II. Porutpaal
II.1 Arasiyal
Athikaaram 60. Ookkamudaimai (Motivation)
Kural 591
Udaiya renappaduvathu ookkam-ah thillaar
udaiyathu udaiyaro matrtru.
English translation:
II. WEALTH
II.1 Politics and social life
Chapter. 60 Motivation
Kural 591.
'Tis energy gives men o'er 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 ?
my understanding:
One's possession is motivation. if that is not there, possessions are not really owned.
Other kurals in this chapter are:
Kural - 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.
my understanding:
having "heart" is the real property owned. all other things will leave him, if he hasn't got "heart".
Kural - 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."
Kural - 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.
Kural - 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 /(achievement) proportionate to their minds/(heart).
Kural - 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.
my understanding:
think big. the rest will follow.
Kural - 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.
Kural - 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 liberality".
Kural - 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.
Kural - 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.
