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Thirukkural

14 Jul 2025 GS 1 History
Thirukkural Click to view full image
Why in news : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin emphasized the need to declare The Thirukkural a national book and establish a dedicated institution in Delhi to promote Thiruvalluvar’s ideas.

Former Union Minister P. Chidambaram praised the commentary for catering to scholars, educators, and public representatives. He noted that while The Thirukkural is a moral text, it remains secular and predates Western philosophers like Plato and Aristotle.

Kural (Tirukkural):

The Tirukkural, also known simply as the Kural, is a foundational Tamil text composed by the poet-philosopher Thiruvalluvar. 

It comprises 1,330 couplets (kurals), each consisting of seven words, and is divided into three sections—virtue (aram), wealth (porul), and love (inbam). Dating estimates vary from 300 BCE to 500 CE, with linguistic evidence suggesting a post-Sangam origin around 450–500 CE.

Aram:

It discusses virtues such as righteousness, truth, gratitude, and compassion.It emphasizes the importance of leading a righteous life and upholding moral values in all circumstances.

Porul:

It provides insights into worldly affairs, including governance, economy, and friendship.It offers wisdom on topics like wealth management, administration, and the value of good company.

Inbam:

It delves into the complexities of human emotions, love, and family life.

Themes and Philosophy

The Kural is secular and universal in nature, often called the "Tamil Veda" or "Divine Book". It emphasizes non-violence (ahimsa), moral vegetarianism, truth, gratitude, hospitality, and social virtues. It also explores practical themes like governance, justice, economy, agriculture, education, war, and domestic life.

Global and Literary Legacy

The text revolutionized Tamil cultural values by challenging existing social norms and became one of the earliest works on Indian metaphysics and ethics. 

It has had a lasting influence on a wide range of thinkers from Tolstoy and Gandhi to Tamil scholars. The Tirukkural is the most translated and cited Tamil literary work, available in at least 57 languages, and has remained in print since 1812. It holds a revered status in Tamil culture and is considered a literary and ethical masterpiece. 


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