Written by London Swaminathan
swami_48@yahoo.com
Date: 29 September 2018
Time uploaded in London – 12-31 (British Summer Time)
Post No. 5488
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Bhartruhari’s Niti Sataka 7,8,9 & 10 and Tirukkural
Tamil poet Tiruvalluvar in Tamil Veda Tirukkural says,
Even a man of no learning (fool) may be considered wise
If he holds his tongue in gatherings of learned- Kural 403
The Bible says,
A fool’s mouth is his own destruction- Proverbs 18-7
Even a fool, when he holdeth his piece, is counted wise- Proverbs 17-28
Sanskrit poet Bhartruhari says in Niti Sataka,
Brahma gave the boon of silence to fools;
This silence is a lid over one’s ignorance;
In the midst of learned people this silence
Become s an ornament for the fools 1-7
स्वायत्तम् एकान्तगुणं विधात्रा
विनिर्मितं छादनम् अज्ञतायाः ।
विशेषाअतः सर्वविदां समाजे
विभूषणं मौनम् अपण्डितानाम् ॥ 1.7 ॥
Parallel verses in Tirukkural
Be modest, restrained; do not argue before learned elders.
This modestly excels all other virtues.
Kural 715
To utter blundering nonsense before the learned wise like is like a fall from the height of virtue -Kural 716
XXX
Mad Elephant
When I knew only a little, I was arrogant like an elephant;
At that time, I thought I knew everything;
When I gradually learnt something from the wise
I realised I was a fool.
And my false pride melted away like a fever. 1-8
यदा किञ्चिज्ज्ञोஉहं द्विप इव मदान्धः समभवं
तदा सर्वज्ञोஉस्मीत्यभवदवलिप्तं मम मनः
यदा किञ्चित्किञ्चिद्बुधजनसकाशादवगतं
तदा मूर्खोஉस्मीति ज्वर इव मदो मे व्यपगतः ॥ 1.8 ॥
Tirukkural says
As one’s ignorance is discovered the more one learns, so does repeated intercourse with a well adorned female- Kural 1110
What is folly? It is the delusion which makes men say, we have wisdom -Kural 844
XXX
Ignorant Dog
A dog licks a dry, dirty and stinking bone with its own saliva
Full of germs without any flesh, but he imagines that he is deriving a good taste. This dog will not care even if Indra standing near him
Similarly a mean- minded person follows his pursuits shamelessly 1-9
कृमिकुलचित्तं लालाक्लिन्नं विगन्धिजुगुप्सितं
निरुपमरसं प्रीत्या खादन्नरास्थि निरामिषम् ।
सुरपतिम् अपि श्वा पार्श्वस्थं विलोक्य न शङ्कते
न हि गणयति क्षुद्रो जन्तुः परिग्रहफल्गुताम् ॥ 1.9 ॥
The pretensions of a fool to the learning that he does not possess begets doubts even about the false less learning that he does possess
Kural 845
Petty minded fools cover their nakedness with a cloth; but they do not cover their glaring faults.
Kural 846
XXX
The River Ganga falls from the heavens on the head of Lord Shiva
And then falls on the mountains and then on the earth.
Therefore Ganga goes further down to get immersed in the sea.
By thus descending, Ganga goes further and further downwards until she gets lost in the sea.Similarly any person who lose s his power of discretion has a continuous downfall in a hundred ways 1-10
शिरः शार्वं स्वर्गात्पशुपतिशिरस्तः क्षितिधरं
म्हीध्रादुत्तुङ्गादवनिम् अवनेश्चापि जलधिम् ।
अधोஉधो गङ्गेयं पदम् उपगता स्तोकम्
अथवाविवेकभ्रष्टानां भवति विनिपातः शतमुखः ॥ 1.10 ॥
Tiruvalluvar in Tamil Veda Tirukkural says,
It is the hall-mark of wisdom to concentrate on the wise and the good
Instead of letting the mind wander aimlessly everywhere – Kural 422
Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita says,
Like a lamp, in a spot sheltered from the wind, does not flicker, this mind that is restrained by concentration on the good, is steadfast (BG 6-18)
XXX subham xxx
Tamil and Vedas 
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