Thirukkural and 81 Qualities of Krishna (Part I Arathuppal)

About the Author

Dr. S. Chanorasekaran is an Electrical Engineer from Annamalai University, 1968 batch. After many jobs like in Durgapur Steel Plant, he is now a renowned and busy valuer, Chartered Engineer and Lenders’ Engineer for many projects worth Rs. 100 Crore and above. He always says that he does only three things: his small service-oriented business, talking about Krishna and joking continuously. He feels Krishna gives him ideas to combine all these three.

His maiden venture is ‘Kids Laugh & Learn Gita’.

He has already translated it and published in Tamil also. His intention is to publish it in all Indian languages. The present one is his third one and many more are under production simultaneously, all on Lord Krishna.

A concise list of his forthcoming books is as below:

1. 81 promises of Krishna in 18 chapters of Gita

2. 81 Guinness records of Krishna

3. 81 questions of Arjuna with Krishna’s answers

4. 81 unique conversations with Krishna

Preface

Krishna stood for Dharma throughout His life. He encouraged, supported and helped Dharma. His life and Mahabharat give ample testimony for the same. Thirukkural has 3 sections and Aratthuppaal is the section dealing with Aram, which as a word has much more connotation and import than the word ‘Dharma’. What the author intelligently has taken up is the connection between these Kannan & Kural which is not so obvious. Definitely, had it been obvious, many more books for this concept should have come out, which is not the case. Since Tirukkural is called ‘the Tamil Veda’, it is most appropriate that this book culls out the connection between Kural and Krishna Who declares in 15^th Chapter 15^th Sloka that He is the compiler of the Vedanta, He is the knower of the Vedas and by all the Vedas, He is to be known. So let us, as per His own declaration, know Krishna through Tamil Veda also.

Bhagavad Gita is the instruction of Lord Krishna and it guides us in our everyday life. Throughout this book "Tirukkural & Krishna’s 81 qualities", for many Kural couplets, the author quotes from the Bhagavad Gita. Since Thirukkural has instructions on how to lead life in the right way and Krishna as Jagad Guru has instructions on dharmic way of life, the fusion of these two makes interesting reading. In other cases, he gives the Krishna connection to the specific Kural under consideration, like what He did in His life.

I am told that the author is planning two other books for the Part 11 (Porutpaal) of Thirukkural. I wish him well.

Every page in the book captures a wonderful Kural in Tamil, gives its easy meaning in two languages, quotes a point relating to Lord Krishna and hurls a joke at us. Three types of people will relate to this book. Those who know about Tirukkural, those who know about Krishna and those readers who want a lighter reading in the humour section. Slowly in their own speed, this third category of people also can drift to Kural and cherish the links brought out uniquely in this book.

Providing easy meanings for the Thirukkural will turn out to be a great boon to Tamil novice and Non-Residential Tamil kids as the English meanings can be a good starter.

In short, I must say that this book is an excellent and inseparable combination of Knowledge and Humour.

Introduction

Kural is famous. Krishna’s name is famous. But the connection between these two is not only not famous, it is practically not known. There is enough research as to whether Thiruvalluvar was a Jain or a Shaivaite, but nobody raised any sound about his being a Krishnaite.1 am doing that now.

Long back I thought that there must be some connection pre-existing between these two classics. I could not find much and left the idea of comparing these two. Now I found there are substantial similarities. Definitely, it is not that in the meantime either Lord Krishna or the great Thiruvalluvar have added something new. Only that my own understanding (rather slow?) of both of these books has improved over a period.

I started reading both of them anew and with more depth. My eyes widened. I was amazed at my own discovery. There are striking similarities in so many places. Leaving out Inbaththuppaal, I studied Araththuppaal and Porutpaal. I found enough material for not one but three books (one in Araththuppaal and two in Porutpaal). What I found I wanted to share with the world.

Even though there are enough number of commentaries and books on both of these great books, I found there is a void when one wants to read a combination of these two. I am now attempting to link what Kural says to either what Krishna did in His life or during Mahabharat war or what He said in the Gita or in His life as corroborated by Sri mad Bhagavatam and Chaitanya Charitamritha.

Now, about the humor. I always believe in sugar-coated pills. Whether one immediately agrees or not, both these books are heavy subjects. By intertwining them with a joke emanating from the lighter side of the Kural, it is made to go in smoothly. Remembering the contents of both of these great books also will be better.

Now it is all with you and I pray to both Krishna and Valluvar to bless you for an entertaining reading.