Pulal Maruthal-26th chapter of Thirukural (Saying “no” to meat)

Pulal  Maruthal-26^th chapter  of Thirukural

(Saying  “no”  to meat)

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

(The poet seems to be a great   advocate  of Vegetarianism . He seems to abhor the idea  of killing another  for eating its meat. It is very important to note here  that  this advice  is not  included  in the Dharma  of householders but has  been included  in the section dealing  with duties of ascetics.)

1.Thanoon perukkathirkku than pirithu oon unban,

Yenganam   aalum arul.

1.How can  the person who eats flesh of others ,

To  grow his own “flesh”, can ever have  compassion.

2,Porulatchi   poththathaarkku  illai  arulatchi,

Aangillai m  oon thinpavarkku,

2, Those who  do not save cannot rule over wealth  ,

And those who w eat  meat cannot have  compassion.

3,Padai kondaar nenjam poal  nandrookaathu ondran,

Udal chuvai  undaar manam.

3,The mind of those  who carry a weapon  goes towards killing ,

And similarly  those  who eat the flesh of others, cannot have compassion.

4.Arul allathu   yaathenil  kollamai  koral,

Porul allathu   avoon  thinal.

4.Compassion   is about  not killing other beings ,

And that which is not compassion  is eating  their meat.

5.Unnamai   ullathu uyir nilai oon unna ,

Annathal  cheyathu  Alaru.

5.Being are  keep  themselves alive  by others not eating their n meat,

And the hell will not open its mouth  to eat those who do not eat meat.

6.Thinar  poruttaal   kollathu   ulagenin  yaarum,

Vilai poruttal   oon  tharuvaar   yil.

6.If people do not  kill to    eat other   beings,

Then  merchants  selling meat  would cease to exist.

7.Unnamai vendum  pulaal pirithondran,

Punnathu   unarvaar perin.

7.Meat  is only  a wound  in the body of a being,

And those  who know about  it , would not eat it.

8.Cheyirin  thalaipirintha  katchiyaar  unnar,

Uyirin   thalai pirintha  oon.

8.People with clarity  in thought, would  not eat,

The meat  got from a body which has  lost its soul.

9.Avichorinthu   aayiuram  vettalin  ondranm,

Uyir chekuthu   unnamai   nandru.

9,Not eating  its meat  after killing a being,

Is much greater  than doing thousand  fire sacrifices by   offering  ghee.

10.Kollaan  pulalai maruthaanai kaikoopi  ,

Yellaa  uyirum   thozhum.

10 The person who does not kill  nor eat meat ,

Would be saluted  by  all beings.