Tirukkural Chapter 42 - Couplets 1,2,3 Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

திருக்குறள் -TIRUKKURAL
அதிகாரம் 42 - கேள்வி
CHAPTER 42 - ON LISTENING
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42/01. செல்வத்துள் செல்வம் செவிச்செல்வம் அச்செல்வம்
செல்வத்துள் எல்லாம் தலை.

42/01. Selvaththull selvam sevichchelvam achchelvam
Selvaththull ellaam thalai.

42/01. Among all the wealth, listening to good lectures by ears is the best one.
And it tops all other wealth.
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Gowri: Hearing a lecture is good
As it's directly absorbed into the brain.

Jaya: Yes, in the ancient days,
When there were no pen-papers,
All lessons were learnt
Through ears only by students.

By mouth Guru was telling
Thro' ears students were hearing.
They were writing few lessons
On dried up palm leaves by sharp nails.

Like this several epic stories
Were handed down from mouths
To ears for many centuries,
Besides palm leave records.
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42/02. செவிக்குணவு இல்லாத போழ்து சிறிது
வயிற்றுக்கும் ஈயப் படும்.

42/02. Sevikkunnavu illaadha pozhdhu sirridhu
Vayirrtukkum eeyap padum.

42/02. When there is no knowledge food for the ear,
Some little food for the stomach is given to hear again.
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Gowri: Ear is meant for listening good lessons.

Jaya: Yes, but when there is no lesson to hear
There is no purpose of the ears,
Which are just two dummy pieces
Hanging on two sides of one's face.

You know most of the ancient
Scriptures were not in prose order,
Bur they were in poetry format,
As one can easily remember.

Even while reciting, it is set
To a rhythmic musical order,
That's pleasant to hear,
Thus creating a keen interest.
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42/03. செவியுணவின் கேள்வி உடையார் அவியுணவின்
ஆன்றாரோடு ஒப்பர் நிலத்து.

42/03. Seviyunnavin keallvi udaiyaar aviyunnavin
Aanrraarodu oppar nilaththu.

42/03. One who has knowledge food for the ear, though he lives on the earth,
He's equal to Devas to whom food is given through sacrificial fire.
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Gowri: We respect a pundit, who recites in a musical tone Vedas
That he learnt once as the food for his ears.

Jaya: Even in temples, pundits sing songs
In praise of all the deities
Which create musical vibrations
In the entire temple premises.

It's through these two ears
All the devotional feelings
From these musical waves
A visitor to the temple gets.

The world will be full of silence,
If God has not given two ears,
So, more knowledge enters
Through these two ears.
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