Kural Chronicles

KURAL 305

ARATHUPAAL

THURAVARAVIYAL

ADHIKAARAM 31 : VEGULAAMAI – RESTRAINING ANGER

தன்னைத்தான் காக்கின் சினங்காக்க காவாக்கால்
தன்னையே கொல்லுஞ் சினம்

Thannaithaan kaakkin sinamkaakka kaavaakkaal

Thannaiyae kollum sinam

If you want to guard or protect yourself, control your anger. If not, your anger itself will kill you.

Thannai: yourself;  Kaakkin: if you want to protect;  Sinam: anger;  Kaakka: protect or control;  Kaavaakkaal: if you do not control; Kollum: will kill; 

Anger is probably the single most destructive emotion known to man. Basically anger is a reaction. When you feel you have been wronged, you react; when you feel something is unfair you react; Depending on the magnitude of the reaction, we call it irritation or annoyance or anger or rage etc,.

You may have noticed that when you are in control of a situation, you are generally slower to anger. Anger is very often a loss of control. When you lose control, you can hurt somebody physically or mentally; you can damage relationships; but more than anything, anger hurts yourself most of all. It upsets your mental well being; it increases blood pressure; causes heart problems, digestive issues.

This is what Valluvar alludes to when he says “if you want to keep yourself safe, reign in your anger. If not, your anger will kill you.” A dire warning indeed.

On the other hand, one could ask – ‘should we take things lying down when we have been wronged?’. A valid question. React in moderation. Never lose control of yourself and the situation.

Ultimately, a dog that stops to bark at every provocation will never reach it’s destination.