PART III. LOVE

Ethical Values from Thirukkural:PartIII:On love

 On Love

In the third book ‘On Love’, the saint Thiruvalluvar portrays a mood rather than a conduct. This section is of use only to householders. It is a very deep and subtle portion of the Tirukkural.  (This chapter on "Possession of Love" (அன்புடைமை) contains some of the extraordinary words of wisdom found in Thirukkural. Valluvar says "The throb of life is love" (அன்பின் வழியது உயிர்நிலை) (Kural 80) and it is only to get an opportunity to express this union with love that the soul has taken the union with body (Kural 73). And the external 'body' is of no use to one who lacks the internal 'love' (Kural 78). What a profound words of wisdom from the bard of the universal man! And the relationship between soul and love continues in couplet 78, when the author says that life of a loveless soul is a sapless tree in a barren desert failing shoot. Without a soul, the body may be called a dead body, but without love it is nothing but a skin bag of bones.

There is no equivalent English word for "anbu" (அன்பு). The word "affection" could be a better option as the word "Love" has other connotations as well. And again, Tamil has another apt word for "affection" which is "பாசம்". In English, "Love" could not only mean brotherly, motherly, friendly one, but can also mean 'carnal love'. But the word "anbu" (அன்பு) means affectionate love which has no carnal or sensual connotation. None of the 10 couplets in this chapter give an indication on characters involved here. They are all about love as a indispensable attribute for a living being.

The words அன்பு, அருள், கண்ணோட்டம் (Love, Grace and Compassion) are one way or the other interlinked. The author says that Grace is the offspring of Love (Kural 757); and while Love is something internal (Kural 79), compassion has to do with eyes (Kural 573). We see this relationship between Love & Grace being mentioned in couplet 285. Since Grace is the offspring of Love and since Love being internal has something to do with life and soul, the author considers meat eaters (who have to first kill a being) are always graceless. 

The Possession of Love

71.And is there bar that can even love restrain?

The tiny tear shall make the lover's secret plain.

Is there any fastening that can shut in love ? Tears of the affectionate will publish the love that is

within.

72. The loveless to themselves belong alone;

The loving men are others' to the very bone.

Those who are destitute of love appropriate all they have to themselves; but those who possess love

consider even their bones to belong to others.

73. Of precious soul with body's flesh and bone,

The union yields one fruit, the life of love alone.

They say that the union of soul and body in man is the fruit of the union of love and virtue .

74.From love fond yearning springs for union sweet of minds;

And that the bond of rare excelling friendship binds.

Love begets desire: and that (desire) begets the immeasureable excellence of friendship.

75.Sweetness on earth and rarest bliss above,

  These are the fruits of tranquil life of love.

They say that the felicity which those who, after enjoying the pleasure (of the conjugal state) in this

world, obtain in heaven is the result of their domestic state imbued with love.

76. The unwise deem love virtue only can sustain,

It also helps the man who evil would restrain.

The ignorant say that love is an ally to virtue only, but it is also a help to get out of vice.

77.As sun's fierce ray dries up the boneless things,

So loveless beings virtue's power to nothing brings.

Virtue will burn up the soul which is without love, even as the sun burns up the creature which is

without bone, i.e. worms.

78. The loveless soul, the very joys of life may know,

When flowers, in barren soil, on sapless trees, shall blow.

The domestic state of that man whose mind is without love is like the flourishing of a withered tree

upon the parched desert.

79. Though every outward part complete, the body's fitly framed;

What good, when soul within, of love devoid, lies halt and maimed?

Of what avail are all the external members (of the body) to those who are destitute of love, the

internal member.

80. Bodies of loveless men are bony framework clad with skin;

Then is the body seat of life, when love resides within.

That body alone which is inspired with love contains a living soul: if void of it, (the body) is bone

overlaid with skin.  

 The Utterance of Pleasant Words

91. Pleasant words are words with all pervading love that burn;

Words from his guileless mouth who can the very truth discern.

Sweet words are those which imbued with love and free from deceit flow from the mouth of the

virtuous.

92. A pleasant word with beaming smile's preferred,

Even to gifts with liberal heart conferred.

Sweet speech, with a cheerful countenance is better than a gift made with a joyous mind.

93. With brightly beaming smile, and kindly light of loving eye,

And heart sincere, to utter pleasant words is charity.

Sweet speech, flowing from the heart (uttered) with a cheerful countenance and a sweet look, is true

virtue.

94. The men of pleasant speech that gladness breathe around,

Through indigence shall never sorrow's prey be found.

Sorrow-increasing poverty shall not come upon those who use towards all, pleasure-increasing

sweetness of speech.

95. Humility with pleasant speech to man on earth,

Is choice adornment; all besides is nothing worth.

Humility and sweetness of speech are the ornaments of man; all others are not (ornaments).

96. Who seeks out good, words from his lips of sweetness flow;

In him the power of vice declines, and virtues grow.

If a man, while seeking to speak usefully, speaks also sweetly, his sins will diminish and his virtue

increase.

97. The words of sterling sense, to rule of right that strict adhere,

To virtuous action prompting, blessings yield in every sphere.

That speech which, while imparting benefits ceases not to please, will yield righteousness (for this

world) and merit (for the next world).

98. Sweet kindly words, from meanness free, delight of heart,

In world to come and in this world impart.

Sweet speech, free from harm to others, will give pleasure both in this world and in the next.

99. Who sees the pleasure kindly speech affords,

Why makes he use of harsh, repellant words?

Why does he use harsh words, who sees the pleasure which sweet speech yields ?

100. When pleasant words are easy, bitter words to use,

Is, leaving sweet ripe fruit, the sour unripe to choose.

To say disagreeable things when agreeable are at hand is like eating unripe fruit when there is ripe.

I  expressmy  gratitude to   Swami Shivananda, and other authors  like Rev.  Dr G.U.Pope, courtesy © Project Madurai 2002( Details  available at the website http://www.projectmadurai.org/), whose  translation and commentary  i  have profusely  used here.
vedaprakasha
http://www.ethicalvaluesfromthirukkural.blogspot.com/