Written by London Swaminathan

Post No. 16,127

Date uploaded in London – 25 August 2026

Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com

Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.

this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.

tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com

xxxx 

Points to be noted:-

Tiru Valluvar made two controversial statement:

Controversy 1

Billionaires= Punyaatmaa  / very good people in previous birth;

Poor people= Paapaatmaa / sinnsrs in past birth; Kural 270

Billionaires we see on earth are those who did good things in their past birth;

Poor people are more in number on earth, because they did bad things in the past! (Kural 270) We see this type of statements in Manu Smriti. But his statement in Kural 270 about the rich and poor can be accepted by Hindus only. Who else agree with his Papa and Punya impact?

When speakers made this statement in Tamil schools the Dravidians objected and the speakers were arrested in Tamil Nadu!

***

Controversy 2

Valluvar said that one could defeat death and live for ever. We have such examples only in Hinduism:

Satyavan- Savitri, Nachiketas in the Upanishad, Markandeya in Siva Purana etc.

Many Siddhars are said to live for ever according to Kutrala Kuavanji.

Will others accept this?

***

Gita in Kural 264.

We are reminded of the famous quote from Bhagavad Gita

Famous verse from the Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 4, Verse 8) spoken by Lord Krishna  is: “Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśhāya cha duṣhkṛitām, dharma-sansthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge.”

Paritranaya sadhunam: To protect the righteous and good people.

Vinashaya cha dushkritam: To destroy the wicked and evil.

***

Manu and Valluvar

दह्यन्ते ध्मायमानानां धातूनां हि यथा मलाः ।
तथेन्द्रियाणां दह्यन्ते दोषाः प्राणस्य निग्रहात् ॥6- ७१ ॥

dahyante dhmāyamānānāṃ dhātūnāṃ hi yathā malāḥ |
tathendriyāṇāṃ dahyante doṣāḥ prāṇasya nigrahāt || 71 ||

Just as the impurities of metallic ores are consumed when they are blasted, even so are the taints of the senses consumed through the suspension of breath.—(6-71)

Compare this with Kural 267
***

Did Valluvar copy Bhagavad Gita again? Look at Bhagavad Gita 6-41 and Kural 270.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6 Verse 41 states that a seeker who falls from the path of yoga, after dwelling in the worlds of the righteous for a long time, is reborn into a pure and prosperous family. This verse emphasizes that efforts in yoga are never lost, ensuring a fortunate rebirth

***

EIGHT OUT OF TEN COUPLETS HAVE SANSKRIT WORDS!

TAVAM FROM SANSKRIT TAPAS (V=P is in Zend Avesta and in Bengali even today!

Valluvar boldly used Karma and Karanam in this chapter. Valluvar was agreat Sanskrit scholar.

He has used Bhavad Gita and Manu Smriti in this chapter.

***

if you hit the wall wiht a ball, that will bounce on you. if you do good or bad, like ball, they will come back to uou.

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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Project Madurai website has all the Tamil books.

Part 45

 27. தவம் – Penance

261.Penance is marked by god like endurance of the ills of life and extreme tenderness of heart- A Aranganatha Mudaliyar – ANM+2 ( B.L. Aranganatha iyer and R. Srinivasa Desikan), Year 1933

***

261.To be able to suffer pain and to refrain from inciting it on other beings,

These ideas, between them, form the substance of pain- S M Diaz, I G of Police- SMD, Year 2000

***

261
To bear due penitential pains, while no offence
He causes others, is the type of ‘penitence’.
The nature of religious discipline consists, in the endurance (by the ascetic) of the sufferings which it brings on himself, and in abstaining from giving pain to others. -Rev.Dr.GU Pope – GUP, Year 1886

***

261.Pains endure; pain not beings
This is the type of true penance.     Suddhananda Bharathiyar – SB  

***

261.Penance consists in enduring pain and refraining from inflicting injury on the living- EVS Publishers, Singapore- EVS, Year 1986

***

261.All pains to bear and then no pain to give to any life-

This is in Tapas that which matters most– H A Popley – HAP (not full book; only selected couplets) Year 1931

***

261. உற்றநோய் நோன்றல் உயிர்க்குறுகண் செய்யாமை
அற்றே தவத்திற் குரு.
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262.Austerities are only for a heart that is already chastened and subdued; but they become a mere farce in the hands of those who affect them-– ANM+2

***
262.Penance befits the qualified; when the unqualified resort to it,

Penance becomes more profitless travail- S M Diaz, I G of Police- SMD, Year 2000

***

262
To ‘penitents’ sincere avails their ‘penitence’;
Where that is not, ’tis but a vain pretence.
Austerities can only be borne, and their benefits enjoyed, by those who have practised them (in a former birth); it will be useless for those who have not done so, to attempt to practise them (now). – GUP

***

 262.Penance is fit for penitents
Not for him who in vain pretends. – SB      

***

262.Asceticism befits a person who has deserved it by his past actions. Those who have no such past merit, attempts it in vain-– EVS
***

  262. தவமும் தவமுடையார்க்கு ஆகும் அவம் அதனை
அஃதிலார் மேற்கொள் வது.

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263.Is it out of extreme solicitude for the welfare of the ascetics that a householder has forgotten, to our wonder and surprise all about his own penance? – ANM+2

***
263.Perhaps because of their duty o provide sustenance for the sages,

The house holders have forgotten penance-– SMD

***

263
Have other men forgotten ‘penitence’ who strive
To earn for penitents the things by which they live?
It is to provide food etc, for the ascetics who have abandoned (the desire of earthly possessions) that other persons have forgotten (to practise) austerity ? – GUP
***

263.Is it to true penitent’s aid,
That others austere path avoid?   – SB      
***

263.In his anxiety to provide food, shelter and clothing to those who have renounced the world it would appear that the non-ascetics have forgotten asceticism – EVS

***
263. துறந்தார்க்குத் துப்புரவு வேண்டி மறந்தார்கொல்
மற்றை யவர்கள் தவம்

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264.Behold the miraculous powers of a man of severe penance; his very birth hurls his foes down into the abyss of ruin, and exalts his friends to the summit of power and renown-– ANM+2

***

264.Destruction of the foes to penance and the blessing of friends,

Will instantly arise from the strength of penance-– SMD

***

264
Destruction to his foes, to friends increase of joy.
The ‘penitent’ can cause, if this his thoughts employ.
If (the ascetic) desire the destruction of his enemies, or the aggrandizement of his friends, it will be effected by (the power of) his austerities. – GUP
***

264.In penance lies the power to save
The friends and foil the foe and knave. – SB        
***

264.Chastising those who obstruct ascetics in this practice and elevating those who are helpful are powers which ascetics acquire by their austerities –– EVS

***

264. ஒன்னார்த் தெறலும் உவந்தாரை ஆக்கலும்
எண்ணின் தவத்தான் வரும்

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265.Spend your days in ceaseless penance; for is it not penance that fulfils whatsoever your heart desires? – ANM+2

***

265.Penance gives what they wish (in heaven)

To men who cherish penance (in this world) – SMD

***

265
That what they wish may, as they wish, be won,
By men on earth are works of painful ‘penance’ done.
Religious discipline is practised in this world, because it secures the attainment of whatever one may wish to enjoy (in the world to come). – GUP
***

265.What they wish as they wish is won
Here hence by men penance is done.        – SB  

***

265.Asceticism is practised in this world as it is conducive to the attainment of whatever may be desired in the next world-– EVS

***

265. வேண்டிய வேண்டியாங் கெய்தலால் செய்தவம்
ஈண்டு முயலப் படும்

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266.True to himself he dwells in the joy of the spirit who does tapas in the midst of the fever and fret of life; but the rest, caught in the very snares of desires perish in the dust-– ANM+2

***

266.Only those who do penance could be considered as doing their duty;

The others who give way to their desires, fall a prey to blighting vice-– SMD

***

266
Who works of ‘penance’ do, their end attain,
Others in passion’s net ensnared, toil but in vain.
Those discharge their duty who perform austerities; all others accomplish their own destruction, through the entanglement of the desire (of riches and sensual pleasure). – GUP
***

266.Who do penance achieve their aim
Others desire-rid themselves harm– SB  

***

266.They discharge their duty who practise asceticism. the others, entrapped by their desire and struggling in pursuit of wealth, harm themselves-– EVS

***
266. தவஞ்செய்வார் தங்கமருமஞ் செய்வார்மற் றல்லார்
அவஞ்செய்வார் ஆசையுட் பட்டு

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267.Behold how gold glows brighter and brighter in yon furnace to the ceaseless breath of the bellows; even so, from the fiery oredals  of penance does a man of stern austerities victoriously emerge with a wiser and more chastened outlook on life-– ANM+2

***

267.The longer the gold is fired in the furnace, the purer and brighter it gets;

Even so, sufferings willingly borne, chasten the spirit-– SMD

***

267
The hotter glows the fining fire, the gold the brighter shines;
The pain of penitence, like fire, the soul of man refines.
Just as gold is purified as heated in the fire, will those shine, who have endured the burning of pain (in frequent austerities). – GUP

***
267.Pure and bright gets the gold in fire;
and so the life by pain austere.        – SB  
***

267.The hotter the refining fire, the purer the gold becomes.  Likewise the harder the austerity, the more refined the human soul becomes-– EVS

***

267.As gold more brightly shines, when stronger burns the fire,

So shine the saints more bright, when worse their troubles grow- H A Popley – HAP (not full book; only selected couplets) Year 1931

***

267. சுடச்சுடரும் பொன்போல் ஒளிவிடும் துன்பஞ்
சுடக்சுட நோற்கிற் பவர்க்கு

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268.Verily does the whole world fall at the feet of a great conqueror who has regained the lost kingdom of his soul-– ANM+2

***

268.He who has controlled his ego and mastered himself,

By doing penance, will be the object of universal worship-– SMD

***

268
Who gains himself in utter self-control,
Him worships every other living soul.
All other creatures will worship him who has attained the control of his own soul. – GUP

***

268.He worship wins from every soul
Who Master is by soul control.   – SB      
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268.All living beings worship him who has gained control of his own life by austere prosetism-– EVS

***

268. தன்னுயிர் தான் அறப் பெற்றானை ஏனைய
மன்னுயி ரெல்லாம் தொழும்.

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269. It is death that is dead before the might of him who has subdued his self-– ANM+2

***

269.Those who have achieved the strength of penance

Could defeat even the Lord of Death-– SMD

269
E’en over death the victory he may gain,
If power by penance won his soul obtain.
Those who have attained the power which religious discipline confers, will be able also to pass the limit of Yama, (the God of death). – GUP

***
269.They can even defy death
Who get by penance godly strength.   – SB      

***

269.Those who have acquired strength through asceticism have the power of overcoming even death-– EVS

***

269. கூற்றம் குதித்தலும் கைகூடும் நோற்றலின்
ஆற்றல் தலைப்பட் டவர்க்கு.

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270.Only a few blessed souls walk amidst the squalor and dirt of the world; for is it not true, that there is only one in a million that does severe penance far away from the ignoble strifes of men? – ANM+2

***

270.The poor are many, the cause is pain

Penance few do, the many shun pain-– SMD

***

270
The many all things lack! The cause is plain,
The ‘penitents’ are few. The many shun such pain.
Because there are few who practise austerity and many who do not, there are many destitute and few rich in this world. – GUP
***

 270.Many are poor and few are rich
For they care not for penance much.      – SB  

***

270.The affluent are a few and the indigent are many as their numbers are in proportion to those who perform thapas and those who do not-– EVS

***
 270. இலர்பல ராகிய காரணம் நோற்பார்
சிலர்பலர் நோலா தவர்.

–Subham—

Tags- Tirukkural Encyclopaedia, Part 45, Chapter 27, Penance, Karma Theory, Controversy