picture of socrates
Written by London Swaminathan
Post No. 16,380
Date uploaded in London – 6 November 2026
Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com
Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.
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tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
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Points to Ponder
Kural 580 is a great puzzle! It is about men of culture willingly drinking poison with a smile. Valluvar lived in the fifth century CE. Before that we know two people drinking poison; Lord Siva took poison to save Demons and Angels when it came out of the Milky Ocean churned by both the groups. But his wife Parvathy held Shiva’s neck and prevented it going down. This is in 2000- year old Tamil Sangam literature and earlier Sanskrit works.
The second person who willingly and smilingly took poison was the great Greek thinker, Socrates. He lived between 470 and 399 BCE; that is one thousand years before Valluvar, that too in the far way Greece. I wrote an article in the 1990s in Megham Tamil monthly issue in London about it saying that Valluvar referred to Socrates.
But I can be challenged on the basis of the same poison drinking matter found in early Narrinai poem 356. It was by an anonymous author; so, we can’t find the precise date, but believed to be 2000 year old. Now the gap is just 400 years between Socrates and that Sangam Age Narrinai poem; Did Tamils get news about Socrates drinking poison within that short time? It is impossible. So, we may conclude that Valluvar and Narrinai author referred to Lord Shiva only.
When the authorities in Athens gave poison to Socrates, his friend Creto told him to escape. But Socrates refused to escape saying that he as a loyal citizen should not violate the law of the land. In short, he took hemlock willingly. He even instructed his friend Creto to sacrifice a hen to the Goddess.
Another interesting point is that Bharatiyar also referred to the poison taking in his Achchamillai Song.
நச்சை வாயி லேகொணர்ந்து நண்ப ரூட்டு போதினும்,
அச்சமில்லை அச்சமில்லை அச்சமென்பதில்லையே. – பாரதியார் பாடல்
Let us believe that Valluvar referred to Lord Shiva only in Kural/couplet 580.
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Valluvar used Sanskrit words Karma, nagareeka, mukha, loka etc in this chapter.
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Kural 573 is about music. That is interesting and shows Valluvar’s interest in music.
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H A Popley adds, the literal meaning of the title of the chapter in Tamil is ‘the running of the eyes’ and it refers to the gracious glance
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Tirukkural Encyclopaedia -Chapter 58- கண்ணோட்டம்–– Benign looks- Benignity- ON GRACIOUS COMPASSION-
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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 76; Chapter 58 in Tirukkural Book- கண்ணோட்டம் – Benign looks- Benignity- ON GRACIOUS COMPASSION-
571.The glory of the world lives in the mild and the magnificent look of a sovereign – A Aranganatha Mudaliyar – ANM+2 ( B.L. Aranganatha iyer and R. Srinivasa Desikan), Year 1933
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571.Gracious compassion is the uniquely great quality,
Because of which the world moves smoothly – S M Diaz, I G of Police- SMD, Year 2000
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571
Since true benignity, that grace exceeding great, resides
In kingly souls, world in happy state abides.
The world exists through that greatest ornament (of princes), a gracious demeanour.- Rev.Dr.GU Pope – GUP, Year 1886
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571.Living in the world implies
The bounteous dame of benign eyes. Suddhananda Bharathiyar – SB 571
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571.The world has its beings because of the existence of the grand and beautiful virtue called graciousness- EVS Publishers, Singapore – EVS, Year 1986
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571.The world goes smoothly on when graciousness,
That beauteous maid, resides in kingly souls- H A Popley – HAP (not full book; only selected couplets) Year 1931
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571. கண்ணோட்டம் என்னும் கழிபெருங் காரிகை
உண்மையான் உண்டிவ் வுலகு.
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572.All the graces and charms of life spring from a noble demeanour. But verily they are a burden unto the earth who are devoid of it– ANM+2
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572.The world exists and functions, because of the gracious compassion of the king,
Where this quality is absent, he becomes a burden to good earth.- S M Diaz,
***
572
The world goes on its wonted way, since grace benign is there;
All other men are burthen for the earth to bear.
The prosperity of the world springs from the kindliness, the existence of those who have no (kindliness) is a burden to the earth. – GUP
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572.World lives by looks of lovely worth
Who lack them are burdens of earth. – SB 572
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572.The world lives by benign looks of loving hearts. Who lacks them are burden on the earth – EVS Publishers
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572. கண்ணோட்டத் துள்ளது உலகியல் அஃதிலார்
உண்மை நிலக்குப் பொறை.
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573.Of what avail is the song that does not touch the hidden soul of harmony? of what avail is the eye that shines not with the tender light of grace? – ANM+2
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573.Where the tunes, expression, and words of a song do not accord, there is no sense in it; so too,
It is meaningless to have eyes that do not possess compassionate graciousness.- S M Diaz,
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573
Where not accordant with the song, what use of sounding chords?
What gain of eye that no benignant light affords?
Of what avail is a song if it be inconsistent with harmony ? what is the use of eyes which possess no kindliness. – GUP
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573.Of tuneless song what is the use?
Without gracious looks what are eyes? – SB 573
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573.Of what use is the song that cannot be sung? Of what use is the eye that is wanting in grace? – EVS Publishers
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573.Of what use is a song that can’t be sung?
what use is an eye that hath no graciousness?- H A Popley
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573. பண்என்னாம் பாடற்கு இயைபின்றேல் கண்என்னாம்
கண்ணோட்டம் இல்லாத கண்
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574.Of what avail is the vacant look of a man whose eyes sparkle not with charming tenderness? – ANM+2
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574.Eyes that do not express gracious compassion, albeit within expected bounds,
Only appear like eyes but serve no purpose.- S M Diaz,
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574
The seeming eye of face gives no expressive light,
When not with duly meted kindness bright.
Beyond appearing to be in the face, what good do they do, those eyes in which is no well-regulated kindness ? – GUP
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574.Except that they are on the face
What for are eyes sans measured grace. – SB 574
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574.Of what use is the eye that has no graciousness within measure except seeming to be in the face? – EVS Publishers
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574. உளபோல் முகத்தெவன் செய்யும் அளவினால்
கண்ணேட்டம் இல்லாத கண்.
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575.The grace of the eyes lies in its tender looks. Void of it eyes are but mere sores– ANM+2
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575.The eyes, that do not possess and exercise the quality of gracious compassion,
Are like a couple of sores on the face.- S M Diaz,
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575
Benignity is eyes’ adorning grace;
Without it eyes are wounds disfiguring face.
Kind looks are the ornaments of the eyes; without these they will be considered (by the wise) to be merely two sores. – GUP
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575.Kind looks are jewels for eyes to wear
Without them they are felt as sore. – SB 575
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575.Kind looks are an ornament to the eyes; without them they will be considered to be merely two sores- EVS Publishers
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575.The jewel of the eye is graciousness ;
If that be lacking, then it is but a sore– H A Popley
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575. கண்ணிற்கு அணிகலம் கண்ணோட்டம் அஃதின்றேல்
புண்ணென்று உணரப் படும்.
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576.They are but stocks and stones whose eyes dance not with kindness– ANM+2
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576.Men who have eyes that do not possess and exhibit gracious compassion,
Are like trees fixed on earth.- S M Diaz,
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576
Whose eyes ‘neath brow infixed diffuse no ray
Of grace; like tree in earth infixed are they.
They resemble the trees of the earth, who although they have eyes, never look kindly (on others). – GUP
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576.Like trees on inert earth they grow
Who don’t eye to eye kindness show. – SB 576
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576. Those who, though having eyes, never look kindly on others, are like the trees on earth – EVS Publishers
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576. மண்ணோ டியைந்த மரத்தனையர் கண்ணோ
டியைந்துகண் ணோடா தவர்.
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577.They are blind who look not with tenderness. – they have eyes who have a divine grace in their looks– ANM+2
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577.People who do not possess gracious compassion, have really no eyes at all
Those, who have eyes in fact, will surely have compassionate graciousness.- S M Diaz,
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577
Eyeless are they whose eyes with no benignant lustre shine;
Who’ve eyes can never lack the light of grace benign.
Men without kind looks are men without eyes; those who (really) have eyes are also not devoid of kind looks. – GUP
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577.Ungracious men lack real eyes
Men of real eyes show benign grace. – SB 577
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577.They have no eyes whose looks have no graciousness; they that have eyes are not wanting in graciousness- EVS Publishers
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577. கண்ணோட்டம் இல்லவர் கண்ணிலர் கண்ணுடையார்
கண்ணோட்டம் இன்மையும் இல்.
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578.He inherits the earth in whom justice and tenderness happily meet and mingle– ANM+2
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578.The man, who can exercise gracious compassion without interference with duty,
Will certainly inherit the earth.- S M Diaz,
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578
Who can benignant smile, yet leave no work undone;
By them as very own may all the earth be won.
The world is theirs (kings) who are able to show kindness, without injury to their affairs, (administration of justice). – GUP
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578.Who gracious are but dutiful
Have right for this earth beautiful. – SB 578
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578.They have the right to rule this world who are gracious, kind and true to duty- EVS Publishers
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578. கருமஞ் சிதையாமல் கண்ணோட வல்லார்க்கு
உரிமை உடைத்திவ் வுலகு.
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579.Forbear and show tenderness to those who have offended you. That is true nobility– ANM+2
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579.Even towards a person, who deserves to be sternly dealt with for his offence,
Forbearance and correction are better methods to adopt.- S M Diaz,
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579
To smile on those that vex, with kindly face,
Enduring long, is most excelling grace.
Patiently to bear with, and show kindness to those who grieve us, is the most excellent of all dispositions. – GUP
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579.To be benign and bear with foes
Who vex us is true virtue’s phase. – SB 579
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579.To show forbearance and kindness even to those who cause unhappiness is the most excellent quality in a man- EVS Publishers
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579.To show to those who vex us sore true graciousness,
And patiently to bear with them , is best of all good traits – H A Popley
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579. ஒறுத்தாற்றும் பண்பினார் கண்ணும்கண் ணோடிப்
பொறுத்தாற்றும் பண்பே தலை.
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580.It is the pink and pattern of courtesy to accept from your comrades even a poisoned bowl with a smiling grace – ANM+2
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580.He is said to possess the very pink of courtesy and graciousness
Who can drink poison, even seeing it poured in his presence.- S M Diaz,
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580
They drink with smiling grace, though poison interfused they see,
Who seek the praise of all-esteemed courtesy.
Those who desire (to cultivate that degree of) urbanity which all shall love, even after swallowing the poison served to them by their friends, will be friendly with them. – GUP
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580.Men of graceful courtesy
Take hemlock and look cheerfully. – SB 580
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580.Men of refined courtesy accept even a cup of poison and look cheerfully calm – EVS Publishers
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580. பெயக்கண்டும் நஞ்சுண் டமைவர் நயத்தக்க
நாகரிகம் வேண்டு பவர்.
—subham—
Tags -Socrates, Siva, Drinking poison, puzzle, Tirukkural Encyclopaedia -Chapter 58- கண்ணோட்டம்–– Benign looks- Benignity- ON GRACIOUS COMPASSION-
