Thirukkural: Poetry in 7 Words

What Is the Thirukkural?

Tamil is a South Indian language. "Kural" in classical Tamil means "short." "Thiru" is an honorific term. Thirukkural, therefore, can be taken to mean "sacred couplets."

The whole text of the Thirukkural is divided into three main categories.

• "Arathuppal": The couplets here are grouped under the topic of "virtue." (Chapters 1 to 38)
• "Porutpal": The couplets here talk about "wealth." (Chapters 39 to 108)
• "Kamathuppal": The couplets here talk about "love." (Chapters 109 to 133)

The book is thus organized into 133 chapters, each containing 10 couplets bringing the total to 1,330 couplets. Each couplet is made of 7 words, with 4 words in the first line and 3 lines in the second line.

While the couplets under "Arathuppal" and "Porutpal" are widely taught in schools, "Kamathupal" is not spoken about much and is probably only read by literature students and poets.

Said to have been written sometime between 2BCE and 5CE, the Thirukkural is a much-loved piece of literature in Tamil Nadu, India. Any Tamil-speaking individual will be able to recite at least one "kural" from memory. Each couplet gives the reader a message. The couplets on topics such as friendship, honesty, hospitality, love and even warfare remain relatable to this day.

Here are 10 of my personal favorites.

"Thirukkural" is not the original name of this work. It is not known what name Thiruvalluvar gave his collection of couplets.

1. On Children (Kural 66, From "Arathuppal")

குழல்இனிது யாழ்இனிது என்பதம் மக்கள்
மழலைச்சொல் கேளா தவர்.

Kuzhalinidhu Yaazhinidhu Enbatham makkal
mazhalaichol kella thavar.

Valluvar here describes the joy one feels on hearing a child's animated prattling. Those gushing about the music produced by flute and harp, calling them sweet, have probably never heard the gibberish of their own children, he says.

There are no authentic records of Valluvar's personal life. He is believed to have been married to a woman called Vasuki. It is not known if he had children. Even so, there are 10 couplets dedicated to children and filial piety in the Thirukkural.

YouTube is rife with cute baby videos that instantly lighten our mood. Although music has the power to heal, children are so pure and innocent in their babblings that they indeed have the power to restore one's faith in humanity. Valluvar has expressed as much in this couplet.

2. On Hospitality (Kural 90, From "Arathuppal")

மோப்பக் குழையும் அனிச்சம், முகந்திரிந்து
நோக்கக் குழையும் விருந்து.

Moppa Kuzhayum Anicham, Muganthirindhu
Nokkak Kuzhayum virundhu.

Valluvar here talks about a flower called "Anicha." This flower seems to belong to the scarlet family. The "Anicha" flower apparently withers on being sniffed. Likewise, a host's hostile face is enough to break a guest's heart, Valluvar says. To this day, "virunthombal," meaning "hospitality towards a guest," is a widely used word in Tamil Nadu.

Many Tamil homes in the olden days would have a "shaded verandah" called "thinnai" for travelers to rest on a hot day. Usually, a clay pot of water is kept for passersby to quench their thirst too. Though the "thinnai" tradition has all but disappeared, I still see several apartments with a clay pot of water at the entrance during the peak summer months.

Recommended

Emily Dickinson’s "So has a Daisy vanished"

3. On Taming the Tongue (Kural 127, From "Arathuppal")

யாகாவா ராயினும் நாகாக்க காவாக்கால்
சோகாப்பர் சொல்லிழுக்குப் பட்டு.

Yaakaava rayinum Naakakka Kavakkaal
Sogappar sollizhukku pattu.

A bit of a tongue twister, this kural simply means you must rein in your tongue, for a loose tongue will bring nothing but misery. "Yaakaavarayinum naakakka" roughly means even if you can not control much else, control your tongue. There is another popular couplet too on the same topic that says that while an injury caused by fire will eventually heal, the hurt caused by careless words never heal.

4. On Honesty (Kural 292, From "Arathuppal")

பொய்மையும் வாய்மை யிடத்த புரைதீர்ந்த
நன்மை பயக்கும் எனின்.

Poimayum vaimai idatha puraitheernda
nanmai payakum enin.

Tiruvalluvar says here that even intentionally false statements can be considered truthful if they are meant to cause nothing but absolute good. We do have words such as "white lies," "half-truths," "blatant lies" and so on. Life consists of mostly shades of grey. If lies will cause good, they are as good as the truth. Valluvar doesn't simply say it must cause "good," though. He is specific even within the seven words and says "unadulterated good."

5. On Wisdom (Kural 374, From "Porutpal")

எப்பொருள் யார்யார்வாய்க் கேட்பினும் அப்பொருள்
மெய்ப்பொருள் காண்ப தறிவு.

Epporul yaryarvai ketpinum apporull
meiprul kanba tharivu.

This couplet is particularly relevant in this day and age, where anyone with a decent camera can be a YouTube journalist. It's so easy to spread a false narrative about anything now. Valluvar says, whatever you might hear from anyone about anything, it's wise to discern the facts of the matter before jumping to hasty conclusions.

6. On Meaning Well (Kural 469, From "Porutpal")

நன்றாற்ற லுள்ளுந் தவுறுண்டு அவரவர்
பண்பறிந் தாற்றாக் கடை.

Nandratra lullun thavarundu avaravar
panbarin thatra kadai.

Even a good deed may not turn out well if you do not keep in mind the other person's needs and wants. This couplet reminds me of the Japanese phrase "Yokei na osewa," which means "unnecessary or nuisance help." In English, too, we have the quote, "God save us from people who mean well." Before offering to help someone, it is always better to assess whether it would really benefit them. For not all good deeds will have a positive outcome.

7. On Ambition (Kural 772, From "Porutpal")

கான முயலெய்த அம்பினில் யானை
பிழைத்தவேல் ஏந்தல் இனிது.

Gaana muyalaida ambinil yaanai
pizhaithavel endal inidhu.

There is more pride in holding an arrow that was aimed at an elephant, even if it missed its mark, than holding one that hit a little hare. Valluvar is probably imploring one to aim high. It's okay to aim high and miss the mark. What is the joy in setting the bar really low and crossing it?

8. On Friendship (Kural 788, From "Porutpal")

உடுக்கை இழந்தவன் கைபோல ஆங்கே
இடுக்கண் களைவதாம் நட்பு.

Udukkai izhandavan kaipola aange
Idukkan kallaivadam natpu.

"Udukkai" means "clothing." This couplet says that just like how one's hand hastens to cover the body when clothing slips, a true friend too will hasten to come to your aid in your misfortune. A true friend's action is like a simple, natural reflex. It is unconditional and involves no thinking.

9. On Being Love Sick (Kural 1102, From "Kamathuppal")

பிணிக்கு மருந்து பிறமன் அணியிழை
தன்நோய்க்குத் தானே மருந்து.

Pinniku marundu piraman anniyizhai
thannoiku thaane marundhu.

This is from a man's point of view. While it is often the case that the cure for any sickness has the opposite properties of what caused the sickness, being sick with love seems to be an exception. Here, the cause and the cure are the same. The woman made him sick, and she alone is the cure for his sickness.

10. On Being in Love (Kural 1126, From "Kamathupal")

கண்ணுள்ளின் போகார் இமைப்பின் பருகுவரா
நுண்ணியர்எம் காத லவர்.

Kannullin pogaar imaippin paruguvara
nunniyarem kadha lavar.

This beautiful couplet on love is what a girl says about her man. Her lover refuses to leave her eyes. Even so, he doesn't get hurt when she blinks. He is so inexplicably complex, she says. She imagines his form even when he is not physically present. She then complains that he torments her so. Feeling guilty about blinking, she then goes on to say he is hard to explain.

Thirukkural: The True Word

The Thirukkural is often referred to as "Poyyamozhi" (the "Falseless Word" or "The True Word"). There are contradictory views on who Valluvar was, what his occupation was and where he was born. But, what remains clear is that his work will continue to enchant the Tamil world for many more generations. His work really deserves to be celebrated all over the world. It is indeed unfortunate that he is not as well known outside Tamil Nadu.

Valluvar's stone sculpture has been erected at "Kanniyakumari" in Tamil Nadu which is a popular tourist spot.

On Learning and Living, Kural 391 (in Tamil and English)

References

• திருக்குறள் Archives | Kaapiyam.com
  
• Thirukkural: Parimelazhagar Urai | Google Books
  
• Thirukkural (with English Translation) – Sri. V.V.S. Aiyar | Google Books
  

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2023 Anupama