AN INTRODUCTION TO
THE STUDY OF TIRUVALLUVAR
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A Lecture by Prof.Avvai Duraisami Pillai
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Part – 12
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Reception and cordial entertainment of guests and other fellow men, utterance of kind and sincerely sweet words, gratefulness to people who are of help, assistance and guidance and sense of uprightness and equity in transactions are the main positive elements for success in family life. Of course, experience of our life on earth tells us that the course is not smooth. There are some negative forces arising out of our movement in the society at large. Failure to control our mind and speech, covetuousness, lack of forbearance and fortitude, evil tendency of enjoying others’possessions and back-biting, indulgence in frivolous and vain talks are the most important negative characteristics which impede the pursuit of the house-holder to achieve his object. In order to overcome these anti-social negative elements, Valluvar points out the importance of the genero¬sity of mind, liberality of help to others without any thought of recompense, feeding’ the hungry and helping the poor and needy.
The ultimate fruit of a life devoted to the various duties already enunciated is earthly name and fair renown; otherwise life is not worth living. As regards the reception of people, Valluvar says that the love that has hitherto been confined within the family — husband, wife and child — begins to manifest itself when a guest arrives to the family. No matter whether the guest is a stranger or not, he is received with courtesy and affection. The householder thinks that the sole object of running a family is to receive and serve others whether they are already known or otherwise.
இருந்து ஓம்பி இழ்வாழ் தெல்லாம் விருந்தோம்பி
வேளாண்மை செய்தற் பொருட்டு.(13)
In order to achieve this object every individual must speak sweet and kind words. Only such words are declared sweet which come out from righteous persons with heart full of love and speech completely guileless.
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