18. Three golden instructions

Teachings to treasure, teachings that transform. 

Thirumoolar Thavamozhi

Motivation

18. Three golden instructions

 

Our Saint Thirumoolar instructs us lovingly through nectarine poems in Tamil language  to live a righteous life. His instructions can be grouped into three categories.

 

First, “do not commit any sin”, which is the primary responsibility of human beings. Second, in addition to not committing any sin, “do good deeds”!  A life that comprises these two is the basic code of conduct for a righteous living. After these two, the third instruction is to “experience the divine bliss while having a life with this human body”, that only human beings can experience !

 

We can find Saint’s Thirumoolar’s teachings in these three categories abundantly all over his sacred book, Thirumoolar thirumandiram.

 

Our Saint reminds first the sinful acts that people should avoid in the life, then he recommends a list of good deeds that people should do. He instructs that we do the good deeds every day without fail.

 

He encourages people to develop compassion in their hearts, as it is an essential human quality. He explains about the greatness of charity.

 

ஆர்க்கும் இடுமின் அவரிவர் என்னன்மின்

பார்த்திருந்து உண்மின்

Without discriminating give good to any one who is hungry, says our Saint. என்னன்மின்- don’t hesitate or discriminate.

பார்த்திருந்து உண்மின் – before you sit to eat, check if there is anyone around who is hungry, and feedback that person, says our Saint.

He moves to tell us about the norm for the food to eat.

பழம்பொருள் – the food that was cooked today, and you keep the left over for the next day; போற்றன்மின் -  do not eat

வேட்கை உடையீர் விரைந்தொல்லை உண்ணன்மின்

வேட்கை உடையீர் – when you are very hungry; in that state; விரைந்தொல்லை உண்ணன்மின் – do not eat gulping your food in a rush, angrily!

காக்கை கரைந்துண்ணும் காலம் அறிமினே

காக்கை கரைந்துண்ணும் காலம் – a crow invites other crows to share the food and then only starts to eat. அறிமினே – learn from this natural quality of a crow, pleads our Saint to all people.

 

Among all the charities, serving food to a hungry person is the noblest! Our Saint also explains the right manner in which food should be eaten, while reminding that we should first give food to another hungry person and then take our food. We may wonder why ? Eating slowly without hurry is a norm for eating food. Similarly, giving food to a hungry or needy person is also a norm for eating food. Eating food slowly with chewing is good for health. Similarly, giving food to the needy before eating is also a necessity for a healthy life.

 

ஆர்க்கும் இடுமின் அவரிவர் என்னன்மின்

பார்த்திருந்து உண்மின் பழம்பொருள் போற்றன்மின்

வேட்கை உடையீர் விரைந்தொல்லை உண்ணன்மின்

காக்கை கரைந்துண்ணும் காலம் அறிமினே.  1

 

Now our Saint moves on to explain the duties that we should do in our lives without forgetting.

 

யாவர்க்கு மாம் இறைவற்கு ஒரு பச்சிலை

இறைவற்கு – for god, an idol or lingam; யாவர்க்கு- without distinction between poor or rich, ஆம்- it is easily possible for any person.

 

Every day, we should cultivate the habit of offering at least one green leaf to the deity that we worship. We should do this without failing says our Saint.

யாவர்க்கு மாம்இறை வற்குஒரு பச்சிலை

யாவர்க்கு மாம் பசு வுக்கொரு வாயுறை

 ஒரு வாய் உறை- one mouthful of any food.

Here பசு signifies any animal. It is again an easy task to give a mouthful to an animal. Our Saint asks to cultivate the habit of daily giving food to an animal.

யாவர்க்கு மாம் உண்ணும் போதொரு கைப்பிடி

Next our Saint says that we should give at least a handful of food to another person before we eat. This is an ancient saying in our culture. Our saint says do this also without fail.

While guiding us on the duty and easiness of feed other persons and animals, our Saint lovingly shares with us from his heart other simple acts of kindness we could and should do. Speaking lovingly to others is another simple act. There is no loss by doing that. Yet, why people do not do that regularly, laments our Saint Thirumoolar.

யாவர்க்கு மாம்பிறர்க்கு இன்னுரை தானே

He says that avoiding harsh words when speaking to others and speaking loving words is so easy. Let us all make it a habit.

Praying to the divine, showing compassion to other beings, talking lovingly, all form the norm for a good living. These can be adopted by anyone whether poor or rich. To remind us that these are the duties of each one of us, our Saint sings beautifully in this poem.  

யாவர்க்கு மாம்இறை வற்குஒரு பச்சிலை

யாவர்க்கு மாம்பசு வுக்கொரு வாயுறை

யாவர்க்கு மாம் உண்ணும் போதொரு கைப்பிடி

யாவர்க்கு மாம்பிறர்க்கு இன்னுரை தானே.  2

 

In our view, if a person fulfills all four actions in this poem, that person will have fully accomplished the noble traditions of our nation.

To read other translated pages in these posts, see: Thirumoolar

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