Tirukkuṛaḷ

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Thirukkural (Tamil: திருக்குறள் also known as the Kural) is a classic of couplets or Kurals (1330 rhyming Tamil couplets) or aphorisms ^[1] celebrated by Tamils.^[2] It was authored by Thiruvalluvar and is considered by Chellapan K to be the first work to focus on ethics, other than the Buddhist - Jain literature of India ^[3]. The Thirukkural is generally regarded as one of the canonical texts of Vaishnavite Hinduism, and deals with the ethics of this stream of Sanatana Dharma (cf. the Vedas which deal with the metaphysics, philosophy, and cosmology). 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); poyyamozhi (speech that does not become false); and teyva nul or dheiva nool (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] Thirukkural is and remains to be the book that has been translated into the most number of languages and hence it is called as "Ulaga Podhu Marai" meaning the Common Knowledge for the world.Copies of Tirukkural are available even at places as far as New York.Copies of Tirukkural published as early as 1930 can be found in New York Public Library.

Thirukkural (or the Kural) is a collection of 1330 Tamil couplets organised into 133 chapters. Each chapter has a specific subject ranging from "ploughing a piece of land" to "ruling a country". According to the LIFCO Tamil-Tamil-English dictionary, the Tamil word Kural means Venpa verse with two lines. Thirukkural comes under one of the four categories of Venpas (Tamil verses) called Kural Venpa. 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. It is has been translated to various other languages.^{[citation needed]}

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 author's name mentioned as Thiruvalluvar is found to be several centuries later in a song of praise called Garland in Thiruvannamalai. ^[7]

Contents 1 Sections 2 Thirukkural and religion 3 Translations 4 References 5 Notes 6 External links

[edit] Sections

[edit] Thirukkural and religion

Parimelazhagar, a 13th century commentator in his celebrated commentary interprets the word Aadipagavan in the first kural as Aadi Bhagavan meaning God (another possibility being Aadi=Mother and Bhagavan=Father meaning parents). The first verse states "The letter A (அ in Tamil) is the beginning of the alphabet (syllable) just as from God begins the world".

Thiruvalluvar belongs to which religion? This is one of the common questions that are discussed many times and argued out with passion. The bottom line is that his ideas are godfear and is therefore agreeable to all religious communities. Just for the record the following is given to inform the readers.
Thiruvalluvar cannot be a non-believer of god - because he says in his first 10 kurals, if you do not worship the god, all of your education is wasted.
Thiruvalluvar refer to re-incarnation of souls, a concept that is not agreed in Islam or Christianity.
So, it is evident that he cannot be a Muslim or Christian. It is also clear that at the time of period of thiruvalluvar - the Islam and Christianity were not entered and preached in India.
So, he may be a follower of Hinduism or Buddhism or Jainism (Refered to in Tamil Literature as Samanam). He has chosen to use the word “adhi bagawan” to refer God in his first couplet which is a unique name for the God Narayana of Veda religion. He also clearly differentiates ‘then-pulathar’ (Siddhas who reside on the South side of the Universe) from ‘theivam’ (heavenly beings). It should be noted that Jainism does acknowledge the heavenly souls (yaksha and yakshini). At the same time then pulathar will also result about the dharma dhevatha or Yama dharma raja as per Veda religion.

There is an arugment that Buddhism or Jainism does not agree with “yagnam”and “andhanan” and therefore he cannot be a Jain. He has defined the word “andhanan” in his 30th couplet, which may echoes the core principle of Jainism also.

But, if we discuss about 'Yagnam' - jainism totally fails here. It results only on Hindu(Veda Religion).

An Yagna supporter - cannot be buddhist or jain, but belongs to Veda religion.

Further more, In Hindu religion - there are two main divisions exist called Vaishnavism and Saivism.

Thiruvalluvar never mentioned Lord Shiva or any god at all.

But, Kural no. 1103 of kaamathuppal notes 'the high people who does 'thavam' reaches thamarai kannan ulagu which could be interpreted as lotus krishna's world (vaikuntam or paramapadham).
[IF HE HAD BELONGS TO OTHER RELIGION - HE WOULD HAVE NOTED THAT ONE.]

Krual no. 610. of porutpal notes 'adiyalanthan' - the god measuring the world by his feet, which matches for thirivikraman – incarnation of lord narayana.

It should be noted that at least he has referenced the Lord Vishnu in two of his couplets.

Meanwhile, The same word 'AADHI BHAGAWAN' was also used by one of the famous devotional poet ‘Shri Nammalwar’ (several centuries earlier - B. C. 3000) in his thiruvaimozhi as ‘adhi yam bhagavan’ towards Lord Narayana.

APART FROM THIS STRONG EVIDENCES

THE WORD KURAL STANDS FOR VAMANAN [ONE OF VISHNU’S AVATHARA] AS PER SANGATHU TAMIL.

VAMANAN MEASURED THE WORLD WITH 2 FEETS, WHERE VALLUVAR ALSO MEASURES THE WORLD WITH SAME 2 FEETS OF HIS HYMNS – HENCE HE HAD NAMED IT AS KURAL.

THE ADHI BHAGAVAN [SANSKRIT WORD] POINTS OUT DIRECTLY TO NARAYANA. BECAUSE THE BHAGAVATH SOUND ONLY MATCHES FOR LORD NARAYANA AS PER VEDAS, LIKE BHAGAVAN KRISHNA, BHAGAVAN VISHNU ETC..

AND ALSO THE SAME MEANING OF AKARA MUDHALA – WAS MENTIONED EARLIER IN BHAGAVATH GEETHA BY BHAGAWAN KRISHNA AS "AKSHARA NAM 'A'KARO ASMI", WHERE HIS STATEMENTS WERE MENTIONED AS 'BHAGAWAN' UVACHA AND HE DECLARES THAT HE IS THE 'AADHI' AND 'ANDHAM' IN MANY OF THE PLACES. SO THE SAME WAS ALSO NOTED BY VALLUVAR IN TAMIL.

LIKE ABOVE THERE ARE MANY OF THE POINTS FROM THIRUKKURAL MAKE SENSE THAT – THIRUVALLUVAR COULD HAVE BEEN BELONGS TO VAISHNAVISM.

WHEN WE CONCENTRATE ON SECULARISM, MEANWHILE WE SHOULD NOT TRY TO HIDE THE IDENTITY OF A SCHOLOR.

[edit] Translations

The Latin translation of Thirukkural made by Constanzo Beschi in 1730 did much to make known to European intellectuals the richness and beauty of Oriental Tamil literature.Other than this the Urai (explanation) of Tirukural have been given by eminent personalities like the Chief minister of Tamilnadu . The earliest possible Urai of the Tirukkural was given by Parimelazhagar. His Urai give us an idea of the amount of information contained in each and every kural. A lot of software are available these days for installing Kurals in desktops. The Kural (poem) changes each day and you get the kural and its explanation in both English and Tamil.An English Translation of Tirukural by GU Pope brought the Tirukkural to the western world. This work is widely reverred and accepted in many parts of the world.

[edit] 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)
• 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
• IS being translated to Japanese by bharath
• Sukkran's page about Thirukural: ^[8]

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links

• Thirukkural on your mobile-Mobile edition by P.R.Harikumar
• Thirukkural - Quick Reference Guide in Tamil and English
• திரு மு.வரததாசனார், திரு மு.கருணாநிதி மற்றும் பலர் எழுதிய உரைகளின் தொகுப்பு ஆங்கில விளக்கத்துடன்
• Daily Thirukural In English
• IIT Madras site
• Thirukural - in Tamil and in English
• Thirukkural - An English translation with original Tamil verses
• Thirukkural Wiki
• Thirukkural in English with Explanation
• Thirukkural in Tamil with Explanation
• The 'choicest' of all translations in English