Dread of Evil Deeds
Marandhum Piranketu Soozharka Soozhin / Aranjoozham Soozhndhavan Ketu
Classical English couplet — “Though good thy soul forget, plot not thy neighbour's fall,Thy plans shall 'virtue's Power' by ruin to thyself forestall”
What it says in plain words
“Never plan to harm someone else, even in a careless moment. Such plans turn back against the person who makes them.”
The classical Tamil reading
பிறனுக்கு கேட்டைத் தரும் தீய செயல்களை ஒருவன் மறந்தும் கூட எண்ணக்கூடாது, எண்ணினால் எண்ணியவனுக்கு கேடு விளையுமாறு அறம் எண்ணும்.
An expanded Tamil interpretation
மறந்தும்கூட மற்றவர்க்குக் கேடு செய்ய நினைக்கக் கூடாது; அப்படி நினைத்தால் அவனுக்குக் கேடு உண்டாக்க அவனை அறம் முற்றுகையிட்டு விடும்
The ethical and philosophical heart
The couplet warns against planning harm, not just causing it. It describes goodness itself turning against the person planning harm. The central warning is that planned harm turns back on us. In daily life, this means watching what we wish for others. Anger is not a reason to plan someone's suffering.
In personal life, work and society
- Personal
- When a friend upsets you, avoid planning revenge through gossip.
- Workplace
- Do not hide a coworker's files to make them fail.
- Family
- After an argument, avoid planning ways to hurt your sibling.
- Society
- Do not spread false stories to damage a neighbor's business.
How to apply this today
- Decision-making
- Before choosing a plan, check whether you intend to hurt someone.
- Integrity
- Refuse to plan harm, even when nobody would find out.
- Communication
- Do not use someone's private troubles to plan a hurtful message.
- Leadership
- Stop plans aimed at making another team fail.
- Governance
- Do not use public power to plan harm against opponents.
For leaders and teams
Teach those you lead to solve problems without planning harm. Do not turn anger into plans to make someone suffer.
Something to sit with
“How could you handle a current conflict without planning harm to the other person?”