"Thirukkural" about Vegetarianism

(Thiruvalluvar statue in Kanyakumari, Tamilnadu, South India)

When I was browsing some random stuff in the internet, I came across a "Thirukkural" (1330 rhyming couplets written in Tamil) which speaks about avoiding meat eating. When I searched more on it, I found that there is actually a complete chapter(Each chapter has 10 couplets) on this subject, [chapter 26, section 1], which I never knew before. Its really interesting to read them.

Here are those 10 poems and their English translations.

1. தன்னூன் பெருக்கற்குத் தான்பிறிது ஊனுண்பான்
எங்ஙனம் ஆளும் அருள்.

How can he be possessed of kindness, who to increase his own
flesh, eats the flesh of other creatures?.

2. பொருளாட்சி போற்றாதார்க்கு இல்லை அருளாட்சி
ஆங்கில்லை ஊன்தின் பவர்க்கு.

As those possess no property who do not take care of it,
so those possess no kindness who feed on flesh.

3. படைகொண்டார் நெஞ்சம்போல் நன்னூக்காது ஒன்றன்
உடல்சுவை உண்டார் மனம்.

Like the (murderous) mind of him who carries a weapon (in his hand),
the mind of him who feasts with pleasure on the body of another (creature),
has no regard for goodness.

4. அருளல்லது யாதெனின் கொல்லாமை கோறல்
பொருளல்லது அவ்வூன் தினல்.

If it be asked what is kindness and what its opposite,
the answer would be preservation and destruction of life;
and therefore it is not right to feed on the flesh
(obtained by taking away life).

5. உண்ணாமை உள்ளது உயிர்நிலை ஊனுண்ண
அண்ணாத்தல் செய்யாது அளறு.

Not to eat flesh contributes to the continuance of life;
therefore if a man eat flesh, hell will not open its mouth
(to let him escape out, after he has once fallen in).

6. தினற்பொருட்டால் கொல்லாது உலகெனின் யாரும்
விலைப்பொருட்டால் ஊன்றருவா ரில்.

If the world does not destroy life for the purpose of eating,
then no one would sell flesh for the sake of money.

7. உண்ணாமை வேண்டும் புலாஅல் பிறிதொன்றன்
புண்ணது உணர்வார்ப் பெறின்.

If men should come to know that flesh is nothing but the unclean
ulcer of a body, let them abstain from eating it.

8. செயிரின் தலைப்பிரிந்த காட்சியார் உண்ணார்
உயிரின் தலைப்பிரிந்த ஊன்.

The wise, who have freed themselves from mental delusion,
will not eat the flesh which has been severed from an animal.

9. அவிசொரிந் தாயிரம் வேட்டலின் ஒன்றன்
உயிர்செகுத் துண்ணாமை நன்று.

Not to kill and eat (the flesh of) an animal,
is better than the pouring forth of ghee etc., in a thousand sacrifices.

10. கொல்லான் புலாலை மறுத்தானைக் கைகூப்பி
எல்லா உயிருந் தொழும்.

All creatures will join their hands together,
and worship him who has never taken away life, nor eaten flesh.


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