Nilyamai-34th chapter of Thirukural (Understanding nothing is stable.)

Nilyamai-34^th chapter  of Thirukural

(Understanding  nothing is  stable.)

Translated  by

P.R.Ramachander

   (THiruvalluvar emphasizes  in this chapter   about  the instability  of everything in life .Possibly he wanted    to  tell this firmly   to the ascetics..I feel that  this chapter  should be again and again read  by people   who live as if this life is stable   and  everything  about  life  is stable  .While translating  I remembered   about a story  from Mahabharatha . It seems one day   King Yudishtra   sent back a  beggar promising him alms on the next day .BHima his brother  , it seems started   celebrating  because  his elder  brother  was confidant   of living   through the night.)

1.Nillathavathai  nilayina  yendrunarum ,

Pullarivaanmai  kadai.

1.Those who believe   unstable things are stable,

Are   people   with very low  intelligence.

2.Koothattu  avai kuzhaathathe perum chelvam,

POkkum   athu vilnthattu  .

2.A man getting great wealth is like  large  number of people  coming to see a  dance,

And the wealth   would go away like  crowd returning home  after the dance.

3,Arkaa iyalpithu   chelvam  , athu pethaal,

Arkupa   aange   cheyal.

3.Wealth is  unstable   and so when we get it,

WE should perform   stable acts   like  Dharma(charity)

4.Nalen ondru poal kaatti   uyir eerum ,

Valathu   unarvaar   perin.

4.A period of a day is  like a sword which  slowly removes  soul  from our body,

And those   who are  wise  know   about this.

5.Naachethu vikkulmel vaaraa mun nalvinal,

Mer chendru  cheyya pedum.

5.Controlling the toungue , before we get a hiccup,

We should  do fast  the  acts of Good Dharma.

6.Nerunal ulanoruvan   yindrillai   yennum,

Perumai  udathu  yivvulagu.

6.The person who was alive yesterday  is not with us today,

And world has  this property of  this great stability.

7.Orupozhuvathum  vaazhvathu  , ariyaar karuthupa ,

Kotiyum alla  pala.

7.People ignorant  of   how long  the soul   would be with  thebody,

Would be  spending their time in crores  of thoughts(wishes).

8.Kudambai thanithoxhiya pul parathathee,

Udambodu uyiridai  natpu.

8.Just like bird   deserting  the nest , in which it lived ,

Is the  relation between body and the soul.

9,Uranguvathu poalum CHakkadu , Urangi  ,

Vizhippathu   poalum pirappu.

9. Death  is like a  sleep   and birth ,

Is like waking up from sleep.

10.Pukkil  amaithindru kollo udambinul,

Thuchil irundha  uyirkku.