#thirukkural

a risograph i made in homage to tamil poetry

"Lily droops down to ground and says I can't equal the jewelled-one's eyes." - Thiruvalluvar, tr. Shuddhananda Bharati

தனக்கு உவமை இல்லாதான் தாள் சேர்ந்தார்க்கு அல்லால் மனக்கவலை மாற்றல் அரிது.  7

It is very hard to dispel distress, except by those who submit to the feet of the One without equal. (Translation taken from Sangam translations by vaidehi website)

The wisdom of the Thirukkural shines here, (and in every one he writes)- when One Surrenders to Bhagavan, distress is taken away. Krishna says this to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita, and this is written by Thiruvalluvar, who definitely read and understood our scriptures, to be able to delve so deep.

ஊடல் உணர்தல் புணர்தல் இவைகாமம்

கூடியார் பெற்ற பயன். (Kural - 1109)

Transliteration:

oodal unarthal punarthal ivaikaamam

kootiyaar paetrra payan. (Kural - 1109)

Translation By Anbazhagan Ambrose:

Quarrel, reconciliation and making love - these are the fruits of love.

(I know it looks like a normal sentence in English, but it is very poetic in Tamil.)

So, this is day 1672736 of me being that annoying person who sees Ben and Devi in everything.

But also, Thiruvalluvar was a genius when it came to writing poetry, specifically, short couplets. The Tirukkural is the gospel of Tamil literature. My maternal grandfather is quite a religious Hindu, but he places the Tirukkural above all religious texts.

Here's what Wikipedia has to say on the Tirukkural:

மனத்துக்கண் மாசிலன் ஆதல்; அனைத்து அறன் ஆகுல நீர பிற.   34

Virtue is found only in a spotless mind and not in pomp and show- Translation from Sangam translations by Vaidehi.

People often enough tend to show off their 'goodness', 'generosity', 'charity' and many such positive and good virtues, as if to say, "hey, look at me, I am so and so, and I do this and this." Such showboating takes away the meaning of what virtue really is.

Virtue arises from within, and is one's own power and strength when everything else goes against them. When one has a mind that is soaked in virtue alone, they will not showboat who they are; their humility and actions will speak much louder than anything else.

It is brilliant, that Thiruvalluvar thought to write such poignant meanings in couplet verses.

அறத்தான் வருவதே இன்பம்; மற்றெல்லாம் புறத்த புகழும் இல.   39

True happiness comes only from virtue. Without virtue there is no happiness nor fame.

Virtue is the greatest of all characteristics, and this is the truth. Let us discuss this some?

அரிய என்று ஆகாத இல்லைபொச் சாவாக் கருவியால் போற்றிச் செயின். 537

When we focus our mind and strive, nothing will be difficult.