Thirukkural 9 in English

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

Tamil original

கோளில் பொறியின் குணமிலவே எண்குணத்தான்
தாளை வணங்காத் தலை.

Transliteration

Kolil Poriyin Kunamilave Enkunaththaan
Thaalai Vanangaath Thalai

English Translation

“Like senses stale that head is vain Which bows not to Eight-Virtued Divine”

Plain-English meaning

The head that worships not the feet of Him who is possessed of eight attributes, is as useless as a sense without the power of sensation

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Tamil pronunciation

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English Translation

Like senses stale that head is vain Which bows not to Eight-Virtued Divine

G.U. Pope Translation

Before His foot, 'the Eight-fold Excellence,' with unbent head,Who stands, like palsied sense, is to all living functions dead

Plain-English Meaning

The head that worships not the feet of Him who is possessed of eight attributes, is as useless as a sense without the power of sensation

எண்ணும் நல்ல குணங்களுக்கு எல்லாம் இருப்பிடமான கடவுளின் திருவடிகளை வணங்காத தலைகள், புலன்கள் இல்லாத பொறிகள்போல, இருந்தும் பயன் இல்லாதவையே

Chapter 1

கடவுள் வாழ்த்து

'A' leads letters; the Ancient Lord Leads and lords the entire world

That lore is vain which does not fall At His good feet who knoweth all

Long they live on earth who gain The feet of God in florid brain

Who hold His feet who likes nor loathes Are free from woes of human births

God's praise who tell, are free from right And wrong, the twins of dreaming night

They prosper long who walk His way Who has the senses signed away

His feet, whose likeness none can find, Alone can ease the anxious mind

Who swims the sea of vice is he Who clasps the feet of Virtue's sea

Like senses stale that head is vain Which bows not to Eight-Virtued Divine

The sea of births they alone swim Who clench His feet and cleave to Him