To this dream that brought my lover’s message,
What feast shall I treat it to?
காதலர் தூதொடு வந்த கனவினுக்
கியாதுசெய் வேன்கொல் விருந்து.
He has gone away to earn wealth and she is pining for him. She hasn’t heard from him for long. She dreams that he has sent a message. This makes her happy and she wonders what feast to prepare for the dream that acted as a messenger.
Like swift hands of one whose dress slips,
Rushing to relieve (friend’s) misery is friendship.
உடுக்கை இழந்தவன் கை போல, ஆங்கே
இடுக்கண் களைவது ஆம்-நட்பு.
When one’s dress slips, his hands instinctively rush to rectify it. One should act with the same swiftness to relieve a friend’s misery. That’s what friendship is.
உடுக்கை – dress
இடுக்கண் – misery
களைவது – to remove
If we befriend those who are sensitive enough
To understand our unspoken thoughts, joy will befriend us;
If we leave those who dumbly misconstrue
Even explicit words, grief too will leave us.
உணர உணரும் உணர்வுடை யாரைப்
புணரிற் புணருமாம் இன்பம் – புணரின்;
தெரியத் தெரியுந் தெரிவிலா தாரைப்
பிரியப் பிரியுமாம் நோய்.
We should be careful with our friendship. If we befriend someone, we should become friends with those who are sensitive to understand our unspoken thoughts. Then the friendship will bring us joy. On the other hand, if we befriend some one who misunderstands even things we state explicitly, it will end in grief. If we move away from such persons, grief too will move away from us.
It us impossible to translate the wordplay and rhyme in the original. So I have gone for detailed explanatory translation.
உணர – thoughts
உணர்வு – sensitive
புணர்ச்சி – join / befriend
தெரிவு – clear
தெரிவு இல்லாதார் – one who lacks clarity / dumb
If one gives up insatiable desire, that itself
Will give him a state of eternal bliss.
ஆரா இயற்கை அவா நீப்பின், அந் நிலையே
பேரா இயற்கை தரும்.
Desire by nature is insatiable. If one gives it up, the act of giving up desire will lead him to a state of unchanging bliss in this life itself.
This couplet is under the chapter “Giving up desire”.
ஆர் – fill ஆரா – unfillable / insatiable
இயற்கை – nature
அவா – desire
நீத்தல் – give up
பேர் – to change பேரா – unchanging / eternal
If you ask what is virtue, listen carefully –
To provide food, clothes and shelter to all living beings
Is virtue; I haven’t known any other definition
அறம்எனப் படுவது யாதுஎனக் கேட்பின்
மறவாது இதுகேள் மன்உயிர்க்கு எல்லாம்
உண்டியும் உடையும் உறையுளும் அல்லது
கண்டது இல்
Manimekalai is a Buddhist Epic and is counted among the 5 great epics of Tamil literature. In this verse Manimekalai advices Aputra, the ruler of Manipallavam Island to rule his country in a righteous manner. “If you ask me what is the virtue of a ruler, I’ll tell you this. Listen carefully. To ensure food, clothes and shelter of all living beings is the virtue of a ruler. I haven’t found any other definition for virtue of a ruler”
அறம் – righteousness / virtue
மறவாது – without fail / carefully
மன் உயிர் – all living beings / humanity
உண்டி – food
உடை – dress
உறை – shelter
Grieving, grieving, let tears dry up now
In eyes that longingly looked at him in love.
உழந்துழந் துண்ணீ ரறுக விழைந்திழைந்து
வேண்டி யவர்கண்ட கண்.
She hasn’t seen him in a long time and is crying. She curses her eyes that cry saying “You were the one that looked at him longingly and fell in love. You deserve all the pain. May you shed so many tears in grief that your tears dry up”
உழந்து உழந்து உள்நீர் அறுக-விழைந்து இழைந்து
வேண்டி அவர்க் கண்ட கண்!
உழத்தல் – to suffer / grieve
உள்நீர் – inner water / tears
அறுக – let dry
விழைதல் – to wish / long
இழை – be intimate / love
வேண்டி – wanting
Wealthy is one who safeguards his wealth;
That wealth itself will safeguard him;
A residing tiger protects the forest;
In turn, forest protects the tiger.
உடையதனைக் காப்பான் உடையான்; அதுவே
உடையானைக் காப்பதூஉம் ஆகும்;-அடையின்,
புதற்குப் புலியும் வலியே; புலிக்குப்
புதலும் வலியாய்விடும்.
One becomes wealthy by safeguarding his wealth. In turn the wealth will safe guard him. Like how a tiger residing in a forest protects the forest. People are afraid of the tiger and don’t venture into the forest. At the same time, the dense forest offers protection to the tiger
உடையது – possession / wealth
உடையான் – who owns / wealthy
அடை – reside
புதல் – thicket / low jungle
வலி – strength / protection
 | Arunan on Kulasekara Alwar – … |
 | Brindha on Thirukkural 675 |
 | Old Tamil Poetry on Kurunthokai 126 |
 | dagalti on Kurunthokai 126 |
| dagalti on Kurunthokai 126 |
Old Tamil Poetry 