Duties of Parents &Son(s)

DUTIES OF PARENTS & SON(S).

READ THIS CONVENIENTLY WHEN TIME PERMITS.

The following two versus from “Tirukkural” sent to me by my son some months ago, made me to compile and write this post.

Verse 67 from Tirukkural.

“Tantai makarkuarrum nanri avaiyattu Munti yiruppac ceyal”

English Translation:-

The good which a father can do to his son is, so to prepare him for a prominent role in the assembly of learned.A father’s first duty is to train his son to fit into a pre-eminent place in society. The stress is on education and culture. Only by these standards, will his position in the society of earned men be determined.That is the reason why the Sangam ;poetess Ponmudiar said and spelt out the quintessence of all virtue, born of education, culture and good behavior, and it was the father’s duty and responsibility to train the son to that state.

Verse 70 from Tirukkural:

Makantantaikku arum utavi ivan tantai Ennoran kolenum col.”

English Translation:-

The way of showing filial devotion is to make others exclaim within the hearing of the father
“What penance the father must have performed to be-get such a son.”A son’s duty to the father is to behave and conduct in such a way, the people who look on his exploits praise his father for his penance in siring such a son
..

I give preference, priority and importance towards duties, responsibilities and also, holding of relationship intact. The essence and theme of the article may be viewed towards Relationship and
affinity between Parents & Son(s).


The contents of this article are from a book with a strange origin with interesting outcome. The book was written by an ancient Brahmin, to this date no one knows who he was. The book was discovered in Tibet and was translated into English by an author residing in China and made its first appearance in 1751 in England. The contents of the book are exhilarating. What's being written below is only some extracts from the book. (I have edited, to make it as short as
possible)

The uniqueness and importance of the book is in the simple and lucid manner in which it explains the "DUTY OF PARENTS TO THEIR CHILDREN AND OF CHILDREN TOWARDS THEIR PARENTS" who have brought them up so well in life.

DUTIES OF FATHER TO SON:-

Consider, thou art a parent, the importance of thy trust the being thou has produced it is thy duty to
support.Upon thee also it depends whether the child of thy bosom shall be a blessing or a curse of thyself, a useful or a worthless member of the community. Prepare him early with instruction, and season his mind with the maxims of truth.Watch the bend of his inclination, set him right in
his youth and let no evil habit gain strength with his years. So shall he rise like a cedar on the mountains,his head shall be seen upright above the trees of the forest. A wicked son is a reproach to his father, but he that does right is an honour to his grey hair. The soil is your own, let it not want cultivation, the seed which you sow shall you reap.

1. Teach him obedience, and he shall bless thee.(here the word bless has different meaning and time and growth will automatically put you to understand)

2.Teach him modesty, and he shall not be ashamed.

3. Teach him gratitude, and he shall receive benefits.
4. Teach him Charity, and he shall gain Love.

5. Teach him temperance, and he shall have health.

6. Teach him prudence and fortune shall attend him.

7. Teach him justice, and he shall be honoured by the world.
8. Teach him sincerity and his own heart shall not reproach him.

9. Teach him diligence, and his wealth shall increase.

10. Teach him benevolence, and his mind shall be exalted.

11. Teach him Arts & science, and his life shall be useful.
12. Teach him religion, and his death shall be happy& peaceful.

DUTIES OF A SON TO HIS FATHER:-

From the creatures of the God, let man learn wisdom and apply to himself the instruction they give.
Go to the desert, my son, observe the young stork of the wilderness, and let him speak to thy heart. He beareth on his wings his aged sire; he lodged him in safety and supplied him with food.The piety of a son is sweeter than the incense of Persia offered to the SUN, yea, more delicious than
the odours wafted from a field of Arabian spices by the western gales.

BE GRATEFUL TO PARENTS:-

Be grateful, to thy father, for he gave thee life, and to thy mother, for she sustained thee. Hear the words of his mouth. For they are spoken for your good, give ear to his admonition, for it proceeds
from Love.He has watched for your welfare, he has toiled for your cause, do honour, to his age and let not his grey hair be treated with irreverence.Forget not your helpless infancy nor the forwardness
of your youth, and indulge in infirmities of your aged parents, assist and support them in the DECLINE OF THEIR LIFE.So shall their hoary heads go down to the grave in peace, and your own children, in reverence of your example, shall repay your piety with filial Love.

Very many years ago, similar ideas have been expressed by our saints. Tiruvalluvar in Tirukkural wrote:-"The gratefulness reciprocated by son to his father to be expressed by others in such a manner that they say-what amount of penance he had done to get such a
virtuous son." How happy the parents would be, when such noble children perform ritualistic functions in honour of their parents in Vedic style and reciprocate their sincerity and gratitude.

PS: Performance of ritualistic functions for parents is quite elaborate, hence ‘am not including in this post. If any reader(s) interested to know about it I shall comply with upon hearing from readers.

J.K