Thirukkural 24 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
உரனென்னும் தோட்டியான் ஓரைந்தும் காப்பான்
வரனென்னும் வைப்பிற்கோர் வித்து.
Transliteration
Uranennum Thottiyaan Oraindhum Kaappaan
Varanennum Vaippirkor Viththu
Modern English
“A person who uses wisdom to control the five senses can guide their life instead of being dragged around by every impulse.”
Modern Interpretation
A person who uses wisdom to control the five senses can guide their life instead of being dragged around by every impulse. They can notice temptation without automatically obeying it. For example, someone who wants to buy an expensive item may pause, check whether it is truly needed, and protect their savings. Self-control becomes the starting point for a better and freer life.
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Tamil pronunciation
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Modern Plain English
A person who uses wisdom to control the five senses can guide their life instead of being dragged around by every impulse.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
With hook of firmness to restrain The senses five, is heaven to gain
G.U. Pope Translation
He, who with firmness, curb the five restrains,Is seed for soil of yonder happy plains
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
He who guides his five senses by the hook of wisdom will be a seed in the world of heaven
Tamil commentary
மெய், வாய்,கண், மூக்கு, செவி என்னும் ஐந்து யானைகளும் தத்தம் புலன்கள் ஆகிய ஊறு, சுவை, ஒளி, நாற்றம், ஓசை ஆகியவற்றின் மேல் செல்லாமல், அவற்றை மன உறுதி என்னும் அங்குசத்தால் காப்பவன் எல்லாவற்றிலும் சிறந்ததாகிய வீட்டுலகிற்கு ஒருவிதை ஆவான்
Chapter 3
More from The Greatness of Ascetics
நீத்தார் பெருமை
No merit can be held so high As theirs who sense and self deny
Kural 22To con ascetic glory here Is to count the dead upon the sphere
Kural 23No lustre can with theirs compare Who know the right and virtue wear
Kural 24With hook of firmness to restrain The senses five, is heaven to gain
Kural 25Indra himself has cause to say How great the power ascetics' sway
Kural 26The small the paths of ease pursue The great achieve things rare to do
Kural 27They gain the world, who grasp and tell Of taste, sight, hearing, touch and smell
Kural 28Full-worded men by what they say, Their greatness to the world display
Kural 29Their wrath, who've climb'd the mount of good, Though transient, cannot be withstood
Kural 30With gentle mercy towards all, The sage fulfils the vitue's call