Tirukural

CHAPTER 54

Avoiding Unmindfulness

531

Excessive anger’s harm is exceeded by excessive merriment’s mindless mishaps.§

532

Just as perpetual poverty slowly nullifies one’s knowledge, so frequent forgetfulness destroys one’s prestige.§

533

Unmindful men will never know renown. This is the verdict of every virtuous text in the world.§

534

Nothing will provide defense for the cowardly, and nothing will secure good for the unmindful.§

535

The forgetful man who fails to take precautions against impending perils will regret his negligence afterwards.§

536

Nothing can compare to watchfulness extended unfailingly to all people at all times.§

537

There is nothing too difficult for the man who consciously conceives and carefully executes his work.§

538

One should do that which men extol as praiseworthy. Forgetfully failing to do so brings deprivation lasting seven births.§

539

Whenever the mind is engrossed in pleasant infatuations, one should remember men who were ruined by forgetfulness.§

540

It is easy to get what you think of if you can get yourself to think of it.§