திருமந்திரமும் திருக்குறளும் - ஓர் ஒப்பீட்டு ஆய்வு: Thirumandhiram and Thirukkural - A Comparative Study

Abstract

Thirumandhiram, authored by Thirumoolar, and Thirukkural, authored by Thiruvalluvar—two prominent classical works in Tamil literary tradition—articulate the fundamental moral principles essential for human life. Although composed in different periods and for distinct purposes, both works share notable thematic convergence on five fundamental moral concepts: impermanence (நிலையாமெ), non-killing (கொல்லாமை), non-coveting another's wife (பிறன்மனை நயவாமை), abstinence from alcohol (கள்ளுண்ணாமை), and meat rejection (புலால் மறுத்தல்). This paper establishes this conceptual alignment using direct textual citations from the primary sources. The central finding of this research is that while Thirukkural emphasizes an external, socially grounded virtue of living, Thirumandhiram stresses an internal, spiritually oriented path toward liberation. Through comparative analytical tables examining each core concept individually, this study concludes that both texts collectively present a holistic philosophy of life that harmoniously blends ethics and spirituality.

Keywords

• Thirumandhiram
• Thirukkural
• Thirumoolar
• Thiruvalluvar
• Comparative Literature
• Impermanence
• Non-killing
• Ethics/Morality
• Spirituality