Chapter Two – Verse three

Vin’nindru paeipin virineer via’nulagath
thun’neen nudat’rum pasi


The first verse tells us about the presence of water everywhere, while the second verse tells us about the uses of water. This verse tells us about the importance of rain.


Vin’nindru
Note: there is a spelling mistake in most copy and past type of books, where the word "vinnindru" is written as “vinyindru” instead as in our ancient books where it is “vinnindru”. This word and the word in the first verse is not the same and does not carry the same meaning.


Here the meaning is “if the sky stops”


Paeipin
Meaning “raining”, thus the two words mean “if the sky stops raining”


virineer
The word viri means “surrounded” and neer means ‘water”; thus virineer means “surrounded by ocean:


via’nulagath
via means “wide” and ulagam once again refers to “life” on earth.


Thus the first sentence means, “if the sky stops raining, life on this earth which is surrounded by the wide ocean”


thun’neen
Here the word means “will stay permanently”


nudat’rum
This is a word to describe “distress”


Pasi
This is hunger.


Thus meaning “will stay permanently in hunger distress”.

Thus the whole sentence means “if the sky stops raining, life on this earth which is surrounded by the wide ocean will stay permanently in hunger distress”.

Here, Thirukkural uses the example of an earth surrounded by ocean, because even if the world is surrounded by vast amount of water, it is useless water, so without the rain (fresh water) evey life, be it plants, animals or humans, will be under the pain of hunger and starvation.

Chapter Two – Verse two

Thupparkku thuppaya thupparkki thupparkku

thuppaya thuum mazai

This is one of the most beautiful verses of Thirukkural. It makes use of one single word “tuppu” meaning “food” as the key word and uses it many parts of speech to provide a beautiful meaning.

One of the most common mistakes that most people (including teachers) do is the way the second last word is pronounced. It is actually written as (thuvum) but the “vu” is silent and must be only pronounced as “thuum”. The silent “vu” is a grammatical rule of Tholkkapiam, where the “u” must be pronounced much longer thus “thuum”.

There is also a change in the meaning for “thuvum” mans raining; while “thuum” means “becoming”. The actual meaning here is becoming, but due to the phrase being under the heading rain, it is normally interpreted as rain.

However, many Tamil scholars know this rule and translate the meaning as “becoming”

For this verse, we will provide the actual translation and later provide the proper meaning.

Thupparkku thuppaya

Meaning “good food for those taking food” but a better word will be “necessary food for those taking food”

thupparkki

Meaning “growing food”

Thupparkku

Meaning “being food for those taking food”

thuppaya thuum (to be read together)

Meaning “becoming food”

Mazai

Meaning “rain or more better water”

Thus the whole sentence means that “water is necessary food for those taking food, grows food and itself becomes food for those who need food”

Chapter Two – Verse one

Vaannindru ulagam vazangi varuthalal
taan’amiztham an’drunarat patru

Vaannindru
This is made up of two words, “vaan” meaning rain in this context and “nindru”. The correct explanation of this word is necessary to get a full meaning of the sentence. This word has two meaning “stop” and “presence”. It can also mean continuously. Here the proper interpretation should be “continuously present”. The reason for this explanation is the meaning of the next word “ulagam”.

ulagam
Although the word means world”, we have explained earlier that in reality the word means “matter, life and mind”. Thus the word “Vaannindru ulagam” has a very significant meaning.

The continuous rain which falls as water is always present in this earth, in all life (plants and animals) and in human beings. Thus the rain is not “lost” but ever present in ponds, streams, rivers, sea and inside the earth. So also water is present in all plants and animals and in humans. Thus water is present everywhere in this world, thus the word “ulagam” and also the word “nindru”


Vazangi varuthalal
Here we have put both the words together as its means “always providing”. Vazangi is providing and varuthalal meaning always.

Thus the first sentence should actually mean “the rain which is continuously being provided is always present in this world” (meaning nature, plants, animals and humans)

Now for the next sentence

taan’amiztham
“taan” meaning itself (water) and amiztham can mean nectar, ambrosia, essence (meaning the core). The best meaning here will be essence meaning the core of all matter and life.

an’drunarat patru
Here once aging we place both the words together, meaning “to be understood”. Patru being - “to be”.

Thus the whole sentence means, “the rain which is continuous being provided is always present in this world and needs to be understood to being the essence of the whole world”

This is the reason why the Thirukkural cannot be “truly” translated, but has to be explained to bring out its beauty and the choice of word used to explain the concepts and thoughts.

Chapter Two – Introduction

Chapter two is named “Vaan Sirappu”. Vaan means sky, but here it is referred to rain falling from the sky. Sirappu means significance or eminence. Thus the title is “Significance of Rain” or “Eminence of Rain”. We have preferred to use the later, as it has a closer meaning to Sirappu.

This is one of the single and rare chapters that do not deal directly with the qualities of mankind, but rather how rain affects or influences the livelihood on mankind on this earth.

The well known exponent of Thirukural (Para’mael Alagar), placed this chapter as part of pa’ayram or introduction, of the book as it does not follow the regular style of the other Thirukkural chapters.

This was “a sharp observation” and it is most probably the introduction for the section of “Aram” or Virtue. Without rain, Thirukkural informs that virtue is not possible to be emulated among mankind.

We shall now see each and every verse of how Thirukkural sees the greatness of rain.

Chapter One - Verse ten

The actual verse in the Tamil language

Piravip perungkadal neenthuvar neenthar
Eraivan adisera thaar

In this final verse the final destination of the soul is explained. Here it is very clearly stated that the final destination is God.

Piravip
This means “the birth”

Perung kadal
A two word syllabus, “perung” means “large or un-limitless”. Kadal means “ocean”. This phrase was discussed in verse eight where word of similar meanings “ocean” and “life” was mentioned.

Neenthuvar
Once again here the word used in verse eight with the similar meaning “swimming” was used.

Here the first sentence, means “swimming across the un-limitless ocean of birth”. This whole phrase has a different meaning from the rest in that here is mean “crossing over the cycle of rebirth”.

In the second sentence it is further expounded as follows:-

Neenthar
Here in means “those who do not swim across”

Eraivan
This is “God”

Adisera thaar
Here both the words are taken together as the last word “thaar” does not stand by itself for it is a suffix to denote the masculine / neutral gender. The word “adi” means feet and “sera” not joining.

It this second sentence, the phrase, “those who do not swim across” needs to be translated as “those who cannot cross over the cycle of rebirth”

Thus the second sentence translates as “those who cannot cross over the cycle of rebirth, will not join the Lord’s feet”.

Thus the whole sentence translates as “One who swims across the un-limitless ocean of birth, will join the Lord’s feet; those who do not, will not”

This concludes the final verse of Thirukkural, where the final destination after all the cycles of rebirth, the soul ones links with God.

Significance to the Siddhanta theology

In this final verse, one very clear concept of Siddahnat is reveled, that is the “Soul can only link with God and it cannot become God”. The distinction of Souls and God are two separate entities, the corner stone of the Siddhanta theology is clearly expressed her.

For the soul to link with God, it has to break the cycle of reincarnation. This becomes the sole purpose of the soul and the elements of matter, life and knowledge help the soul to achieve this.

These are not hindrances; and that is why it is explained as “swimming cross.” The soul needs to understand, accept and make full use of the gifts given to the soul to cross the cycle of rebirth.

Thirukkural, in all the verses both provides a clue of God’s qualities and also what the souls need to do or achieve to cancel this exercise of taking numerous births.

Here also, Thirukkural informs that the souls must swim across, on their own effort. This is in line with the qualities of God as expressed by the author of this book.

The ideas and concepts presented in Thirukkural must have been the original theological thoughts and believes of the Tamil people of that era.

Chapter One - Verse nine

The actual verse in the Tamil language

Kolil poriyin gunamilavae engunathan
thaalai vanakaath thalai

This verse informs about the nature of the perfect soul (individual) and its characters. The eight characters of God described in the above 8 verses are the essence of this chapter.

Kolil
This means the human body

Poriyin
This means the senses

Guna milavae
This word has two syllabuses.
Guna means self consciousness and “Ellavay” not having.

The above phrase means one “not having any purity in the body (actions) senses (emotions) and self consciousness (thoughts)”

En gunathan
En – means eight and gunathan means the qualities

Thalai
This means God

Vanakaath
This means “not worshipping”

Thalai
Thalai means the head, but it means the “exemplary individual”. It is like a synonym for “the head man”.
This them translates as “the exemplary individual (soul) not worshipping the God with the 8 qualities”

Thus the whole sentence can be translated as:-

“The exemplary individual (soul) that does not worship the 8 quality God, will not having any purity in the body (actions) senses (emotions) and self consciousness (thoughts)”

This verse informs of the destination it needs to take to reach God. God is said to have 8 qualities and this is the “perfectness” of God. Similarly, the soul must also attain perfection.

Significance to the Siddhanta theology

This is an important verse where for the first time in any Tamil theological concept, it is stated that God has eight qualities and this is said in verse number nine.

And in verse eight, the direct synonym for Civa is stated, thus the theological concept of God or the God Civa must have the eight qualities. Thus these eight qualities must describe the “Perfect God”.

We must not forget that this Thirukkurral concept was put forward in BC 50, when none of the books we are following now regarding “theology and hymns” were present yet.

The other is the perfection of the soul. Now it is stated that this perfection can only be attained, if the soul through the human form it has taken (matter, life and knowledge) is able to understand (mental) the meaning of (qualities) God, accept that these eight qualities are the perfection of God (without emotion) and put to practice (action) of what is required of the soul (individual) to reach God (Civa here).

Thus the most important work here is to search for the eight qualities of God, which are directly or subtly informed or explained to us within the 10 verses of the Thirukkural. Thrukkural must have the answer with the verses itself, if not the eight would become an abstract concept.

We have dealt with this separately.

Chapter One - Verse eight

The actual verse in the Tamil language

Aravaagzi anthanan thaalsaenthar kallaal
Peeravaagzi neenthal arithu

Although this is the eighth verse, it more or less cumulates the near final development of the soul from being reincarnated. Here it explains the near final condition the soul must strive to be. It can be noticed that the word used in verse seven and eight are very similar. Apart from this, this verse is a bit difficult verse for the words are a bit ambiguous.

Ara vaagzi
The Tamil word “Aram” can be only be very closely translated as virtue, good, grace but we will use the word “worship” in synonym with the meaning virtue, here. Vaagzi means both ocean and living. The usual translation is ocean, but the word living can also be used here.

Anthanan
This word also has many meanings. Here, only it can be taken to mean a learned one or Civa (the God). For our interpretation, we will use the word God as a synonym Civa.

thaal saenthar
This follows the same meaning as in verse 7.
“Thaal” mean feet of the Lord and “Saenthat” mean to link; to join or to follow.

Kallaal
This means “all” or everybody.

Thus the first sentence can be translated as “All those who worship God; who’s virtue (or grace) is as limitless as the ocean”

The second sentence

peera vaagzi
Here the word “peera” means a different path. Here the “different path” is the opposite of the word “Aram” of the first sentence. The word “vaagzi” is once again used here. The meaning then once again can be living or ocean; but both must correspond with the first sentence. The word them becomes “without virtue” and “limitlessness as the ocean”.

neenthal
The word “neenthal” plays an important role in the translation of this verse. This word means swimming. It is because of this word that many authors decided to translate or interpret the word “vaagzi” as the ocean instead as living.

However one needs to look at the 10th verse of this chapter; where the same words “swimming in the ocean” is provided as a synonym for “living on this earth.

Thus, even here, the word “vaahzi” can also be interpreted not as an ocean but as living. Due to this ambiguity, one cannot be too sure which is more appropriate.

However, if we use “limitless as the ocean” for the first sentence and “life” in the second sentence, it makes the whole verse more meaningful and appropriate for this section.

Arithu
This final word in the sentence means “nearly impossible”. Thus the second sentence can be translated as “nearly impossible to live a life without virtue on this earth”

With this analysis, we use both the meanings of the word “vaagzi” but at different places. In the first line we take it as “ocean” while in the second sentence we take it as life. If we use this as our guide, then the full translation of the verse will be as follows.

“All those who worship God; whose grace is as limitless as the ocean, it is nearly impossible to live a life without virtue on this earth”

The above translation makes more sense, then trying to substitute ocean or life in both the sentences. Further more the first sentence describes God, and the second sentence about humans, thus the above explanation can be considered as more accurate.

Significance to the Siddhanta theology

This verse needs to be looked more closely for its actual meaning. For the first time, a word with a synonym with Civa is use. Anthanan, also means Civa (Siva) in a more precise manner, rather then God. There are also who have described this as a “learned Brahmin” which is comparable to God, but most books and authors reject this interpretation.

Many just use the word God with the argument that Civa also means God but in a conceptual form, and not necessarily as Civa the God in the temples. However, few want to accept that Anthanan is a conceptual God, but rather as God in the temple.

However if it is looks upon, as a conceptual God or as Civa –The God; then the concepts of the Tamil people of BC 50, is reflected on us.

As for the verse itself, the meaning becomes that a man (soul) following the path of virtue, the grace becomes as limitless as the ocean, and it its very unlikely that this soul (man) goes astray, from the path of virtue.

In a more subtle manner this individual (soul) becomes nearly like God and lives a perfect life on this earth for all to see, appreciate and follow.