Life Tamil Poems

Near Sainthood
by Mirza Ghalib
translation by Kanu V. Prajapati and Michael R. Burch

On the subject of mystic philosophy, Ghalib,
your words might have seemed deeply profound
and we...

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Having big heart 

Full the demand of my love life is i am right move left to right in front of gate for a wake...

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The peacocks dance
at grove near the cool pond;
and the lotuses brace
lamps like raised heads;

Nimbus clouds thrum
like loud drums;
and violet lilies scrutinize
the scene with bulbous eyes;

Hushed...

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Book Three of the THIRUK-KURAL on Un-Authorised (concealed) and Authorised (religion-ordained) LOVE: Cantos 109 THAGAIANANGKURAITHTHAL to 133

(Note: Love between mainly the wedded pair from the...

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Thiru-Valluvar on Praising the Good Qualiities of Ladies: Canto 112 - Nalam Pinainththu Uraiththal

[The poet devotes the third part of his treatise, the Thiruk-Kural to...

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THIRUK-KURAL on not offending the Great*: Periyaaraip Pilaiyaamai - Canto 90 K895 and K897

[* The "Great" here are indifferently the King or other learned and...

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On men* of high birth or station, the THIRUK-KURAL admonishes
   [*on modern-day Kings, Emperors, Dictators and the like leading nations declining as powers...

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Additional free advice to those* who would be King from the THIRUK-KURAL with Commentary
[*like presidents, prime ministers, dictators of declining (falling or fallen) nations or...

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For your heart 

Checking out the puls 
It is faster than the last 
Going up and down in a 
Music eyes can not blink 
Body...

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K167 and K168 of CANTO XVII of the THIRUK-KURAL with Translations and Commentary

[Here, again, in these two couplets Thiru-Valluvar is having the time of his...

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K163 and K164 of CANTO XVII of the THIRUK-KURAL with Translation (continued)

K163: aran aakkam veendaathaan enbaan 
        ...

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On the need to avoid being envious: Canto XVII, K161, K162 of the THIRUK-KURAL, Translation with Commentary

[ ENVY, of course, knows no racial nor ethnic...

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K379 and K380 of Canto XXXVIII of the THIRUKKURAL, Translated with Commentary
 
(Just a note on the translations to say that, even if G.U. Pope...

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Ambiguity and Ambivalence in the THIRUKKURAL: Canto 4, K35, a random example

alukkaa ravaavekuli yinnaacchon naangku
milukkaa viyanra tharam (unrefined, given in the original state of ...

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Niitthaar Perumai, The Fundamental Role of the Ascetic: Canto 3, K29 and K30 of the Thirukkural by Thiruvalluvar
(In these kurals, I give both the "unrefined"...

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