Thirukkural-On Virtue-Control Of Temper-Kural 308

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Even if the memory of a great wrong burns one up like a holocaust,It is best to strain oneself to hold back the anger.

In this verse, Valluvar personally visualizes the extent of the hurt that unrestrained anger can cause, and the difficulty of controlling one's temper in such a context. The word "Inar aeri" focuses attention on the magnitude of the wrath, 'Punarin' brings out the gravity of the problem of control, which envisages a possibility with great effort.

In the Bible the book of Proverbs has appropriate passages

'The discretion of a man defereth his anger;
and it is his glory to pass over a transgression'
'A soft answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger'.

(Proverbs 15:1)

Christ also exhorted his followers to love their enemies:

'But I say unto you. Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despite-fully use you and persecute you"
(Matt 5:44)

The didactic poets of the Sangam age were also aware of these concepts and had enshrined them in their verse in the proper context, as in the following lines of 'Pathitrru-pathu'

"Periya thapunaraayinum pahaivar
Panindhu thirai paharak kol"

(Padhitrupatthu : 17; 2-3)