Kural Chronicles

KURAL 181

ARATHUPAAL

ILLARAVIYAL

ADHIKAARAM 19: PURANKOORAAMAI – NOT BACKBITING

அறங்கூறான் அல்ல செயினும் ஒருவன்
புறங்கூறான் என்றல் இனிது.

Arankooran alla seyinum oruvan

Purankooraan enral inithu

A person may speak no good and do no good, but if he does not speak ill of people behind their backs, there is good in him still.

Aram: virtue;  Kooru: speak;  alla: not; seyal: action;  Oruvan: one person;  puram: back;  enral inithu: is good or pleasant.

Purankooraamai is classified under the iyal Illaraviyal which is a guide to a good family life. An important facet of family life is how best to live in a society. Trust and positivity are key in any society. Back biting and gossip are probably the fastest ways to undermine the cohesiveness and trust in a group.

When you listen to someone slandering another behind their back, the first thought may be ‘Is that so, I wasn;t aware.; However, the next thought will invariably be, ‘this is how he is going to talk about me to someone else as well’. Your respect for the backbiter is lost; your trust about the group you are both a part of, is lost.

Conversely. If a person speaks to the face of another, rather than going behind his back, even if the words are harsh, it is still to be respected. This is what Valluvar means when he says even if a person does not speak or act virtuously, if he does not slander anyone behind their backs, it is a redeeming feature.