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'Thirukkural' (Tamil: திருக்குறள் also known as ''the Kural'') is a compilation of Kurals (1330 rhyming Tamil couplets) or aphorisms ^[1] celebrated by Tamils (Hindus, Jains, and others alike).^[2] It was authored by Thiruvalluvar and is considered to be the first work to focus on ethics, among the Buddhist - Jain literature of India ^[3] Thirukkural expounds various aspects of life and is one of the most important works in Tamil. This is reflected in some of the other names by which the text is known: ''tamilmarai'' (Tamil Veda); ''poyyamoli'' (speech that does not lie); and ''teyva nul'' (divine text). ^[4] It is dated anywhere from the second century BC to the eighth century AD. ^[5] The book is considered to be a posterior to Arthashastra by some historians and to precede Manimekalai and Silapathikaram since both the latter acknowledge the Kural text. ^[6]
The 1330 couplets are divided into 3 sections and 133 chapters. Each chapter contains 10 couplets. A couplet consists of seven ''cirs'', with four ''cirs'' on the first line and three on the second. A ''cir'' is a single or a combination of more than one Tamil word. For example, ''Thirukkural'' is a ''cir'' formed by combining the two words ''Thiru'' and ''Kural'', i.e. ''Thiru + Kural = Thirukkural''.
The ''cirs'' make ''the Thirukkural'' a unique text. Depending on the need, a ''cir'' may be split into more than one word and two or more ''cirs'' may be combined to form a new ''cir''. For example, the first two ''cirs'' "''KuntrehRi YaahnaipPohr''" in kural 758 consist of four words "''Kuntru + EhRiyaanai + Pohr''". The combination of the first three words gives rise to mean "''the person who climbed up a hilltop''". On the other hand, if one decides to split the two ''cirs'' into three words "''KutrehRi + Yaanai + Pohr''" then the combination of the last two words will mean "'' elephants at war''".
The meaning of a couplet, therefore, will vary depending on the logic (or purpose) of combining or splitting the ''cirs''. However, the flexibility in applying the logic makes the task of interpretation less arduous.
There are claims and counter claims as to the authorship of the book and to the exact number of couplets written by Thiruvalluvar. The first instance of the book's author's name mentioned as Thiruvalluvar is found to be several centuries later in a song of praise called ''Garland'' in Thiruvalluvamalai. ^[1] A few scholars claim that Thiruvalluvar wrote more than 1330 couplets out of which some had gone missing; a few others claim that some of the couplets in the final compilation were not written by him. According to V. O. Chidambaram Pillai, a lawyer and Tamil scholar, the Kurals in the 1st three chapters were not written by Thiruvalluvar. However, some other scholars from Tamil Nadu and other states of India dispute this.

Contents

Etymology

Sections

Thirukkural and religion

References

Notes

External links

Etymology

The word ''Kural'' means a rhyming Tamil couplet. There are no concrete evidence that the word (''Kural'') existed perior to sangam period. Thirukkural (or the Kural) is the orderly arrangement of the 1330 Tamil couplets into 133 chapters. Each chapter has a specific subject ranging from "''ploughing a piece of land''" to "''ruling a country''". Thirukkural comes under one of the four categories of Venpas (Tamil verses) called Kural Venpa.

Sections

The couplets in the Thirukural take for granted the standard Hindu fourfold goals of life: dharma, artha, kama, and moksha, rendered in Tamil as ''aram, porul, inbam,'' and ''veedu''.^[8]
In English these can be translated as righteous living , material living, sensuality, and release from the cycle of births and deaths.
Thirukkural, however, is divided into three sections and addresses only the first three goals: ''Arathuppaal'' (section on virtue) that deals with ''aram'', ''Porutpaal'' (section on realities) that addresses ''porul'' and ''Inbathuppaal'' (section on pleasurable experiences) that dwells on ''inbam''.
Chapters 1 to 38 come under ''Arathuppaal'' and bring home the message: In order to do ''Aram'' (do things with honor for the good of the less fortunate) it is vital that one has compassion, kindness, humility, hospitality, courtesy, a sense of fairness and justice, sincerity, generosity, self-respect, respect for others, honor, a sense of guilt, tolerance, forbearance and the like; and that these attributes, although necessary for ''Aram'', are not sufficient. One must also get rid of jealousy, greed, anger, fraudulent thoughts, and undisirable urges to kill, backbite, lust for another's spouse, grandstand and make meaningless statements.
Chapters 39 to 108 address ''Porul''. The benefits of obtaining knowledge versus the cost of remaining ignorant are very well explored: In order to be an effective person one must have the knowledge about his country, his environment, his capability, rights and wrongs, the importance of doing the right thing at the right time and at the right place, the dangers of complacency and procrastination, justice and fairness and such like. These chapters go on to suggest that knowledge alone is not sufficient, one must also have the skills to communicate, listen, inquire, make decisions, make friends, deal with adversities and obstacles, develop healthy eating habits, create wealth, get rid of bad habits, do things for the betterment of mankind and such honorable deeds.
Chapters 109 to 133 cover ''Inbathuppaal''. The author, Thiruvalluvar, takes the reader on a journey into the experiences of a man and a woman as they go through courtship, fall in love, face obstacles to their marriage, have intimacy, agonize during the period of living apart and rejoice when they meet again.
It is presumed that if one leads life according to ethical principles set out in the text, the fourth goal will automatically be achieved. ^[5]

Thirukkural and religion

Scholars (such as ''Parimeelazahar'', a Vaishnavite ) who were influenced by Sanskrit pronounced the word ''Aathipahavan'' (Aathi-Pa-Havan) in the first Kural of the first chapter as ''Adibaghavan'' (Adi-Ba-Ghavan) and interpreted to mean God. The very same terminology ''Adibaghavan'' is claimed to be used in Jainism for the very first Tirthankara Rishabh.
On the other hand, scholars (such as Bharathidasan a Tamil poet and rationalist) did not associate it with a particular religion or sect.
As Thiruvalluvar didn't spell any religion by name or describe any attributes of the gods of his time, the writers of commentaries were a confused lot.As the work found to be good, rich and literary both scholars and commons are poured praises and revered the work. At the time of Thiruvalluvar and the peroid after, in Tamilnadu there were bitter struggles and wars between various religious groups like Vedic (later-Hindu), Jain and Buddhist groups. Each one wanted to show the public that Thirukkural is the reflection of their religious faith so as to gain some mileage in their propagation of their religion.
Thiruvalluvar wrote this work not as a treatise of religion, not as book of prayer songs, but wrote as a collection of wise sayings and civilised princples advised and adhered by scholars of his time to better the life of mankind in the world.
Follwing the tradition prevailing during his time he dedicated ten Kurals for prayer.
Eventhough he was surruonded by myriad of gods and deities of Vedic, Jaina, Buddha, and Indigenous people he did not mention any by name. He calls the God by " AAdhibagavan, valarivan, malarmisaiyehinan, vennduthal venndamaiyilan, porivayil ienthaviththan, thanakkuvamai illathan, aravazhianthanan, eraivan" These are general term used in tamil to denote any god - no one in particular.
Thiruvalluvar might have had his own religious faith of which we do not know.But he didnot put his personal faith in this work meant for mankind.
When the religious fanatics fought for the claim of belonging, demising the true value of the works rationalists like Bharathidasan doubted the citations quoted by the fanatics as interpolations.

However, quite evidently, Tamils (Hindus, Jains, and others alike) revere ''Thirukkural'' as ''poy - ā - mozhi பொய்யா மொழி'' (words of wisdom) and ''pothu maRai பொது மறை'' (universal morals).

References

★ Subramaniyam, Ka Naa, ''Tiruvalluvar and his Tirukkural.'' Bharatiya Jnanpith: New Delhi 1987.

★ P. S. Sundaram, ''The Kural.'' Penguin Books: London, 1990.

★ Blackburn, Stuart. (2000). ''Corruption and Redemption: The Legend of Valluvar and Tamil Literary History''. Modern Asian Studies, vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 449-82, May 2000.

★ Yogi Suddhananda Bharathi(1897), ''Thirukkural with English Couplets'' - Tamil Chandror Peravai: Chennai.(15 May 1995)

★ S. Ratnakumar, ''Thirukkural: A Guide to Effective Living'', Tamils Representative Council, Singapore: October 2006, ISBN-13:978-981-05-6356-1.

★ '' Thirukkural with English Couplets'' by Tamil Chandror Peravai (Translated by Yogi Suddhananda Bharathi[1897]), Tamil Chandror Peravai, 26 Sardar Patel Road, Adyar, Chennai - 600 020

★ Drew, W.H, Translated by John Lazarus, ''Thirukkural (Original in Tamil with English Translation)'', ISBN 81-206-0400-8

Notes

1. Corruption and Redemption: The Legend of Valluvar and Tamil Literary History, , Cutler, Blackburn, Modern Asian Studies,
2. Tamil literature, , MS, Pillai, Asian Education Service, ,

3. Chellapan K - ETHICS OF LOVE AND THE PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE AFFIRMATION IN THRIUVALLUVAR AND SHAKESPEARE on www.thirukural2005.org
4. Interpreting Tirukkural: the role of commentary in the creation of a text., , Norman, Cutler, The Journal of the American Oriental Society,
5. Thiruvalluvar's vission: Polity and Economy in ''Thirukural'', , KV, Nagarajan, History of Political Economy,
6. Some Contributions of South India to Indian Culture, , SK, Aiyangar, Asian Educational Services, ,
7. Corruption and Redemption: The Legend of Valluvar and Tamil Literary History, , Cutler, Blackburn, Modern Asian Studies,
8. Some reflections on ''Tiruvalluvar's'' Kural, , Denis, Wright, South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies,,
9. Thiruvalluvar's vission: Polity and Economy in ''Thirukural'', , KV, Nagarajan, History of Political Economy,

External links

★ Weaver's Wisdom: Ancient Precepts for a Perfect Life - Translation by the Himalayan Academy, under direction of Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami

★ IIT Madras site

★ The Holy Kural - Tirukural translation oversighted by Gurudeva, Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, student of the Sri Lankan sage Yogaswami and the founder of the Himalayan Academy.