Tirukkural of Tiruvalluvar

[Satyamavejayanti]

Just some quotes from the Tirukkural of Tiruvalluvar.

I have not read the whole text yet, but it is on my list of things to read.

42. LISTENING
1. True wealth of wealth is wealth gained through the ear ;
'Midst all our wealth that is indeed the chief.
2. When to the listening ear food is not close at hand,
Then let a little to the hungry mouth be given.
5. The words of righteous men are like a staff
To those whose feet are set in slippery ways.
6. Listen to good words, though they be but few ;
For e'en those few great dignity will give.
10. What matter if they live or die, who only know
What's sweet to tongue, and not what's sweet to ear ?

43. WISDOM
2. Wisdom holds back the mind from wandering where it
lists,
Guards it from ill, and leads it to the good.
3. 'Tis wisdom true for men to find the Real
In whatso'er they hear, from whomsoever heard.
5. 'Tis wise to win the friendship of the wise ;
To keep it without wax or wane is wisdom rare.
8. 'Tis folly fearful ills with recklessness to face ;
The wise man fears indeed those things that should
be feared.

46. KEEPING AWAY FROM BAD COMPANY
2. The water's nature changes with the nature of the soil ;
So changes knowledge with the nature of one's
friends.
5. True purity of thought and purity of deed
Both on the purity of friendship rest.
9. By inward purity Heaven may be surely won ;
That, too, will gain in power from good companionship.
10. No greater help is there than good companionship ;
Than bad companionship there is no direr foe.

48. KNOWLEDGE OF POWER
5. E'en if with peacocks' feathers the cart be piled high,
The axle-tree will break, if over bulky be the load.
6. Those who have climbed the branch's utmost tip,
And still go pressing on, will surely lose their life.

49. KNOWING THE OPPORTUNITY
1. In clear daylight, the crow will beat the owl ;
The king who'd beat his foe must choose the fitting
time.
3. Is anything too hard for men to win,
If they with fitting means will choose the fitting
time?
10. Be like the heron when 'tis time for lying low :
But like its strike, when time for action comes.

98. GREATNESS
1. Glory is his, who 's keen hard things to do ;
Disgrace is his, who meekly says, Without it I can
live.'
2. In birth all men are quite alike ;
In worth they differ by their deeds.
3. The high-born, lacking high emprise, are base ;
The low-born, having high emprise, are great.
4. Greatness, like single-hearted wife,
Belongs to him who guards himself.
8. Greatness is always lowly too ;
Meanness just plumes and boasts itself.
10. Greatness e'er hideth others' faults ;
Meanness just likes to shout them out.


Sorry not the best translation but we get a gist of the Authurs intent, will post more later.

 

[Vinayaka]

I love this book. So wise, so old. Yes, there are many translations. Too bad it is almost unheard of. Many of our books are so philosophical while this one is totally on ethics.

 

[Satyamavejayanti]

I love this book. So wise, so old. Yes, there are many translations. Too bad it is almost unheard of. Many of our books are so philosophical while this one is totally on ethics.

Dhanyavad Vinayaka Ji,

So true, i don't think i know anyone in my life who as ever heard of the Tirukkural at all, My Purohit does not eve know.

What other books on ethics are available in such beautiful poetical verses, And the depth of each of the verses are amazing, more then one read is required with such books.

Like this one:
5. E'en if with peacocks' feathers the cart be piled high,
The axle-tree will break, if over bulky be the load.

What i take from this is that power although it is attractive too much will result in destruction, many people may read this as say such nice poetry forgetting to realize that it is stating a fact of life.

once i get a chance i would post a few more verses.

 

[Vinayaka]

Here's a free on-line version. I love what he said about vegetarianism 2200 years ago. Some of our critics like to say vegetarianism is a recent phenomenon.

http://ebooks.gutenberg.us/HimalayanAcademy/SacredHinduLiterature/weaver/

From this version..
How can he practice true compassion who eats the flesh of an animal to fatten his own flesh?
Riches cannot be found in the hands of the thriftless, nor can compassion be found in the hearts of those who eat meat.
He who feasts on a creature's flesh is like he who wields a weapon. Goodness is never one with the minds of these two.
If you ask, "What is kindness and what is unkindness?" It is not-killing and killing. Thus, eating flesh is never virtuous.
Life is perpetuated by not eating meat. The jaws of Hell close on those who do.

 

[Satyamavejayanti]

Here's a free on-line version. I love what he said about vegetarianism 2200 years ago. Some of our critics like to say vegetarianism is a recent phenomenon.

Weaver's Wisdom

From this version..
How can he practice true compassion who eats the flesh of an animal to fatten his own flesh?
Riches cannot be found in the hands of the thriftless, nor can compassion be found in the hearts of those who eat meat.
He who feasts on a creature's flesh is like he who wields a weapon. Goodness is never one with the minds of these two.
If you ask, "What is kindness and what is unkindness?" It is not-killing and killing. Thus, eating flesh is never virtuous.
Life is perpetuated by not eating meat. The jaws of Hell close on those who do.

This version is much better then the one i have, Dhanyavad Vinayaka Ji.

 

[Satyamavejayanti]

More quotes. just random subjects.

38. OLD KARMA
4. Twofold indeed does this world's fashion seem ;
Each is to each unlike, the wealthy and the wise.
5. All good is turned to ill, when winning wealth,
And ill to good, through tricks by Karma played.
10. What then is mightier than this Karma old ?
Though men contrive another thing, That steps
before.

47. ACTING WITH FORETHOUGHT
6. Ruin may come from doing what should not be done ;
But also from not doing that which should be done.
7. Think well and then decide to do ;
'Tis folly to decide, then say,
' Now let us think.'

52. SELECTION AND EMPLOYMENT
3. Trust one who has the four good traits :
Love, wisdom, clarity, a greed-free soul.

61. UNSLUGGISHNESS
1. The unfailing light of dignity will flicker and will fade,
When gloomy slothfulness comes near at hand.
5. For tardiness, forgetfulness, and sloth and sleep
These four are pleasure-boats of ruin grim.

63. HOPE IN TROUBLE
1. When trouble comes, keep ever smiling on ;
There's nought like that to meet and conquer it.
2. A very flood of troubles will surely pass away
When they are thought out well in wise men's minds.
3. Those, who in trouble still untroubled are,
Will themselves surely trouble trouble sore.
5. Even though all at once to men sore troubles come,
In fearless souls trouble itself will troubled be.
9. He, who in joy seeks not for joy,
In grief real grief he will not find.

107. THE FEAR OF BEGGING
2, If it be true that men must beg to live,
May the Creator, also, wander and be cursed !
5. E'en though it be but gruel and water pure,
There's nought that's sweeter than the food of toil.

1. IN PRAISE OF GOD
1. As letters all are based on ' A ',
The world is based on God the First.
2. What use is lore, if the learned will not bow
Before the feet of Him the All-wise One ?
3. They'll live for ever in the land above,
Who cling to Him that bides in lotus-hearts.
4. Trouble shall never come to those
Who cling to the desireless One.
5. The twain dark deeds shall ne'er be theirs,
Who give the Lord His rightful praise.
6. Forever shall they live, who firmly stand
In the true path of Him who's Victor o'er the
senses five.
7. Except by clinging to that Peerless One,
'Tis hard mind's sorrow to dispel.
8. 'Tis hard to swim this world's wide sea,
Unless we cling to Him, Ocean of grace and
good.
9. The head that bows not to our God Supreme
Is useless as a senseless sense.
10. Who then can swim this mighty sea of births ?
Not they who cling not to our Sovereign's feet.

8. LOVE
1. Is there a bolt that can avail to shut up love ?
The trickling tears of loving eyes would tell it out.
2. All for themselves the loveless spend ;
The loving e'en their bones for others give.
3. The link of soul and body, say the wise,
Is but the fruit of man's own link with love.
4. Love doth the trait of tenderness beget ;
That, too, begets true friendship's priceless worth.
5. The bliss of earth and heav'n the blessed gain,
The learned say, is rooted in a loving life.
6. The foolish say,
' Love helps the good alone. But surely 'tis a help 'gainst evil too.
7. As the sun's heat burns up all boneless things,
So Virtue doth burn up all loveless things.
8. To live the home-life with a loveless heart
Is like a withered tree flowering in barren sand.
9. To those who lack the inward means of love
What use is there in any outward means ?
10. The living soul subsists in love ;
The loveless are but skin and bone.

10. KINDLY SPEECH
1. Kind speech is love-filled, guile-free speech :
The speech of those who've seen the Real.
2. Better than giving with a willing mind
Is giving with a cheery smile and kindly word.
3. With smiling face and kindly look kind words to say,
If from the heart they come, is Virtue real.
5. Humility and kindly speech are jewels rare ;
All else are baubles of no worth.
6. Evil will fade and good will grow in him,
Who seeking good, speaks kindly words.
8. Kind speech, from meanness free, will bring great joy,
Both in this life and in the life beyond.
9. Why does a man speak bitter words,
When he has seen the joy that kind words give ?
10. To use harsh words when kind words are at hand,
Is picking unripe fruit where ripe fruit hangs.

11. GRATITUDE
1. E'en heav'n and earth avail not to repay
The good that's done spontaneously.
2. A kind deed done in time of need, though small,
Is of more value than the world itself.
4. Though kindly deed be small as millet seed,
The wise will think it large as palm-tree nut.
5. A kind deed is not measured by the deed itself ;
But by the worth of those to whom it's done.
6. Those who in trouble helped you, ne'er forsake ;
And ne'er forget the friendship of the pure.
8. E'er to forget a kind deed done is bad ;
But to forget an ill at once is good.
10. For him who's killed all good, escape may be ;
But none for him who's killed a kindness done.

 

[Vinayaka]

I found this interesting.

Village to adopt Thirukkural practices - The Hindu

 

[Aupmanyav]

My homage to Thiruvalluvar. I have not read Thirukkural, nor I am likely to read it (because other books have given me the same message). But I am sure that Pillayarkuppam will benefit immensely by following Thirukkural. Nice step, probably a life-changing step.

 

[Vinayaka]

My homage to Thiruvalluvar. I have not read Thirukkural, nor I am likely to read it (because other books have given me the same message). But I am sure that Pillayarkuppam will benefit immensely by following Thirukkural. Nice step, probably a life-changing step.

One village can do a lot, if the inhabitants so desire. On the road from Madurai to Palani, there's a village that decided to have the road clean ... no litter at all. They had signs like, "We're a clean town," and had a some sort of disposal method. It was kind of a shock, quite different than the usual village where litter is everywhere. Plastic has not been a godsend to the views while driving.

 

[Vinayaka]

Prime Minister Modi helped to release a Gujarati translation. Tiruvalluvar's simple but ethical message can be read now by a few million more.

PM Modi releases Gujarati translation of 'Thirukkural' | Zee News

 

[Satyamavejayanti]

Prime Minister Modi helped to release a Gujarati translation. Tiruvalluvar's simple but ethical message can be read now by a few million more.

PM Modi releases Gujarati translation of 'Thirukkural' | Zee News

Excellent news, the more people read and have access to such great philosophy the more people will realize our/their great heritage, and our/their valuable contribution to the world and hopefully the future will be bright for all. Poetry/philosophy should not be sidelined in the name of progress/modernism/technology, i think the later makes for better living but the former makes a better human being.

 

[Satyamavejayanti]

Here is a different translation of the Kural Book 1, the topic is Aram, the translator/translators Sri Chakravarti. Rajagopalachari has noted that the equivalence of the Tamil "Aram" as being the Sanskrit "Dharam" (Dharmah). Unfortunately the translator has substituted Dharam or Aram in one section with "religious life", i have changed it to Dharam as i see religion not encompassing the multiform meaning of Aram or Dharam. Translators notes in italics.

First Book of Kural
Dharma (Aram)

There is no great wealth one can acquire than Dharma and no misfortune greater than the forgetting of it
Forgetting Dharma is failing to perform one’s duties according to Dharma.

[Note: Aram is the Tamil equivalent of the Sanskrit word Dharma, for which there is no single word- equivalent in English. Duty, virtue and other such words do not really cover the full import of either Aram or Dharma.]

Go as far as your strength and resources permit without swerving from the path of Dharma.

[Note: This is Tiru-Valluvar’s characteristic way of bringing everything down to the level of practicability without losing hold of the ideal.]

Keep the mind from evil thoughts. This is the whole of Dharma. The rest is only of the nature of sound and show.

The key to purity of action is purity of thought. The attainment of a mind free from evil thoughts is the aim of a Dharmic Life, and this is a silent process. External observances are sound and show.

[Note: The Tamil word Aakulam is sound and show.]

True Dharmic Life consists in the avoidance of four things: envy, the craving for pleasure, anger and harsh speech.

Do not say to yourself ‘Let me see about it later when I shall be better fitted.’ Live the true Dhamic Life now. It will be the one unfailing support when all else will disappear and become of no use.

Only the joy that comes from right conduct/Dharm is true happiness. Other pleasures are really sources of pain and causes of shame.

Pleasure will soon become shame and pain, if the act that procured it was unrighteous. Right conduct/Dharmah is therefore not only right but also wise.

Dhanyavad