Thirukkural Essay

 

Thirukkural Essay

 

Thiruvalluvar’s Thirukkural contains 133 chapters, constituted of 10 couplets for each chapter with a total of 1330 couplets, The term ‘kural’ means the metre of the poem, they are short and brief couplets. Each couplet is complete and transmits an outstanding idea expressed in a refined and intricate metre. His thoughts of Porul, Aram, Akam and Puram are efficiently articulated for the guidance of mankind. It threw light on the burning problems of the times.

 

The sayings of Thiruvalluvar are all together are in a book that is famously called the “Thirukural”. Each poem is in a couplets (known as “Kural” in Tamizh which has 2 lines – ideally has 7 words; 4 in the first line and 3 in the second line)

 

There are totally of 1330 couplets and they are divided into three segments namely:

 

Arrathu Paal (Dharma) – which deals with the virtue

Porutpaal (Artha) – which deals wealth or polity

Kaamathuppaal (Kama) – which deals with love

 

Thirukkural is regarded as a universal Bible and munificently called the Another “Gita, Koran or Zend Avesta”. Thirukural is considered as the Universal Bible and famously entitled as  “The Three-Chaptered” or “The Three-Sectioned” (Muppaal) which is the original name given by Thiruvalluvar, “Statements Devoid of Untruth” (Poyyamozhi), “The Two-Lined Book” (Iradi Nool), “Northern Veda” (Uttharavedham), “The Tamil Veda” (Tamil Marai) and so on.

 

Thirukural, the holy book helps us to adapt an honest and realistic attitude towards life. It is good to know that Thirukural is not a religious scripture; it does not talk about spirituality or Godly Promises. It gives us a detailed look on our life. With the wise lines in it we can learn ways of cultivating one’s mind to achieve harmony in present life. Thiruvalluvar in most of his couplets simply insists on what we need to do in humanly life in order to reach eternal life.

 

When a person wants to learn, he/she has to learn it with clarity. Whatever he has learnt, he has to act according to the moral ideas reflected in the book. Learning is the true imperishable riches and all the other things are not riches.  Thiruvalluvar gives much important to learning and he articulates the following:

 

“Learn with clarity, the scholarly books and then  

Act what you have learnt”.  (Thirukkural 391)

 

Thiruvalluvar was a practical thinker, social reformer, and observer of nature, animate and inanimate objects. He has left a valuable message on virtue, love and politics and concern about better living of mankind.  Thiruvalluvar talks about unworthy words as the following:  

“Unworthy words uttered in public are poorer

Than erroneous deeds served to comrades.” (Thirukkural 192) 

The words in conversation should be suited to the level of understanding of the person addressed to.  Eloquence without the power of debating shows lack of readiness.

 

Thiruvalluvar gives much importance to safe guard our tongue and its words.  Holding one’s tongue is much significant because one’s slip of the tongue will bring misery and woe.   The style of Thiruvalluvar is in the form of couplet who uses epigrammatic sentences.  Each line stands by itself and it is the concentrated expression of substantial thought.  Though speech is easier than action, one must have control over tongue.