Like most classical literature written in India, Thirukkural starts with the invocation. The first 4 themes are invocation to Divinity(God), Rain, Saints, and Goodness(Aram). These 4 are basic sources of our energy and life in this world. There is no reference to any specific God or Religion which i believe is a great attribute of Thirukkural.
In the first theme- Invocation to Divinity(Kadavul vaalththu) we can see a pattern of invoking Divine energy within us(
Kadavul - Kada - Be there ;
ul - Inside ). The phrase
Kadavul in Tamil literally means the Divine energy inside us !.
In everyday life we experience the world. Each of the 10 couplets in 1st theme- Divinity , tells us of the connection or path from our worldly experience to the Divine energy. One portion of the couplet(highlighted in
orange) is about our worldly experience and the other part (highlighted in
green) says about the Divine equivalent ! We can see this throughout the 1st theme.
Note and acknowlegement : The direct translation of Thirukkural in English is taken from the works of P.S.Sundaram ( Penguin Books )
1.
Letter A begins the alphabet ; And God,
the primordial, the world
[Akara muthala eluthellam Athipakavan muthetre ulaku. ]
2. What use is the learning which does not lead to the blessed feet of Pure Intelligence ?[katrathanal aya payanen kol-
valarivan
natral tholal enin.]
3.
Long life on earth is theirs who clasp
the
glorious flower embedded feet[
Malarmisai ekinan manadi sernthar
nilamisai needu valvar ]
4.
Never harmed are those who clasp the feet
Of the One
beyond likes and dislikes.
[
venduthal vendamai ilan adi serntharkku
yandum
idumbai ila ]
5. The
delusions caused by good and bad deedsshall never be theirs who
perform in tune with God's true nature.
[
irul ser iruvinaiyum sera
iraivan
porul ser pukal purinthar mattu ]
6.
Long life is theirs who tread the path
Of him who
conquered the five senses.
[
pori vayil ainthu aviththan poy theer olukka
neri ninrar
needu valvar ]
7. None shall be
free from carping care ;
Other than those at the
feet beyond compare[
thanakku uvamai illathan thal sertharkku allal
mana kavalai matral arithu ]
8. The feet of the Lord who is the ocean of virtue
Will help to cross the sea of birth.
[
Ara ali Anthanan thal serntharkku allal
pira ali neenthal arithu ]
9. Like the
senses not performing their duties are useless,
the head unbowed at the feet of the God of eightfold virtue.
[
kolil poriyin kunamilave -
enkunaththan
thalai vananga thalai ]
10. The
ocean of births can be crossed by those
who clasp God's feet , and none else.
[
piravi perunkadal neendhuvar - neendhar
iraivan adi serathar ]
One of the frequently asked questions in spiritual practices is how do we get there ? The 10 couplets of the 1st theme clearly explains how we can move from our worldly state to the Divine state. For example, in 7th couplet there is a prescription for our worries. Worries originate from comparison . By attaining the feet of Lord who has no comparison , we will be free from worries. What a great Truth !
It is also the tradition of the Indias to meditate,pray on His feet. This in my experience is a powerful method to medidate. Even if you are a non-believer in God, you can visualize a picture ( mountain, pet animal, child , father, mother, ancestors etc ) with these 10 attributes given in this Thirukkural theme.
* Primordial
* Infinite Intelligence
* Flower embedded beauty
* Beyond likes and dislikes
* Truth
* Beyond comparison
* Ocean of Virtue
* Eightfolded Virtue
* Beauty of the Feet
If you visulaize this charcteristics and think of the feet, you will be connected with the Divine energy.
Love and Peace,
Karu.Malar Selvan
