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
Modern English
“We should watch desire carefully because it can deceive us and lead us to ruin.”
Modern Interpretation
We should watch desire carefully because it can deceive us and lead us to ruin. For example, the wish for a promotion can tempt someone to take credit for a colleague’s work.
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Modern Plain English
We should watch desire carefully because it can deceive us and lead us to ruin.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
Dread desire; Virtue is there To every soul desire is snare!
G.U. Pope Translation
Desire each soul beguiles;True virtue dreads its wiles
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
It is the chief duty of (an ascetic) to watch against desire with (jealous) fear; for it has power to deceive (and destroy) him
Tamil commentary
ஒருவனை வஞ்சித்துக் கெடுப்பது ஆசையே. அதனால் ஆசை உண்டாகி விடாமல் அஞ்சி வாழ்வதே அறம்.
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