Written by London Swaminathan

Post No. 16,182

Date uploaded in London – 12 September 2026

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Points to be remembered:

What is said by Valluvar in this chapter is already said in all the Hindu scriptures and Tamil and Sanskrit didactic literature. It is also in old film songs; impermanence of life is a favourite theme for Hindu poets.

But Valluvar used good similes:

1

World is a drama Theatre- Kural 332- is in Bhartruhari Niti Sataka, Viveka Chudamani of Adi Sankara, Shakespeare (Macbeth) and Hindu Upanishads, Epics and Puranas.

They used Puppet show.See Bhagavad Gita 18-61 (Yantra Arudani)

2

Death and Birth- Kural 339- = sleep and waking is in Bhagavda Gita 2-22; also Manu and Bhaja Govindam of Adi Sankara

3

Most important comparison will be Kural 336- Vyasa and Valluvar-

In the Questions of Yaksha/Ghost to Yuthisthira in Mahabharata , known as YAKSHA PRASNA- the last question is about the wonder in the world.

·  The Question (Yaksha): “What is the greatest wonder?”

·  The Answer (Yudhishthira): Day after day, countless living beings are sent to the realm of death, yet those who remain behind believe and desire to live forever. This complete denial and clinging to earthly life, despite witnessing death all around us, is the greatest wonder of all.

4

Kalidasa in Raghuvamsam says

मरणम् प्रकृतिः शरीरिणाम् विकृतिर्जीवितमुच्यते बुधैः|

क्षणमप्यवतिष्ठते श्वसन्यदि जन्तुर्ननु लाभवानसौ॥ ८-८७

maraṇam prakṛtiḥ śarīriṇām vikṛtirjīvitamucyate budhaiḥ|

kṣaṇamapyavatiṣṭhate śvasanyadi janturnanu lābhavānasau || 8-87

8-86. sharIriNAm maraNam prakR^itiH= for bodied beings, death, is a natural condition; jIvitam vikR^itiH= life, is an accidental condition; budhaiH uchyate= so say, wise people; [that being so] jantuH kShaNam api shvasan avatiShThate yadi= living being, for a moment, by breathing, remains [on earth], if; asau lAbhavAn nanu = that being, is a gainer, indeed.

Death is natural while life is accidental to mortals; if, therefore, a living being should remain breathing even for a moment on earth, still it is a gainer.

***

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 52- Kural Chapter 34 நிலையாமை – Instability; Impermanence of the world  

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331.Is there any folly greater than the infatuation of a man who builds his faith in the passing empty shows as though they were beyond the pale of the ravages of time?- A Aranganatha Mudaliyar – ANM+2 ( B.L. Aranganatha iyer and R. Srinivasa Desikan), Year 1933

***

331.The base ignorance that mistakes the transient things of life,

As of permanent value, is really despicable- S M Diaz, I G of Police – SMD, Year 2000

***

331
Lowest and meanest lore, that bids men trust secure,
In things that pass away, as things that shall endure!
That ignorance which considers those things to be stable which are not so, is dishonourable (to the wise). Rev.Dr.GU Pope – GUP, Year 1886
***
331.The worst of follies it is told
The fleeting as lasting to hold-  Suddhananda Bharathiyar – SB 

***
331.Regarding the fleeting as permanent is ignorance and derogatory to the wise – EVS Publishers, Singapore – EVS, Year 1986

***

331.To think that things of time will last always,

Of follies all, the height of folly is- H A Popley – HAP (not full book; only selected couplets) Year 1931

***

331.நில்லாத வற்றை நிலையின என்றுணரும்

புல்லறி வாண்மை கடை.

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332.The eager crowd that gathers to witness a village show stands as the symbol of the incoming tide of fortune; but its ebb is the melting away of the self-same crowd after the singing and dancing are over. – ANM+2

***

332.Great wealth is gradually accumulated like the audience tickling into  witness a show;

But its disappearance will be instantaneous, also as it happens after a show– SMD

***

332
As crowds round dancers fill the hall, is wealth’s increase;
Its loss, as throngs dispersing, when the dances cease.
The acquisition of wealth is like the gathering together of an assembly for a theatre; its expenditure is like the breaking up of that assembly– GUP, Year 1886
***

332.Like a drama-crowd wealth gathers
Like passing show its pride too goes– SB 

***

332.Fortune coming to one and its departure are likened to the assembling crowd to witness a drama and its dispersal respectively– EVS

***

332.கூத்தாட் டவைக்குழாத் தற்றே பெருஞ்செல்வம்

போக்கும் அருவிளிந் தற்று

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333.Fickle is fortunes; therefore, if you come by a windfall, delay not to do acts that are of lasting good– ANM+2

***

333.All wealth is fleeting and so when one acquires wealth

It should be promptly spent on works of lasting value-– SMD

***

333
Unenduring is all wealth; if you wealth enjoy,
Enduring works in working wealth straightway employ.
Wealth is perishable; let those who obtain it immediately practise those (virtues) which are imperishable. GUP,
***
333.Wealth wanes away; but when it comes
Take care to do enduring things.  – SB    

***  
333.Wealth is of a transitory nature. Therefore, one should seize the opportunity to do charity when one gets it– EVS

***

333.அற்கா இயல்பிற்றுச் செல்வம் அதுபெற்றால்

அற்குப ஆங்கே செயல்.

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334.Time seems all smile and laughter, but verily it is a saw that ceaselessly saws away the life of man– ANM+2

***

334.The day itself shows as an entity, but in reality, it is just

The relentless movement of a saw, that cuts through life– SMD

***

334
As ‘day’ it vaunts itself; well understood, ’tis knife’,
That daily cuts away a portion from thy life.
Time, which shows itself (to the ignorant) as if it were something (real) is in the estimation of the wise (only) a saw which cuts down life. GUP,
***
334.The showy day is but a saw
Your life, know that, to file and gnaw.     – SB 

 ***

334.The day which measures time is comparable to a sword which, day by day, cuts short the life of man– EVS

***

334.நாளென ஒன்றுபோற் காட்டி உயிரீரும்

வாள துணர்வார்ப் பெறின்.

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335.Ere the tongue lies powerless and hiccough arises make your life  all compact with ehe numberless acts of kindness and of love– ANM+2

***

335.Long before the tongue falls and the last hiccup comes up

It is wise go for good deeds, without delay– SMD

***

335
Before the tongue lie powerless, ‘mid the gasp of gur gling breath,
Arouse thyself, and do good deeds beyond the power of death.
Let virtuous deeds be done quickly, before the biccup comes making the tongue silent. GUP,
***
335.Ere tongue benumbs and hiccough comes
Rise up to do good deeds betimes.     – SB 

***

335.Before the pangs of death approach and one loses the power of speech and gasps for death one should hasten to do charity– EVS

***

335.நாச்செற்று விக்குள்மேல் வாராமுன் நல்வினை

மேற்சென்று செய்யாப் படும்.

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336.Yesterday he was; and today he is not; such is glory of this wonderous earth! – ANM+2

***

336.The one, who was here yesterday, is no more today and

That is a matter of great wonderment, in this world– SMD

***

336
Existing yesterday, today to nothing hurled!-
Such greatness owns this transitory world.
This world possesses the greatness that one who yesterday was is not today. GUP,
***
336.One was yesterday; not today!
The wonder of the world’s way!    – SB 

***   

336.The characteristic feature of the world is the transitoriness of life. The disappearance today of one who existed yesterday is a common occurrence – EVS

***

336.நெருந லுளனொருவன் இன்றில்லை என்னும்

பெருமை யுடைத்திவ் வுலகு.

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337. Man knows not what awaits him the next moment; yet he is a prey to numberless dreams and fancies– ANM+2

***

337.People who are sure of living the nest moment,

Indulge in daydreams and make millions of plans– SMD

***

337
Who know not if their happy lives shall last the day,
In fancies infinite beguile the hours away!
Innumerable are the thoughts which occupy the mind of (the unwise), who know not that they shall live another moment. GUP,
***
337.Man knows not his next moment
On crores of things he is intent.      – SB 

***

337.Man is uncertain of living the very next moment. Yet his ambitions are galore– EVS

***

337.ஒருபொழுதும் வாழ்வ தறியார் கருதுப

கோடியு மல்ல பல.

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338.The new fledged bird abandons its own broken sell of egg and flies away into the dreamy blue; that is the mark and the symbol of the union that exists between the soul and the body

***

338.The nexus between soul and body is as between the fledgling bird

And its erstwhile nest, from which it flies away– SMD

***

338
Birds fly away, and leave the nest deserted bare;
Such is the short-lived friendship soul and body share.
The love of the soul to the body is like (the love of) a bird to its egg which it flies away from and leaves empty. GUP,
***
338.The soul from body any day
Like bird from egg-shell flies away.    – SB 

***   

338.The affinity of the body and the soul is like that of the egg and the chick within. The soul departs from the body even as the chick deserts the egg– EVS

***

338.The bird forsakes its shell and flies away

So fleeting is the bond of soul and flesh- H A Popley – HAP

***

338.குடம்பை தனித்தொழியப் புள்பறந் தற்றே

உடம்போ டுயிரிடை நட்பு

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339.Death is akin to sleep; but life is just the waking from that sleep– ANM+2

***

339.Death is like sleep, and birth

Is the awakening from it– SMD

***

339
Death is sinking into slumbers deep;
Birth again is waking out of sleep.
Death is like sleep; birth is like awaking from it. GUP,
***
339.Death is like a slumber deep
And birth like waking from that sleep.   – SB     

***

339.Death and Birth are like sleep and the waking state respectively– EVS

***

339.Death is like sinking into sleep

Birth is like waking after sleep- H A Popley – HAP

***

339.உறங்குவது போலுஞ் சாக்கா டுறங்கி

விழிப்பது போலும் பிறப்பு.

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340.The soul takes shelter in a fragile and decaying body; that is because she has not a home that she can claim as her own? – ANM+2

***

340.The soul, is, as it were, a passing guest in the body,

Without a permanent abode of its own– SMD

***

340
The soul in fragile shed as lodger courts repose:-
Is it because no home’s conclusive rest it knows?
It seems as if the soul, which takes a temporary shelter in a body, had not attained a home. GUP,

***

340.The life berthed in this body shows
A fixed home it never knows.     – SB 

***  
340.It would appear that the soul which takes temporary refuge in the body, prone to diseases, has no permanent abode– EVS

***