Tirukkural Chapter 71 - Couplets 7,8,9,10 Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

திருக்குறள் -TIRUKKURAL
அதிகாரம் 71 - குறிப்பறிதல்.
CHAPTER 71 - KNOWING INTENTION
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71/07. முகத்தின் முதுக்குறைந்தது உண்டோ? உவப்பினும்
காயினும் தான்முந் துறும்.

71/07. Mugaththin mudhukkuraindhadhu undoa? Uvappinum
Kaayinum thaanmun dhurum.

71/07. The face will reveal what is in mind, whether one likes or dislikes; Is there any other intelligent indicator more than a face?
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Balagopal: Again and again the poet speaks about one's face
To read his mind, how it is?

Gajendran: The poet gives more importance
To one's facial appearance,
To know what's in his mind?
This, he says, one can easily find.

Even in dance classes
Nine type of feelings
Are taught to students
To express in their faces.

Beauty, Valor, Kindness,
Wonder, Humor, Fear,
Strong aversion, Anger,
And also Calmness

(சிங்காரம், வீரம், கருணை,
அற்புதம், ஹாஸ்யம், பயம்,
பீபத்ஸம், ரௌத்ரம், சமம்.)

All these expression is possible
Only when the mind is tuned
To that level of mindset,
That a dancer tries to create.
***
71/08. முகம்நோக்கி நிற்க அமையும் அகம்நோக்கி
உற்றது உணர்வார்ப் பெறின்.

71/08. Mugamnokki nirrkka amaiyum agamnokki
Utrradhu unnarvaarp perrin.

71/08. If a person can read your face,
study that person's face, as if one reads your face.
***
Balagopal: This is a kind of formula to read one's mind.

Gajendran: How another man reads your face?
You apply the same formula
When you read other man's face,
May be the poet's intention is this.

The purpose of mind reading is
Well served when one tries
To change bad mood of a person
Just to bring it to normal condition.

If one is in a sorrowful mood,
With kind and sweet words,
He can be brought to normal
To the extent possible.
***
71/09. பகைமையும் கேண்மையும் கண்ணுரைக்கும் கண்ணின்
வகைமை உணர்வார்ப் பெறின்.

71/09. Pagaimaiyum kennmaiyum kannuraikkum kannin
Vagaimai unnarvaarp perrin.

71/09. If an expert, who can find the differences in one's eyes,
he can trace out his enmity or friendship.
***
Balagopal: There are differences between enemy's eyes and friend's eyes.

Gajendran: The enemy's eyes reveal harshness
While the friend's eyes show kindness.
This anyone can identify easily,
From each one's eyes normally.

No special training is required,
To read a friend's mind,
Or that of an enemy's mind,
As from his face, it can be traced.

The poet is repeatedly telling,
That the art of mind reading,
Everyone is doing it practically,
But it is done unknowingly.
***
71/10. நுண்ணியம் என்பார் அளக்கும்கோல் காணுங்கால்
கண்ணல்லது இல்லை பிற.

71/10. Nunniyam enbaar allakkumkoal kaannungaal
Kannalladhu illai pirra.

71/10. For a wise person to read out another man's intentions,
there is no measuring scale other than that man's pair of eyes.
***
Balagopal: Only the pair of eyes is the measuring rod
To find out one's intentions, this the poet says repeatedly.

Gajendran: For Mona Lisa picture
Its best parts are her eyes,
And her beautiful smiles,
That became world famous.

A blind man with no eyes,
He always lives in darkness,
And one can't find his moods
In the absence of two eyes.

The two eyes are God given tools,
To study the minds of others,
And in the absence of eyes none
Can read others' intentions.
***





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