98.3 Greatness

 98.3 Greatness

Question:

            What can a man do to maintain his greatness?

 

Answer:

Greatness will be intact with a man if he guards himself

from promiscuity Ilike a chaste woman.                                (Couplet – 974)

ஒருமை மகளிரே போலப் பெருமையும்

தன்னைத்தான் கொண்டொழுகி                        (குறள் – 974)

 

Explanation:

            From Tholkaapiyam and Sangam literature, we see that prostitution was prevalent in Tamil society and was not condemned. Men frequenting prostitutes and having concubines were not uncommon. However, for all women who were not prostitutes, chastity was considered the greatest of all virtues. But chastity was not considered a virtue for men to practice. Of course, this was a double standard. Valluvar was the first scholar/philosopher to condemn male promiscuity. In Couplet 974, Valluvar says that for a man to be considered great, he should be chaste like a chaste woman, avoid all contact with prostitutes, and avoid sexual relationships with all other women except his wife.