திருக்குறள் THIRUKURAL WITH தமிழ் AND ENGLISH MEANING

ThirukkuRaL - English Translation
திருக்குறள்

kaDavuL vAzththu (Praise of God)
பாயிரம் ( கடவுள் வாழ்த்து )

1. அகர முதல எழுத்தெல்லாம் ஆதி

 பகவன் முதற்றே உலகு.



akara mudhala ezuththellAm Adhi

bagavan mudhaRRE ulagu.



Translation:

'A' is the prime of all letters. The Source - the God is the prime of the world.



Notes:

i. All the letters are voiced subsequent to the letter "A" and hence we call them as

alphabets. For the world that came to existence there is One Who stood before

beginningless (and stands endless). That God is the ultimate Precedent of the world.





2. கற்றதனால் ஆய பயன் என்கொல் வாலறிவன்

 நற்றாள் தொழாஅர் எனின்.



kaRRadhanAl Aya payan enkol vAlaRivan

n^aRRAL thozAar enin.



Translation:

What is the use of learning, if they do not adore the propitious Feet of Pure-scient.



Notes:

i. The wise thing to do is come out of the filth (pAcam) that binds and enjoy the

everlasting bliss. This is possible for one who holds on to the Feet of God. So the

learning is fruitful when it brings the maturity of mind to pursue this wisdom.

ii. c.f. kaRRuny civanyAnam illAk kaladhikaL cuRRamum viDAr thuricaRAr mUDarkaL - thirumUlar

      kaRRavarkku Or kaRpagamAy n^inRAy n^IyE - appar

      Odhi n^annUl kaRRAr parava - appar

iii. vAlaRivan - God, The One that knows in completeness and pureness.





3. மலர்மிசை ஏகினான் மாணடி சேர்ந்தார்

 நிலமிசை நீடு வாழ்வார்.



malarmicai EkinAn mANaDi cErn^dhAr

n^ilamicai n^IDu vAzvAr.



Translation:

Those who reaches out to the Glorious Feet of the One Who shows up on the flower

(lotus of heart), would live long over the land (world).



Notes:

i. The focus of the devotees make them capable of even winning over the world.

(c.f. thiruththoNDar purANam) As they are yogis they do not die short, but get liberated.

Since they are sincere in their heart, they stay in the memories of the world.

(c.f. uLLaththAl poyyAdhozukin.. - kuRaL)

ii. malar - uLLaththAmarai/ hR^idaya pa.Ngajam (c.f. hariNa parashu pANim padma pIToparishtam)





4. வேண்டுதல் வேண்டாமை இலான் அடிசேர்ந்தார்க்கு

 யாண்டும் இடும்பை இல.



vENDuthal vENDAmai ilAn aDicErn^dhArkku

yANDum iDumbai ila.



Translation:

For those who reach out to the Feet of the One, Who does not have requirement or reluctance,

there is never distress.



Notes:

i. God does not require anything external to exist or to be happy etc. Nor does It have

aversion towards anything. (If It has, It cannot be in absolute happiness !) It is the

Perfect Being and hence hailed as shiva. The form of Lord shiva that is adorned

with things that are least respected is an indication of this quality of God.

(c.f. ikazAdhE ArenbEyEnum aNin^dhuzalvAr - kAraikkAl ammaiyAr).

ii. As the God is beyond the likes and dislikes, the devotee who holds on to the bondless

God also gets the similar characteristics. However they may appear in the eyes of the world,

the devoted surpasses distress.

iii. c.f. kUDum anbinil kumbiDalE anRi

        vIDum vENDA viRalin viLaN^ginAr - thiruththONDar purANam





5. இருள்சேர் இருவினையும் சேரா இறைவன்

 பொருள்சேர் புகழ்பு¡¢ந்தார் மாட்டு.



iruLcEr iruvinaiyum cErA iRaivan

poruLcEr pukazpurin^dhAr mATTu.



Translation:

Either kind of deeds tainted with darkness would not reach on to those, who have done to

the worthy glory of God.



Notes:

i. Both the meritorious and demeritorious deeds produce good and bad fruits respectively,

but do not result in a state that is eternal bliss - that does not concern with the

external goodness and badness. So they both have the taint of darkness.

ii. As the devoted do not focus on themselves but focus on the ever blissful Lord, they do

not own the two kinds of deeds. (at the stage of liberation).

iii. c.f. aNNAmalai thozuvAr vinai vazuvAvaNNam aRumE - camban^dhar





6. பொறிவாயில் ஐந்தவித்தான் பொய்தீர் ஒழுக்க

 நெறிநின்றார் நீடு வாழ்வார்.



poRivAyil ain^dhaviththAn poythIr ozukka

n^eRin^inRAr n^IDu vAzvAr.



Translation:

One Who extinguished the gates of the five sensors, in His path devoid of any insincerity,

those who stand, they would live long.



Notes:

i. The pursuit is for the Truth, so it is the path devoid of falsehood.

ii. c.f. anycu kolAm avar vel pulanAvana - thEvAram.





7. தனக்கு உவமை இல்லாதான் தாள் சேர்ந்தார்க்கு அல்லால்

 மனக்கவலை மாற்றல் அ¡¢து.



thanakku uvamai illAdhAn thAL Ern^dhArkku allAl

manakkavalai mARRal aridhu.



Translation:

Other than for those who reached out to the Feet of the One without any simile for Himself,

it is hard to change the worries of mind.



Notes:

i. c.f. kAlanai venROm kaDun^arakam kaikazanROm - kAraikkAl ammaiyAr

      aththan enakku aruLiyavARu Ar peRuvAr accOvE - thiruvAcakam

      immaiyE tharum cORuN^ kUraiyum EththalAm iDar keDalumAm - cun^dharar

      civana thAL cin^dhiyAp pEdhaimAr pOlan^I veLginAyE - camban^dhar





8. அறவாழி அந்தணன் தாள் சேர்ந்தார்க்கு அல்லால்

 பிறவாழி நீந்தல் அ¡¢து.



aRavAzi an^thaNan thAL cErn^dhArkku allAl

piRavAzi n^In^dhal aridhu.



Translation:

Other than for those who reached out to the Feet of Ocean of Justness- the Kind One,

it is hard to swim over the ocean of births.



Notes:

i. Lord shiva has the flag of bull that signifies the Justness (aRam / dharma).

One of the eight characters of God is being highly merciful, so thirukkuRal also

addresses God as an^thaNan. (Also ref to - an^thaNar enbavar aRavOr - kuRal).

ii. Like the substance glued to the wheel, the pashus keep going up and down over the

wheel enjoying the good and bad fruits of the meritorious and demeritorious deeds.

If one wants to come out of this grind need to seek the help of the Force That could

pull us out of the wheel. So for getting liberation one needs to seek God.





9. கோளில் பொறியில் குணமிலவே எண்குணத்தான்

 தாளை வணங்காத் தலை.



kOLil poRiyil guNamilavE eNguNaththAn

thALai vaNaN^gAth thalai.



Translation:

Lost its nature, paralyzed, and attitudeless is the head, when it does not salute the Feet

of the Eight Chractered.



Notes:

i. The purpose of boarding a bus is to reach the destination. The purpose of taking this

body is to get to the Eternal Bliss of God. The head that does not bow down to God

so that the journey goes forward to liberation, is as good as a non-functioning vehicle.

Though the head, the prime of the organs is told here, in the same lines it needs to be

derived for the hands that don't fold in adoration, tongue that doesn't praise etc.

c.f. thiruvaN^gamAlai of appar (1)

    vAzththa vAyum n^inaikka maDan^enychum thAzththa cenniyum than^dha thalaivan - appar

    vaNaN^gath thalai vaiththu - thiruvAcakam

ii. Lord shiva is specifically hailed by the purANas and scriptures as having Eight great

characters. (2)

c.f. eNNamarum guNaththArum - camban^dhar

    eTTuk kolAm avar IRil peruN^guNam - appar





10. பிறவிப் பெருங்கடல் நீந்துவர் நீந்தார்

  இறைவன் அடி சேராதார்.



piRavip peruN^kaDal n^In^dhuvar n^In^dhAr

iRaivan aDi cErAdhAr.



Translation:

They would swim off the huge ocean of births. Those who don't are the ones who have not

reached out to the Feet of God.



Notes:

i. The reason of existence is the liberation. So everybody is blessed to reach this shore

of Bliss holding on to the life boat of God's Feet. Those who don't hold on to It, delay

their Fortune further and further.