Thirukkural 365 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
அற்றவர் என்பார் அவாஅற்றார் மற்றையார்
அற்றாக அற்றது இலர்.
Transliteration
Atravar Enpaar Avaaatraar Matraiyaar
Atraaka Atradhu Ilar
Modern English
“True freedom belongs to those who are free from desire, not merely to people who have given up a few possessions.”
Modern Interpretation
True freedom belongs to those who are free from desire, not merely to people who have given up a few possessions. For example, owning little means little if a person is still consumed by envy of what everyone else has.
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Tamil pronunciation
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Modern Plain English
True freedom belongs to those who are free from desire, not merely to people who have given up a few possessions.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
The free are those who desire not The rest not free in bonds are caught
G.U. Pope Translation
Men freed from bonds of strong desire are free;None other share such perfect liberty
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
They are said to be free (from future birth) who are freed from desire; all others (who, whatever else they may be free from, are not freed from desire) are not thus free
Tamil commentary
ஆசை இல்லாதவரே எதுவும் இல்லாதவர்; மற்றவரோ முழுவதும் இல்லாதவர் ஆகார்.
Chapter 37
More from Curbing of Desire
அவா அறுத்தல்
Desire to all, always is seed From which ceaseless births proceed
Kural 362If long thou must, long for non-birth It comes by longing no more for earth
Kural 363No such wealth is here and there As peerless wealth of non-desire
Kural 364To nothing crave is purity That is the fruit of verity
Kural 365The free are those who desire not The rest not free in bonds are caught
Kural 366Dread desire; Virtue is there To every soul desire is snare!
Kural 367Destroy desire; deliverance Comes as much as you aspire hence
Kural 368Desire extinct no sorrow-taints Grief comes on grief where it pretends
Kural 369Desire, the woe of woes destroy Joy of joys here you enjoy
Kural 370Off with desire insatiate You gain the native blissful state