Thirukkural
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Thirukkural
Solace
P Ram Mohan, Timely Solace That Thirukkural Offers, Feb 6, 2017: The Times of India
Even with a surfeit of wealth and power adding to the hubris of our ego, life as an overarching phenomenon could include rise and fall, as nothing remains constant. An apocryphal saying that, “whatever has a beginning also has an end“, may guide us towards enlightened living in the present.
Viewed from a moral compass, the Bhagwad Gita, in summarising the essence of transience, speaks of change as the quintessential law of the universe.Assimilating the teachings of the Gita, we dissolve our ego in the ethereal knowledge that possessions are bound by the Law of Change; these possessions, the Gita says, include the human body also, which does not belong to us. In any spiritual discourse on transience, sage-poet Thiruvalluvar's treatise, the Thirukkural, is illustrious company to the Gita. An omnibus treatise on human virtues, ethics, values, morals and ideals, the Kural, with its austere approach and sincere outlook, is a spiritual beacon to mankind.
Thiruvalluvar treats both life and property as being equally transient (verses 341-350, Chapter 34). With the skilful use of metaphors, Thiruvalluvar drives home the t surreal message of instability with abject ease, through an authentic approach to life. In Kural 332 he states that wealth is like the people assembled in a concert hall, and will melt away like the hall becoming empty after the show. In verse 334 Tiruvalluvar praises those who never exult over a day in life as being enlight ened, as they understand that every passing day is like a sword that cuts life down by a day . By raising the bar of awareness that nothing endures time, this chapter acts as a primer for freeing ourselves of bondages in life.
In Kural 337, Thiruvalluvar points out that someone who was existing yesterday is not here today . He now begins to dovetail the transitory aspect with an exemplary couplet in Kural 338, a verbatim reproduction of which is from he the translation by G U Pope: “ Birds fly away , and leave the nest deserted bare; Such is the short-lived friendship soul and body share.“
Apparently , no bird hatched from its shell desires to remain attached to it.
Though Pope used the word “nest“, the word shell is interchangeably used for the Tamil word used by Thiruvalluvar in the original, which is “Kudambai“, when transliterated. The bird comes into existence on freeing itself from the shell; if it remains attached to the shell, it would frustrate the very act of coming into existence. Thiruvalluvar implies that coming into life, the soul displays eagerness to leave the body and search for a new dwelling. He points out that just as this friendship is short lived, the body and soul share a frosty relationship, ever ready to part with each other.
Thirukkural is an insightful narrative on impermanence of money and life, conveyed in a simple yet forceful manner, so that in case there is another demonetisation-type event, we remain contended with whatever we have. The Thirukkural continues to be a reassuring presence for those who seek solace in the everembracing wisdom of Thiruvalluvar.
Psychotherapy
Pulkit Sharma, The Thirukkural Way To Psychotherapy, October 5, 2018: The Times of India
Dealing with loss is a daunting experience – it is something that shakes up even a usually resilient person. We struggle hard to process what happens and to come to terms with it. It is during these times that some of us become anxious, depressed and develop complex psychological disorders.
Loss is an inevitable part of life. There are testing times in life when death takes away a person we love, a once-intimate relationship becomes sour, an accident or illness debilitates our body and mind, a long-cherished dream comes crashing down, or a valued possession is snatched away from us. At such moments, we feel helpless and hopeless. It seems as if a black hole has entered our existence, and it gets tough to bounce back to life.
Thirukkural, an ancient Tamil text written almost 2,000 years ago by the sage-philosopher Thiruvalluvar, shows us a profound way to overcome loss. Thiruvalluvar does not consider human suffering to be illusory or trivial. He is empathetic, compassionate and insightful when dealing with issues such as family dynamics, social behaviour, immorality, lack of self-control, emotional turmoil, romantic relationships, separation and grief. He connects to people who are at different levels of psychological and emotional maturity and encourages them to move forward. This also makes him a psychotherapist par excellence.
We are told that by becoming aware of the impermanence of various aspects of existence, we can renounce our desires and attachments and move closer to truth. On this path, we realise that a loss is an opening through which we can question our superficial sense of pleasure and pain and move towards something better.
Thiruvalluvar says that money, fortune, possessions and relationships are, by nature, ephemeral and therefore we should never form a dependency on them. We must learn to find our happiness both in their absence and in their presence by using them for collective and altruistic endeavours. Likewise, we should remember that we are not a physical body or a psychological entity, but an eternal soul and live life with this knowledge.
As we practise all this, we understand that the problem lies in our self-centredness. When we give up our egocentric desires and false identity we reach an inner space where there is no ‘I’ or ‘mine.’ According to the sage, this state is full of bliss and joy and it even triumphs the ecstasy of heavenly pleasures.
Keep in mind that being ambitious, working hard, making a fortune or having close interpersonal relationships are never a problem if we remain emotionally detached. Thiruvalluvar adds that real detachment happens when we develop a strong attachment to God. He says, “If you wish to renounce desires, then desire the One who is free from all desires. Once you desire him with all your passion, you will be free from all other desires.”
Perhaps, a powerful way of realising this truth is by meditating on the Cosmic Being. According to the Vedas and Upanishads, when the infinite consciousness manifested itself, it took the form of the Cosmic Being. He is without beginning, middle or end, and within Him happens all creation, preservation and destruction. As we develop our connection with the Cosmic Being, we get detached and gain strength to overcome loss.
See also
Thirukkural
