Written by London Swaminathan
Post No. 16,373
Date uploaded in London – 4 November 2026
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Points to Ponder
Kural 560 refers to Cow and Brahmins; Why?
All the 100 year old books in Tamil Nadu libraries and British library in London give us the strange story of Tiru Valluvar. According to them Valluvar is 50% Brahmin and 50% low caste. After the Dravidian rule in 1967, all those stories are avoided in later editions. Whatever may be the truth , here he gives his Brahminical views.
All the Hindu discourses by well known religious speakers end with the famous sloka
स्वस्ति प्रजाभ्यः परिपालयन्ताम् ।
न्यायेन मार्गेण महीं महीशाम् ॥
गोब्राह्मणेभ्यः शुभमस्तु नित्यं ।
लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवंतु
• Go (गो): Cows / Cattle (often symbolizing nature and animal life).
• Brahmanebhyah (ब्राह्मणेभ्यः): To the Brahmanas (representing spiritual educators, scholars, and righteous people).
• Shubham astu (शुभमस्तु): May there be goodness, auspiciousness, or well-being.
• Nityam (नित्यम्): Eternally / Forever
“Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu” (May all beings in all worlds be happy)—it completes a universal blessing that leaves no living creature behind.
Titu Gnana Sambandar, The Miracle Boy Saint, who lived 1400 years ago translated it verbatim in Tamil (Vaazka Anthanar Vaanavar Aaninam……) which is used in all Saivite Mutts even today. The commentary on these Sanskrit Tamil hymns say From Brahmins all human beings, From Cows all the animal kingdom should live happily and peacefully. Valluvar being a 50% Brahmin used this in Kural 560.
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See Kural 559 and 545 (Rain- Just Rule Link)
His link “Rain and Just rule” is also a purely Hindu concept. In the last chapter also, we saw Valluvar’s strong belief in it. It is in early work of Kalidasa -Raghuvamsaa and Manu Smriti (9-246/7):
यत्र वर्जयते राजा पापकृद्भ्यो धनागमम् ।
तत्र कालेन जायन्ते मानवा दीर्घजीविनः ॥ २४६ 9-246 ॥
निष्पद्यन्ते च सस्यानि यथोप्तानि विशां पृथक् ।
बालाश्च न प्रमीयन्ते विकृतं च न जायते ॥ २४७ 9-247 ॥Manu smriti
yatra varjayate rājā pāpakṛdbhyo dhanāgamam |
tatra kālena jāyante mānavā dīrghajīvinaḥ || 9-246 ||
niṣpadyante ca sasyāni yathoptāni viśāṃ pṛthak |
bālāśca na pramīyante vikṛtaṃ ca na jāyate || 9-247 ||Manu
In a country where the King avoids the income of wealth from sinners, men are, in time, born to be long-lived—(246) the crops of husbandmen grow, according as they are sown; children do not die, and no mis-shaped child is born.—(9-247 Manu Smriti)
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Also in Kalidasa: Raghuvamsa 5-33
When King Raghu is about to restart his wealth offensive on the next dawn, officers of his treasury have flabbergastedly reported to him about a shower of gold fallen from sky in the vaults of treasury they are handling. [5-29]
That heap of shining gold showered by Kubera when he is about to be attacked resembled a peak Mt. sumeru once struck down by Indra’s thunderbolt, and king Raghu gave whole lot of it to scholar Kautsa, the disciple of sage Varatantu. [5-30]
किमत्र चित्रं यदि कामसूर्भूर्वृत्ते स्थितस्याधिपतेः प्रजानाम्|
अचिन्तनीयस्तु तव प्रभावो मनीषितं द्यौरपि येन दुग्धा॥ ५-३३
kimatra citraṁ yadi kāmasūrbhūrvṛtte sthitasyādhipateḥ prajānām
acintanīyastu tava prabhāvo manīṣitaṁ dyaurapi yena dugdhā || 5-33
kimatra citra.n yadi kaamasuurbhuurvR^itte sthitasyaadhipateH prajaanaam |
acintaniiyastu tava prabhaavo maniiShita.n dyaurapi yena dugdhaa || 5-33
“What is strange if earth yields all the desired objects of a monarch who conducts himself righteously? In your case, even the heaven has been forced by you to give you your desired object… incomprehensible is your cogency… [5-33] Raghuvamsa
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Go to Project Madurai website for all Tamil books; it is free and trouble free. No advertisements; no cookies!
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Tiruukural Encyclopaedia-Chapter 56-Oppression- Tyranny கொடுங்கோன்மை
Following Translations are used:
1.A Aranganatha Mudaliyar – ANM+2 ( B.L. Aranganatha iyer and R. Srinivasa Desikan), Year 1933
2.S M Diaz, I G of Police- SMD, Year 2000
3.Rev.Dr.GU Pope – GUP, Year 1886
4.Suddhananda Bharathiyar – SB
5.EVS Publishers, Singapore – EVS, Year 1986
6.H A Popley – HAP (not full book; only selected couplets) Year 1931
7.Tamil Original
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Part 74; Chapter 56 in Tirukkural Book: The Cruel Sceptre
கொடுங்கோன்மை – The cruel tyranny; Oppression; Unjust government
551.Worse than an assassin is the cruel prince who harasses his subjects and does grievous wrong–A Aranganatha Mudaliyar – ANM+2 ( B.L. Aranganatha iyer and R. Srinivasa Desikan), Year 1933
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551.The oppressive king, who misgoverns, is worse than the murderer- S M Diaz, I G of Police – SMD, Year 2000
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551
Than one who plies the murderer’s trade, more cruel is the king
Who all injustice works, his subjects harassing.
The king who gives himself up to oppression and acts unjustly (towards his subjects) is more cruel than the man who leads the life of a murderer- Rev.Dr.GU Pope – GUP, Year 1886
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551.The unjust tyrant oppressor
Is worse than cruel murderer. Suddhananda Bharathiyar – SB
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551.The tyrant harnessing and oppressing his subjects is more cruel than a merciless assassin –EVS Publishers, Singapore- EVS, Year 1986
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551. கொலைமேற்கொண் டாரிற் கொடிதே அலைமேற்கொண்டு
அல்லவை செய்துஒழுகும் வேந்து.
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552.The king who extorts money at the point of the bayonet, is like highway man, who waylays the benighted traveller, with his threatening cry “stand and deliver”- ANM+2
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552.A sceptred king, demanding illegitimate gifts or extorting taxes beyond approved limit,
Is like an armed robber relieving wayfarers of their belongings – SMD
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552
As ‘Give’ the robber cries with lance uplift,
So kings with sceptred hand implore a gift.
The request (for money) of him who holds the sceptre is like the word of a highway robber who stands with a weapon in hand and says “give up your wealth”.– GUP, Year 1886
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552.Sceptered tyrant exacting gold
Is “give” of lanced robber bold. – SB 552
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552.The oppressive demand of money, by a sceptred king from subjects, is like the demand of a highway robber who waylays with weapon in hand- EVS Publishers
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552. வேலொடு நின்றான் இடுஎன் றதுபோலும்
கோலொடு நின்றான் இரவு.
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553.The power of the king who does not redress the grievances of subjects wanes away- ANM+2
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553.A king who fails to inform himself daily of the wrongs suffered by his people, and, render justice,
Will find his rule and his kingdom wearing away to nought by the day– SMD
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553
Who makes no daily search for wrongs, nor justly rules, that king
Doth day by day his realm to ruin bring.
The country of the king who does not daily examine into the wrongs done and distribute justice, will daily fall to ruin. – GUP, Year 1886
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553.Spy wrongs daily and do justice
Or day by day the realm decays. – SB 553
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553.The leader who does not hurt and adopt proper measure each day- his kingdom will perish day by day- EVS Publishers
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553. நாடொறும் நாடி முறைசெய்யா மன்னவன்
நாடொறும் நாடு கெடும்.
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554. An improvident and a foolish king who prostitutes justice for his private ends will not only lose his fortune but also his kingdom- ANM+2
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554.Where the king fails to render justice to his people, without considering attendant consequences
He will in no time lose all his wealth and his kingdom too– SMD
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554
Whose rod from right deflects, who counsel doth refuse,
At once his wealth and people utterly shall lose.
The king, who, without reflecting (on its evil consequences), perverts justice, will lose at once both his wealth and his subjects. – GUP, Year 1886
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554.The king shall wealth and subjects lose
If his sceptre he dares abuse. – SB 554
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554.The leader who, without reflection, rules unjustly will lose his wealth and his subjects- EVS Publishers
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554. கூழும் குடியும் ஒருங்கிழக்கும் கோல்கோடிச்
சூழாது செய்யும் அரசு.
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555.It is the tears of the oppressed and the downtrodden , who groan under the tyrannous yoke of a prince, that wear away his fortune- ANM+2
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555.There is no weapon more potent than the bitter tears of the people,
Who are groaning under the oppression of a king– SMD
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555
His people’s tears of sorrow past endurance, are not they
Sharp instruments to wear the monarch’s wealth away?
Will not the tears, shed by a people who cannot endure the oppression which they suffer (from their king), become a saw to waste away his wealth ? – GUP, Year 1886
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555.Groaning tears caused by tyrant’s sway
File the royal wealth away. – SB 555
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555.The leader who without reflection on the evil consequences acts unjustly will lose at once both his wealth and his subjects- EVS Publishers
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555. அல்லற்பட்டு ஆற்றாது அழுதகண் ணீரன்றே
செல்வத்தைத் தேய்க்கும் படை.
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556.Glory eternal springs from an upright government. But there is no halo about the king who does not rightly wield the sceptre- ANM+2
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556.The lasting security and renown of a king is determined by his just rule
Failing this, he will lose all claim to his greatness– SMD
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556
To rulers’ rule stability is sceptre right;
When this is not, quenched is the rulers’ light.
Righteous government gives permanence to (the fame of) kings; without that their fame will have no endurance. – GUP, Year 1886
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556.Glory endures by sceptre right
Without it wanes the royal light. – SB 556
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556.Right administration brings the leader enduring glory, without which glory wanes away- EVS Publishers
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556. மன்னர்க்கு மன்னுதல் செங்கோன்மை அஃதின்றேல்
மன்னாவாம் மன்னர்க் கொளி.
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557.Ill fares the land where rain drops not from the heavens; ill fare the subjects who chafe under the tyranny of a ruthless king- ANM+2
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557.What the drying up of the bounty of rain clouds means to the green plants on earth,
Absence of compassion in the king will be to all life– SMD
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557
As lack of rain to thirsty lands beneath,
Is lack of grace in kings to all that breathe.
As is the world without rain, so live a people whose king is without kindness. – GUP, Year 1886
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557.Dry like the earth without rainfall
Is graceless king to creatures all. – SB 557
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557.As the earth goes dry without rain fall, so do people’s life become miserable by a graceless tyrant – EVS Publishers
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557. துளியின்மை ஞாலத்திற்கு எற்றற்றே வேந்தன்
அளியின்மை வாழும் உயிர்க்கு.
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558.More galling than the plight of the poor is the lot of the opulent under the iron rule of a prince- ANM+2
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558.Under a ruler, who does not observe the law, and render justice,
The haves will fare much worse than the have-knots – SMD
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558
To poverty it adds a sharper sting,
To live beneath the sway of unjust king.
Property gives more sorrow than poverty, to those who live under the sceptre of a king without justice. – GUP, Year 1886
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558.To have is worse than having not
If ruler is unjust despot. – SB 558
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558.Prosperity is worse than poverty, for people groaning under an unjust despot- EVS Publishers
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558. இன்மையின் இன்னாது உடைமை முறைசெய்யா
மன்னவன் கோற்கீழ்ப் படின்.
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559.Seasons alter, heavens withhold their showers, in the realm of the monarch who swerves from justice- ANM+2
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559.The heavens will not send forth showers in season,
If the king swerves from justice and righteousness
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559
Where king from right deflecting, makes unrighteous gain,
The seasons change, the clouds pour down no rain.
If the king acts contrary to justice, rain will become unseasonable, and the heavens will withhold their showers. – GUP, Year 1886
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559.The sky withdraws season’s shower
If the king misuses his power. – SB 559
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559.If the leader rules in unjust ways, seasonal rains will fail as the clouds withhold their showers- EVS Publishers
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559. முறைகோடி மன்னவன் செய்யின் உறைகோடி
ஒல்லாது வானம் பெயல்.
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560.If the guardian of the country neglects to guard it the produce of the cows will fail and the men of six duties/ brahmins will forget their book/Vedas – ANM+2
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560.If the ruler does not perform his protective function righteously,
The cows yield less and the brahmins forget their mantras – SMD
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560
Where guardian guardeth not, udder of kine grows dry,
And Brahmans’ sacred lore will all forgotten lie.
If the guardian (of the country) neglects to guard it, the produce of the cows will fail, and the men of six duties viz., the Brahmins will forget the Vedas. – GUP, Year 1886
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560.The *six-functioned forget their lore
Cows give less if kings guard no more. – SB 560
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* the six functions of Brahmins are : learning, teaching, giving,
getting, sacrificing, kindling sacrifice – These are duties of Vedic savants.
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560.Cows yield less, and sages forget their lore, if the leader does not guard justice- EVS Publishers
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H A Popley – HAP (not full book; only selected couplets) Year 1931did not translate any couplet from this chapter 56
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560. ஆபயன் குன்றும் அறுதொழிலோர் நூல்மறப்பர்
காவலன் காவான் எனின்.
—subham—
Tags- Tiruukural Encyclopaedia-Chapter 56 Cruel Tyranny, கொடுங்கோன்மை
