Tirukkural-On Virtue-On Right Conduct-Kural 131

As disciplined conduct counts for the highest values in life,It is cherished as more precious than life itself

This chapter according to Parimelalagar deals with the possession of a proper conduct, appropriate to one's status in life. Such a disciplined conduct is more valuable than life itself. Because it is out of such righteous conduct that all other virtues are derived. For the same reason Mathew Arnold said, 'Conduct is three fourths of life and its largest concern'. And that is precisely why in the national Police Academy at Hyderabad, where officers of the Indian Police Service at all levels are trained, I had prominently placed the following inscription:

No Niagara is ever turned into light and power
Until it is tunneled and confined,
No life ever grows great until it is Focussed,
Dedicated and Disciplined.

In his commentary on this Kural given in a small collection of specially chosen couplets, Muthamil Kavalar thiru K A P Viswanatham has explained that righteous conduct and life are the two valuable assets of a man which, when lost, cannot be got back again. That is why Valluvar has compared these two and placed righteous conduct as something more precious than life. For according to Plato, what is to be feared in life is disgrace and not death. I am wholeheartedly in agreement with this view. The Bible would also endorse in Proverbs (10:16):

'The wages of the righteous leads to life'.

Kambar too has attached great importance to this righteous conduct 'Olukkam' and given it pride of place in his description of the land of Dasaratha and Rama – Ramarajya.

Kalam surakkum nidhiyam; kanakilla
Nilam surakkum niraivalam; nanman
Pilam surakkum; perutharkku ariyatham
Kulam surakkum olukkam kudikelaam

This is relevant also to Kural 133.