Thirukkural 330 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
உயிருடம்பின் நீக்கியா ரென்ப செயிருடம்பின்
செல்லாத்தீ வாழ்க்கை யவர்.
Transliteration
Uyir Utampin Neekkiyaar Enpa
Seyir Utampin Sellaaththee Vaazhkkai
Modern English
“In the verse's ancient moral view, sages connect a life marked by severe illness and degradation with the consequences of killing in an earlier life.”
Modern Interpretation
In the verse's ancient moral view, sages connect a life marked by severe illness and degradation with the consequences of killing in an earlier life. The teaching treats cruelty as a serious act whose effects do not simply disappear. For example, it reminds us that no violent choice should be dismissed as harmless or consequence-free.
Listen
Tamil pronunciation
Compare translations
Modern Plain English
In the verse's ancient moral view, sages connect a life marked by severe illness and degradation with the consequences of killing in an earlier life.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
The loathsome poor sickly and sore Are killers stained by blood before
G.U. Pope Translation
Who lead a loathed life in bodies sorely pained,Are men, the wise declare, by guilt of slaughter stained
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
(The wise) will say that men of diseased bodies, who live in degradation and in poverty, are those who separated the life from the body of animals (in a former birth)
Tamil commentary
நோய் நிறைந்த உடம்புடன், வறுமையால், இழிந்த வாழ்க்கையை இன்று வாழ்பவர்கள், முற்பிறப்பில் பிற உயிர்களை உடம்பிலிருந்து நீக்கிக் கொலை செய்தவர் என்று அறிந்தோர் கூறுவர்.
Chapter 33
More from Not killing
கொல்லாமை
What is Virtue? 'Tis not to kill For killing causes every ill
Kural 322Share the food and serve all lives This is the law of all the laws
Kural 323Not to kill is unique good The next, not to utter falsehood
Kural 324What way is good? That we can say The way away from heat to slay
Kural 325Of saints who renounce birth-fearing The head is he who dreads killing
Kural 326Life-eating-Death shall spare the breath Of him who no life puts to death
Kural 327Kill not life that others cherish Even when your life must perish
Kural 328The gain of slaughter is a vice Though deemed good in sacrifice
Kural 329Those who live by slaying are Eaters of carrion bizarre!
Kural 330The loathsome poor sickly and sore Are killers stained by blood before