THE TIRUKKURAL OF TIRUVALLUVAR

SECTION - 28

VERSES 271 TO 280

Ôìè   øÇæÐæëª     Hypocrisy

 
ô¢ªò   ëäêÐêè䪠  çï÷ªâ÷èÇæÐæ몠  ·ê§ªæóª    271
ÉåÐÊ몠  íæêÐîê   åÆëª
 
ô¢ªò    ëäêÐêè䪠      the hypocrite
çï÷ª×                      false
øÇæÐæ몠                   pretences
·ê§ªæóª                    the elements within him
ÉåÐÊ몠                     all the five
íæêÐîê                     inwardly
åÆ몠                        derisively laugh
 
The   pretentious   conduct   of   the   hypocrite   will   evoke   the   derisive   laughter   of   the   elements   within   him   (271).    
ôèÄáõР  îêè÷ª÷몠  öôäªâò᪱몠  êäªâ墪ò몠  272
êèäªí÷¨   Æ÷ª÷窠  çïäª
 
ôè䪠   ãáõР            as high as the sky
îêè÷ª÷몠                 the appearance of a mendicant
öô䪠   âò᪱몠      of what avail will it be ?
ê䪠  â墪ò몠         one's conscience
êè䪠   í÷¨               known by one himself
Æ÷ª÷몠                    evil deeds
çï䪠                      engage
 
Of   what   avail   are   appearances   of   a   lofty   stature   to   one   whose
conscience   is   beset   with   guilt   ?   (272)    
  ôù¨á¨ùª   å¨éùéëáè䪠  ôùªÙÕô몠  âç÷ª÷몠   273
  µù¨á¨äªîêèùª   îçèõÐêÐÊîëáªåР  ê÷ª×
 
ôù¨   ¬ùª             weak-minded
å¨éùéëáè䪠      one possessing such a disposition
ôùª   ãÕô몠        putting up a garb of intense penance (such activities)
âç÷ª÷몠               a cow
ù¨á¨äª    îêèùª       tiger skin
îçèõÐêÐÊ                covered by
îëáªåÐÊ                 grazing
í÷ª×                    like, similar to
 
The   weak-minded   who   do   wrong   in   the   guise   of   an   ascetic   is
like   the   cow   grazing   in   the   fields   in   the   guise   of   a   tiger   (273).    
êôëªëé÷åÐÊ   íùªùéô   âòáªêùª   µêùªëé÷åÐÊ  274
îôìªÌô䪠  µóªò¨ë¨ÈªêР  ê÷ª×
 
êô몠   ëé÷åÐÊ       behind the facade of a mendicant's garb
íùªùéô               evil deeds
âòáªêùª                  engaging in
êùª   ëé÷åÐÊ          hiding behind a bush
îôìªÌô䪠             a hunter
óª   ò¨ë¨ÈªêÐÊ           catching birds
í÷ª×                     like
 
He   who   poses   like   an   ascetic   but   secretly   acts   sinfully, is   like   the   hunter   hiding   in   a   bush   waiting   to   catch   a   bird   (274).

 
ç÷ª÷÷ªî÷몠  öäªçèõР  çï÷ªâ÷èÇæÐæ몠  ö÷ªâ÷÷ªâ÷äª×   275
Öê몠  çù²åР  êÕëª
 
ç÷ª×    í÷ªî÷몠      free from desires
öäªçèõР                  those who profess
çï÷ª×                    false
øÇæÐæ몠                 code of conduct
ö÷ª×    ö÷ª×            what did I do, what did I do
öäª×                      saying so
Öê몠                      suffering
çù²ëª                    many
êÕ몠                      bring about
 
He   who   pretends   to   be   free   from   desires,   but   secretly   pursues
them   will   have   sufferings   that   will   make   him   regret   having ever   done   so   (275).    
â墪ò¨ùª   Ê÷ôèõР  Ê÷åÐêèõÐîçèùª   ô¢ªò¨êÐÊ  276
ôèȪôèõ¨äª   ôäªæúèõР  ¬ùª
 
â墪ò¨ùª                   in the heart of hearts
Ê÷ôèõР                    not leaving desires
Ê÷åÐêèõР   îçèùª       as if one has renounced
ô¢ªò¨êÐÊ                   cheat
ôèȪôèõ¨äª               like one who lives so
ôäªæúèõР                without compassion
¬ùª                          no one
 
There   is   none   who   can   be   worse   than   the   one   who professes   to   having   renounced   all   desires,   yet   pursues  them   secretly   (276).    
  µ÷§ªÆäª÷¨   æúªìéäá   îõÄ몠  í槪Æäª÷¨    277
  ßæÐæ¨÷ª   æõ¨áèõР  ãéìêÐÊ
 
µ÷몠                                 outwardly
Æäª÷¨                                 the berry known as `Kunri' (which is red
 
æúªÌ    íéäáîõÄ몠      sporting good appearance
íæ몠                                inwardly
Æäª÷¨    ßæÐæ¨äª                  the end portion of the `Kunri' berry
æõ¨áèõР                              black dot
ãéìêÐÊ                             possessed of
 
The   external   appearance   of   some   may   be   bright   like   the   red   `Kunri' seed,   but   inwardly   they   may   be   like   the   black   dot   on   the   seed   (277).    
ëäêÐêÊ   ëèòèæ   ëèúªìèõÐå©   õèï     278
ëé÷åÐâêèÇÆ   ëèåÐêõР  çùõÐ
 
ëäêÐêÊ                     in the mind
ëèòèæ                       with evil designs
ëèúªìèõР                 giving an appearance of an exalted saint
å©õèï                         taking ablutory bath
ëé÷åÐÊ    øÇÆ몠      living in disguise
ëèåÐêõР                       people
çùõР                          many
 
Many   are   those   who   think   evil   but   take   a   bath   and   pretend
to   be   so   purified   (278).  
æéúâæèïÊ   áèȪîæèÌ   âòôªô¨Êͧª   æäªä    279
ô¨éäçÌ   çèùèùª   âæèóùª
 
æéú                           the (straight) arrow
âæèïÊ                        is lethal
áèȪ                             the harp
îæèÌ                            is curved
âòôªô¨Ê                       produces good (sound)
ͧªÆ    íäªä               just like them
ô¨éäçÌ    çèùèùª       due to the effects of one's own actions
âæèóùª                         to be reckoned
 
The   arrow   is   straight   but   lethal.   The   harp   is   crooked   yet   is   sweet to   the   ear.   A   person   should   be   judged   not   by   his   appearance
but   his   actions   (279).    
ëȨêÐêÙ몠  å©ìªìÙ몠  îôúªìè   ãùæ몠   280
çȨêÐêÊ   øȨêÐÊ   ô¨ïäª
 
ëȨêÐêÙ몠              tonsuring
å©ìªìÙ몠                growing long tresses (matted hair)
îôúªìè                  not required
ãùæ몠                    good people
çȨêÐêÊ                   condemned practices
øȨêÐÊ    ô¨ï䪠        if avoided
 
Neither   long   tresses   nor   a   shaven   crown   are   needed   (for   the
path   of   penance).   Avoidance   of   sinful   acts   is   enough   (280).  


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