Abstract
The conclusion of this study is that the mind-peer relationship described in "Sittrinan-Cheramai" (Avoiding Bad Company), the 46th chapter of Thirukkural, aligns significantly with contemporary neuro-neurological findings. Situated in the Porutpaal (Wealth) under Arasiyal (Politics), this chapter asserts that a person's intellect, character, and morality are shaped by the company they keep. This study examines all ten couplets (451–460) using textual analysis, rhetorical analysis, and interdisciplinary comparative methods.
Peer-related terms appear 11 times across the ten couplets, and mind-related terms appear 7 times across seven couplets. Laziness and lack of drive (451) are associated with frontostriatal circuits and dopamine. The alteration of knowledge through association (452, 454) connects with the brain's reward system and social alignment mediated by oxytocin.
Purity of mind (455) depends on the functioning of the medial prefrontal cortex, insula, and orbitofrontal cortex. The classification of good and bad company (460) is mediated by the amygdala and ventromedial prefrontal cortex. Valluvar’s statement, "Knowledge takes the nature of one's company," serves as an ancient literary testimony to the modern scientific understanding that social environments alter brain function and behavior.
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References
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