Tirukural – Chapter 40
Chapter 40: Learning
Verse 394
A holy man is seated in a mandapam during a festival. Around him, people are singing joyously. Their happiness is intensified by being with a man of such high learning.
You can access the entire text, in Tamil and English here:
Weaver’s Wisdom
Verse 391
All that you learn, learn perfectly, and
thereafter keep your conduct worthy of that learning.
Verse 392
Two are the eyes of those who truly live–
one is called numbers, and the other letters.
Verse 393
The learned have eyes that see, they say.
The unlearned have two open sores on their face.
Verse 394
It is the learned man’s prowess that meetings with him
bring delight, and departures leave pleasant thoughts.
Verse 395
The learned remain ever humble, as the poor are before
the prosperous. Lowly men lack such learning.
Verse 396
The deeper a sand well is dug, the more freely its water flows.
Even so, the deeper a man’s learning, the greater is his wisdom.
Verse 397
Knowing that knowledge makes all nations and neighborhoods
one’s own, how can a man stay untutored until his death?
Verse 398
The learning a man secures in one birth
will secure his well-being in seven.
Verse 399
When the learned discern that the learning which delights them
also delights the world, they love learning all the more.
Verse 400
A man’s learning is an imperishable and precious wealth.
No other possession is as golden.
Giant Fishtail Palm
This palm is in full glory, growing just 150 feet East of Iraivan Temple in Rishi Valley. It is astonishingly productive, creating thousands of flowers and seeds in all stages of maturity. It is officially called Caryota obtusa, and is a native of Laos and Cambodia. Enjoy seeing it up close.
The Fungus Amongus
Next to the Aadheenam's primary vegetable garden, you'll find heaping hills of wood chips. These chip are regularly gifted to us by several local tree trimmers who are happy to have a place to offload them. We put these mulch piles to good use as we top vegetable beds and mulch our other gardens. In walking by them each day, one monk noticed the many varieties of fungi growing among the chips, and started recording them all. Some fungi lasted for a few weeks, while others mysteriously came and went in a single day. All we know for sure, is that they absolutely love our subtropical environment (as do we!). Aum.
Did you know?
A fungus known as the honey mushroom is the largest living organism on the planet. It is believed to be about 2400 years old. It covers over 2000 acres, killing trees as it spreads.
The Inner Navigator – Part 2
Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami gives a second upadesha about the development and use of our intuition. He elucidates this point through the telling of several stories from the lives of our Kailasa gurus.
Final Steps of Iraivan Temple’s Kodimaram
Aum Namah Sivaya
This week the monks of the Siddhidatta Kulam and the siplis worked on the final installation of the kavacham (metal cladding) on Iraivan Temple's kodimaram—the temple's flagpole. Each piece of the kavacham must go over the tall piece of teak wood in the correct order. They then have to be set in place with wooden spacers to properly attach around the pole. The top of the pole is etched with three progressively smaller edges over which sits the three pieces of the metal "flag." The flag is a complex and ancient design, which once put together with its bracing pieces, is almost completely without any sagging. Mind you, these are 8-foot long, horizontal pieces attached to a top of a pole. They are also very heavy. A rather astounding example of Indian temple engineering. With all the kodimaram pieces installed, our gold leafing team can soon work their magic. Aum.
Tirukural – Chapter 39
Part II: On Wealth
Section V: Royalty
Chapter 39: The Merits of the King
Verse 383
The king is sitting in a battlefield chariot, listening to his ministers. He watches vigilantly as his courageous soldiers practice their combat skills in the field. Later that day he falls prostrate before his guru, in search of learning’s wisdom.
You can access the entire text, in Tamil and English here:
Weaver's Wisdom
Verse 381
He is lion among kings who is well endowed with these six:
army, citizens, wealth, ministers, allies and fortresses.
Verse 382
There are four attributes that cannot be absent in a king:
fearlessness, generosity, wisdom and industriousness.
Verse 383
In those who rule the land, three traits must never lapse:
vigilance, valor and virtuous learning.
Verse 384
The noble king is unswerving in virtue, restrains wrongdoing
and courageously maintains his honor.
Verse 385
He who can produce a treasury of wealth, deposit it,
preserve it and apportion it wisely--now, that is a king!
Verse 386
All peoples praise that nation whose sovereign
is always accessible and never speaks harshly.
Verse 387
Behold the king who speaks graciously, gives generously and
protects powerfully--the world considers his word its command.
Verse 388
Ruling righteously himself and safeguarding his subjects,
a monarch may be deemed divine by his people.
Verse 389
The world lives protected beneath the umbrella
of an ethical leader who can endure words bitter to the ear.
Verse 390
He is a light among rulers who is endowed with the four merits
of generosity, graciousness, justice and care for the people.
The Story of Our Bronze Hanuman Retold for Pilgrims
Aum Anjaneyaya Namah
Whether you're a visiting pilgrim or one of our island neighbors, the sight of a giant Hanuman near the monastery's rudraksha forest is sure to raise some questions. Our plan for the near future is to install a nearby sign which will link our guests to an informative page on our website. Thankfully, we've had Rajkumar Manickam visiting the last few weeks. He's taken the story of our Bronze Hanuman and created a succinct and beautifully-crafted online presentation to help accomplish our goal. Enjoy! Aum.
Daily Life of our Temple Carvers
A short documentary-style video by Rajkumar Manickam, about Kauai Aadheenam's current group of silpi temple carvers and the monastery's chef who are here from India. The siplis were interviewed about their daily lives and their experiences while being here in Kauai.
The Inner Navigator
Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami gives an upadesha about the development and use of our intuition. He elucidates this point through the telling of several stories from the lives of our Kailasa gurus.
From Our Gurus' Teachings
Archives are now available through 2001. Light colored days have no posts. 1998-2001 coming later.
