60 Thirukkural Quotes and Sayings You Should Not Miss!
Tirukkuṟaḷ, or simply Kuṟaḷ, (Tamiḻ: “Sacred Couplets”) is a classic Indian literary work in the Tamiḻ language. It is one of the earliest complete works of Tami literature, the other being the Tolkppiyam, whose authorship is attributed to Tolkppiyar.
The Kua is one of the world’s most extensively translated works. Anglican Christian missionary and Tami scholar George Uglow Pope’s Thirukkural: English Translation and Commentary (1886) and The Tirukkural by Gopalkrishna Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, are well-known translations.
Famous Thirukkural Quotes and Sayings in English
The hair on the head is a thing of beauty. Removed form its place, it become filth. The same is the fate of men who descend from their own level of honorable conduct and demean themselves.
The biggest folly among follies is to cherish a desire for a prohibited object.
The face may a wear a smile at the sight of one friend, but he only is a friend whose sight brings about an internal joy which fills the whole soul.
Deeds performed with clean mind are known as righteousness. Those done without mind and heart are mere show pieces.
He who controls his five senses becomes very powerful.
Avoid greed, ire, envy and harsh words of haughtiness. That is the right conduct of man on earth. Piety is righteousness.
Through righteous conduct man gains wealth and fame on earth.
Deeds performed with clean mind are known as righteousness.
Love is the sacred link to bring lives of men together.
Sweet words are like sweet fruits whoever knows their taste will never use haughty words.
Go straight for the goal whenever circumstances permit. When circumstances are against, choose the path of least resistance.
Before taking up any enterprise, determine first the exertion necessary, the obstacles on the way and the expected profit at the end.
When your reason or conscience tells you that a thing is unworthy of you, it is folly to waste your mental energy indulging in thoughts about it.
There is no bigger fool than the man who has acquired much learning and preaches the same to others, but who does not control himself.
The friendship of fools is perhaps the best, for in this case separation brings no grief!
The self inflicted miseries of ignorance are greater than what can be inflicted by enemies.
Find and follow the good path, ruled by compassion. Of the many ways, that one leads to liberation.
The arrow is straight but cruel; the lute is crooked but sweet. Therefore, judge men by their acts, not their appearance.
True knowledge is an inner fortification that enemies cannot destroy, and is the ultimate, impregnable defense.
Those without wealth may one day prosper, but those without kindness are utterly and incurably poor.
If you return kindness for injuries received and forget both, those who harmed you will be punished by their own shame.
If a man be his own guard, let him guard himself against rage. Left unguarded, his own wrath will annihilate him.
All suffering recoils on the wrongdoer himself. Thus, those desiring not to suffer refrain from causing others pain.
Amassing great wealth is gradual, like the gathering of a theater crowd. Its dispersal is sudden, like that same crowd departing.
Should a fool fall upon a great fortune, strangers will feast while his family starves.
One who has realized by himself his soul’s Self will be worshiped by all other souls.
As the intense fire of the furnace refines gold to brilliance, so does the burning suffering of austerity purify the soul to resplendence.
It is the nature of asceticism to patiently endure hardship and to not harm living creatures.
So potent is the power acquired through disciplined self-denial that those who attain it may even delay the moment of death.
If we eat only after making sure that what has been already eaten has been digested, no medicine will be required to keep the body in good health.
True knowledge controls thought and conduct and keeps both away from evil, and helps one to keep in that right path.
Knowledge befriends the world. It fosters a spirit of equanimity saving one from both excitement and depression.
A discriminating mind is the greatest of possessions. Without it, all other possessions will come to nothing.
It is better to be without friends than to depend on friends who when you face trouble desert you.
Man of true knowledge knows beforehand what will befall. Thereby, he escapes even stunning grief.
He who is not vigilant will repent later in vain.
Relatives when they become evil minded are a danger to be guarded against.
There can be no real union in a community when there is mutual hatred concealed in the mind.
If we eat only after making sure that what has been already eaten has been digested, no medicine will be required to keep the body in good health.
The hair on the head is a thing of beauty. Removed from its place, it becomes filth. The same is the fate of men who descend from their own level of honorable conduct and demean themselves.
When wealth is neither enjoyed by oneself nor given to deserving persons, the possessor becomes a disease to society.
The quick and instinctive shrinking from wrong and improper actions is one of the essential elements of a good character.
Unlike the ignorant, the man of True Knowledge knows beforehand what will befall. Thereby he escapes even stunning grief.
The man of true knowledge understands how the world moves, and moves accordingly.
If we accept that man should enjoy happiness for his good deeds; why should we deem it wrong for him to suffer sorrows for his vile ones.
One-sided love is pain. But mutual love, like balanced load on both sides, is sweet.
The wise do not launch an undertaking by which, for a possible future gain, they will lose what is already got.
The wise conserve what is already gained before entering on a doubtful undertaking.
Plan fully before launching out on action. To think of devising ways and means in the course of the action is fatal.
In every action there are the three elements of loss, acquisition and value. The quality and measure of each of these three elements should be weighed before undertaking any action.
Let attachment to the Lord be your one attachment. That attachment will help you to free yourself from other attachments.
We cannot be certain of living the next minute. But we are not content with even a million plans.
Think well before resolving on action. Hesitation after the decision is taken is bad. These two are complementary principles of action.
The friendship of fools is perhaps the best, for in this case separation brings no grief!
The self inflicted miseries of ignorance are greater than what can be inflicted by enemies.
Anyone can formulate plans, but it is only exceptional men that are able to carry their plans to fulfillment.
Some men have an unimposing appearance but they may be blessed with great strength of mind and action like the little axle-pin that keeps the wheels of the chariot in place. Appearances deceive. Do not judge men by their appearance.
Plan with a clear brain, and when once you have decided and launched on an undertaking, be firm and unmoved by difficulties and avoid dilatoriness of action.