of thought assure this- EVS, Year 1986
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533. பொச்சாப்பார்க்கு இல்லை புகழ்மை அதுவுலகத்து
எப்பால்நூ லோர்க்கும் துணிவு.
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534.Cowards quake with fear even in well-garrisoned fortresses. The heedless know no joy of wealth even in the abundance of their riches– ANM+2
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534.Fortresses serve no purpose to those who are not brave so too nothing avails those who are not vigilant– SMD
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534
‘To cowards is no fort’s defence’; e’en so
The self-oblivious men no blessing know.
Just as the coward has no defence (by whatever fortifications ha may be surrounded), so the thoughtless has no good (whatever advantages he may possess). – GUP
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534.The fearful find no fortress here
The forgetful find good never– SB
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534.Fortifications are of little use to cowards; resources are of little use to the forgetful- EVS, Year 1986
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534. அச்ச முடையார்க்கு அரணில்லை ஆங்கில்லை
பொச்சாப் புடையார்க்கு நன்கு.
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535.Remorse enters the heart which, in its forgetful ease, guards not against impending evils– ANM+2
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535.A person who does not foresee and guard against untoward developments in future,
Will deplore his negligence, when surprised by disaster – SMD
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535
To him who nought foresees, recks not of anything,
The after woe shall sure repentance bring.
The thoughtless man, who provides not against the calamities that may happen, will afterwards repent for his fault. – GUP
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535.Failing foresight the guardless man
Shall rue his folly later on– SB
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535.He who is not forearmed against coming danger, shall repent his fault in the end – EVS, Year 1986
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535. முன்னுறக் காவாது இழுக்கியான் தன்பிழை
பின்னூறு இரங்கி விடும்.
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536.There is nothing like ceaseless and searching vigilance to the king– ANM+2
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536.If the king maintains constant watchfulness and thoughtfulness at all times,
About all persons around him, he needs nothing better– SMD
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536
Towards all unswerving, ever watchfulness of soul retain,
Where this is found there is no greater gain.
There is nothing comparable with the possession of unfailing thoughtfulness at all times; and towards all persons. – GUP
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536.Forget none; watch with wakeful care
Miss none; the gain is sans compare. – SB
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536.Watch wakefully always forgetting none; no gain can be compared to this vigilance- EVS, Year 1986
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536. இழுக்காமை யார்மாட்டும் என்றும் வழுக்காமை
வாயின் அதுவொப்பது இல்.
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537.Nothing is impossible to the monarch who is all eyes and ears about the work– ANM+2
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537.With constant watchfulness and full consideration given to the task on hand,
There is nothing difficult or impossible– SMD
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537
Though things are arduous deemed, there’s nought may not be won,
When work with mind’s unslumbering energy and thought is done.
There is nothing too difficult to be accomplished, if a man set about it carefully, with unflinching endeavour. – GUP
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537.With cautious care pursue a thing
Impossible there is nothing– SB
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537.Pursue a project with cautious care and there is nothing then impossible to achieve- EVS, Year 1986
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537. அரியஎன்று ஆகாத இல்லைபொச் சாவாக்
கருவியால் போற்றிச் செயின்.
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538.Criminal neglect of what is praiseworthy, brings in its train countless ills through all our sevenfold births– ANM+2
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538.The prince should devote himself wholeheartedly to words, commended by the wise,
By neglecting these, he will suffer in all seven births– SMD
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538
Let things that merit praise thy watchful soul employ;
Who these despise attain through sevenfold births no joy.
Let (a man) observe and do these things which have been praised (by the wise); if he neglects and fails to perform them, for him there will be no (happiness) throughout the seven births. – GUP
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538.Do what the wise commend as worth
If not, for seven births no mirth– SB
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538.Devote yourself to what wise commend worthy, else you will not find joy for many years – EVS, Year 1986
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538. புகழ்ந்தவை போற்றிச் செயல்வேண்டும் செய்யாது
இகழ்ந்தார்க்கு எழுமையும் இல்.
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539.In your self-intoxication of joy, remember those monarchs, who, in their thoughtless mirth, have ruined themselves– ANM+2
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539.When you revel in kingly pleasure and so, are inclined to be arrogant and negligent,
Think of the man, who have gone the same way before to ruin– SMD
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539
Think on the men whom scornful mind hath brought to nought,
When exultation overwhelms thy wildered thought.
Let (a king) think of those who have been ruined by neglect, when his mind is elated with joy. – GUP
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539.When joy deludes, their fate recall
Whom negligence has made to fall. – SB
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539.Whenever you are inclined to be proud and self-complacent, think of that came to grief though negligence- EVS, Year 1986
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539. இகழ்ச்சியின் கெட்டாரை உள்ளுக தாந்தம்
மகிழ்ச்சியின் மைந்துறும் போழ்து.
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540.All the yearnings of a king become fulfilled, if he keeps them constantly in his mind– ANM+2
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540.It is easy for a king to achieve his objective,
Provided he keeps it constantly in mind– SMD
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540
‘Tis easy what thou hast in mind to gain,
If what thou hast in mind thy mind retain.
It is easy for (one) to obtain whatever he may think of, if he can again think of it. – GUP
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540.Easy it is a thing to get
When the mind on it is set. – SB
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540.Concentrate the mind upon what you want to achieve; it becomes easy then to attain- EVS, Year 1986
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540.
It is easy achieve an aim,
If it be firmly kept in mind H A Popley – HAP (not full book; only selected couplets) Year 1931
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540. உள்ளியது எய்தல் எளிதுமன் மற்றுந்தான்
உள்ளியது உள்ளப் பெறின்.
–subham—
Tags -Tiruukural Encyclopaedia, Chapter 54, vigilance, forgetfulness , பொச்சாவாமை, Bhagavad Gita Echo
