INTRODUCTION TO
THE STUDY OF TIRUVALLUVAR
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A Lecture by Prof.Avvai Duraisami Pillai
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Part – 72
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This omnibus section called Natpu (நட்பு) by Valluvar includes evil friendship, false friendship, friendship of fools silly persons, and persons of hostile temperament, merits and demerits of enemies, enmity in the garb of friendship and misbehaviour towards great men. Those whose words and deeds are at variance are evil friends and they will undo things assigned to them however light they may be. They will always be calculative of the benefits they gain by their friendship and prove treacherous when occasion warrants their assistance or guidance. Falsity of friendship can be easily defeated by the way in which they move with us; friendly In our presence and hostile in our absence are the main characteristic behaviour of these false friends. And therefore it is said that when an opportunity occurs they must be got rid of immediately by putting on the same sweet and smiling face. Fools are those who are devoid of any sense of humour and incapable of discriminating between right and wrong. Lack of interest in anything good and complete indifference to personal safeguards form unique defect in them. When a fool happens to obtain wealth, all its benefits will go to his foes and make them thrive while his close friends as well as his kith and kin starve for food. Even among the educators of high ethical principles, there are fools who do not conform to what they teach and their friendship will cause ruin and disgrace. High degree of education fails to train the mind properly of certain individuals who are by nature not amenable.
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