Description

Thirukkural or Tirukkural (Tamil Name: திருக்குறள்), or shortly theKural, is a classic Tamil sangam literature consisting of 1330couplets or kurals, dealing with the everyday virtues of anindividual. Considered one of the greatest works ever written onethics and morality, it is known for its universality andnon-denominational nature. It was authored by Thiruvalluvar.Considered as chef d'oeuvre of both Indian and world literature.Thirukkuṛaḷ is one of the most important works in the Tamillanguage. This is reflected in some of the other names by which thetext is given by such as Tamiḻ Maṟai (Tamil concept); Poyyamozhi(words that never fail); and Daiva nool (divine text). The work isdated to sometime between the third and first centuries BCE and isconsidered to precede Manimekalai and Silappatikaram, since theyboth acknowledge the Kural text. Tirukkural was originally known as'Muppaal', meaning three-sectioned book, since it contained threesections 'Aram', 'Porul' and 'Inbam'. Thiru is a term denotingdivine respect, literally meaning holy or sacred. Kural is a veryshort Tamil poetic form consisting of two lines, the first lineconsisting of four words (known as cirs) and the second lineconsisting of three. It should also conform to the grammar ofVenpa. It is one of the most important forms of classical Tamillanguage poetry. Since the work was written in this poetic form, itcame to be known as 'Thirukkural', meaning 'sacred couplets'.