Tirukkural

WHY IN NEWS?

The Economic Survey has found an ally in Tirukkural, regarded as a repository of philosophical wealth, to justify the emphasis on wealth creation.

ABOUT TIRUKKURAL

• The Tirukkural (literally Sacred Verses), or shortly the Kural, is a classic Tamil language text consisting of 1,330 couplets or Kurals.
• The text is divided into three books, each with aphoristic teachings on virtue (aram, dharma), wealth (porul, artha) and love (inbam, kama).
• Considered one of the greatest works on ethics and morality, it is known for its universality and secular nature.
• Its authorship is traditionally attributed to Valluvar, also known in full as Thiruvalluvar.
• The text has been dated variously from 300 BCE to 5th century CE. The traditional accounts describe it as the last work of the third Sangam, but linguistic analysis suggests a later date of 450 to 500 CE and that it was composed after the Sangam period.

Prelims Question

Q. Which of the following Tamil classics is divided into three books, each with aphoristic teachings on virtue, wealth and love and was written by Valluvar?
a. Manimekalai
b. Tirukkural
c. Silappatikaram
d. Purananuru

Answer to the Prelims Question