Thirukkural

Thirukkural is the masterpiece of Tamil literature with the highest and purest expressions of human thought.  It is written in the form of couplets (two line poems) expounding various aspects of life.    It contains 1330 couplets, divided into 133 chapters of 10 couplets each. 

Read Thirukkural in bilingual mode in IIT Chennai site
 

Thirukkural has three major parts.  The first part deals with Aram (Virtue), the moral value of human life.  It has 38 chapters.  The second part is on Porul (Wealth), the socio economic values of men in a civilized society.  It has 70 chapters.    The third part is on Kamam or Inbam (Love), the psychological values of life.  It has 25 chapters. 

Thirukkural was written by Thiruvalluvar, who is believed to have born 30 years before Jesus Christ.  The Tamil Calendar is dated from that period and referred as Thiruvalluvar Aandu (Year).   We find Thiruvalluvar as a moral philosopher,  political scientist and master of public administration in the first two parts of Thirukkural.   We find him to be a creative artist in the third part,  depicting the fascinating aspects of lovers. 

Thirukkural's immortality and universality are unquestionable.  Its ethics and values are applicable to all religions, countries and time.  It has been translated in over 60 languages of the world.

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Download Thirukkural in PDF format 

( Courtesy Project Madurai ; Etext by Dr K Kalyanasundaram, Lausanne, Switzerland )

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