Tkl 2 1 22

Created by Jijith Nadumuri at 11 Oct 2011 10:47 and updated at 11 Oct 2011 10:47

TIRUKKURAL of Tiruvalluvar, the Tamil poet

BOOK 2

Wealth

DIVISION 1

2.1 Royalty

ADHIKARAM 22

2.1.22. Energy

591
Tis energy gives men over that they own a true control;
They nothing own who own not energy of soul.
Energy makes out the man of property; as for those who are destitute of it, do they (really) possess what they possess

592
The Wealth of mind man owns a real worth imparts,
Material Wealth man owns endures not, utterly departs.
The possession of (energy of) mind is true property; the possession of Wealth passes away and abides not.

593
Lost is our Wealth, they utter not this cry distressed,
The men of firm concentred energy of Soul possessed.
They who are possessed of enduring energy will not trouble themselves, saying, "we have lost our property."

594
The man of energy of Soul inflexible,
Good Fortune seeks him out and comes a Friend to dwell.
Wealth will find its own way to the man of unfailing energy.

595
With rising flood the rising Lotus Flower its stem unwinds;
The dignity of men is measured by their minds.
The stalks of Water Flowers are proportionate to the depth of Water; so is men s greatness proportionate to their minds.

596
Whate er you ponder, let your aim be loftly still,
Fate cannot hinder always, thwart you as it will.
In all that a King thinks of, let him think of his greatness; and if it should be thrust from him (by fate), it will have the nature of not being thrust from him.

597
The men of lofty mind quail not in ruin s fateful hour,
The Elephant retains his dignity mind arrows deadly shower.
The strong minded will not faint, even when all is lost; the Elephant stands firm, even when wounded by a shower of arrows.

598
The soulless man can never gain
Th ennobling sense of power with men.
Those who have no (greatness of) mind, will not acquire the joy of saying in the world, "we have excercised liaberality".

599
Huge bulk of Elephant with pointed tusk all armed,
When Tiger threatens shrinks away alarmed!
Although the Elephant has a large body, and a sharp tusk, yet it fears the attack of the Tiger.

600
Firmness of Soul in man is real excellance;
Others are trees, their human form a mere pretence.
Energy is mental Wealth; those men who are destitute of it are only trees in the form of men.

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