100.1 Courteousness

                                                                100.1 Courteousness

(100.1 பண்புடைமை)

Question:

            What are the attributes of a person with courteousness?

 

Answer:

Courteousness, they say, is easy to obtain if one is of

easy access to all.                                                                     (Couplet – 991)

Kindness and good breeding combined will constitute

Courteousness.                                                                       (Couplet – 992)

 

எண்பதத்தால் எய்தல் எளிதென்ப யார்மாட்டும்

பண்புடைமை என்னும் வழக்கு.                              (குறள் – 991)

அன்புடைமை ஆன்ற குடிப்பிறத்தல் இவ்விரண்டும்

            பண்புடைமை என்னும் வழக்கு.                             (குறள் – 992)

 

Explanation:

            If one has easy access to all, it means one is humble and has respect for others. In Couplets 991 and 992, Valluvar mentions that one with easy access to all is kind and has good breeding. Such a person will be considered courteous. In addition to Couplet 981, Valluvar emphasizes the importance of easy access to a king (leader) in Couplets 386 (Chapter 39 - Kingship) and Couplet 548 (Chapter 55 – Just Rule). From Puranaanuuru, we find that in Tamil society, the kings who were easily approachable by their citizens were considered courteous, and those who were not were criticized. For example, in poem 206 of Puranaanuuru, we see that when poet Avvaiyaar (ஒளவையார்) who could not meet king Adhiyamaan Nedumaan Anji (அதியமான்  நெடுமான் அஞ்சி) even after waiting for a few days, exiting the king’s palace, saying that she could get food (patronage) wherever she goes and that she was not going to wait to meet the king any longer. In poem 197, we see a poet refusing to sing in praise of a king because the king delayed meeting him and did not treat him with the respect he deserved. So, it is clear that having easy access to all was considered a requisite courteous behavior in Tamil culture.

 

In addition to Couplet 982, we see Valluvar emphasizing in Chapter 8 that love is an essential quality for a human being. Also, he states that a Sanron (Chapter 99) and one who serves as an envoy (Chapter 69) should have love as part of their nature. In Chapter 51, Valluvar stresses that having good breeding is necessary to be selected for a high-level position in a king’s administration. In Chapter 80, he says that only those with good breeding should be chosen as trustworthy friends.

 

So, Valluvar’s criteria mentioned in couplets 991 and 992 for a person to be considered courteous have been consistent with Tamil culture for a long time.