Valluvar

Nallinathi noonku thunaiyillai theeyinathinAllal paduppadhuum ilGood associations provide the greatest of help Bad company is productive of the worst evil.This Kural is in the nature of final assessment of good and bad associations and their impact on a right thinking person.In ...

Mananalathin aakum marumai matrahdhumInanalathin aemap pudaithuAdmittedly purity of mind would lead to heaven,Even so, good associations provide strong support.Even the spiritual progress towards the ultimate goal in this life and the next to ‘Mukthi’ will be considerably facilitated and brightened by ...

Mananalam nankudaiya raayinum saanrorkkuInanalam aemap pudaithuEven wise and virtuous gentlemen of pure mind Need good associations for effective strength.In this Kural, Thiruvalluvar speaks of the complementary need, for even ‘Sanron’ – wise and virtuous gentleman, not necessarily the king or the ...

Mananalam mannuyirk kaakkam inanalamEllaap pukalum tharum.Purity of mind ushers in spiritual growth and personal prosperityWhile good associations lead to glory.If the internal quality of 'Mananalam' ‘purity of heart’ and the external quality of 'Inanalam' ‘Purity of association’, exist together in a ...

Nilathiyalpaal neer thirindhatraakum maandharkkuInathiyalpa thaahum arivuWater takes the character of the soil through which it flows;So too men’s character changes with their associations.This translation is based on V V S Iyer’s, who would say that the mind assumes the colour, nature ...

Viyavarka enyaanrum thannai nayavarkaNanri payava vinaiNever indulge in self-praise; nor should you go in For activities that produce no good results.Indulging in glorification of oneself is the known trait of the small man. The greatness of the truly wise personages ...

Patrullam ennum ivaranmai etrullumEnnap paduvathon ranru.Avarice, which is the denial of all charitable inclinations in man,Is not just vice; it is the worst.V V S Iyer would say:“Close-fisted parsimony is not a vice to be classed with other vices; it formeth ...

Varumunnark kaavaadhaan vaalkkai erimunnarVaithaaru poalak kedum.The life of a man who does not guard against untoward developments,Will be like a haystack before an advancing fire.Before a fire, that is steadily advancing with the rising wind, a stack of dry straw has ...

Thinaithunaiyaan kutram varinum panaiththunaiyaakKolvar pazi naanuvarPeople, who fear disgrace, should avoid even tiny millet-sized faults,Treating them as of major dimension like a palm tree.In Kural 428, Valluvar had said that it would be folly not to fear what should be feared. ...

Ivaralum maanpirandha maanamum maanaaUvakaiyum aedham iraikkuParsimony born out of greed, selfish pride and excessive pleasure seeking,All three are faults in a prince.The term, concerning which there is difference of opinion in translation and interpretation is 'Ivaral' My translation of this word ...

Edhiradhaak kaakkum arivinaark killaiAdhira varuvadhoar noy.Wise men who can read the signs and foresee developments,Will not be shocked by emerging distressful situations.Men of true knowledge and deep thought will know beforehand what is likely to befall, and, therefore, they will not ...

Arivudaiyaar aava tharivaar arivilaarAkthari kalla thavar.Men of wisdom know and are prepared for what is coming;The ignorant do not know what is ahead of them.Men of deep knowledge and understanding will surely be able to think and plan ahead. Foreseeing ...