(91 - 100) Pleasant speech

இனியவைகூறல்

INIYAVAI KOORAL

PLEASANT SPEECH

INTRODUCTION

Animals and birds can produce only those noises from their throat what ‘Nature’ has allowed them to do. Man has evolved after millions of years to speak and think.

Speech! What a great gift to the mankind!

Yet people growl when they talk; add as much harshness in their words as possible; their ‘Sorry’s amd ‘Thank you’s have no life at all as they are also uttered rudely.

Why? Why is man wasting such a beautiful gift called ‘speech’?

Here Shri Valluvar advises us to have sweetness in speech whenever we talk with anybody and prove our humanness.

(91)

இன்சொலால் ஈ.ரம் அளைஇப் படிறிலவாம்

செம்பொருள் கண்டார்வாய்ச் சொல்

INSOLAAL EERAM ALAI IPPADIRILAVAAM

SEMPORUL KANDAVAARVAAYSSOL

Sweetness in speech

is that which is filled with love; has no guile;

 and is innate in the words of those,

 who have had the vision of the Supreme.

(In this world who always add sweetness in their speech?

Those who have had the vision of the Supreme!

Those great ones who have realized their Self look upon every animal, bird and human as the expression of their own Self. Liberated while living, they have only overflowing love towards everybody and utter pleasing words always.

They never use the sweetness in the speech to cheat others, to mask their inner selfishness or to hurt others. The sweetness is innate in their speech, like the sweetness in the sugarcane.)

(92)

 அகன்அமர்ந் தீதலின் நன்றே முகனமர்ந்து

இன்சொலன் ஆகப் பெறின்

AGAN AMARNDU THEEDALIN NANRE MUGANAMARNDU

INSOLAN AAGAPPERIN

If one can have a smile in the face and utters sweet words,

that is better than offering any thing,

feeling happy only in the mind.

(When you give any one any charity, of course you are going to feel glorified as a person who offers the charity and makes some one happy.

But if you cannot have smile lighting up your face, then the whole act of charity becomes a waste. Nobody can see inside your mind. The person who receives the gift can understand your feelings, only when you smile and talk pleasing words.

Do not embarrass the receiver of the gift by your rudeness.)

(93)

 முகத்தான் அமர்ந்தின்து நோக்கி அகத்தானாம்

இன்சொ லினதே அறம்

 MUGATTHAAN AMARNDU INIDU NOKKI AGATTHAANAAM

INSOLINADE ARAM

Looking at the other person with a pleasing smile,

if one speaks sweet words,

then that is the conduct as prescribed by Dharma.

(A smile accompanied with pleasing words- that is how you react with another person, whoever he be, in this world. That alone is true righteous conduct.

If you cannot love your own fellow being, then whatever rites and worships you do, they all get wasted.

If you cannot be even human, how can you ever aspire for higher states?)

(94)

  துன்புறூஉம் துவ்வாமை இல்லாகும் யார்மாட்டும்

இன்புறூஉம் இன்சொ லவர்க்கு

THUNBUROO UM THUVAAMAI ILLAGUM YAARMAATTUM

INBUROO UM INSOLAVARKKU

Those who speak pleasingly with sweet words,

do not ever experience the distress of poverty.

(A man, who is friendly with all, never will be left helpless or alone.

The whole world is his friend and he will never suffer any lack of basic comforts.

Some hand of a friend will truly extend towards that noble man, and lift him up when he is in trouble.)

(95)

  பணிவுடையன் இன்சொலன் ஆதல் ஒருவற்கு

அணியல்ல மற்றுப் பிற

PANIVUDAIYAN INSOLAN AADAL ORUVARKU

ANIYALLA MARRUPPIRA

If one has modesty and utters sweet words,

there is no other adornment he needs.

(Modesty, pleasant smile, and sweet words are the true ornaments of a man.

Without these embellishments, even if you deck yourself with silk, gold and diamonds, you will surely look ugly with your snarl and growling words.)

(96)

அல்லவை தேய அறம்பெருகும் நல்லவை

நாடி இனிய சொலின்

ALLAVAI THEYA ARAMPERUGUM NALLAVAI

NAADI INIYASOLIN

If the harmful attitudes (in the people) have to diminish,

and the righteous conduct is to be induced,

 the right path has to be shown through sweet words.

(If Dharma has to be on the up and Adharma should vanish, the people who follow Dharma should spread it to others with pleasing words explaining everything properly.

You cannot guide a man toward the right path with commands and harsh words.)

(97)

நயன்ஈ.ன்று நன்றி பயக்கும் பயன்ஈ.ன்று

பண்பின் தலைப்பிரியாச் சொல்

NAYAN EENRU NANRI PAYAKKUM PAYAN EENRU

PANBIN THALAIPIRIYAASCHOL

The speech not bereft of a proper conduct, and benefiting the receiver,

will yield joy and a virtuous life for the giver.

(If a person follows what has been advised so far and offers to alleviate the suffering of any one, he will have a unique satisfaction rising in his mind, which the arrogant, selfish man never will have a chance to experience. The noble man will continuously do such good deeds and will experience that joy again and again.)

(98)

சிறுமையுள் நீங்கிய இன்சொல் மறுமையும்

இம்மையும் இன்பம் தரும்

CHIIRUMAIYUL NEENGIYA INSOL MARUMAIYUM

IMMAIYUM INBAM TARUM

The sweet word which is free of rudeness,

will bestow happiness here and hereafter.

(Such a virtuous conduct will give him a good life here on this earth also and open the gates of heaven, when he dies.)

(99)

  இன்சொல் இனிதீன்றல் காண்பான் எவன்கொலோ

வன்சொல் வழங்கு வது

INSOL INITHEENRAL KAANBAAN EVANKOLO

VANSOL VAZHANGUVADU

Why should a person use rude words,

when he understands that sweet words are pleasing?

(It is not that the selfish man does not know the effect of pleasing words. When others talk to him in a pleasing way, is he not happy? Then why should he not do the same thing to others? Sweetness in the speech costs no money; it rather makes you look pleasing, makes you popular and also paves the way to heaven.)

(100)

இனிய உளவாக இன்னாத கூறல்

கனிஇருப்பக் காய்கவர்ந் தற்று

INIYA ULAVAAGA INNAADA KOORAL

KANI IRUPPAK KAAY KAVRNDARRU

When there is no dearth of sweet words,

if one speaks only rude words,

then it is akin to choosing unripe fruits avoiding the ripened ones.

(Or who knows?

He might be an idiot for sure who chooses the bitter unripe fruits, namely rude words and suffers through the unpleasantness. He may throw off the ripe fruits namely, sweet words and bring ruin to his life here and hereafter.)