Date: November 8th 2008

From: Kauai_Hindu_Monastery@jnanadana.com Date: Friday, November 7, 2008


Tirukural
A daily chapter from South Indian saint Tiruvalluvar's Tirukural, "Holy Couplets."

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Chapter 58: The Kindly Look : The fairest graciousness, they say, is a kindly look. Wherever it thrives, the whole world flourishes.


Kural 571
The fairest graciousness, they say, is a kindly look.
Wherever it thrives, the whole world flourishes.
Kural 572
It is compassion that sustains the world's existence.
The existence of those bereft of it is a burden to the Earth.
Kural 573
What use is melody in an unmusical song?
What use are eyes that express no sympathy?
Kural 574
Other than being facial ornaments, what do eyes
with no quality of kindness really do?
Kural 575
A compassionate glance is the eyes' true ornament.
Without such kindness, eyes become unsightly sores.
Kural 576
Eyes that remain unmoved by pity might as well
be unmovable tree stumps bound in earth.
Kural 577
Those who lack a kindly look are indeed without eyes,
and those who truly have eyes never lack a gracious look.
Kural 578
This world belongs to those who, while neglecting no duty,
never neglect to behold others benevolently.
Kural 579
To grant forbearing kindness even to those
who aggrieve us is the foremost of virtues.
Kural 580
Desiring to be gracious above all else, guests may politely accept
even poison they watched their host prepare and serve.


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These daily couplets are drawn from Saint Tiruvalluvar's Tirukural, an ethical masterpiece written over 2,200 years ago in South India. This American English translation, known as Weaver's Wisdom, is available at our Minimela online store.