Sage Thiru-valluvar
"The Bard of Universal Man"
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Chapter - 6 : The Goodness of the Help to Domestic Life
 

Introductory Note

Chastity is one of the Seven Catholic / Holy Virtues in Christianity. It generally means having sexual intimacy only with your married partner. In wider context, chastity means purity of the mind and body. It is the opposite of lust, one of the Seven Deadly Sins.

In Latin the equivalent of chastity is “virtus.” [2].

In context of 21st Century, we must add that chastity is a virtue for women as well as men.

Translation(s)

As does the house beseems, she shows her wifely dignity; as does her husband’s wealth befit, she spends: help-mate she is.

Explanation

Ancient Tamil commentator says that ‘all the befits her station’ includes (i) qualities, such as reverence to ascetics, hospitality, kindness to the poor, etc. (ii) acts, such as due provision for household needs, skill in cookery, attention to duties of her station, etc.

Translation(s)

If household excellence is wanting in the wife; life, howsoever with splendor lived, is all worthless.

 

Translation(s)

There is no lack within the house where wife excels in worth. There is no luck within the house, where dishonored wife dwells.

Explanation

Compare with Manu ix.26

Translation(s)

If woman retains the might of chastity, what choice treasure the world contain?

“Than virtuous woman what more excellent
Who firm in mind, her wedded faith maintain?”
- rendering by F.W. Ellis

Explanation

Quote from Islam fit in here

Translation(s)

(The wife who) bends before her lord then rising serves, need not be god adoring: the rain falls instant at her word.

Explanation

The implication is that even gods obey her.

Translation(s)

Giver her a woman’s name who guards herself, cares for husband’s comfort, preserves her household’s fame in perfect wise with sleepless soul.

Explanation

Women's duty to serve has not been easy in any country or any age:

"Women never have a half-hour in all their lives (excepting before or after anybody is up in the house) that they can call their own, without fear of offending or of hurting someone. Why do people sit up so late, or, more rarely, get up so early? Not because the day is not long enough, but because they have 'no time in the day to themselves." [1852]
- Florence Nightingale, popularly 'The Lady with the Lamp', British Nurse and Humanitarian who reformed her profession, (1820-1910)

She takes care of children, parents-in-law and others in joint family, besides her husband.

Translation(s)

Of what avail is watch and ward? Honor is a woman’s safest guard.

Explanation

See Manu ix.12

Here is what Naladiyar, a later Tamil composition, says about the uselessness of restraint to a shameless woman:

“Though compassed around as though with faultless guard of swords;
Once when they freedom gain, it is but a little time
Ere they are stained with every fault; and long the time
Those women, soft of speech, spurn every law of right.”
 – Naladiyar, 362.

Translation(s)

If wife be wholly true to him who gained her as his bride, she gains great glory in the world where gods reside in bliss.

“Women all happiness from wedded love
Derive, and by it blest foretaste on earth
The joys of heaven.”
-rendering by F.W. Ellis

 

Translation(s)

Those who do not have spouses that delight in virtue’s praise, they can never walk lion-like in scorner’s sight.

“Before their scornful foes,
Bold as a lion those dare never walk,
Whose fame is sullied by their wife’s base deeds.”
– rendering by F.W. Ellis.

 

Translation(s)

The excellent house-wife is the house’s ‘blessing’ men pronounce. The gain of blessed children is its goodly ornament.

Explanation

This couplet prepares the way for the next chapter. Rev. G.U. Pope quotes in his notes from Vemana, a poet who has written a similar treatise in Telugu language: 

“Is wealth to wife or husband wealth?
 Wealth of sons on earth is best.
‘Tis wealth of wealth to live and side by side grow old.”
 – Vemana, II.202.

Rev. G.U. Pope remarks: Vemana in Telugu ranks with our Tamil bard. Vemana enjoys the advantage of matchless rhythm and flexibility; but as an artist, not less than as a teacher, he is far inferior to Tiruvalluvar.

Summary Note

Rev G.U. Pope notes: “The history of the poet’s wife Vasuki illustrates this chapter. It is not improbable that the verses may have given rise to the legends.

Commentator’s analysis of chapter is good.

There are many quotes from Naladiyar on P.206

Thiruvalluvar - Image Engarved in Metal
Credit: Moghan Art Gallery, Flickr

References