"They say things about me, knowing well that I am near them, with the deliberate intention that I should hear their words" Yamuna told her friend Neela.
"Who are you talking about and what are they saying about you?" asked Neela.
"The girls studying with us. They say that I am secretly in love with Bhaskar."
"Isn't it true?"
"The question is not whether it is true or not. Why should other people gossip about me?"
"Shall I tell you a secret? Many girls studying in our college have a crush on Bhaskar. I know that a few girls expressed their love to Bhaskar. But, 'your man' did not accept their proposal. At the same time, everyone has been seeing how Bhaskar speaks to you in a cheerful and loving way. Those girls who failed in their attempts to win the heart of Bhaskar are jealous of you and are gossiping, linking you and Bhaskar" said Neela.
"But, I don't understand why they gossip in such a way that their gossip would reach my ears. Why do they spread false stories like I have been going to the beach and the movies with Bhaskar?"
"People who indulge in gossip will always exaggerate things. They may even spin stories and make them sound like real happenings. Moreover, being jealous of you, they may believe that if they talk like this, you will feel hurt and shamed and stop moving closely with Bhaskar" said Neela."Bhaskar! Aside from talking to each other within the college campus, standing at an open place where people can see us, have we met at any other place outside the college campus?" asked Yamuna.
"No. Not till now. I have been asking you to come out with me. But, you have been saying 'no.'" said Bhaskar, in a mock tone of accusation.
"I said 'no,' fearing that people would gossip about us. But, even now, people gossip about us and spread a false story that we have been secretly meeting at various places outside the college campus. So, why should I still feel shy of going out with you? Our parents are not going to stand in the way of our love. Why should we be concerned about what other people are going to say?" asked Yamuna.
"Why should we?" said Bhaskar and moved his hand towards Yamuna's shoulder, attempting to touch her.
"Not here. Let us go to a park or the beach" said Yamuna, moving aside, to ward off his touch.
Thirukkural
Section 3
Love
Chapter 115
Gossiping by Others
Verse 1148 (in Tamil):
neyyAl eri nudhuppEm enRaRRAl kouvaiyAl
kAmam nudhuppEm enal.
Meaning:
To say that one could extinguish passion by rumour is like saying that one can extinguish fire with ghee.
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