Tirukkural, the great secular bible, one of the most translated works in the world, and Tamilnadu's jewel has many chapters (அதிகாரங்கள்). Tirukkural is a universally praised work and we Tamils take real pride in reciting it. But the question is: do we follow it or even attempt to? The answer is a big big no.
We Tamils, especially, politicians and teachers are fond of quoting Tirukkural. I am sure no one in the extant political climate would dare to quote from Chapter 26 of Tirukkural. It is on abjuring flesh meat (புலால் மறுத்தால்). One hardly finds any specific mention of it in public discourse. Hence, this post. The chapter, like other chapters in the Kural, contains ten aphorisms (251 to 260), which are given below along with the translation of Drew & Lazarus (DL) and J. Narayanasamy (JN):
251. தன்னூன் பெருக்கற்குத் தான்பிறிது ஊனுண்பான்
எங்ஙனம் ஆளும் அருள்.DL: How can he be possessed of kindness, who to increase his own flesh, eats the flesh of other creatures.
JN: Hardly any mercy is left in the minds of those who build their bodies with the flesh of other beings.
252. பொருளாட்சி போற்றாதார்க்கு இல்லை அருளாட்சி
ஆங்கில்லை ஊன்தின் பவர்க்கு.DL: As those possess no property who do not take care of it, so those possess no kindness who feed on flesh.
JN: Wealth helps not those who do not patronize it; mercy is missed by those who eat flesh meat.
உடல்சுவை உண்டார் மனம்.DL: Like the (murderous) mind of of him who carries a weapon (in his hand), the mind of him who feasts with pleasure on the body of another (creature) has no regard for goodness.
JN: Who take pleasure in killing to eat, have a mind of steel impervious to mercy on the prey.
பொருளல்லது அவ்வூன் தினல்.DL: If be asked what is kindness and what is its opposite, the answer would be preservation and destruction of life; and therefore it is not right to feed on the flesh (obtained by taking away life).
JN: Mercy demands not to kill; butchering is cruel, and eating flesh meat is insensuous.
அண்ணாத்தல் செய்யாது அளறு.
DL: Not to eat flesh contributes to the continuance of life; therefore if a man eats flesh; hell will not open its mouth (to let him escape out, after he has once fallen in.
JN: Abstaining from meat is a way of saving lives; meateaters hardly get off from mental morbidity.
256. தினற்பொருட்டால் கொல்லாது உலகெனின் யாரும்
விலைப்பொருட்டால் ஊன்தருவார் இல்.
விலைப்பொருட்டால் ஊன்தருவார் இல்.
DL: If the world does not destroy life for the purpose of eating, then n one would sell flesh for the sake of money.
JN: If humanity abjures from the habit of meat eating, the ill reputed sale of it will not exist.
257. உண்ணாமை வேண்டும் புலாஅல் பிறிதொன்றன்
புண்ணது உணர்வார்ப் பெறின்.
DL: Since the wise consider flesh as the (unclean) ulcer of a body, let it be eaten.
JN: Who realises the pain and wound of killing will give up the habit of meat eating.
258. செயிரின் தலைப்பிரிந்த காட்சியார் உண்ணார்
உயிரின் தலைப்பிரிந்த ஊன்.
DL: The wise, who have freed themselves from mental delusion, will not eat the flesh which has been severed from the animal.
JN: Wisdom free from the painful mind of evil will abstain from feeding on flesh.
உயிர்செகுத் துண்ணாமை நன்று.
DL: Not to kill and eat (the flesh of) an animal, is better than the pouring forth of ghee, etc., in a thousand sacrifices.
JN: Abstaining from meat eating is good even in hospitality with a rich fare of food in ghee.
எல்லா உயிருந் தொழும்
DL: All creatures will join their hands together, and worship him who has never taken life, nor eaten flesh.
JN: All life on earth will bow in gratefulness to those who abstain from killing and meat eating.
No comments:
Post a Comment