Integrity

மனமே!

பொய்கள் வந்து மாயம் செய்தாலும்

உண்மை மட்டும் நிலைத்து நிற்கும்;

செல்வம் வந்து போகலாம்;

புகழ் ஒரு நாள் மறையலாம்;

நேர்மை மட்டும் மாறாது

மனமே!

நேர்மை என்ற நாணயம் கையில் இல்லை

உள்ளத்தில் தான்!

Here is my thought process on the verse:

In all my poems I have invoked the mind for a reason, I use the word maname for a reason, let me unpack that word first for better understanding.

I1. have personified the mind as a person and drawn attention to the inner self. By doing so I have created a moral court room: the mind is both the witness and the judge. It is also to notice, reflect and to be held accountable.

2.Tone of intimacy - It is not a sermon from a distance - it is a private conversation, tender and gentle.

3.High command - Addressing the mind is a way of saying “ change your orientation, re-evaluate” - It is a moral education, mindfulness and re centering.

So the word maname is selected with the intention to understand ethics and morals because ethics begins as an inner conversation.

Let us now unpack the verse itself

பொய்கள் வந்து மாயம் செய்தாலும் உண்மை மட்டும் நிலைத்து நிற்கும் - lies may come wrapped in illusions,but truth stands firm.

The surface level understanding could be falsehoods often disguise themselves attractively - rhetoric, spectacle, seductive narratives etc yet they lack structural integrity of truth.Lies look convincing in the moment; truth endures

Layers to Unpack :

1. Appearance vs. Reality

Things are not always what they seem. What looks true on the surface can sometimes hide falsehood underneath. Illusions can trick our eyes or emotions, while real truth stays steady underneath the surface.

2. Emotional Attraction of Lies

Lies often sound pleasing because they make life seem easier or more comfortable. They can flatter us or give us false hope. That’s why people sometimes choose lies — not because they don’t see the truth, but because the lie feels nicer for a while.

3. Strength of Truth Over Time

Truth lasts. It remains strong even after time, challenges, and testing. Lies eventually fall apart because they don’t match facts or reality. What is false cannot hold up forever.

4.Humility About What We Know

We shouldn’t assume we always know the truth. Instead, we should keep questioning, thinking clearly, and being honest — so we can tell what’s truly real from what only looks real.

செல்வம் வந்து போகலாம் - Wealth may come and go

Surface level meaning : Material possessions and money are transient. They come and go or even change

Layers you need to see:

1.The unstable nature of things - attachment to such things cause suffering

2. Relational status of riches - wealth is external and it has got nothing to do with individual moral worth

Wealth can be instrumentally valuable but its moral value is limited.

3. Because wealth is unstable making it the central axis of your life has moral risks - moral hazard

புகழ் ஒரு நாள் மறையலாம் - Fame may fade one day

Surface level meaning - Public reputation, praise, applause are not permanent. Public attention span is small it shifts from time to time

Layers to see:

Fame is an allocation of social attention - what is trending today is forgotten tomorrow

Fame can be intoxicating

Fame can reward shallow virtues

Humility to accept that fame fades basing moral choices on it is like walking on thin ice

நேர்மை மட்டும் மாறாது - Integrity never changes

Surface meaning - Integrity gives life a steady moral direction.It’s not about being stubborn or refusing to grow — it’s about living by values that keep you honest and grounded no matter what happens.

Layers to unpack:

1.Moral foundation:

Integrity gives life a stable moral direction. It’s not about being stubborn, but about living according to a set of values that guide your actions consistently.

2.Trust and reliability:

When you live with integrity, people learn they can depend on you, and you can trust yourself. Unlike wealth or reputation, this kind of trust doesn’t disappear.

3.Sense of self over time:

Integrity helps you maintain a continuous sense of who you are. Even when circumstances change, acting according to your principles keeps your life coherent and meaningful.

4. *Consistency, not rigidity*:

Saying integrity “never changes” doesn’t mean you never grow or adapt. It means that your core commitment to truth, responsibility, and courage remains your guiding light through all stages of life.

நேர்மை என்ற நாணயம் கையில் இல்லை உள்ளத்தில் தான் - Honesty is not a coin to be held in the hand — It is a treasure that resides in the heart.

Layers to unpack here:

1.True honesty is like a hidden treasure, not a superficial display

2.Moral worth matters more inside you than how others see it.

3. Live honesty, don’t just use it.

4.True honesty is lived, not performed for show.

5.Inner moral values are stable, unlike external rewards.

6.Real honesty frees you from the need to perform or manipulate.

In conclusion I would like to say

“The mind may wander

the world may change,

but integrity —

that quiet star in the inner sky

will forever remain”.

Here are a few Questions for reflection (to deepen practice)

When did you trust a brilliant lie because it felt good? What happened later?

Which of your attachments (wealth, status, approval) would you feel most vulnerable to losing? Why?

What small daily habits would show that honesty “resides in your heart” (not just your mouth)?

How can you test whether you are living for appearances or for integrity?

I have prepared some meditation techniques on this verse. Here are few which you can use

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Meditations Inspired by the Poem

1. “Oh mind!” — The Call to Awareness

🧘‍♀️ Meditation:Close your eyes and take a deep breath.Turn your attention inward.Imagine your mind as a gentle companion sitting beside you. Whisper to it: “Oh mind, I see you.”Notice its restlessness, its worries, its desires.Do not judge — just observe.This is the beginning of wisdom: seeing your own mind clearly.

💭 Reflection:How often do you pause to speak kindly to your own mind?

2. “Even when lies come wrapped in illusions, only truth stands firm.”

🧘‍♀️ Meditation:Visualize beautiful, glittering veils — they shimmer and shift, hiding the truth beneath.Now imagine these veils slowly dissolving in the light of awareness.Behind them stands something steady, simple, and pure — the truth.Breathe into that stillness. Let it fill your chest.

💭 Reflection:What illusions am I clinging to today?What truths am I avoiding because they are uncomfortable?

3. “Wealth may come and go.”

🧘‍♀️ Meditation:Think of all the forms of “wealth” in your life — money, possessions, achievements.Now, gently imagine them as waves on the ocean.Each wave rises, shines for a moment, and returns to the sea.Feel gratitude for what you have, and peace in knowing that change is part of life’s rhythm.

💭 Reflection:Can I enjoy abundance without being enslaved by it?

4. “Fame may fade one day.”

🧘‍♀️ Meditation:Picture yourself standing before an audience. They applaud; you smile.Then, slowly, the crowd disperses. The sound fades into silence.You are left alone — but still whole.Breathe deeply.Ask yourself: Who am I when no one is watching?

💭 Reflection:Do I seek approval more than authenticity?What remains when the applause ends?

5. “But integrity never changes.”

🧘‍♀️ Meditation:Bring your hand to your heart.Feel its steady rhythm — that quiet drum of truth within you.This is integrity: your inner compass, constant even when the world turns.As you breathe, affirm softly:“May I live from my truth. May my actions reflect my soul.”

💭 Reflection:When have I chosen truth even when it cost me something?How can I strengthen my inner alignment today?

6. “Honesty is not a coin to be held in the hand.”

🧘‍♀️ Meditation:Imagine a shining coin in your palm. It glints, but it is cold and heavy — a symbol of external recognition.Now, release it. Let it fall away.Feel the lightness that follows.Understand that honesty is not something you perform for others; it is something you live for yourself.

💭 Reflection:Do I ever treat honesty as a transaction — a way to earn approval or avoid blame?

7. “It is a treasure that resides in the heart.”

🧘‍♀️ Meditation:Now turn your attention inward again — to your heart space.Imagine a soft golden light glowing there.It is quiet, gentle, and radiant. This is your inner treasure: honesty, kindness, and courage.Breathe into it. With every breath, let it grow brighter.

💭 Reflection:What would it mean to live each day as if this light were my greatest possession?

🌼 Closing Meditation:

Sit quietly and repeat to yourself:

“Truth endures. Integrity is my strength. My heart is my treasure.”

Let the words sink in — not as ideas, but as feelings.Carry this calm into your day, knowing that nothing outside you can truly be lost,so long as the truth within you remains untouched.