THE TIRUKKURAL OF TIRUVALLUVAR

SECTION - 5

VERSES 41 TO 50

¬ùŠôèÈŠéæ    Family  Life  

¬ùŠôèÈŠôèäŠ   öäŠçèäŠ   ¬áùŠµéìá   ßôõ‡æ‡ÆëŠ   41
åùŠùè÷Š÷¨äŠ    å¨äŠ÷    ÊéÚ  
 
¬ùŠôèÈŠôèäŠ  öäŠçèäŠ   householder
¬áùŠµéìá   virtuous
ßôõ‡æ‡ÆëŠ   the three orders of youth,
åùŠùè÷Š÷¨äŠ   in the right path
å¨äŠ÷   steady
ÊéÚ   supporter
 
The   virtuous   householder   is   a   steady   supporter   of   the   other
three   orders,   namely,   youth,   retirement   and   renouncement.
 
Ê÷å‡êèõ‡æ‡ÆëŠ ÊôŠôè êôõ‡æ‡ÆëŠ ¬÷å‡êèõ‡æ‡Æë     42
¬ùŠôèÈŠôèäŠ    öäŠçèäŠ    ÊéÚ
 
Ê÷å‡êèõ‡æ‡ÆëŠ   forsaken
ÊôŠôè  êôõ‡æ‡ÆëŠ   poor
¬÷å‡êèõ‡æ‡ÆëŠ   the dead
¬ùŠôèÈŠôèäŠ  öäŠçèäŠ   householder
ÊéÚ   aids, supports

 
The   virtuous   householder   is   the   support   of   the   forsaken,   the   poor   and the   dead.  

âê䊵ùê‡êèõ‡ âêáŠôëŠ ô¨Õå‡âêèæ‡æùŠ êèâääŠ÷è§‡Æ 43
É늵ùê‡êè×    ØëŠçùŠ    êéù  
 
âê䊵ùê‡êèõ‡   spirits of the ancestors
âêáŠôëŠ   gods
ô¨Õå‡Ê   guests
øæ‡æùŠ   relatives
êèäŠ   himself
öäŠ÷è§‡Æ   so said
É늵ùê‡Ê   fivefold
Í×  ØëŠçùŠ   serves
êéù   of high virtue
 

He   is   of   high   virtue,   who   steadfastly   serves   the   spirits   of   the
ancestors,   the   gods,   guests,   relatives   and only  lastly,   himself.
 
çȨᢉò¨ç‡ çèꇭڈ ãéìê‡êèá¨äŠ ôèÈŠæ‡éæ      44
ôȨâᢉòùŠ    ö¢‰¢èäŠ×ëŠ    ¬ùŠ  
 
çȨᢉò¨   living honestly
çèê‡Ê   share
ÃÚˆ   consume
ãéìê‡êèá¨äŠ   devoted to
ôèÈŠæ‡éæ   life
ôȨ   later generations
ö¢‰òùŠ   suffer
ö¢‰¢èäŠ×ëŠ  ¬ùŠ   not ever

For   one   who   lives   honestly   and   shares   one's   earnings   with   others
later   generations   will   prosper.
 
íäŠµëŠ    í÷ÄëŠ    ãéìê‡êèá¨äŠ    ôèÈŠæ‡éæ      45
çÚˆµëŠ    çáÄëŠ    íÊ  
 
íäŠµëŠ   affection
í÷ÄëŠ   virtue
ãéìê‡êèá¨äŠ   devotion to
ôèÈŠæ‡éæ   life
çÚˆµëŠ   quality
çáÄëŠ   purpose
íÊ   in itself

Devotion   to   affection   and   virtue   are   the   very   quality   and
purpose   of   life   itself.
 
í÷ê‡êè÷Š÷¨äŠ ¬ùŠôèÈŠæ‡éæ áè÷Š÷¨äŠ µ÷ê‡êè÷Š÷¨÷Š    46
îçèøáŠç‡    âç×ôÊ    öôäŠ  
 
í÷ê‡êè÷Š÷¨äŠ   living virtuously
¬ùŠôèÈŠæ‡éæ   household life
Í÷Š÷¨äŠ   lived
µ÷ê‡êè÷Š÷¨÷Š   any other
îçèøáŠç‡   following
âç×ôÊ   gain
öôäŠ   what

What   gain   can   there   be   in   following   any   other   way   than
leading   a   family   life   of   virtue.
 
¬áùŠç¨äèäŠ   ¬ùŠôèÈŠæ‡éæ   ôèÈŠçôäŠ   öäŠçèäŠ      47
ËáùŠôèÕóŠ    öùŠùèëŠ    êéù
 
¬áùŠç¨äèäŠ   correctly
¬ùŠôèÈŠæ‡éæ   household life
ôèÈŠçôäŠ   he who lives
öäŠçèäŠ   those who
ËáùŠôèÕóŠ  öùŠùèëŠ   among those who strive
êéù   is greatest
 
He   who   lives   family   life   correctly   is   the   greatest   among
those   who   strive.  

Í÷Š÷¨äŠ    øÇæ‡æ¨    í÷ä¨Çæ‡æè    ¬ùŠôèÈŠæ‡éæ     48
îåè÷Šçèõ¨äŠ    îåèäŠéë    ãéìê‡Ê  
 
Í÷Š÷¨äŠ   on the right path
øÇæ‡æ¨   lead others
í÷ä¨Çæ‡æè   treading the virtuous path himself
¬ùŠôèÈŠæ‡éæ   the household life
îåè÷Šçèõ¨äŠ   than the life of ascetics
îåèäŠéë  ãéìê‡Ê   is superior
 
A   family   life   of   treading   the   right   path   and   helping   others
to   do   likewise   is   superior   to   the   life   of   ascetics.
 
í÷âääç‡    çì‡ìîê    ¬ùŠôèÈŠæ‡éæ    íþÊëŠ      49
ç¨÷äŠçȨç‡çÊ    ¬ùŠùèá¨äŠ    åäŠ×
   
í÷âääç‡  çì‡ìîê   that which is proclaimed as virtue
¬ùŠôèÈŠæ‡éæ   is family life
íþÊëŠ   that is
ç¨÷ŠäŠçȨç‡çÊ   blemish
¬ùŠùèá¨äŠ   if free from
åäŠ×   is the best
 
Family   life   is   a   life   that   is   proclaimed   as   virtuous   and   it
is   praiseworthy   if   it   is   free   from   blemish.
 
éôáê‡ÊóŠ    ôèÈŠôè§‡Æ    ôèÈŠçôäŠ   ôèÄé÷±ëŠ    50
âêáŠôê‡ÊóŠ    éôæ‡æç‡    çÌëŠ  
 
éôáê‡ÊóŠ   in this world
ôèÈŠôè§‡Æ   correctly
ôèÈŠçôäŠ   he who leads family life
ôèÄé÷±ëŠ   living in heaven
âêáŠôê‡ÊóŠ   one among gods
éôæ‡æç‡  çÌëŠ   considered
 
He   who   leads   family   life   correctly   in   this   world   will   be
considered   one   among   gods   in   heaven.
     
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