Thirukural

Pollena aangae puramvaeraar kaalampaarthuUl vaerppar olliyavar.Even where injustice provokes the wise, they do not anger immediately,They smoulder inwardly but bide their time.Wise men do not get provoked into immediate action, even when they feel that grave injustice is being done to ...

Uookam udaiyaan odukkam poruthakarThaakkarkup perunth thakaithuRajaji’s translation is bodily adopted here:The restraint of the energetic leader is like the rearward steps,The fighting ram always takes before charging.The ram steps back quietly in order to gain the required momentum for its stunning ...

Kalam karudhi iruppaar kalankaadhuNyalam karudhu pavar.The king, who aspires to conquer the whole world,Will wait calmly for the right hour to strike.The king, who has immense territorial ambitions, will not be impatient, and will not be tempted to enter into the ...

Nyalam karuthinun kaikudum kaalamKarudhi idathaar ceyinA man, aspiring to conquer the whole world too, will succeedIf he chooses the right time and place for action.Even ambitions of World conquest will be possible of achievement, for a person who starts on his ...

Aruvinai enba ulavo karuviyanKalam arindhu ceyinNothing is impossible if an enterprise is started,With right means at the appropriate timeRajaji has converted this Kural into an effective interrogation as follows:“Is there anything impossible if the right means are adopted and the right ...

Paruvathoadu otta olukal thiruvinaithThiraamai aarkkum kayiru.Tying up operational details to the season’s variations is the rope,Which binds the king inseparably to prosperity.The ability of a prince or a leader to adapt his plans for the proposed enterprise to the requirements of ...

Pakalvellum kukaiyaik kaakkai ikalvellumVaendharkku vaendum poludhu. A crow may over-come a much stronger bird, the owl during day-time,Even so, at the right opportunity, the king could succeed easily in his campaigns.It is said that in a nocturnal fight, the own ...

Ulavarai thookkaadha oppura vanmaiValavarai vallaik kedum.Limitless munificence in the sharing of one’s wealth, with those that deserve too,Will result in final disappearance of that wealth.In this Kural, the poet would say that, even in the good cause of Social Co-operation, what ...

Alavarindhu vaalaadhaan valkkai ulapoalaIllaakith thonraak kedumThe apparent prosperity of a man, living beyond his means,Would soon disappear without a trace.A thoughtless king who has not got a measure of his own wealth and sources of revenue, if he indulges in limitless ...

Aakaaru alavu ittidhaayinum kaedillaiPoakaaru akalaak kadaiIt matters little if the channel of inflow is small and narrowProvided the out-flow is not disproportionate.It is not a misfortune for a king, if the revenues of his State are limited, provided he has the ...

Aatrin alavarindhu eeka adhuporulPoatri valangum neriA wise man has a measure of his income and a plan for his charity,That is the way to protect his wealth and live with dignity.A prudent king knows clearly, and with accounting precision, the extent ...

Nunikkombar aerinaar akthiranth thookkinUyirkkirudhi yaaki vidumThe person, who climbs a tree up to the thin end of its high branch,And still attempts to go farther, will perish by a sure fall.The idea here is that even a man of enterprise should ...