Thirukkural 366 in English

Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.

Tamil original

அஞ்சுவ தோரும் அறனே ஒருவனை
வஞ்சிப்ப தோரும் அவா.

Transliteration

Anjuva Thorum Arane Oruvanai
Vanjippa Thorum Avaa

English Translation

“Dread desire; Virtue is there To every soul desire is snare!”

Plain-English meaning

It is the chief duty of (an ascetic) to watch against desire with (jealous) fear; for it has power to deceive (and destroy) him

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Tamil pronunciation

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English Translation

Dread desire; Virtue is there To every soul desire is snare!

G.U. Pope Translation

Desire each soul beguiles;True virtue dreads its wiles

Plain-English Meaning

It is the chief duty of (an ascetic) to watch against desire with (jealous) fear; for it has power to deceive (and destroy) him

ஒருவனை வஞ்சித்துக் கெடுப்பது ஆசையே. அதனால் ஆசை உண்டாகி விடாமல் அஞ்சி வாழ்வதே அறம்.

Chapter 37

அவா அறுத்தல்

Desire to all, always is seed From which ceaseless births proceed

If long thou must, long for non-birth It comes by longing no more for earth

No such wealth is here and there As peerless wealth of non-desire

To nothing crave is purity That is the fruit of verity

The free are those who desire not The rest not free in bonds are caught

Dread desire; Virtue is there To every soul desire is snare!

Destroy desire; deliverance Comes as much as you aspire hence

Desire extinct no sorrow-taints Grief comes on grief where it pretends

Desire, the woe of woes destroy Joy of joys here you enjoy

Off with desire insatiate You gain the native blissful state