Thirukural is one of the best literacy originally written in Tamil. This amazing creation has made impact on number of lives including Mahatma Gandhi, APJ Abdul Kalam etc., The only book which got translated into many languages(37+ languages still counting) almost equivalent to Bible. Anybody can follow this book because it doesn't depend on any religion, any country, any person. This book has written in such a way that almost anybody can follow the thoughts from this book. If anybody could follow a single couplet (there are 1330 total couplets) in his whole life, the future generation of that person will treat that person in the position of God.
One of the amazing incident which happened in the Gandhi's life. The famous Russian Novelist Leo Tolstoy had a habit of reading books in a variety of languages. He wrote a letter to Gandhi once. In that letter the Russian mentioned a couplet from Thirukural . That couplet is
This book contains totally 133 chapters. Each chapter contains 10 couplets. These all chapters have further grouped by 3 chapters. These three chapters are
1. Dharma - dealing with virtue (Chapters 1-38)
2. Artha - dealing with wealth or polity (Chapters 39-108)
3. Kama - dealing with love (Chapters 109-133)
One of the amazing incident which happened in the Gandhi's life. The famous Russian Novelist Leo Tolstoy had a habit of reading books in a variety of languages. He wrote a letter to Gandhi once. In that letter the Russian mentioned a couplet from Thirukural . That couplet is
இன்னா செய்தாரை ஒறுத்தல் அவர் நாண
நன்னயம் செய்து விடல
The meaning of this couplet : If others harm you, do good to them, so that they are shamed into realizing their mistakes. This inspired him to follow the non-violence principle even during the violence happens around him. This much impact can be created on a person's life by a single couplet. This is the reason I told earlier that if we could follow a single couplet we will be treated in such an amazing way.
This classic literacy was written by the poet saint Thiruvalluvar . And you know one thing? this was written 2000 years back. Awesome! it covers edge cases of a persons life such as how to behave when we meet leaders / poor / people in need, love and lust, how to deal when growing in life, about failures, how to handle money and other products and about everything. And one more nice thing is that these all things is explained only through two lines that too exactly in seven words. Great!!
This book contains totally 133 chapters. Each chapter contains 10 couplets. These all chapters have further grouped by 3 chapters. These three chapters are
1. Dharma - dealing with virtue (Chapters 1-38)
2. Artha - dealing with wealth or polity (Chapters 39-108)
3. Kama - dealing with love (Chapters 109-133)
To know more about the basics of this book please have a look at Tirukkuṛaḷ.
This post first appeared on Thirukural (Couplets) - A Tamil Classic Literacy, please read the originial post: here
