Thirukkural Chapter 1 - The Praise of God


Couplet 1 
A, as its first of letters, every speech maintains;
The "Primal Deity" is first through all the world's domains
Explanation
As the letter A is the first of all letters, so the eternal God is first in the world

Couplet 2 
No fruit have men of all their studied lore,
Save they the 'Purely Wise One's' feet adore
Explanation
What Profit have those derived from learning, who worship not the good feet of Him who is possessed of pure knowledge ?

Couplet 3 
His feet, 'Who o'er the full-blown flower hath past,' who gain
In bliss long time shall dwell above this earthly plain
Explanation
They who are united to the glorious feet of Him who passes swiftly over the flower of the mind, shall flourish long above all worlds

Couplet 4 
His foot, 'Whom want affects not, irks not grief,' who gain
Shall not, through every time, of any woes complain
Explanation
To those who meditate the feet of Him who is void of desire or aversion, evil shall never come

Couplet 5 
The men, who on the 'King's' true praised delight to dwell,
Affects not them the fruit of deeds done ill or well
Explanation
The two-fold deeds that spring from darkness shall not adhere to those who delight in the true praise of God

Couplet 6 
Long live they blest, who've stood in path from falsehood freed;
His, 'Who quenched lusts that from the sense-gates five proceed'
Explanation
Those shall long proposer who abide in the faultless way of Him who has destroyed the five desires of the senses

Couplet 7 
Unless His foot, 'to Whom none can compare,' men gain,
'Tis hard for mind to find relief from anxious pain
Explanation
Anxiety of mind cannot be removed, except from those who are united to the feet of Him who is incomparable

Couplet 8 
Unless His feet 'the Sea of Good, the Fair and Bountiful,' men gain,
'Tis hard the further bank of being's changeful sea to attain
Explanation
None can swim the sea of vice, but those who are united to the feet of that gracious Being who is a sea of virtue

Couplet 9 
Before His foot, 'the Eight-fold Excellence,' with unbent head,
Who stands, like palsied sense, is to all living functions dead
Explanation
The head that worships not the feet of Him who is possessed of eight attributes, is as useless as a sense without the power of sensation

Couplet 10 
They swim the sea of births, the 'Monarch's' foot who gain;
None others reach the shore of being's mighty main
Explanation
None can swim the great sea of births but those who are united to the feet of God