Help doesn’t have to be big to be big. A verse on helping in time.
From chapter 11, “Gratitude.”
Translated from the Tamil by Thomas Hitoshi Pruiksma
THE KURAL: Tiruvalluvar’s Tirukkural
Beacon Press, Boston
SMILING ACROSS TIME: Remembering Gustavo Esteva
It was with both gratitude and a heavy heart that wrote about my dear friend Gustavo Esteva in the wonderful online magazine The Porch: A Slow Conversation about Beautiful and Difficult Things.
You can read the essay here:
You can also listen to conversation here:
THE KURAL: Tiruvalluvar’s Tirukkural
Beacon Press, Boston
Kural 66: The Kural on Family and the Music of Children
A verse on the sweetness of children’s voices.
From chapter 7, “Having Children.”
Translated from the Tamil by Thomas Hitoshi Pruiksma
THE KURAL: Tiruvalluvar’s Tirukkural
Beacon Press, Boston
A Heart That Smiles: A Kural Conversation with Gustavo Esteva
Friendship, Politics, and the Inspiration of Poetry
With my friend Gustavo Esteva I explore the nature of real friendship, its relationship to politics in a time of upheaval, and the necessity of poetry as reflected in chapter 79, “Friendship,” of THE KURAL: Tiruvalluvar’s Tirukkural.
Here are a few highlights and where in the video you can find them:
- “Friendship is not a face smiling” and the inner smile of real friendship, even in the face of anger or depression: 4:36
- Friendship as beyond expectations: 14:19
- The place of friendship in the life of Ivan Illich and in politics: 18:17
- A question from Gustavo about the meanings of verse 782, “Friendship with wise souls—a moon waxing—fellowship / With fools—a moon waning”: 37:00
- The great need for the inspiration of poetry in the great desperation of present circumstances: 44:18
- Where Gustavo’s many writings are being collected and organized to be shared with anyone who wish to read them: 51:00
Here are the verses we talked about, in both English and Tamil:
From chapter 79, “Friendship.”
Translated from the Tamil by Thomas Hitoshi Pruiksma
THE KURAL: Tiruvalluvar’s Tirukkural
Beacon Press, Boston
Kural 731: The Kural on Environment and Country
A verse on what makes a true country.
From chapter 74, “Country.”
Translated from the Tamil by Thomas Hitoshi Pruiksma
THE KURAL: Tiruvalluvar’s Tirukkural
Beacon Press, Boston
Kural 597: The Kural on Perseverance and Never Giving Up
A verse on endurance and having energy.
From chapter 60, “Having Energy.”
Translated from the Tamil by Thomas Hitoshi Pruiksma
THE KURAL: Tiruvalluvar’s Tirukkural
Beacon Press, Boston
Kural 61: The Kural on Children and Family
A verse on how knowledge is passed from generation to generation.
From chapter 7, “Having Children.”
Translated from the Tamil by Thomas Hitoshi Pruiksma
THE KURAL: Tiruvalluvar’s Tirukkural
Beacon Press, Boston
Kural 82: The Kural on Hospitality and Life
A verse on sharing food with guests and the elixir of immortality.
From chapter 9, “Hospitality.”
Translated from the Tamil by Thomas Hitoshi Pruiksma
THE KURAL: Tiruvalluvar’s Tirukkural
Beacon Press, Boston