TAMIL RESEARCH

With heartfelt warmth and deep affection conveying best wishes By Maraimalai Ilakkuvanar An Ode to a Living Legend and our Leading Light Canto I-The Child of Destiny Birth, early years, roots in Tamil soil, the stirrings of ambition. Canto II-The Call of Service Entry into public life, leadership in Tamil Nadu Assembly. Canto III-Voice in Parliament Journey to Lok Sabha, ministerial role, dedication to public good. Canto IV-The Seed of a Vision Turning point from politics to education; the dream of a new temple of learning. Canto V-The Birth of Vellore Engineering College The founding years, struggles, and steadfastness.

Ever since it's invention in Prehistory Bow and Arrow plays a vital role in human evolution and cultural development. It has a unique feature unlike any other Prehistoric tools and weapons. Bow functions by storing elastic potential energy in its limbs and converting it into kinetic energy with the help of bow string to shoot arrows. Bow's shape and function hasn't changed much since its invention. The Sangam literatures which were written during Sangam age states that during the Sangam age (Early Historic period) of Tamilnadu bows and arrows were commonly used for hunting and warfare. It also stands as the royal emblem of Chera Empire.

The objective of this study is to critically examine the political philosophy of the Thirukkural, a text of global significance, focusing on seventy chapters that explore royalty, ministers, and the state. While the Thirukkural is globally revered for its ethical insights, its sophisticated vision of governance remains underrepresented in political discourse. To critically analyse this vision, the study introduces the GEAR framework-Governance, Ethics, Authority, and Rightness-as an original model for interpreting statecraft through a moral lens. Adopting a cross-cultural comparative approach, the research situates Thiruvalluvar's principles alongside Saiva Siddhanta, Gandhian ideals, Confucian ethics, and Western classical thought, particularly Plato. This interdisciplinary approach, central to the analysis, is captured in the GLIA model-Governance (public control), Leadership (upright authority), Integrity (ethical foundation), and Accountability (public responsibility). This model not only underscores the enduring relevance of Thiruvalluvar's ideals but also demonstrates the breadth and depth of the study's research, appealing to a wide range of scholars. The Thirukkural emerges not only as a timeless ethical text but also as a visionary treatise on inclusive, virtuous governance, seamlessly integrating Aram (virtue), Porul (material order), and just authority. As the first study to apply the GEAR framework, this study offers fresh insights into classical Tamil political thought and its profound relevance to contemporary democratic values, transcending the boundaries of religion, race, and caste in today's pluralistic societies.

Miron Winslow, Missionary and Scholar

Born: 11 December 1789, Williston, Vermont
Died: 22 October 1864, Cape of Good Hope

Education:

1. Graduated from Middlebury College in 1815
2. Graduated from Andover Theological Seminary in 1818

Career:

1. Sailed to Ceylon in 1819 to establish a mission and a seminary at Oodooville
2. Founded the mission at Madras in 1836
3. Established seven vernacular schools and a native college
4. Harvard University conferred the degree of D.D. on him in 1858

Notable Works:

1. "Sketch of the Missions" (1819)
2. "Memoir of Harriet, Lathrop Winslow" (1835)
3. "Hints on Missions to India" (1856)
4. Translated the Bible into Tamil
5. "Comprehensive Tamil and English Dictionary" (1862), based partly on manuscript materials of the late Reverend Joseph Knight

This dictionary, costing $20,000 and taking more than twenty years of toil, contains 68,000 words and definitions.

It is noted that the compilation of the dictionary left a debt of more than Rupees 5,000, which the compiler, M. Winslow, had to meet through the gradual sale of the work.  The printing was restarted in September 1859 and completed in July 1862, with the expectation of probable loss and no chance of gain.

This document encompasses a compilation of question papers related to the Law of Evidence for the years 2022, 2023, and 2024. It aims to serve as a valuable resource for students and legal practitioners in Tamil Nadu by providing insights into the examination questions covered in this specific field of law. The questions probe various critical topics, including the definition and relevance of expert opinions, the nature of public documents, leading questions, and distinctions between confessions and admissions. Through this archive, readers can enhance their understanding of evidentiary rules and principles, thereby preparing effectively for academic assessments and practical applications in legal settings. The document has been compiled with careful consideration and is intended to benefit the community, fostering a deeper comprehension of the Law of Evidence.

The book commemorates Prof. Kamaleswaran a scholar well-versed in Linguistics theory, Dravidian Linguistics, Tamil Literary studies, and Tamil Traditional grammar. The 26 papers included in the volume cover various aspects of linguistics and Tamil literature ranging from Dravidian studies and culture to Tamil literary research. The initial twenty pages are devoted to give the details of the book, content, statement of appreciation by the Vice- Chancellor of Tamil University, Prof. Thiruvalluvan, statement of blessings by Prof. Porko, preface, thanks, and a short note on Prof K.S. Kamaleswaran. This is followed by twenty-six papers of which some are in Tamil and others are in English.

K. Ayyappa Paniker has created a niche for himself in the academic world as a poet, professor and critic. He heralded the dawn of modernism in Malayalam poetry and created a new perspective in the area of literary criticism. He has left behind a repertoire of prose writings, which has established his status as a true scholar in all branches of literature in the regional, national as well as international literary tradition. A genre-wise analysis of his major prose writings is attempted here.

The present study describes the establishment and develops a digital library in Classical Tamil. An overview of the concept “Classical Tamil” is explained. The need for developing classification schedule in Classical Tamil was much felt and a module is presented. The study also ...

There have been many sages, saints, and philosophers in various parts of the world in the past. Most of them had their own superstitious ideas. They were more concerned about life after death rather than life on earth. They did not believe in the equality of people. About two thousand years ago, there was a philosopher by the name of Thiruvalluvar in Tamil Nadu who wrote the book called Thirukkural. About a thousand years before him, Aryans have migrated to Tamil Nadu, and during his days, their influence was slowly on the rise. Thiruvalluvar wrote his book to condemn the Aryan view of life and their superstitious beliefs. About 1,910 years after Thiruvalluvar, Periyar was born. During Periyar's days, the Ariyan influence over the Tamil people had become more intense. The Tamil society was divided into hundreds of castes. Some sections of the Tamil people were even considered untouchables. Women were treated as domestic servants and childbearing machines. There was a total lack of social justice in society. Just like Thiruvalluvar, who condemned the Aryans' beliefs and practices, Periyar wanted to reform Tamil society. He studied Thirukkural and found that the ideas in Thirukkural are compatible with his own ideas. He encouraged the Tamil people to read Thirukkural. This paper compares the Aryan view of life and their values against those of the Tamil society during the days of Thiruvalluvar. The conditions in the Tamil Society during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and how Periyar wanted to reform the Tamil society are also discussed in this paper. The similarities between Thiruvalluvar's and Periyar's ideas are explained. Periyar's appreciation of Thirukkural and his efforts to promote Thirukkural are also described in this paper. Finally, Periyar's attempts to establish social justice and instill a sense of pride and self-respect in the minds of Tamil people are discussed in detail.

In the History of Tamil tradition and more than ever in the globe of Sangam literature Thirukural is considered to be one of the supreme works in Tamil. It has been described rather justifiably as life and soul of Tamil tradition and it is rather very unique to the tradition. There are three holy works in Tamil literature, namely Thirukural, Thiruvasagam and Thirumandiram by which the Tamil language has been made worldwide and everlasting. And among these three, the Thirukural propagates ethical values for peaceful living; However, Thirukural stands out as a life giving mechanism. Aram, Porul and Inbam are the three major parts divided by Thiruvalluvar in his work called Thirukural. One without the other becomes meaningless. So one has to live morally (Aram) and generate money through proper means (Porul) and enjoy life in all dimensions (Inbam). All these three aspects are interconnected in themselves and are essential principle for day to day living (Aram leads to Porul and Porul leads to Inbam). When people deviate from this then life will be miserable. The philosophical teachings infusing ethical values all over, like a flower spreading its feeling of existence everywhere. It is rightly said by Dr. G.U. Pope that "Thiruvalluvar's poem is thus by no means a long one; though in value it far outweighs the whole of the remaining Tamil literature, and is one of the select numbers of great work which have entered into the very soul of a whole people, and which can never die".

Ravi Shankar aka Ra Sh is a renowned poet-translator from Palakkad, Kerala. His poetry departs from traditional poetic imagery and cliched diction to articulate a critique of the pseudo-morality of society in a distinct tongue that is boldly carnal. Ra Sh has published several volumes of poetry
including The Bullet Train and other loaded poems, Kintsugi by Hadni, and Architecture of Flesh. His works have been translated into German, French, and other global languages. Most recently, his poem ‘Silent Farewell’ has been translated over 150 times into various Indian and world languages and is slated to be published as an anthology.

In the past three thousand years, many scholars have contributed to the development of philosophical thoughts. Among them, Thiruvalluvar is unique because of his secular and rational thinking. His book, Thirukkural, was first published in 1812. Since then, it has been translated into more than a hundred languages worldwide, and there are more than a hundred translations in English alone. It has gained appreciation and admiration from scholars worldwide. Thiruvalluvar recognizes the equality of all human beings. He encourages his readers to conduct a rational inquiry into the nature of things and anything they hear from anyone. His ideas on nonviolence are of historical importance and have been successfully adopted by leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, and others. He emphasizes the importance of hard work for achieving success in life. According to him, love is the quintessence of life, and compassion towards all living beings is a very desirable quality. Compassion should lead to helping those in need without expecting anything in return. He is convinced that right conduct is even more important than one's life itself. According to him, moral codes are determined by wise people and not by religious values. In view of his emphasis on rationalism, secularism, and self-reliance, Valluvar can be regarded as a humanist like the Buddha. Since Valluvar focuses on subject matters dealing with wisdom rather than knowledge, his ideas remain eternally valid and have universal applicability. It is now up to mankind to grasp his teachings and practice them so that there will be peace and prosperity in the world.

This paper scrutinizes the translation process and problematizes language editing and its role in literary translations from Indian languages into English (focusing on Kannada). It also discusses the significance of doing research on language editing in Translation Studies. Translation is not just a final product, it is a process and/or a procedure. Language editing is an aspect of this process. Brian Mossop calls language editing, so to say language editor, as a gatekeeper, and a language therapist. Because, editor is aware of the problems of translatability whose duty is to rescue a translation from being labeled as mistranslation. She makes it cross national and international boundaries to be accessible by a wide range of readership. It is therefore significant to study aspects of language editing to unravel the role played by editors in the translation process and to place it at the same rank of translating. This paper also analyses author-translator, and translator-editor equations to address the issues regarding who can be a language editor, is it the native speaker of the language or a proficient non-native speaker of the language.

A flower is the reproductive part of flowering plants. Within the flowering stage of flower had different phases like Arumbu / Bud, Mottu / Tender flower Bud, Mugai / Opening bud, Malar / Flower blossom, Alar / Full-blown flower blossom, Vee / Flower drying and Semmal / Faded flower in Sangam Tamil literature. The Sangam Tamil literature was accompanied of Tamil scholars and poets that, according to phases flower are indicated in Thirukkural, Narrinai, Purananuru, Kuruntokai, Silappatikaram, etc., This review is more useful to researchers for understanding the floral scent properties relation to phases of flower and associated with releasing dynamics for fragrant / scent out of flower.

The Paper attempts to unravel the lofty ideals of Two Literary geniuses, Thiruvalluvar and Shakespeare in their works. Though both writers, Thiruvalluvar and Shakespeare, were born in different countries, brought up in different societies, and have different cultures, religions, races and languages, their ideas expressed through their writings make us united in diversity. Human beings, no matter which parts of the world they live in, share common feelings, emotions, hopes, pain, ecstasy and aspirations. A study of these two literary icons would help us get a better understanding of the two literary worlds' creativity with par excellence. An exercise of comparing binational literature will exhibit man's essential traits. It paves the way for understanding the oneness of humanity. When the world is divided into many differences, this comparative approach to literature helps us come closer to each other.

Tamil has a rich, long, literary tradition of more than 2000 years. The oldest extant works represent a long period of evolution. ‘History of Tamil Literature’ is the best literary history that appeared first in Tamil. A book published in 1930 by Prof. K. Subramaniapillai.
The ancient history of Tamil literature can be divided into 3 sections namely the Sangam period, the period of ethical literature and the period of old epics. Although some of the inscriptions we have are from the 3rd century BC, there is evidence that Tamil literature begins in the 1st century AD.

The Tirukkuṟaḷ is a text of Tamil proverbs that circulates widely in South India today. While the first two sections of the text contain practical pieces of ethical advice, the third section contains an extended love poem. This variation in content has resulted in a dichotomous view of the text in which ethics and poetry are viewed as fundamentally distinct. This paper blurs the distinction between ethics and poetry by showing how the poetic form of the Tirukkuṟaḷ's proverbs not only enhances the text's ethical message but also participates in the ethical formation of the text's audience. Building on Geoffrey Galt Harpham's notion of sub-ethics, I argue that the Tirukkuṟaḷ uses three literary strategies—metaphor, inference, and suspense—to engage the audience in modes of “sub-ethical” reflection by raising ethical questions and framing ethical choices.

 Adoption of total quality management (TQM) is an essential element for the success of business. In spite of many industries implementing TQM, quite a few organizations have eventually lost control of their business. Therefore, something more than TQM adoption is required to face the demanding business world. This work proposes a conceptual framework mainly based on Tamil classical literature, for sustaining business with success, in a highly competitive world.

Religious doctrine is a feature that has been interwoven in people's lives since then. The belief that God is the primary cause of good and evil in the world gave rise to the worship of God. People of the Sangam period followed the worship of minor deities, nature worship and major worship. During the Sangam period each type of area had its own deities. In this way the people of Mullai land worshiped Mayon (Tirumal), the people of Kurinji land worshiped Seyon (Murugan), the people of Marutha land worshiped Venda (Indra), and the people of Neythal land worshiped Varuna. However, there are many evidences in the Sangam literature that 'people also worshiped shiva' during the Sangam period itself.
The majority of hymns in some of the Sanga literature works such as Etuthogai and paththupattu praises Shiva and Muruga, which are the symbols of Saivism. Thirumurugatruppadai in Pathitrupathu and Kurundogai in etuthogai praise Lord Muruga.  Apart from Parippadal and Natrinai (Tirumal) from the Etuthogai, all the other five books contain hymns praising Lord Shiva. In addition, it is mentioned that all the songs of God's greetings, except for Kalithogai were sung by the poet who sang Bharatam. However, doubts arise as he is said to have sung about Tirumal in Naritanai and the name of the person who sang it in the Kalithogai is not known. The aim of this article is to see how the norms of saivam have been presented.

The Kuruntokai of the ancient Tamil deities worshipped by Murugan, Surthaivam, Korravai, Kollipaavai and others is known from the Kuruntokai. The Velan fanaticism is found in the Sangam literature. This study is conducted in a way that explains the principles of theology found in the Sangam literature. The story of the Velan rampage, the worship of Korravai, the surat worship and the dance of women in the short story has explained this article.

This article tries to focus on the significant moments in French-Tamil translations/transactions with a view to highlighting the two following arguments: 1. Unlike the translation activities in the British Indian territories, the translations in the French Indian territories were not strictly guided by the policy of the colonial government and remain voluntary. 2. Since a major amount of translation of French works into Tamil was done through English, this translation history raises questions relating to the a) nature of choice, b) mode of translation, c) complex relation between the source language (French) and mediating language (English) and the target language (Tamil). Here the ‘function’ of translation becomes more important than the ‘correctness’ and ‘ethics’ of translation. The article also touches upon the role of Tamils outside the Tamil region in the history of transactions between French and Tamil. To sustain these intertwined arguments, it follows a chronological pattern...

Renaissance made its impact not only in the annals of World History but also in the Pondicherry History. Missionaries who had a great zeal towards the Spread of New Faith to the Fishing Hamlet of Pondicherry started schools and Colleges in and around which gave impetus to spread the light of literacy among the Christian population. In 1831 Fr. Dupuis entrusted himself to the evangelical works of MEP and started his missionary work through his literature and organising ability. The most talented Fr. Dupuis was recognised by Mgr. Bonnand, the Apostolic Vicar of Pondicherry, who tried to publish books on the matters related to Catholic doctrines. He encouraged Fr. Dupuis and assigned him the task of producing books related to the new faith and Fr. Dupuis became the first printer of Pondicherry. My article intends to concentrate about the fantabulous works of Fr. Dupuis towards printing the Catholic literary works in Pondicherry and it won't be an exaggeration to say that Fr. Dupuis was the real, dedicated and unblemished service missionary, offered himself ostensible towards the well-being of the people of Pondicherry and produced in numerous books in order to bring up a kind of cultural synthesis between the French and the Tamil language. His commendable works for Tamil language is immeasurable which are highlighted and discussed further in the article.

This article tries to focus on the significant moments in French-Tamil translations/transactions with a view to highlighting the two following arguments: 1. Unlike the translation activities in the British Indian territories, the translations in the French Indian territories were not strictly guided by the policy of the colonial government and remain voluntary. 2. Since a major amount of translation of French works into Tamil was done through English, this translation history raises questions relating to the a) nature of choice, b) mode of translation, c) complex relation between the source language (French) and mediating language (English) and the target language (Tamil). Here the ‘function’ of translation becomes more important than the ‘correctness’ and ‘ethics’ of translation. The article also touches upon the role of Tamils outside the Tamil region in the history of transactions between French and Tamil. To sustain these intertwined arguments, it follows a chronological pattern...

In this research Article, the researcher traces the origin, development, linguistic as well as para-linguistic features of the cradle of Chemmozhi Thamizh, Thamizhakam, its former geographical boundaries, literary, linguistic, historic as well as sociological evidence that are available through established research work. An indication of its future academic curricula is also suggested for consideration by Planners of Tamilology.]

I wanted to use two great works from India, Dhammapada and Tirukkural, as an example of how much the people around the world could learn from the great sayings, which can be read and contemplated on, by anyone of any race or creed. Both works have been translated many times, into many languages, one from Pali and the other from Tamil. Often the words used and the ideas themselves could have changed, as interpreted by the translator, or because he could not find the appropriate words. Every literary work from South Asia which got translated into English, enhanced the epistemic value of English literature.

Historical research is  a process of critical inquiry into past event in order to produce an accurate description of those event. - Wiersma (1986).To uncover the unknown in Relevance to Tamil medical heritage.
Identify the relationship and legacy of Tamil medical heritage and its contemporary form i.e., Siddha Medicine.Record and evaluate accomplishments of individuals, agencies, or institutions involved  in this area .

Siddhar Agathiyar, one among the line of eighteen Siddhars, is called as " The Father of Siddha medicine ". Agathiyar is an enlighten personage who had made contributions not only for Siddha medicine but also for Tamil language and Grammar. His contributions to Siddha system of medicine and other related fields are immense. According to various schools of thoughts, it is found that there had been many Agasthiyars and people called the one as Agathiyar in general who headed in different forms of art and medicine. There were a lot of historical stories about Agathiyar. Many historical evidences and events spoke about Agathiyar's life and his accomplishments. The main objective of this review is to wrest the origin and glory of Siddhar Agathiyar (" Father figure in Siddha Medicine ") from other Agathiyars.

Most of you might have been familiar with the name of Thiruvalluvar. He was weaver / Chieftain/ Poet / Saint, according to your preference among the myths. Beyond that, he belonged to a pre-Christian period in Indian History synchronising probably with the arrival of Buddha. Tearing ourselves from history, Thiruvalluvar is famous for his Universal Humanism.This Paper highlights that virtue in Tirukkural.

Central Institute of Classical Tamil  can make it  available to download by anyone, anywhere in the scholarly world. The book titled :SAINT VALLUVAR and HIS KURAL should be brought out by CICT to reach all parts of India and English speaking world. Kavi Yogi Maharishi , great divine visionary and wise poet Dr. Shuddhananda Bharati when asked about his age answered: " My age is Courage! " The Yogi wrote several hundred works in English, French, Tamil, Hindi, Telugu and Sanskrit; five thousand songs, and fifteen hundred poems in French. The magnum opus of the man conscious of the presence of God in him, Bharata Shakti, (in 50,000 verses) described his ideal: only One Humanity living in communion with only One God in a transformed world! Bharata Shakti is a monumental and unique work. The Yogi depicts the essence of all the religions, of all the prophets and saints, all the approaches of Yoga and all the cultures on an allegorical fabric. It is a book for any age which all spiritual researchers and all nations should read and meditate on.

I wrote for Times of India regular columns for some time, and in one week what appeared and full text of what I wrote on the need for Open Access Online Archives for Tamil including mentioning about other pioneering such project finds place in this paper.

While translating a source language text, difficulties are faced essentially in choosing the most appropriate word or phrase in the target language. While agreeing with NIDA et al that centpercent equivalence may or may not be possible, this Paper sets up four parameters through the help of which the translator may be able to find equivalence.They are: CONTEXT-REFERENCE-CULTURE -STYLE of the Original.

பாரதிதாசன் இருபதாம் நூற்றாண்டைச் சார்ந்தவர். நவீன தமிழ் இலக்கியத்தில் சிறந்த கவிஞர்களில் ஒருவராகக் கருதப்படுகிறார். தொண்ணூறுகளில் தான் பாரதிதாசனின் படைப்புகளை மொழிபெயர்க்கும் ஆர்வம் ஏற்பட்டது. இவ்வார்வம் தமிழ்நாட்டு அரசால் நடத்தப்பட்ட பாரதிதாசன் நூற்றாண்டு கொண்டாட்டத்தால் தூண்டப்பட்டது எனலாம். பாரதிதாசனின் படைப்புகளை மொழிபெயர்ப்பதில் சில தனிப்பட்ட முயற்சிகள் இருந்தாலும், அவரது படைப்புகளை மொழிபெயர்ப்பதற்கான முக்கிய முயற்சிகள் சில நிறுவனங்களால் மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்டன. பாரதிதாசன் பல்கலைக்கழகமும் பாண்டிச்சேரி மொழியியல் மற்றும் மற்றும் பண்பாடு நிறுவனமும் மார்க்சிஸ்ட் பெரியார் கம்யூனிஸ்ட் கட்சியும் பாரதிதாசன் கவிதைகளின் மொழிபெயர்ப்பை ஒவ்வொரு தொகுதியாக  வெளியிட்டன. முதல் இரண்டு தொகுதிகளும் பல பங்களிப்பாளர்களின் சேகரிப்பு ஆகும்; மூன்றாவது ஒரு தனிப்பட்ட பங்களிப்பாளரின் தொகுப்பு ஆகும். தனிப்பட்ட முயற்சிகளில் தங்கப்பா மற்றும் தக்ஷிணமூர்த்தி ஆகியோரின் படைப்புகளை மேற்கோளாகக் காட்டலாம். வெளியிடப்படாத படைப்புக்களும் உள்ளன. ஏ.சி.செட்டியாரின் படைப்புகளை இந்த வகையின் மேற்கோளாகக் காட்டலாம்.

    பாரதிதாசனின் படைப்புகள் முக்கியமாக ஆங்கிலம் மற்றும் பிரஞ்சு மொழிகளில் மொழிபெயர்க்கப்பட்டாலும் இந்திய மொழிகளில் அவரது படைப்புகளை மொழிபெயர்ப்பதற்கான முயற்சிகளும் மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்டன. ஆங்கிலத்தில் மொழிபெயர்க்கப்பட்ட படைப்புக்கள் பிரஞ்சு மொழியில் மொழிபெயர்க்கப்பட்டவைகளை விட அதிக எண்ணிக்கையில் இருப்பதாகத் தோன்றுகின்றது. பாரதிதாசனின் உரைநடை மற்றும் கவிதை படைப்புகள் இரண்டும் மொழிபெயர்க்கப்பட்டுள்ளன; ஆனால் கவிதை மொழிபெயர்ப்புப் படைப்புகள் உரைநடைப் மொழிபெயர்ப்புப் படைப்புகளை விஞ்சியுள்ளன. மொழிபெயர்க்கப்பட்ட படைப்புக்கள் இருமொழிய மற்றும் ஒருமொழிய இயல்புடையவை. முந்தையவை தமிழ் பனுவல்களை மொழிபெயர்க்கப்பட்ட பனுவலுடன் சேத்துத் தரும். பிந்தையவை மொழிபெயர்க்கப்பட்ட பதிப்பை மட்டும் தரும். இருமொழிய மொழிபெயர்க்கப்பட்ட படைப்புகள் ஒரு மொழிய மொழிபெயர்ப்பட்ட படைப்புகளைக் காட்டிலும் அதிக எண்ணிக்கையில் உள்ளன என்று தோன்றுகிறது.
மூல கவிதைப் படைப்புகளின் மேதைத்தன்மையை மொழிபெயர்க்கப்பட்ட படைப்புகளின் வரையறுக்கப்பட்ட நியதியால் சரியான வகையில் வெளிப்படுத்த இயலாது என்று ஒருவர் சொன்னால் அது ஒரு மிகையாகாது. மதிப்பீட்டாளர் ஒரு இலக்கிய விமர்சகரின் பக்கமோ அல்லது ஒரு மொழி ஆய்வாளரின் பக்கமோ சாய இயலாது. அவர் தீவிரமாக ஒரு பக்கத்தைச்  சாரும் ஆபத்துக்களைத் தாண்டி ஒரு கயிற்றில் நடக்க வேண்டும். உண்மையைக் கூறினால் மொழிபெயர்ப்பு துல்லியமான மொழிபெயர்ப்புக்கும் மொழிபெயர்ப்பு ஆக்கத்திற்கும் இடையே ஊசலாடும் என்பதால் மொழிபெயர்க்கப்பட்ட கவிதைப் படைப்பின் மதிப்பீடு எளிதான செயலன்று. மதிப்பீட்டாளரின் பணி வினாவுக்கு உட்படுத்தப்படலாம் அல்லது அவரது பணிக்கான எதிர்பார்ப்பை நியாப்படுத்த இயலாமல் போகலாம்; ஏனென்றால் அவரது பங்களிப்பு மொழியியல் ஆய்வாளருக்கும் இலக்கிய விமர்சகர்களுக்கும் இடையில் ஊசலாடக்கூடும். மேலும் தமிழ் இலக்கிய சமுதாயத்தில் இன்னும் இலக்கிய விமர்சனம் ஒரு வரவேற்கத்தக்க விஷயம் அல்ல. தமிழ் இலக்கிய விமர்சகர்களை விட இலக்கியப் பாராட்டாளர்கள் மட்டுமே உள்ளனர். மொழிபெயர்ப்பு மதிப்பீட்டாளர்கள் கூட இந்த நெறிமுறை அல்லது போக்கிலிருந்து முற்றிலும் சுதந்திரமானவர் அல்ல. இந்த முன்னுரையுடன் எனது குறிக்கோளை எடுத்துக்கொள்கின்றேன். அவ்வாறு செய்வதற்கு முன்னர், காலத்தின் குறைவாலும் எல்லா மொழிபெயர்புப் படைப்புகளையும் பெற இயலவில்லை என்ற காரணத்தாலும்  பாரதிதாசனின் அனைத்து மொழிபெயர்ப்பு படைப்புகளையும் என்னால் ஆய இயலவில்லை. மேலும் இது மொழிபெயர்ப்புப் படைப்புகளை மதிப்பிடுவதில் ஆழமான கொள்கைகளை அடிப்படையாகக் கொண்ட ஒரு தீவிரமான ஆய்வு அல்ல என்பதை நான் குறிப்பிட விரும்புகிறேன். பாரதிதாசனின் படைப்புகளின் மொழிபெயர்ப்புகள் பற்றிய ஒரு ஆழ்ந்த ஆய்வு தேவை; இது இங்கு முயற்சிக்கப்படவில்லை.

Thiruvalluvar’s Thirukkural is a collection of sacred couplets. It is considered to be a masterpiece written on the subject of human thoughts. It has also been in par with the Holy Bible and with John Milton’s Paradise Lost, it has also been compared with other great books of many other religions. Thiruvalluvar’s views in Thirukkural is considered to be in a reasonable tone, and it also has hints of revolutionary ideas, such as terminating the system of caste. Thirukkural, the most celebrated work, has been an immense influence over the Tamil life and culture since ithas great views over the insights of our day to day life, making it to be universal. This paper aims to discuss the couplets translated by G. U. Pope’s on the chapters namely Learning and Friendship from the Thirukkural to be compared with the Book of Proverbs from the Holy Bible and with the essay Of Friendship by Francis Bacon.