Thirukkural: Translation of Canto Xxxviii With Commentary
THIRUKKURAL: Translation of Canto XXXVIII with notes and commentary
Canto XXXVIII of the Thirukkural on the topic of FATE which I give here in translation (by stages) forms, in itself, a separate "book" in its own right, for it nullifies so-to-speak almost all the rest of what the poet Thiruvalluvar had to say in the rest of his oeuvre in one fell swoop. One cannot escape the fact that the author subscribes to the Oriental preoccupation with DESTINY as something pre-determined (as a result of one's balance of virtuous deeds or KARMA in the previous life), something which conditions and controls all one's actions in the present life.
There would therefore be something inviolable and invariable about the course one's life would take and which can be mitigated (if the karma produced a life wrought with insuperable obstacles and difficulties) only through penance by way of renouncing all desires and acquisitions; in short, to sacrifice one's life in order to avoid either being born again (vIdu/liberation or mOdcham/moksha) or of obtaining relief during one’s présent life.
Chapter XXXV on « Renunciation », Ch. XXXVI on the « Perception of Truth » and Ch. XXXVII on the « Extirpation of Desires » - all lead up to this fatidic climax, that is, that whatever one does one cannot "hoodwink" fate. As the Yi Jing, too, prescribes, to put it succinctly in my own words: "When fate comes knocking, there's no place on earth you can hide!" Whether what happens is due to one's karma or not cannot however be proven, nor whether by resorting to asceticism as a shield from its ravages, one may elude fate must remain an inflexible conundrum . From the maxims in this decade, one can divine the author was convinced of the role of fate in our lives.
K371: aakuulaal thoonrum adaivinmai kaipporul
pookuulal thoonrum madi
Wealth-giving fate power of unflinching effort brings;
From fate that takes away idle remissness springs. (Transl. G.U. Pope)
Perseverance comes from a prosperous fate, and idleness from an adverse fate. (Tranls. Drew & Lazarus)
Activity that increases one's possessions fate will promote while the lack of activity that lethargy engenders is (also) the oeuvre of fate. (Transl. T. Wignesan)
K372: peethaip padukkum ilavuul arivakarrum
aakaluul urrak kadai
The fate that loss ordains makes wise men's wisdom foolishness;
The fate that gain bestows with ampler powers will wisdom bless. (Transl. G.U.Pope)
An adverse fate produces folly, and a prosperous fate produces enlarged knowledge. (Transl. Drew & Lazarus)
When adverse fate comes around, it will limit one's knowledge; favourable fate produces the contrary effect of making knowledge blossom. (Transl. T. Wignesan)
© T. Wignesan - Paris, 2017
Copyright © T Wignesan | Year Posted 2017
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