93.3 Abstaining from Drinking Liquor

 93.3 Abstaining from Drinking Liquor

Question:

                Is it fruitful to reason with a drunkard to give up drinking? 

Answer:

Reasoning with a drunkard is like going under water with a torch

in search of a drowned man.                                                                  (Couplet – 929)

களித்தானைக் காரணம் காட்டுதல் கீழ்நீர்க்

குளித்தானைத் தீத்துரீஇ அற்று.                                              (குறள் – 929)

 

Explanation:

From the Chapter on Abstaining from Drinking Liquor (Chapter 93)  in Thirukkural,  it is clear that Valluvar disapproves of drinking. From the Couplets cited in the two preceding sections, we see Valluvar describing the ill effects and the foolishness of drinking. In this section, we see him commenting on the futility of convincing a drunkard to give up drinking. His criticism of drinking is somewhat modest and not a very severe condemnation.. Perhaps, he was convinced that it was of no avail to reason with those who drink, and he was trying to warn only those who do not drink about the dangers of drinking so that they may not get into the habit of drinking. If that was his intention, his approach seems appropriate. All attempts to enforce prohibition generally end up in failure. Even in countries where drinking is strictly against the law, people who want to drink somehow manage to drink. Even religious objections to drinking are often violated by people. The best way to avoid drinking is to practice self-control and not get into the addictive habit of drinking.