tirukkuRaL
English Translation & Commentary (in italics)
PART I. VIRTUE
1.1 Introduction
1.1.1 The Praise of God
1.
A,
as its first of letters, every speech maintains;
The "Primal Deity" is first
through all the world's domains.
As the letter A is the first of
all letters, so the eternal God is first in the world.
2.
No fruit have men of all
their studied lore,
Save they the 'Purely Wise
One's' feet adore.
What Profit have those
derived from learning, who worship not the good feet of Him who is possessed
of pure knowledge ?
3.
His feet, 'Who o'er the
full-blown flower hath past,' who gain
In bliss long time shall
dwell above this earthly plain.
They who are united to
the glorious feet of Him who passes swiftly over the flower of the mind,
shall flourish long above all worlds.
4.
His foot, 'Whom want affects
not, irks not grief,' who gain
Shall not, through every
time, of any woes complain.
To those who meditate the feet
of Him who is void of desire or aversion, evil shall never come.
5.
The men, who on the 'King's'
true praised delight to dwell,
Affects not them the fruit
of deeds done ill or well.
The two-fold deeds that
spring from darkness shall not adhere to those who delight in the true
praise of God.
6
Long live they blest, who 've stood in path from falsehood freed;
His, 'Who quenched lusts
that from the sense-gates five proceed'.
Those shall long proposer
who abide in the faultless way of Him who has destroyed the five desires of
the senses.
7.
Unless His foot, 'to Whom none can
compare,' men gain, 'Tis hard for mind to find relief from anxious
pain.
Anxiety of mind cannot be
removed, except from those who areunited to the feet of Him who
is incomparable.
8.
Unless His feet 'the Sea of Good, the Fair and Bountiful,' men gain,
'Tis hard the further bank
of being's changeful sea to attain.
None can swim the sea of
vice, but those who are united to the feet of that gracious Being who is a
sea of virtue.
9.
Before His foot, 'the Eight-fold
Excellence,' with unbent head,
Who stands, like palsied sense, is
to all living functions dead.
The head that worships not the
feet of Him who is possessed of eight attributes, is as useless as a sense without
the power of sensation.
10.
They swim the sea of births, the
'Monarch's' foot who gain;
None others reach the shore of
being's mighty main.
None can swim the great sea of
births but those who are united to the feet of God.
1.1.2. The Excellence of Rain
11.
The world its course maintains through life that rain unfailing gives;
Thus rain is known the true
ambrosial food of all that lives.
By the continuance of
rain the world is preserved in existence; it is therefore worthy to be
called ambrosia.
12.
The rain makes pleasant food for eaters rise;
As food itself,
thirst-quenching draught supplies. Rain
produces good food, and is itself food.
13.
If clouds, that promised
rain, deceive, and in the sky remain,
Famine, sore torment, stalks
o'er earth's vast ocean-girdled plain.
If the cloud, withholding
rain, deceive (our hopes) hunger will long distress the sea-girt spacious
world.
14.
If clouds their wealth of
waters fail on earth to pour,
The ploughers plough with
oxen's sturdy team no more.
If the abundance of wealth
imparting rain diminish, the labour of the plough must cease.
15.
'Tis rain works all: it ruin
spreads, then timely aid supplies;
As, in the happy days
before, it bids the ruined rise.
Rain by its absence ruins men;
and by its existence restores them to fortune.
16.
If from the clouds no drops
of rain are shed. 'Tis rare to see green herb lift up its head.
If no drop falls from the
clouds, not even the green blade of grass will be seen.
17.
If clouds restrain their
gifts and grant no rain,
The treasures fail in
ocean's wide domain.
Even the wealth of the
wide sea will be diminished, if the cloud that has drawn (its waters) up
gives them not back again (in rain).
18.
If
heaven grow dry, with feast and offering never more,
Will men on earth the
heavenly ones adore.
If the heaven dry up,
neither yearly festivals, nor daily worship will be ofered in this world, to
the celestials.
19.
If heaven its watery
treasures ceases to dispense,
Through the wide world cease
gifts, and deeds of 'penitence'.
If rain fall not, penance and
alms-deeds will not dwell within this spacious world.
20
When water fails, functions of nature cease, you say;
Thus when rain fails, no men
can walk in 'duty's ordered way'.
If it be said that the
duties of life cannot be discharged by any person without water, so without
rain there cannot be the flowing of water.
1.1.3. The Greatness of
Ascetics
21.
The settled rule of every code requires, as highest good,
Their greatness who,
renouncing all, true to their rule have stood.
The end and aim of all
treatise is to extol beyond all other excellence, the greatness of those
who, while abiding in the rule of conduct peculiar to their state, have
abandoned all desire.
22
As counting those that from the
earth have passed away,
'Tis vain attempt the might of
holy men to say.
To describe the measure of the
greatness of those who have forsaken the two-fold desires, is like counting the dead.
23.
Their greatness earth
transcends, who, way of both worlds weighed,
In this world take their
stand, in virtue's robe arrayed.
The greatness of those
who have discovered the properties of both states of being, and renounced
the world, shines forth on earth (beyond all others).
24.
He, who with firmness, curb
the five restrains,
Is seed for soil of yonder
happy plains.
He who guides his five senses
by the hook of wisdom will be a seed in the world of heaven.
25.
Their might who have
destroyed 'the five', shall soothly tell
Indra, the lord of those in
heaven's wide realms that dwell.
Indra, the king of the
inhabitants of the spacious heaven, is himself, a sufficient proof of the
strength of him who has subdued his five senses.
26.
Things hard in the doing will great men do;
Things hard in the doing the
mean eschew.
The great will do those things
which is d ifficult to be done; but the mean cannot do them.
27.
Taste, light, touch, sound,
and smell: who knows the way
Of all the five,- the world
submissive owns his sway.
The world is within the
knowledge of him who knows the properties of taste, sight, touch, hearing
and smell.
28.
The might of men whose word is never vain,
The 'secret word' shall to
the earth proclaim.
The hidden words of the men
whose words are full of effect, will shew their greatness to the world.
29.
The wrath 'tis hard e'en for
an instant to endure,
Of those who virtue's hill
have scaled, and stand secure.
The anger of those who
have ascended the mountain of goodness, though it continue but for a moment,
cannot be resisted.
30.
Towards all that breathe,
with seemly graciousness adorned they live;
And thus to virtue's sons
the name of 'Anthanar' men give.
The virtuous are truly
called Anthanar; because in their conduct towards all creatures they are
clothed in kindness.
1.1.4. Assertion of the
Strength of Virtue
31.
It yields distinction,
yields prosperity; what gain
Greater than virtue can a
living man obtain?
Virtue will confer heaven and
wealth; what greater source of happiness can man possess ?
32.
No greater gain than virtue
aught can cause;
No greater loss than life
oblivious of her laws.
There can be no greater
source of good than (the practice of) virtue; there can be no greater source
of evil than the forgetfulness of it.
33.
To finish virtue's work with
ceaseless effort strive,
What way thou may'st, where'er thou see'st the work may thrive.
As much as possible,
in every way, incessantly practise virtue.
34.
Spotless be thou in mind!
This only merits virtue's name;
All else, mere pomp of idle
sound, no real worth can claim.
Let him who does virtuous deeds
be of spotless mind; to that extent is virtue; all else is vain show.
35.
'Tis virtue when, his footsteps
sliding not through envy, wrath, Lust, evil speech-these four, man
onwards moves in ordered path.
That conduct is virtue which is
free from these four things, viz, malice,desire, anger and bitter speech.
36.
Do deeds of virtue now. Say
not, 'To-morrow we'll be wise';
Thus, when thou diest, shalt
thou find a help that never dies.
Defer not virtue to
another day; receive her now; and at the dying hour she will be your undying
friend.
37.
Needs not in words to dwell
on virtue's fruits: compare
The man in litter borne with
them that toiling bear!
The fruit of virtue need
not be described in books; it may be inferred from seeing the bearer of a
palanquin and the rider therein.
38.
If no day passing idly, good
to do each day you toil,
A stone it will be to block
the way of future days of moil.
If one allows no day to
pass without some good being done, his conduct will be a stone to block up
the passage to other births.
39.
What from virtue floweth,
yieldeth dear delight;
All else extern, is void of
glory's light.
Only that pleasure which
flows from domestic virtue is pleasure; all else is not pleasure, and it is
without praise.
40.
'Virtue' sums the things
that should be done;
'Vice' sums the things that
man should shun.
That is virtue which each ought
to do, and that is vice which each should shun.
1.2 Domestic Virtue
1.2.1. Domestic Life
41.
The men of household virtue,
firm in way of good, sustain The other orders three that rule professed
maintain.
He will be called a
(true) householder, who is a firm support to the virtuous of the three
orders in their good path.
42.
To anchorites, to indigent,
to those who've passed away,
The man for household virtue
famed is needful held and stay.
He will be said to flourish in
domestic virtue who aids the forsaken, the poor, and the dead.
43.
The manes, God, guests
kindred, self, in due degree, These five to cherish well is chiefest
charity.
The chi ef (duty of the
householder) is to preserve the five-fold rule (of conduct) towards the
manes, the Gods, his guests, his relations and himself.
44.
Who shares his meal with
other, while all guilt he shuns,
His virtuous line unbroken
though the ages runs.
His descendants shall
never fail who, living in the domestic state, fears vice (in the acquisition
of property) and shares his food (with others).
45.
If love and virtue in the
household reign,
This is of life the perfect
grace and gain.
If the married life possess
love and virtue, these will be both its duty and reward.
46.
If man in active household
life a virtuous soul retain,
What fruit from other modes
of virtue can he gain?
What will he who lives
virtuously in the domestic state gain by going into the other, (ascetic)
state ?
47.
In nature's way who spends
his calm domestic days,
'Mid all that strive for
virtue's crown hath foremost place.
Among all those who
labour (for future happiness) he is greatest who lives well in the household
state.
48.
Others it sets upon their
way, itself from virtue ne'er declines;
Than stern ascetics' pains
such life domestic brighter shines.
The householder who, not
swerving from virtue, helps the ascetic in his way, endures more than those
who endure penance.
49.
The life domestic rightly
bears true virtue's name;
That other too, if blameless
found, due praise may claim.
The marriage state is truly
called virtue. The other state is also good, if others do not reproach it.
50.
Who shares domestic life, by
household virtues graced, Shall, mid the Gods, in heaven who dwell, be
placed.
He who on earth has lived
in the conjugal state as he should live, will be placed among the Gods who
dwell in heaven.
1.2.2 The Goodness of the Help
to Domestic Life
51.
As doth the house beseem,
she shows her wifely dignity;
As doth her husband's wealth
befit, she spends: help - meet is she.
She who has the
excellence of home virtues, and can expend within the means of her husband,
is a help in the domestic state.
52.
If household excellence be
wanting in the wife,
Howe'er with splendour
lived, all worthless is the life.
If the wife be devoid of
domestic excellence, whatever (other) greatness be possessed, the conjugal
state, is nothing.
53.
There is no lack within the
house, where wife in worth excels,
There is no luck within the
house, where wife dishonoured dwells.
If his wife be eminent
(in virtue), what does (that man) not possess ? If she be without
excellence, what does (he) possess ?
54.
If woman might of chastity
retain,
What choicer treasure doth
the world contain?
What is more excellent than a
wife, if she possess the stability of chastity ?
55.
No God adoring, low she
bends before her lord;
Then rising, serves: the
rain falls instant at her word!
If she, who does not worship
God, but who rising worships her husband, say, "let it rain, " it will rain.
56.
Who guards herself, for
husband's comfort cares, her household's fame, In perfect wise with
sleepless soul preserves, -give her a woman's name.
She is a wife who
unweariedly guards herself, takes care of her husband, and preserves an
unsullied fame.
57.
Of what avail is watch and
ward?
Honour's woman's safest guard.
What avails the guard of a
prison ? The chi ef guard of a woman is her chastity.
58.
If wife be wholly true to
him who gained her as his bride,
Great glory gains she in the
world where gods bliss abide.
If women shew reverence
to their husbands, they will obtain great excellence in the world where the
gods flourish.
59.
Who have not spouses that in
virtue's praise delight,
They lion-like can never
walk in scorner's sight.
The man whose wife seeks
not the praise (of chastity) cannot walk with lion-like stately step, before
those who revile them.
60.
The house's 'blessing', men pronounce the house-wife excellent;
The gain of blessed children
is its goodly ornament.
The excellence of a wife
is the good of her husband; and good children are the jewels of that
goodness.
1.2.3. The Obtaining of Sons
61.
Of
all that men acquire, we know not any greater gain,
Than that which by the birth
of learned children men obtain.
Among all the benefits
that may be acquired, we know no greater benefit than the acquisition of
intelligent children.
62.
Who children gain, that none reproach, of virtuous worth,
No evils touch them, through
the sev'n-fold maze of birth.
The evils of the seven
births shall not touch those who abtain children of a good disposition, free
from vice.
63.
'Man's children are his
fortune,' say the wise;
From each one's deeds his
varied fortunes rise.
Men will call their sons
their wealth, because it flows to them through the deeds which they (sons)
perform on their behalf.
64.
Than God's ambrosia sweeter
far the food before men laid,
In which the little hands of
children of their own have play'd.
The rice in which the
little hand of their children has dabbled will be far sweeter (to the
parent) than ambrosia.
65.
To patent sweet the touch of
children dear;
Their voice is sweetest
music to his ear.
The touch of children gives
pleasure to the body, and the hearing of their words, pleasure to the ear.
66.
'The pipe is sweet,' 'the lute is sweet,' by them't will be averred,
Who music of their infants'
lisping lips have never heard.
"The pipe is sweet, the lute is
sweet," say those who have not heard the prattle of their own children.
67.
Sire greatest boon on son
confers, who makes him meet,
In councils of the wise to
fill the highest seat.
The benefit which a
father should confer on his son is to give him precedence in the assembly of
the learned.
68.
Their children's wisdom greater than their own confessed,
Through the wide world is
sweet to every human breast.
That their children
should possess knowledge is more pleasing to all men of this great earth
than to themselves.
69
When mother hears him named
'fulfill'd of wisdom's lore,'
Far greater joy she feels,
than when her son she bore.
The mother who hears her son
called "a wise man" will rejoice more than she did at his birth.
70.
To sire, what best requital
can by grateful child be done?
To make men say, 'What merit
gained the father such a son?'
(So to act) that it may
be said "by what great penance did his father beget him," is the benefit
which a son should render to his father.
1.2.4. The Possession of Love
71.
And is there bar that can
even love restrain?
The tiny tear shall make the lover's secret plain.
Is there any fastening
that can shut in love ? Tears of the afectionate will publish the love that
is within.
72.
The loveless to themselves
belong alone;
The loving men are others'
to the very bone.
Those who are destitute
of love appropriate all they have to themselves; but those who possess love
consider even their bones to belong to others.
73.
Of precious soul with body's
flesh and bone,
The union yields one fruit,
the life of love alone.
They say that the union
of soul and body in man is the fruit of the union of love and virtue (in a
former birth).
74.
From love fond yearning
springs for union sweet of minds;
And that the bond of rare
excelling friendship binds.
Love begets desire: and that
(desire) begets the immeasureable excellence of friendship.
75
Sweetness on earth and
rarest bliss above,
These are the fruits of tranquil life of love.
They say that the
felicity which those who, after enjoying the pleasure (of the conjugal
state) in this world, obtain in heaven is the result of their domestic state
imbued with love.
76.
The unwise deem love virtue
only can sustain,
It also helps the man who
evil would restrain.
The ignorant say that love is
an ally to virtue only, but it is also a help to get out of vice.
77,
As sun's fierce ray dries up
the boneless things,
So loveless beings virtue's
power to nothing brings.
Virtue will burn up the
soul which is without love, even as the sun burns up the creature which is
without bone, i.e. worms.
78.
The loveless soul, the very
joys of life may know,
When flowers, in barren
soil, on sapless trees, shall blow.
The domestic state of
that man whose mind is without love is like the flourishing of a withered
tree upon the parched desert.
79.
Though every outward part
complete, the body's fitly framed;
What good, when soul within,
of love devoid, lies halt and maimed?
Of what avail are all the
external members (of the body) to those who are destitute of love, the
internal member.
80.
Bodies of loveless men are bony framework clad with skin;
Then is the body seat of
life, when love resides within.
That body alone which is
inspired with love contains a living soul: if void of it, (the body) is bone
overlaid with skin.
1.2.5 Cherishing Guests
81.
All household cares and course of daily life have this in view.
Guests to receive with
courtesy, and kindly acts to do.
The whole design of
living in the domestic state and laying up (property) is (to be able) to
exercise the benevolence of hospitality.
82.
Though food of immortality should crown the board,
Feasting alone, the guests
without unfed, is thing abhorred.
It is not fit that one
should wish his guests to be outside (his house) even though he were eating
the food of immortality.
83.
Each day he tends the coming
guest with kindly care; Painless, unfailing plenty shall his household
share.
The domestic life of the
man that daily entertains the guests who come to him shall not be laid waste
by poverty.
84
With smiling face he
entertains each virtuous guest,
'Fortune' with gladsome mind
shall in his dwelling rest.
Lakshmi with joyous mind
shall dwell in the house of that man who, with cheerful countenance,
entertains the good as guests.
85.
Who first regales his guest,
and then himself supplies,
O'er all his fields, unsown,
shall plenteous harvests rise.
Is it necessary to sow the
field of the man who, having feasted his guests, eats what may remain ?
86
The guest arrived he tends, the coming guest expects to see;
To those in heavenly homes
that dwell a welcome guest is he.
He who, having
entertained the guests that have come, looks out for others who may yet
come, will be a welcome guest to the inhabitants of heaven.
87.
To reckon up the fruit of kindly
deeds were all in vain; Their worth is as the worth of guests you
entertain. The
advantages of benevolence cannot be measured; the measure (of the virtue) of
the guests (entertained) is the
only measure.
88.
With pain they guard their stores, yet 'All forlorn are we,' they'll cry,
Who cherish not their
guests, nor kindly help supply.
Those who have taken no
part in the benevolence of hospitality shall (at length lament) saying, "we
have laboured and laid up wealth and are now without support."
89.
To turn from guests is
penury, though worldly goods abound;
'Tis senseless folly, only
with the senseless found.
That stupidity which
excercises no hospitality is poverty in the midst of wealth. It is the
property of the stupid.
90.
The flower of 'Anicha'
withers away, If you do but its fragrance inhale;
If the face of the host cold
welcome convey, The guest's heart within him will fail.
As the Anicham flower fades in
smelling, so fades the guest when the face is turned away.
1.2.6 The Utterance of
Pleasant Words
91.
Pleasant words are words
with all pervading love that burn;
Words from his guileless
mouth who can the very truth discern.
Sweet words are those
which imbued with love and free from deceit flow from the mouth of the
virtuous.
92.
A pleasant word with beaming
smile's preferred,
Even to gifts with liberal
heart conferred.
Sweet speech, with a cheerful
countenance is better than a gift made with a joyous mind.
93.
With brightly beaming smile,
and kindly light of loving eye,
And heart sincere, to utter
pleasant words is charity.
Sweet speech, flowing
from the heart (uttered) with a cheerful countenance and a sweet look, is
true virtue.
94.
The men of pleasant speech
that gladness breathe around,
Through indigence shall
never sorrow's prey be found.
Sorrow-increasing poverty
shall not come upon those who use towards all, pleasure-increasing sweetness
of speech.
95.
Humility with pleasant
speech to man on earth,
Is choice adornment; all
besides is nothing worth.
Humility and sweetness of
speech are the ornaments of man; all others are not (ornaments).
96.
Who seeks out good, words
from his lips of sweetness flow;
In him the power of vice
declines, and virtues grow.
If a man, while seeking
to speak usefully, speaks also sweetly, his sins will diminish and his
virtue increase.
97.
The words of sterling sense,
to rule of right that strict adhere,
To virtuous action
prompting, blessings yield in every sphere.
That speech which, while
imparting benefits ceases not to please, will yield righteousness (for this
world) and merit (for the next world).
98.
Sweet kindly words, from
meanness free, delight of heart,
In world to come and in this
world impart.
Sweet speech, free from harm to
others, will give pleasure both in this world and in the next.
99.
Who sees the pleasure kindly
speech affords,
Why makes he use of harsh,
repellant words?
Why does he use harsh words,
who sees the pleasure which sweet speech yields ?
100.
When pleasant words are
easy, bitter words to use,
Is, leaving sweet ripe
fruit, the sour unripe to choose.
To say disagreeable things when
agreeable are at hand is like eating unripe fruit when there is ripe.
1.2.7 The Knowledge of Benefits
Conferred: Gratitude
101.
Assistance given by those who ne'er received our aid,
Is debt by gift of heaven
and earth but poorly paid.
(The gift of) heaven and
earth is not an equivalent for a benefit which is conferred where none had
been received.
102.
A
timely benefit, -though thing of little worth,
The gift itself, -in
excellence transcends the earth.
A favour conferred in the
time of need, though it be small (in itself), is (in value) much larger than
the world.
103.
Kindness shown by those who
weigh not what the return may be:
When you ponder right its
merit, 'Tis vaster than the sea.
If we weigh the
excellence of a benefit which is conferred without weighing the return, it
is larger than the sea.
104.
Each benefit to those of
actions' fruit who rightly deem,
Though small as millet-seed,
as palm-tree vast will seem.
Though the benefit
conferred be as small as a millet seed, those who know its advantage will
consider it as large as a palm yra fruit.
105.
The kindly aid's extent is
of its worth no measure true;
Its worth is as the worth of
him to whom the act you do.
The benefit itself is not
the measure of the benefit; the worth of those who have received it is its
measure.
106.
Kindness of men of stainless
soul remember evermore!
Forsake thou never friends who were thy stay in sorrow sore!
Forsake not the
friendship of those who have been your staff in adversity. Forget not be
benevolence of the blameless.
107.
Through all seven worlds, in
seven-fold birth, Remains in mem'ry of the wise.
Friendship of those who
wiped on earth, The tears of sorrow from their eyes.
(The wise) will remember
throughout their seven-fold births the love of those who have wiped away
their afliction.
108.
'Tis never good to let the thought of good things done thee pass away;
Of things not good, 'tis
good to rid thy memory that very day.
It is not good to forget
a benefit; it is good to forget an injury even in the very moment (in which
it is inflicted).
109.
Effaced straightway is
deadliest injury,
By thought of one kind act
in days gone by.
Though one inflict an
injury great as murder, it will perish before the thought of one benefit
(formerly) conferred.
110.
Who every good have killed, may yet destruction flee;
Who 'benefit' has killed,
that man shall ne'er 'scape free!
He who has killed every virtue
may yet escape; there is no escape for him who has killed a benefit.
1.2.8 Impartiality
111.
If
justice, failing not, its quality maintain,
Giving to each his due,
-'tis man's one highest gain.
That equity which
consists in acting with equal regard to each of (the three) divisions of men
[enemies, strangers and friends] is a pre-eminent virtue.
112.
The just man's wealth unwasting shall endure,
And to his race a lasting
joy ensure.
The wealth of the man of
rectitude will not perish, but will bring happiness also to his posterity.
113.
Though only good it seem to
give, yet gain
By wrong acquired, not e'en
one day retain!
Forsake in the very
moment (of acquisition) that gain which, though it should bring advantage,
is without equity.
114.
Who just or unjust lived
shall soon appear:
By each one's offspring
shall the truth be clear.
The worthy and unworthy may be
known by the existence or otherwise of good offsprings.
115.
The gain and loss in life
are not mere accident;
Just mind inflexible is
sages' ornament.
Loss and gain come not
without cause; it is the ornament of the wise to preserve evenness of mind
(under both).
116.
If, right deserting, heart to evil turn,
Let man impending ruin's
sign discern!
Let him whose mind
departing from equity commits sin well consider thus within himself, "I
shall perish."
117.
The man who justly lives,
tenacious of the right, In low estate is never low to wise man's sight.
The great will not regard as
poverty the low estate of that man who dwells in the virtue of equity.
118.
To
stand, like balance-rod that level hangs and rightly weighs,
With calm unbiassed equity
of soul, is sages' praise.
To incline to neither side, but
to rest impartial as the even-fixed scale is the ornament of the wise.
