The Tirukkural: a New English Version

a new english version of a beloved tamil classic. the tirukkural (honoured kural) is one of the world’s greatestiterary and philosophical masterpieces. composed in tamil by tiruvalluvar sometime between 2 bce and 5 ce, its succinct couplets seek to explain and guide the reader throughife’s various situations: political, spiritual, domestic and social. not much is known about tiruvalluvar he is believed to have been one or more of the following: a weaver, an ascetic, a teacher, a minister, a seafarer or even a king. what is indisputable, as gopalkrishna gandhi says in the preface, is that he was ‘a clear thinker’, ‘a sharp observer ofife’ and ‘a master of hisanguage and…complex poetic forms’. ‘kural’, in tamil, means ‘short’. each of the tirukkural’s 1,330 verses holds its meaning tightly, gives its message in somethingike telegraphese. often called the universal book of principles, the work is organized into 133 chapters and three books. ‘book i: being good’ is aimed at householders and sets out the principles ofeading an ethicalife. ‘book ii: being politic’ is a manual for rulers and statesmen on the qualities and duties ofeaders, aspects of governance, military strategies, and methods to acquire wealth honestly. ‘book iii: being inove’ is a poetic exposition onove. it is presented from the points of view of both the man and the woman in different situations from the moment of falling inove, through the pain of separation to the joy of reconciliation. talking about our classics, the philosopher and statesman dr s. radhakrishnan said as they ‘constitute the essential spirit of our culture, are a part of our very being, they should receive changing expression according to the needs and conditions of [a particular] time.’ gopalkrishna gandhi’s retelling of the kural, in keeping with that philosophy, showcases the great beauty and wisdom of tiruvalluvar’s masterpiece for the twentyfirstcentury reader. features: a contemporary retelling for the current age, this new version will bring the tirukkural to a new generation of readers. originally composed sometime between 2 bce and 5 ce, it has been admired for centuries for itsiterary prowess. the philosophy of the kural has remained relevant through the years. this excellent new translation by gopalkrishna gandhi showcases the beauty and wisdom of this classic.