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Thiruvalluvar if u want to know about ThiruValluvar then check out this link:
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ALL WORD SOUNDS HAVE THEIR GENESIS
IN THE SOUND ‘A’;
LIKEWISE
THE WHOLE OF THE WORLD HAS ITS GENESIS IN GOD. 1

ARNOLDS DESCRIPTION OF A POET:
“LEANED ON HIS GATES , HE GAZES , TEARS
ARE IN HIS EYES AND IN HIS EARS
THE MURMUR OF A THOUSAND YEARS
BEFORE HIM HE SEES LIFE UNROLL,
A PLACID AND CONTINOUS WHOLE.”

POETESS AVVAYIAR SAYS IN A TAMIL SONG :
“ VALLUVAR BORES AN ATOM ,POURS THE SEVEN SEAS IN ITS CAVITY,
AND CUTTING THE ATOM ,OFFERS ITS CROSS SECTION TO US IN THE
SHAPE OF A KURAL”
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A SONG IN WHICH DR.G.U.POPE CELEBRATES THE UNIVERSALITY OF VALLUVAR:
“SAGE VALLUVAR ,PRIEST OF THY LOWLY CLAN,
NO TONGUE REPEATES ,NO SPEECH REVEALS THY NAME;
YET ALL THINGS ARE CHANGING ,DIETH NOT THY FAME,
FOR THOU ART BARD OF UNIVERSAL MAN .
AND STILL THY BOOK ABOVE THE WATERS SWAN.
VIRTUE , TRUTH ,WEALTH AND JOYAND BEINGS AIM
IN SWEETEST MYSTIC COUPLETS DOTH PROCLAIM
WHERE WINDS SEA WAFTED PALMY FORESTS FAN.
HAPLY UNDREAMED OF VISIONS GLAD IN THINE EYES
IN REALMS BEYOND THY THY FABLED SEVEN BIRTH
AND CLOUDS OF DARKNESS FROM THY SPIRIT ROLL;
WHILE LANDS FAR OFF HAVE HEARD WITH STRANGE SURPRISE
FAINT ECHOES OF THY SONG,THROUGH ALL THE EARTH
MEN HAIL THEE BROTHER,SEER OF SPOTLESS SOUL”

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There are several controversies over where Thiruvalluvar(or Valluvar) had born and lived.

THERE IS REASON TO BELIEVE THAT VALLUVAR LIVED BETWEEN THIRD AND FOURTH CENTURY B.C. DURING THIS PERIOD ,THE CHERA ,CHOLA AND PANDYA KINGS ,RULED OVER DIFFERENT PARTS OF TAMILNADU, WITH COUNTRIES RANGING FROM EGYPT ,GREECE AND ROME IN THE WEST, BURMA MALAYSIA AND CHINA IN THE EAST,CEYLON IN THE SOUTH AND HIMALAYAN KINGDOMS IN THE NORTH.

A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PANDYA KING ATTENDED THE CORONATION OF EMPEROR AUGUSTUS IN ROME ,AS MENTIONED BY STRATO , A GREEK WHO WROTE HIS BIOGRAPHY IN THE FIRST CENTURY A.D…. R.B.DIXON THE CELEBRATED ARCHAEOLOGIST AND HISTORIAN ASSERTS THAT TAMILS HAD EXTENSIVE TRADE RELATIONS WITH MALAYA ,NORTH BORNEO AND N.PHILLIPINES EVEN IN THE FIRST MILLENIUM B.C.AND THAT TRADE LED TO COLONISATION AND CONQUEST OF THOSE COUNTRIES BY THE TAMILS .
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ACCORDING TO PAUL ELLIOT ,THERE IS EVIDENCE IN CHINESE LITERATURE OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN THE SOUTH INDIAN COASTS AND THE CHINESE EMPIRE AS EARLY AS SECOND CENTURY B.C.

A CHINESE WRITER PANKOU ,WHO LIVED AT THE END OF FIRST CENTURY ,MENTIONS THE FACT THAT IN TIME OF HUA EMPEROR ,THE CHOLA KINGS SENT EMBASSIES TO CHINA {VIDE K.M. PANICKER ,” INDIA AND CHINA ” PAGES 17 AND 19}.

GREEKS WERE EMPLOYED AS PALACE GUARDS IN MADURAI ,THE CAPITAL OF PANDYA KINGDOM.THE PEARLS THAT WERE AVAILABLE ON THE COASTAL AREAS OF PANDYA KINGDOM WERE WORLD FAMOUS AND ATTRACTED WESTERN MERCHANTS ,WHO USED TO BARTER WESTERN WINE FOR INDIAN PEARLS, RICE AND PEACOCKS .KARIKAL CHOLAN ,A CHOLA KING ,INVADED CEYLON AND BROUGHT GAJABAHU ,THE CEYLONESE PRINCE ,AS PRISONER ALONG WITH 12,000 SINHALESE AND ENGAGED THE PRISONERS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF A DAM ACROSS THE RIVER CAUVERY .A SPIRIT OF MARITIME ADVENTURE AND CURIOSITY CHARACTERISED THE TAMILS.
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Now lets see some thirukurals translated into English……..

“ BY BIRTH ALL MEN ARE EQUAL ;
IT IS BY THE DIFFERENCES IN THEIR ACTION
THAT THEIR WORTH IS RENDERED UNEQUAL .” 972
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“THE LOVELESS MEN BELONG ALL TO THEMSELVES ;
THE LOVING ONES
BELONG TO OTHERS –THEIR BONES AND ALL” 72
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“ OF WHAT AVAIL ARE THE OUTER ORGANS
TO THOSE WHO DON’T HAVE LOVE ,THE INNER ORGAN OF THE BODY .” 79
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“TO BEG IS EVIL
EVEN IT WERE DECLARED A VIRTUE,
BUT TO GIVE IS GOOD ,EVEN IF BY GIVING ,
FUTURE HEAVENLY BLISS IS DENIED”
222
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“TWO ARE THE LOOKS
THE IN DRINKING EYES OF THIS MAID HAVE –
THE ONE THAT MAKE YOU WILL
AND THE OTHER THAT CURES YOU.” 1091
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REV. DR. J. LAZARUS ,A MISSIONARY HIMSELF ,PROCLAIMED:
“THE KURAL CANNOT BE IMPROVED NOR ITS PLAN MADE MORE PERFECT .IT IS A PERFECT MOSAIC IN ITSELF.A SLIGHT CHANGE IN THE SIZE ,SHAPE OR COLOUR OF A SINGLE STONE WOULD MAR THE BEAUTY OF THE WHOLE .IT IS REFRESHING TO THINK THAT A NATION ,WHICH HAS PRODUCED SO GREAT A MAN AND SO UNIQUE A WORK CANNOT BE A HOPELESS DESPICABLE RACE .THE MORALITY HE PREACHED COULD NOT HAVE GROWN EXCEPT OUT OF AN ESSENTIALLY MORAL SOIL.”
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REV. PERCIVAL, A PERCEPTIVE ENGLISH CRITIC PROCLAIMED :
“NOTHING IN THE WHOLE COMPASS OF THE HUMAN LANGUAGE CAN EQUAL THE FORCE AND THE TERSENESS OF THE SENTENTIAS DISTHICHS IN WHICH THE AUTHOR CONVEYS THE LESSONS OF WISDOM HE UTTERS .”
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KABILAR’S POEM
The droplet of water
that is tinier than a gram of tinai
reflects the tall and stately palmyrah tree ;
equal vast is the tiny kural’s
range of reflection.
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Dr.Xavier s.thani nayagam has drawn attention to the earliest record of a non Indian use of thirukural, which is found to be in fernao de queyrozs ,“conquest of Ceylon” ,in which th e francisan missionary fra joamde vila conde ,in a religious debate at the cour t of bhuvanaika bahu of kotte , Ceylon [1521-1551 ] cited the thirukural in support of the doctrines he preached : “read one of the books which you have maliciously hidden , composed by valuer [evidently valluvar] a native o f melipur [mylapore] and the contemporary of st.Thomas. there you will find the union of th e trinity ,the incarnation of the son ,the redemption of man, the cause of his fall, the remedy for his faults and miseries and finally the preservation of his state.”
The quotation shows that the kural was so popular even in ceylon as to attract the notice of the Portuguese missionary Joam de vila conde.

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“SUPREMELY SWEET IS THE FRIENDSHIP OF FOOLS ;
FOR
WHEN THEY DEPART
YOU SHED NOT A TEAR “. 839
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VALLUVAR AND VASUKI LIVED A PEACEFUL WEDDED LIFE FOR A LONG TIME . AS VASUKI WAS ABOUT TO DIE ,A QUESTION ,WHICH SHE DARE NOT PUT TO HER HUSBAND ALL THOSE YEARS ,WAS TROUBLING HER, AND VALLUVAR LOVINGLY COAXED HER TO FORMULATE HER QUESTION WITHOUT HESITATION . SHE SAID “EVER SINCE OUR MARRIAGE ,I HAVE BEEN ,AT YOUR BIDDING , PLACING A CUP OF WATER AND NEEDLE BY THE SIDE OF THE LEAF , WHICH I HAVE BEEN SPREADING OUT FOR YOUR MEAL , MAY I KNOW ,MY LORD, WHY IT WAS?”
THE HUSBAND REPLIED ,“ I WANTED THE CUP OF WATER AND NEEDLE BECAUSE, IF YOU SPILT A GRAIN OF RICE WHILE SERVING ME ,I MIGHT PICK UP WITH A NEEDLE AND PURIFY IT WITH THE WATER .THERE WAS NO OCCASION, HOWEVER, FOR USING THE NEEDLE AND WATER .” AS SOON AS THIS DOUBT WAS CLEARED , VASUKI BREATHED HER LAST.

AFTER HER DEATH ,AND AFTER CREMATING HER MORTAL REMAINS ,THE POET SANG A SOUL-STIRRING SONG IN LAMENTATION OVER THE DEATH OF VASUKI AND THE SONG MAY BE TRANSLATED AS FOLLOWS:-
“ OH , MY BELOVED , WHO IS SWEETER THAN MY DAILY FOOD,
OH, MY DARLING ,WHO HAS NEVER ONCE DISOBEYED ME ,
OH .GENTLE ONE , WHO CHAFING MY FEET , WOULD GO TO BED
BEFORE ME WOULD BE THE EARLIER TO RISE ,
ART THOU GONE!
HOW CAN SLUMBER EVER COME TO MY UNSLUMBERING EYES?”

EVEN AS WATER TAKES ON THE NATURE OF THE SOIL THROUGH WHICH
IT FLOWS
MEN TAKE ON THE WISDOM OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THEY
LIVE. 452
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{more thirukurals}

WISDOM , WHICH APPEARS TO RESIDE INSIDE THE MIND OF MAN ,
ACTUALLY EXISTS IN THE ENVIRONMENT. 454
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FOOD , CLOHTING AND THE REST MARK ALL MEN IN COMMON ;
IT IS ONLY A DELICATE SENSE OF SHAME
WHICH SEPARATES THE FEW FROM MANY. 1012
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UTTER NOT A WORD
WITHOUT MAKING SURE
THERE IS NO OTHER WORD TO BEAT IT. 645
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THERE IS NO GREATER VIRTUE
AND INDEED ,NO GREATER WEALTH ,
THAN THE ABILITY
TO USE WORDS
WITH THE FULLEST COGNIZANCE OF THEIR POWER
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THE ONE, WHO APPLAUDS EMPTY WORDS ,
IS MISCALLED A MAN ;
HE MUST BE CALLED THE CHAFF AMONG MEN
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SOFTER THAN FLOWER IS LOVE
AND BUT A FEW
CAN INDULGE IN ITS DELICACY. 1289
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OF YOUR DECISION
NOT TO DEPART
YOU MAY TELL ME ;
OF YOUR HARD HEARTED RETURN AFTER YOUR DEPARTURE
TELL THOSE WHO SURVIVE IT. 1151
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THE MEDICINE THAT CURES A DISEASE
IS ITS OPPOSITE
BUT FOR THE MALADY THIS GIRL INDUCES
SHE ALONE IS THE CURE. 1102
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SHE LOOKED,AND LOOKING,SHE LOWERED HER HEAD
THAT GESTURE IS THE THING THAT WATERED OUR PLANT OF LOVE . 1093
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AS I GAZED AT HER
SHE WOULD GAZE DOWNWARD AT THE GROUND,
AND AS I GAZED AWAY ,
SHE WOULD GAZE AT ME
AND SOFTLY SMILE. 1094
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YOU KNOW WHY I LIVE?
TO LIVE IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE DAYS
I LIVED IN UNION WITH HIM. 1206
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I TOLD MY BELOVED
“I LOVE YOU MORE THAN THE REST”
AND SHE FRETTED AND FUMED
MUTTERING
“THAN THE REST? THAN THE REST?
THAN WHOM? THAN WHOM ? ”
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CAN WINE , WHICH INTOXICATES ONLY WHEN DRUNK,
INTOXICATE ,LIKE LOVE,
AT MERE SIGHT. 1090
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HE, WHO LI VES ON THE EARTH,
IN THE MANNER HE SHOULD,
WILL BE PLACED AMONG THE GODS DWELLING IN HEAVEN. 50
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FROM WHATSOEVER YOU DETACH YOURSELF
YOU CAN BECOME FREE FROM THE PAIN IT CAN CAUSE 341
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HE , WHO CUTS OF THE FEELINGS OF ‘I’ AND ‘MINE’
ENTERS A WORLD
SUPERIOR TO THAN THAT OF THE CELESTIALS . 346
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ATTACH YOURSELF TO HIM,
IN ORDER THAT
YOU MAY DETACH YOURSELF FROM ALL ATTACHMENT. 350
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TO THE CLEAR SIGHTED,
WHO HAVE RID THEMSELVES OF DOUBTS,
HEAVEN IS NEARER THAN EARTH. 353
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THE FREE ARE THOSE
WHO ARE FREE FROM DESIRE
THE OTHERS ARE COMPLETELY FREE. 365
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EVEN THE UNLEARNED MAY BE DEEMED HIGHLY VIRTUOUS
IF ONLY
THEY CAN KEEP THEIR TRAPS SHUT
IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LEARNED. 403
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HOW MANY SUFFERINGS DO FOOLS INFLICT UPON THEMSELVES!
EVEN THEIR ENEMIES FIND IT HARD
TO INFLICT SO MANY 843
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IF IS ASKED ,“WHAT IS STUPIDITY?”
IT IS THE ARROGANCE WHICH SHOUTS,
“I AM WISE.” 844
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THE ENTRY OF AN IDIOT INTO AN ASSEMBLY OF SAGES
IS LIKE PUTTING AN UNWASHED FOOT
UPON A WHITE WASHED BED. 840
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THE WEALTH OF THE ONE,
WHO HELPS NOT THE POOR,
IS LIKE A GIRL OF ENORMOUS CHARM
GROWING , UNWED,
IN TO THE LONELINESS OF AGE. 1007
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WILL IT COME ,
TODAY TOO –THE POVERTY
THAT WELL NIGH
KILLED ME YESTERDAY? 1048
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DON’T THEY KNOW THE JOY
THAT COMES FROM GIVING-
THOSE HARD HEARTED BOORS
WHO GUARD THEIR TREASURE JUST TO LOSE IT? 228
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TO BE BEGGED IS AGONISING
TILL YOU GIVE
AND SEE THE SMILE LIGHTINING UP THE FACE OF THE BEGGAR. 224
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THE MOST POWERFUL OF ALL POWERS
IS THE POWER TO BEAR HUNGER
BUT EVEN THAT POWER IS NEXT ONLY
TO THE POWER OF THOSE, WHO CAN APPEASE HUNGER . 225
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THERE’S NOTHING MORE CALAMITOUS THAN DEATH ;
BUT DEATH ITSELF BECOMES SWEET
ONCE ONE IS DISABLED FROM GIVING ALMS. 230
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HE , WHO ,IN PLEASURE
EXALTS NOT IN PLEASURE,
DOES NOT , IN SORROW,
SUFFER FROM SORROW. 629
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THERE IS SOME GOOD ABOUT ADVERSITY,
FOR IT GIVES YOU A MEASURING ROD
WITH WHICH
YOU MAY UNSTINGINLY MEASURE YOUR REAL FRIENDS. 796

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THE HATRED OF A WISE MAN IS
TEN MILLION TIMES WORTHIER
THAN THE FRIENDSHIP OF A FOOL. 816

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LEARN WITH CLARITY
WHATEVER HAS TO BE LEARNT ;
AFTER LEARNING CONDUCT YOURSELF ACCORDING TO WHAT YOU
HAVE LEARNT. 391

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THE WEALTH OF WEALTH IS WEALTH ACQUIRED THROUGH THE EAR;
IT IS THE NOBLEST OF ALL WEALTHS. 411

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OF WHAT AVAIL IS YOUR SALBU,
IF YOU DO NOT DO GOOD
EVEN TO THOSE WHO HAVE DONE YOU EVIL. 987
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ALL VIRTUE CONSISTS IN BEING MENTALLY FREE FROM DIRT;
ALL ELSE IS POMPOUS SHOW. 34
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A WOMAN , WHO, WHILE WAKING UP FROM SLEEP,
WORSHIPS NOT GOD ,BUT WORSHIPS HER HUSBAND,…
WHEN SHE SAYS ,‘LET IT RAIN’
IT WILL RAIN. 55
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THE GRUEL THAT HAS BEEN DABBED IN BY THE TENDER
HANDS OF THE CHILDREN
IS SWEETER FAR TO THEIR PARENTS
THAN DIVINE NECTAR . 64
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THE FATHER’S DUTY TOWARDS THE SON
CONSISTS
ON MAKING HIM SIT IN THE FRONT BENCHES OF A LEARNED
ASSEMBLY. 67
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BY WHAT GREAT PENANCE
DID HIS FATHER BEGET HIM? 70
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IF WE SMELL THE ANICHA FLOWER,
IT WILL WITHER AND WILT AWAY;
LIKE WISE,
IF YOU LOOK AT THE GUEST WITH AN UNWELCOMING FACE,
HE WILL WITH ERRAND WILT AWAY. 90
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THAT SUPREME COURAGE OF MANLINESS,
WHICH LOOKS NOT AT THE WIFE OF ANOTHER,
IS NOT MERELY AVIRTUE FOR THE GREAT;
IT LENDS THEM A GREAT DIGNITY. 148
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IF PEOPLE SHOULD DETECT THEIR OWN FAULTS,
EVEN AS THEY DETECT THE FAULTS OF OTHERS,
WOULD ANY EVIL HAPPEN TO MANKIND? 190
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THE POWER OF ENDURING HUNGER IS A MIGTHY POWER
BUT IS NEXT ONLY TO THE POWER OF THOSE,
WHO CAN REMOVE HUNGER BY GIVING. 225
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THOSE WHO PERFORM AUSTERITIES BY GOING THROUGH
THE CRUCIBLE OF AGONY
WILL SHINE ALL THE BRIGHTER LIKE GOLD HEATED IN
THE CRUCIBLE OF FIRE. 267
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ALL SOULS WORSHIP HIM ,
WHO , LOSING HIS EGO,
GETS CONTROL OF HIS OWN SOUL. 268
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LOOKING AT THE SECRET SIN OF THE WICKED HEARTED
THE ELEMENTS FIVE[OF WHICH THE BODY IS COMPOSED]
WILL LAUGH INWARDLY. 271
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THOUGH THE LUTE [YAZH] IS CROOKED,
IT PRODUCES WHOLE SOME MUSIC,
UNLIKE THE ARROW, WHICH , THOUGH STRAIGHT,
IS CRUEL IN THE EFFECT IT PRODUCES.
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THE ONE WHO EXISTED YESTERDAY,
IS NO MORE TODAY,
THAT IS THE GLORY OF THE EARTHLY LIFE. 336
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TO THE WISE,
THAT WHICH APPEARS TO BE A DAY
IS BUT A SAW
WHICH CUTS DOWN THE TERM OF HUMAN LIFE. 334
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AN EXTRACT FROM THIRUMANDIRAM A COLLECTION OF 3000 IMMORTAL SONGS IN TAMIL,WRITTEN BY THIRUMOOLAR, ONE OF THE SPIRITUAL DESCENDANTS OF THIRUVALLUVAR……

THEY ARE FOOLS WHO SAY
THAT LOVE AND GOD ARE TWO;
THEY KNOW THAT LOVE AND GOD ARE ONE;
AFTER KNOWING THAT LOVE AND GOD ARE ONE
THEY REMAIN ROOTED IN LOVE AS GOD.
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{end of section}