THE TIRUKKURAL OF TIRUVALLUVAR
SECTION - 28
VERSES 271 TO 280
Ôìè øÇæÐæëª
Hypocrisy
ô¢ªò
ëäêÐêèäª çï÷ªâ÷èÇæÐæëª
·ê§ªæóª 271
ÉåÐÊëª
íæêÐîê åÆëª
ô¢ªò
ëäêÐêèäª
| the hypocrite |
·ê§ªæóª
| the elements within
him |
The pretentious
conduct of the hypocrite
will evoke the derisive laughter
of the elements within him
(271).
ôèÄáõÐ
îêè÷ª÷ëª öôäªâò᪱ëª
êäªâ墪òëª
272
êèäªí÷¨
Æ÷ª÷çª çïäª
ôèäª
ãáõÐ
| as high as
the sky |
îêè÷ª÷ëª
| the appearance
of a mendicant |
öôäª
âò᪱ëª
| of what avail
will it be ? |
êäª â墪òëª
| one's conscience |
êèäª
í÷¨
| known by one
himself |
Of what avail
are appearances of a lofty
stature to one whose
conscience is
beset with guilt ? (272)
ôù¨á¨ùª å¨éùéëáèäª
ôùªÙÕôëª âç÷ª÷ëª
273
µù¨á¨äªîêèùª
îçèõÐêÐÊîëáªåÐ
ê÷ª×
å¨éùéëáèäª
| one possessing
such a disposition |
ôùª ãÕôëª
| putting up a
garb of intense penance
(such activities) |
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
îôìªÌôäª
µóªò¨ë¨ÈªêÐ
ê÷ª×
êôëª
ëé÷åÐÊ |
behind the
facade of a mendicant's garb |
êùª ëé÷åÐÊ
| hiding behind a
bush |
óª ò¨ë¨ÈªêÐÊ
| catching birds |
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÷ëª
öäªçèõÐ çï÷ªâ÷èÇæÐæëª
ö÷ªâ÷÷ªâ÷äª×
275
Öêëª
çù²åÐ êÕëª
ç÷ª×
í÷ªî÷ëª
| free from desires |
öäªçèõÐ
| those who profess |
ö÷ª×
ö÷ª×
| what did I
do, what did I do |
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÷ôèõÐ Ê÷åÐêèõÐîçèùª
ô¢ªò¨êÐÊ 276
ôèȪôèõ¨äª
ôäªæúèõÐ ¬ùª
â墪ò¨ùª
| in the heart
of hearts |
Ê÷ôèõÐ
| not leaving desires |
Ê÷åÐêèõÐ
îçèùª |
as if one has renounced |
ôèȪôèõ¨äª
| like one who
lives so |
ôäªæúèõÐ
| without compassion |
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 îõÄëª
í槪Æäª÷¨
277
ßæÐæ¨÷ª æõ¨áèõÐ
ãéìêÐÊ
Æäª÷¨
| the berry known
as `Kunri' (which is red |
æúªÌ
íéäáîõÄëª
| sporting good appearance |
Æäª÷¨
ßæÐæ¨äª
| the end portion
of the `Kunri' berry |
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
ëèåÐêõÐ çùõÐ
ëèúªìèõÐ
| giving an appearance
of an exalted saint |
å©õèï
| taking ablutory
bath |
ëé÷åÐÊ
øÇÆëª |
living in disguise |
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
âòôªô¨Ê
| produces good (sound) |
ô¨éäçÌ
çèùèùª |
due to the
effects of one's own actions |
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).
ëȨêÐêÙëª
å©ìªìÙëª îôúªìè
ãùæëª 280
çȨêÐêÊ
øȨêÐÊ ô¨ïäª
å©ìªìÙëª
| growing long tresses
(matted hair) |
çȨêÐêÊ
| condemned practices |
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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