Tirukkural Chapter 04 - Couplets 1,2,3 Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

pதிருக்குறள் -THIRUKKURAL
அதிகாரம் 4 - துறவின் சிறப்பு
CHAPTER 4 - ON DHARMA
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04/01. சிறப்பினும் செல்வமும் ஈனும் அறத்தினூங்கு
ஆக்கம் எவனோ உயிர்கு.

04/01. Sirappinum selvamum eenum arathinungu
Aakkam evano yurikku.

04/01. Is there any wealth more than Dharma,
That will liberate one from the worldly bond?
***
Son: Maa, Is there anything more than wealth
To live happily in this world?

Mother: Oh my son, wealth is necessary
To manage our daily life,
But more than wealth
Charitable act leads to heavenly life.

There was a rich miser
Burying all his wealth
Underground for safety
Not a coin he gave in charity.

One day he went
Thro' a hot desert.
A camel was tied up
To a pole away from a water tub.

As it couldn't reach the tub,
With his left leg he kicked it,
That went near its mouth
And it drank the water.

For that single charitable act
His left leg went to the Heaven,
While his body minus leg,
For his sinful life, went to the Hell.
***
04/02. அறத்தினூங்கு ஆக்கமும் இல்லை; அதனை
மறத்தலின் ஊங்கில்லை கேடு.

04/02. Arathinuungu aakkamum illai; adhanai
Marathalin uungillai kedu.

04/02. More than charity, there's no wealth
One forgets to do this, meets worst days ahead.
***
Son: Maa, they say 'Charity begins at home
And it should not end there.'

Mother: Yes my son, but charity should be
Given to deserving persons.
If charity is given to a wrong person,
The country will suffer.

If wealth is not there
To give it to others
At least kind words will
Comfort such suffering people.

It was raining non-stop.
A poor man went to Karna
For dry firewood
To cook his food.

Karna pulled dry wood
From his wooden roof
And gave it to him at once
As he took pity on him.

This is an extreme act
Of charity done then
Only Karna could do it,
As an exception in the world.
***
04/03. ஒல்லும் வகையான் அறவினை ஒவாதே
செல்லும்வாய் எல்லாம் செயல்.

04/03. Ollum vagayan arravinai ovaadhe
Sellumvaai ellaam seyal.

04/03. Whenever opportunity comes, non-stop,
One should try to give charity.
***
Son: Maa, Is there anyone you can quote
Other than Karna of Mahabharath?

Mother: Countless charitable minded
Persons lived and live in this world,
But none of them stand
In comparison with King Karna.

Spiritualism is the spirit of Barath,
So, no importance for wealth
Is given by this country,
Yet it stands for charity.

In charity anything given
With all love and affection,
Counts in the eyes of God,
Even it is negligible in value.
***