99.1 Pursuance of Salbu[1]
(சான்றாண்மை)
Question:
What deeds should a Sanron undertake?
Answer:
They (the wise) say that doing all good deeds is natural for a
duty-conscious Sanron. (Couplet – 981)
கடன்என்ப நல்லவை எல்லாம் கடன்அறிந்து
சான்றாண்மை மேற்கொள் பவர்க்கு. (குறள் – 981)
Explanation:
Valluvar discusses the characteristics of a sanron
very extensively in many Couplets throughout his book. In fact, Valluvar has dedicated a whole chapter (Chapter
99) in his book to describing the characteristics of a sanron. In
addition to the ten couplets in that chapter, he refers to the attributes of sanron
in several other couplets. In some couplets, he describes them directly and
indirectly in others. In Couplet 981, he says that a Sanron who knows his
responsibility must do all the good deeds.
What is considered a good deed? Generally, Valluvar
refrains from providing specific details about things that vary with respect to
time and location. For example, when he mentions what one should learn, he
says, “One should learn thoroughly whatever is worth learning and then act in
accordance with it (Couplet 391).” If Valluvar had provided a list of books to
be read, such a list would have no relevance today. Also, when he talks about
good conduct, in Couplet 140, he says that good conduct is the conduct that
wise people approve in the location and at the time one lives and does not
elaborate on what are good conduct. He adopts the same approach in Couplet 981
and does not provide a list of deeds a Sanron must perform. According to
him, it is natural for a duty-conscious Sanron to figure out what good deeds
are and perform them.
[1]. In Tamil, the word salbu refers to all the desirable, perfectly
good qualities in full measure. The one
with salbu is called a sanron. Since there are no equivalent
words in English for the Tamil words salbu and sanron, it is
better to use salbu and sanron instead of translating them into
many words.
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