.Kollamai-33rd chapter of Thirukural (Not killing)

.Kollamai-33^rd chapter  of Thirukural

(Not killing)

Translated  by

P.R.Ramachander

(It is interesting to note that After dedicated  one chapter to  not eating meat THiruvalluvar    dedicates    another chapter to not killing. He clearly says   that killing is evil.Here he is not dealing with killing for food but   with killing perse )

1.Aravinai yaathenin  kollamai, koral,

Piravinai   yellam tharum.

1.Dharma   consists  of not killing because,

Killing leads  to all other evils.

2,Pakuthundu  palluyir   omputhal  , nool oar,

Thokuthvaththul yellam thalai.

2.Sharing and  nurturing   several lives is the greatest ,

Among those mentioned  as Dharmic acts by all writers.

3.Ondraka  nallathu   kollamai   maththu  athan,

PInsara   poyyamai nandru.

3.Not killing  is only  one Dharma  , which is the greatest,

And the next that follows  it is “Not telling a lie”

4.Nallaru yena paduvathu yaathenin, yaathondrum,

Kollamai choozhum  neri.

4. When  you enquire   what is the  best Dharma,

It is  the good habit  of not killing any thing.

5.Nilai anji neetharul  yellam  kolai   anji,

Kollamai   choozhvaan thalai.

5.Those  who adopt  the penance of not killing ,

Due to being scared by killing are much better,

Than those ascetics   who left   domestic life being scared of it.

6.Kollamai merkondozhukuvaan  vaazh naal mel,

CHellathu   uyir  unnum   koothu.

6.The God of death   who takes away life , would not bother,

About those   who take up  the penance of “not killing”.

7.THannuyir neepinum cheyyarkka, thaan pirithu,

Innuyir  neekum vinai,

7,Even if a person is likely   to loose his soul,

He should not do the act  of taking away another life.

8.Nandrrakum  aakkam  peritheninum   chaandrorkku  ,

KOndarum   aakkam  kadai.

8.Even if the  income is big by killing some one else,

The noble people, that income is deplorable.

9.KOlai vinaya rakiya   maakkal  pulai vinayaar,

Punamai therivaar akathu.

9.Those animal like men  who  take up “killing “ as work,

Would be  considered  as “Evil minded”   by good people.

10.Uyir udambin neekkiyaar   yenba  , cheyurudambin,

Chellaathee  vazhkkai avar.

10.The learned people say that  those   who killed  in early birth,

Would  be the diseased  ones and those   who lead evil life  in this birth.