Sage Thiru-valluvar
"The Bard of Universal Man"
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Chapter - 4 : Assertion of the Strength of Virtue
 

Introductory Note

"Try not to be a person of success, but rather a person of virtue."
- Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

This chapter is on importance of virtue and serves as an introduction to Part-I of Thirukural. Part-I deals with virtue divided in two sections – virtue for the householder (Ch 5 to 25) and virtue for the ascetics (Ch 26-37). It is called “arram” in Tamil.

Translation(s)

Virtue yields distinction, yields prosperity; what gain greater than it can a living man obtain?

Explanation

In present life it gives prosperity and after death renown

Translation(s)

No greater gain than virtue anything can cause; no greater loss than life oblivious of her laws

“No greater gain than virtue count thou know,
Than virtue to forget no greater loss.”
– rendering by F. W. Ellis.

 

Translation(s)

Strive with ceaseless effort to finish virtue’s work, whatever way you can, wherever you see, the work will thrive.

Explanation

Tamil commentator says there are three ways of doing virtue’s work: With mind by thinking good thoughts; with the mouth, by speaking good words; with the body, by doing good acts.

Compare with Eccles. ix.10“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Jesus Christ, The Beatitudes, Matthew 5.10 [3]. The message of this Kural is very similar to the quoted Beatitude: in spite of hurdles we must persist ceaselessly and relentlessly to be righteous.

Christmas message written in sand / December 24, 2004

Sudarsan Patnaik of Orissa thought of a novel way to greet fellow artists and spread the message of Christmas. On Thursday, Patnaik crafted a image of Jesus Christ in sand: "The image, build on the sands of Puri beach, is about 15-foot-high and it took us 20 hours to complete," Patnaik, who hails from Puri in Orissa, told rediff.com. The sculpture will remain till the New Year.

Patnaik, who has already represented India in 23 international sand sculpture festivals, recently won public appreciation prize at Berlin for his sculpture Hanuman.

Translation(s)

Spotless be you in mind! This alone merits virtue’s name; all else is mere pomp of idle sound, can claim no real worth.

Explanation

Being spotless in mind is similar to what Jesus Christ said:

“Blessed are pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
– Mathew 5.8

Bhagvat Gita lists the characteristics of men born with godly qualities in 16.1 to 16.3. One of them is purity of heart.

This Verse was a favorite of Reverend Dr. G.U. Pope, who was the first to translate complete Thiru-kural into English in 18--. He was Christian Missionary in India and stayed in Southern India for many years spreading the message of Jesus Christ. This verse emboldened him to translate Part-3 of Thiru-kural, which is on Love, and is avoided by some asectics. He notes in his preface to his translation that the sage who had written this verse could never write anything vulgar.

His full name was Rev. George Uclow Pope and he lived from 1820 to 1908.“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” – Jesus Christ, The Beatitudes, Matthew 5.8 [3]

Translation(s)

When man moves in a ordered path, his footsteps not sliding due to these four – envy, wrath, lust, evil speech – it is virtue.

Explanation

Bhagvat Gita says:

“Lust Wrath, Greed – these are the three doors of hell and destroy the soul. Therefore these three should be renowned.”
– 16.21.

Thiru-valluvar has added “evil speech” to what Gita says.

Later in this part, Thiru-valluvar has expanded each of the four virtues in at least one chapter. These are Ch 17 (Not Envying), Ch 37 (The Extirpation of Desire), Ch 31 (The Not Being Angry), Ch 10 (The Utterance of Pleasant Words).

Translation(s)

Do deeds of virtue now, say not “Tomorrow we’ll be wise”. Thus when you die, you shall find a help that never dies.

Explanation

This couplet says that we should eagerly and urgently do deeds of virtue. Virtue begets renown which lives after one death.

This urgency is also emphasized in a few beautiful couplets in Naladiyar, a later Tamil composition (Click here / deeds of virtue)

Type Naladiyar 36, 34 & 19 (Page 197-198) and save as deeds of virtue.htm


All Hindus believe that a man’s good and evil deeds determine the state into which he passes after death, accompany him into that states and influence his character and fortunes therein. It is only when a human body is reached in the round of births, that the ‘virtue,’ whose fruit is ‘final release,’ can be practiced. Hence this mortal life is the time for prompt virtuous effects. Our poet, Thiru-valluvar shares these beliefs.

‘Destiny,’ which is due to deeds done in previous lives; presides over all action (C-38). Yet, in a sense, as we shall see, man is yet man and ‘master of his fate.’

Translation(s)

We need not dwell in words on virtue’s fruits: compare the man borne in litter with them that of toiling bear (the litter).

Explanation

Poet means their respective positions are the results of their deeds – good or evil – done in a former birth.

The Jews also have a similar belief – see S. John ix.2.

Translation(s)

If you toil each day to do good, no day passing idly: it will be a stone to block the way of future days of trouble.

Explanation

The literal meaning is virtuous living is relatively trouble free in long run. In context of previous couplet, it means: virtue prevents a man from passing through other forms of beings – procures ‘final release’ from round of births.Good things – in accordance with virtue-done everyday are likened to stones which together make a path.

Jesus Christ similarly has likened following the path of virtue with building a house on rocks. Here is what he says at end of Sermon on the Mount – which summarizes the main ethical teachings of Christianity:

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.

The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

– Jesus Christ, Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 7.24 to 27 [3]

Explanation

“What from virtue floweth, yieldth dear delight;
All else extern, is void of glory’s light.”
-translation by Rev G U Pope

Translation(s)

Virtue is the sum of things that should be done. Vice in the sum of things that man should shun.

 “Virtue” sums the things that should be done;
‘Vice’ sums the things that man should shun.”
– translation by Rev. G U Pope.

Explanation

End of ‘Introduction to Part-1 On Virtue’

This seems to suppose a natural sense of right and wrong in human mind. The poet believes in natural conscience. Compare with verse 293 also.

In Hindu minds, this sense is supposed to be affected by ‘destiny,’ but is on the whole a safe guide. See notes to verse 36.]

Summary Note

Rev. G. U. Pope’s opinion is that: “This Chapter contains a loftier moral than any Hindu composition – at least of earlier date”. Chapter – 4 of Naladiyar, a later Tamil composition also bears the same title as this chapter.Commentator says that renown (Praise, Fame, Glory) is

“the reward that comes to the householder in this life, who obeys the precepts contained in the foregoing chapters. It is chiefly bestowed upon those who give. Hence its place after the chapter on ‘giving.’”

Rev. G. U. Pope wrote in 1886 AD in his notes:

“The picture of the life of the virtuous Tamil householder,  as drawn (in Ch. v-xxiv) by the pariah weaver-priest by Myilapur a thousand years ago, is, it will be admitted, a very attractive one; and there is reason to believe that the villages of the Karnatik still contain many worthy householders whose life is governed by the rules here prescribed.”

At Your Feet'
Thiruvalluvar Memorial (133 Feet, 7000 Tonnes), Kanyakumari,India
Credit: Selvanambi, Flickr

References