Thirukkural verses in Tamil (TSCII format) along with the ...

1 Thirukkural verses in Tamil ( tscii format) along with the English Translation of Kaviyogi Maharishi Shuddhananda Bharatiar ( ) Tamil EText input: Mr. K. Kalyanasundaram (Kalyan), Switzerland Proof-reading: Mr. Kandaiah Ramanitharan (Ramani), USA English Translation EText Input: Mr. , Kalpakkam, India Proof-reading: Mr. , Kalpakkam, India Our sincere thanks go to Shuddhananda Yogi Samaj, Sivaganga, India and its President Mr.

2 R. Venkatakrishnan (Copyright holders for the works of Maharishi Suddhananda Bharatiar) for their kind permission to publish this Etext Version under the auspices of Project Madurai. This Etext file has the thirukuRaL couplets in Tamil script in tscii - encoding. So you need to have a tscii -conformant Tamil font to view the Tamil part properly. Several tscii conformant fonts are available free for use on Macintosh , Unix and Windows (95/98/ ) platforms at the following websites: Page 1 of 167thirukuRaL with English Translation of Yogi Suddhanantha In case of difficulties send an email request to Project Madurai 1999 Project Madurai is an open, voluntary, worldwide initiative devoted to preparation of electronic texts of Tamil literary works and to distribute them free on the Internet.

3 Details of Project Madurai are available at the website You are welcome to freely distribute this file, provided this header page is kept intact. Thirukkural / Holy Kural 1. 1. The Praise of God The Praise of God 1.. 'A' leads letters; the Ancient Lord 1 Leads and lords the entire world. 2.. That lore is vain which does not fall 2 At His good feet who knoweth all. 3.. Long they live on earth who gain 3 The feet of God in florid brain. 4.. Who hold His feet who likes nor loathes 4 Page 2 of 167thirukuRaL with English Translation of Yogi Suddhanantha free from woes of human births.

4 5.. God's praise who tell, are free from right 5 And wrong, the twins of dreaming night. 6.. They prosper long who walk His way 6 Who has the senses signed away. 7.. His feet, whose likeness none can find, 7 Alone can ease the anxious mind. 8.. Who swims the sea of vice is he 8 Who clasps the feet of Virtue's sea. 9.. Like senses stale that head is vain 9 Which bows not to Eight-Virtued Divine. 10.. The sea of births they alone swim 10 Who clench His feet and cleave to Him. The Blessing of Rain 11.. The genial rain ambrosia call: 11 The world but lasts while rain shall fall.

5 12.. The rain begets the food we eat 12 Page 3 of 167thirukuRaL with English Translation of Yogi Suddhanantha forms a food and drink concrete. 13.. Let clouds their visits stay, and dearth 13 Distresses all the sea-girt earth. 14.. Unless the fruitful shower descend, 14 The ploughman's sacred toil must end. 15.. Destruction it may sometimes pour 15 But only rain can life restore. 16.. No grassy blade its head will rear, 16 If from the cloud no drop appear. 17.. The ocean's wealth will waste away, 17 Except the cloud its stores repay.

6 18.. The earth, beneath a barren sky, 18 Would offerings for the gods deny. 19.. Were heaven above to fail below 19 Nor alms nor penance earth would show. 20.. Water is life that comes from rain 20 Sans rain our duties go in vain. The Merit of Ascetics Page 4 of 167thirukuRaL with English Translation of Yogi Suddhanantha 21.. No merit can be held so high 21 As theirs who sense and self deny. 22.. To con ascetic glory here 22 Is to count the dead upon the sphere. 23.. No lustre can with theirs compare 23 Who know the right and virtue wear.

7 24.. With hook of firmness to restrain 24 The senses five, is heaven to gain. 25.. Indra himself has cause to say 25 How great the power ascetics' sway. 26.. The small the paths of ease pursue 26 The great achieve things rare to do. 27.. They gain the world, who grasp and tell 27 Of taste, sight, hearing, touch and smell. 28.. Full-worded men by what they say, 28 Their greatness to the world display. 29.. Their wrath, who've climb'd the mount of good, 29 Page 5 of 167thirukuRaL with English Translation of Yogi Suddhanantha transient, cannot be withstood.

8 30.. With gentle mercy towards all, 30 The sage fulfils the vitue's call. The Power of Virtue 31.. From virtue weal and wealth outflow; 31 What greater good can mankind know? 32.. Virtue enhances joy and gain; 32 Forsaking it is fall and pain. 33.. Perform good deeds as much you can 33 Always and everywhere, o man! 34.. In spotless mind virtue is found 34 And not in show and swelling sound. 35.. Four ills eschew and virtue reach, 35 Lust, anger, envy, evil-speech. 36.. Do good enow; defer it not 36 A deathless aid in death if sought.

9 37.. Litter-bearer and rider say 37 Page 6 of 167thirukuRaL with English Translation of Yogi Suddhanantha a word, the fortune's way. 38.. Like stones that block rebirth and pain 38 Are doing good and good again. 39.. Weal flows only from virtue done 39 The rest is rue and renown gone. 40.. Worthy act is virtue done 40 Vice is what we ought to shun. DOMESTIC VIRTUE Married Life 41.. The ideal householder is he 41 Who aids the natural orders there. 42.. His help the monk and retired share, 42 And celibate students are his care.

10 43.. By dutiful householder's aid 43 God, manes, kin, self and guests are served. 44.. Sin he shuns and food he shares 44 His home is bright and brighter fares. Page 7 of 167thirukuRaL with English Translation of Yogi Suddhanantha . In grace and gain the home excels, 45 Where love with virtue sweetly dwells. 46.. Who turns from righteous family 46 To be a monk, what profits he? 47.. Of all who strive for bliss, the great 47 Is he who leads the married state. 48.. Straight in virtue, right in living 48 Make men brighter than monks praying.