Thirukkural Week 1

Last holidays, my 7-year-old daughter and I decided to spend productively by reading one Thirukkural a day. As I was picking the ones that might be relevant to her, I was surprised by how deeply Thiruvalluvar wrote about the art of communication.. How to speak, when to speak, how to persuade, and most importantly… when not to speak.

I realised that these 2,000-year-old lines are still incredibly relevant. So, I am bringing them here to a wider audience, one Kural every week, on communication, and what each one means to me.

A Kural is just 2 lines, but holds a lifetime of wisdom on clarity, ethics, behaviour, and living well. Should I admire the rhetoric packed into so few words, the similes, the metaphors, or the depth of meaning they carry? Only Valluvar can do both so effortlessly.

What better place to begin than with brevity itself?

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐈 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 — 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝟏

பலசொல்லக் காமுறுவர் மன்றமாசற்ற

சிலசொல்லல் தேற்றாதவர்.

Only those who cannot explain an idea briefly with a few words tend to be fond of using too many words.

— Thirukkural 649

We have all seen people who test our patience by never getting to the point. :)

If something can be said in one line, why take ten? Only when an idea isn’t clear in the speaker’s mind do they use excessive words to express it. It not only wastes time but also confuses listeners. I have always wondered why they do this to us. Now Thiruvalluvar gives the answer:

People often speak too much because they don’t know how to be brief. It’s a matter of ignorance, not choice.

See you next week.

#Thirukkural #PublicSpeaking #TimelessWisdom #CommunicationSkills