Tirukkural Chapter 03 - Couplets 4,5,6 Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

Tirukkural Chapter 03 - Couplets 4,5,6

திருக்குறள் -Thirukkural
அதிகாரம் 3 - துறவின் சிறப்பு
- Chapter 3 - In Praise of Ascetics
***
03/04. உரன்என்னும் தோட்டியான் ஒரந்தும் காப்பான்
வான்என்னும் வைப்பிற்கோர் வித்து.

03/04. uran ennum thottiyaan orandum kaappaan
Vaanennum vaipirkor vithu

03/04. With a small tool an elephant is controlled.
One who controls five senses is like a seed for the land

***
Disciple: Guruji, Is it difficult to control five senses?

Guru: It is not so easy to control
Five senses overnight.
When a big elephant obeys a small goad
Man can control his five senses?

Man is a rational animal
With his God-given intelligence
It's not impossible for him
To control them well in time.

There is no alternative but
To make a good start,
One should speak no evil,
See no evil and hear no evil.

With his self determination,
He can go ahead in the path
Laid down by all the Sages,
As messengers of all the ages
***

திருக்குறள் -Thirukkural
அதிகாரம் 3 - துறவின் சிறப்பு
- Chapter 3 - In Praise of Ascetics
***
03/05. ஐந்தவித்தான் ஆற்றல் அகல்விசும்பு ளார்கோமான்
இந்திரனே சாலும் கரி.

03/05. Aindavithaan aatral agalvisumbu laarkomaan
Indirane saalum kari.

03/05. Lord Indiran, Chief of Devas, is a proof
For his control over his five senses.

***
Disciple: Guruji, What Tiruvalluvar says as an example?

Guru: Like five senses for a man,
Eyes, Ears, Nose, mouth, body's feeling
Indiran has to control five elements,
Water, Air, Fire, Earth and Space.

Thiruvalluvar quotes Indiran
As a model for his role
Controlling all the five elements,
For the benefit of all living beings.

Controlling senses is a long process.
Practicing Meditation is first.
Chanting God's name is second.
And the third moving with realized souls.

If it can't be done in one birth,
it may take several births,
For one to bring under control,
All the tough five senses.

Five senses are like
Five loose horses unbridled,
Which can be controlled,
Only with tied up reins

***

திருக்குறள் -Thirukkural
அதிகாரம் 3 - துறவின் சிறப்பு
- Chapter 3 - In Praise of Ascetics
***
03/06. செயற்கரிய செய்வார் பெரியவர்; சிறியர்
செயற்கரிய செய்கலா தார்.

03/06. Seyarkariya seivaar periyavar; siriyavar
Seyarkariya seiklaa dhar.

03/06. Great men are those who do extraordinary things.
Others who cannot do such things are ordinary men.

***
Disciple: Guruji. Who are great men?

Guru: Great men or women are
Those who created history,
Like Rama, Krishna, Buddha,
Valmiki, Vyasa, Kalidasa.

Meera, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa,
Swami Vivekananda, Adi Sankara,
And the list is too long
To name them here one by one.

In the field of science
New inventions are too many
To count the inventors,
Who proved themselves great.

Great men are born great,
And a few are made great.
By their contributions
To this material world

***

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Rajaram Ramachandran

Rajaram Ramachandran

Chennai born, now at Juhu, Mumbai, India
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