Tirukkural Chapter 34 - Couplets 7,8,9,10 Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

திருக்குறள் -TIRUKKURAL
அதிகாரம் 34 - நிலையாமை
CHAPTER 34 - INSTABILITY
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34/07. ஒருபொழுதும் வாழ்வது அறியார்; கருதுப
கோடியும் அல்ல பல.

34/07. Orupozhudhum vazhvadhu arriyaar; karudhuba
Kodium alla pala.

34/07. He may not know he will be alive only for a day,
But he will be thinking of more than one crore thoughts.
***
Vinod: A healthy, happy, wealthy young man, fit to live for 100 years,
But was knocked down by a lorry and he died on the spot at 30 years.

Kishore: Wise men call it his fate
When the exact reason for that
Is not well known to anyone,
Saying it's prewritten one.

But mind doesn't take rest,
As thought after thought
Disturb it in succession,
Like waves in the ocean.

How to control the mind?
A way our elders did find,
By doing meditation regularly
One can control it slowly.
***
34/08. குடம்பை தனித்தொழியப் புள்பறந் தற்றே
உடம்போடு உயிரிடை நட்பு.

34/08. Kudambai thaniththozhiyap pullparrandh dhatrre
Udambodu uyiridai natpu.

34/08. Life inside the body is just like
A bird that flew away from its cage.
***
Vinod: How long life will remain inside body
Can anyone predict?

Kishore: Death is a secret,
None can predict it.
If it's known in advance
One will be a walking corpse.

In Mahabharata this was asked,
'What is the wonder in this world? '
Dharma replied, 'It is one's blind faith
That he'll live next day on this earth.'

It's that blind faith only
That keeps one to live happily
Or else, he'll live sorrowfully
Awaiting his death keenly.
***
34/09. உறங்குவது போலும் சாக்காடு உறங்கி
விழிப்பது போலும் பிறப்பு.

34/09. Urranguvadhu polum saakaadu urranghi
Vizhippadhu polum pirrappu.

34/09. One's death is like sleep.
His birth is like waking up from his sleep.
***
Vinod: Everyday one is sleeping and waking
Just like death and birth.

Kishore: One sees daily birth on one side
And death on another side,
Yet, with high hopes on his existence,
He builds up high level of confidence.

Come what may, life should go on
Not keeping one in constant tension,
Like, when and where he'll die?
He lives what for and why?

Death is throwing away old body
And taking afresh a new body
Like throwing away an old shirt
And wearing a new shirt.

This is how scriptures explain,
But any reason for young men
Dying in war fields or on roads,
With their strong bodies?
***
34/10. புக்கில் அமைந்தின்று கொல்லோ உடம்பினுள்
துச்சில் இருந்த உயிக்கு.

34/10. Pukkil amaindhindru kollo udambinull
Thuchchil irundha uyirkku.

34/10. It seems as though life has no place in the body,
Where gas, bile, phlegm all have found a place therein.
***
Vinod: Does this show life is struggling everyday
With gas, bile and phlegm?

Kiahore: Diseases attack bodies.
Life struggles with diseases.
Still life goes on in its course,
Till death takes over its place.

One should live naturally,
But now life goes on artificially,
Attracted by new facilities,
Against nature's rejections.

Align yourself with nature.
Don't follow anti-nature.
You'll then live healthily,
And also more happily.
***