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Tirukkural-On Virtue-Family Life-Kural 46

By Staff

Arathaatrin ilvalkkai yattrin purathaarrir
Poaiyp peruvadhuu evan?

Real happiness is achieved by following domestic virtues,
What then is gained by seeking any other path?

In this Kural 'Arathaaru' would mean all that has been defined in the previous Kurals, a life of love and virtue, including 'Paziyanji', (i.e.,) faultless earning and generous sharing. If domestic life patterned along these lines can give fulfillment, there is really no point in going round in search of other ways of life. But it is the 'Purathaaru', that has been interpreted variously be commentators. But the best still is Parimelalagar's of 'leaving the house and retiring to the forest', which has also been accepted and amplified by Rajaji. The interpretation of Parithi and Pazhaya Urai, equating 'Purathaaru' to 'sinful ways' is naively inappropriate and deserves to be rejected.

The same idea of 'Arathaaru' has been expressed in Agananuru thus,

Arandhalai piriya

Story first published: Friday, November 28, 2008, 14:49 [IST]
Read more about: rajaji thirukural