Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Delhi today to participate in the BRICS summit. Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed him, but one particular moment from their meeting captured everyone's attention. PM Modi presented President Putin with a special gift, a book titled Thirukkural. This work, authored by the Tamil saint and poet Thiruvalluvar, is approximately 2000 years old. PM Modi gifted the Russian translation of this masterpiece to Putin, stating that this book will play a significant role in further strengthening the cultural relations between India and Russia.
The Legacy of Thirukkural
Thirukkural is counted among the greatest classical works of the Tamil language. While the exact period of its composition isn't fixed, it's generally associated with a tradition that's about 2000 years old. This book has been translated into numerous languages across the globe. Interestingly, its Russian translation was completed in 2026, which is this very year according to the records. The work consists of 133 chapters and 1330 couplets. It encompasses thoughts ranging from an individual's personal life to society, governance, ethics, love, and human behavior.
The Three Pillars of the Work
Thirukkural is regarded as one of the world's most important ethical and philosophical works. The entire composition is divided into three major sections. The first section is Aram, which focuses on ethics, virtue, and right conduct, while the second section is Porul, which deals with the state, governance, politics, wealth, and social life. The third section is Inbam, which explores love and human emotions.
Aram: How to Live?
The first major part of Thirukkural is Aram, meaning virtue and an ethical life. It describes how an individual should lead their life, emphasizing truth, compassion, self-restraint, good conduct, and responsibility towards others. This work, written nearly 2000 years ago, still asks the fundamental question of how to become a good human being today.
Porul: Governance and Leadership
The second part of Thirukkural, known as Porul, remains extremely interesting even in today's political context. It contains reflections on governance, the king, administration, justice, ministers, the army, diplomacy, friends, and enemies. Even in an era when the current systems of modern democracy didn't exist, Thiruvalluvar spoke about the criteria for good governance and responsible leadership.
Inbam: The Story of Love
The third part of Thirukkural is Inbam, which gives space to love and human feelings. Thus, within a single work, one finds an individual's character, the structure of society, the policy of governance, and human love appearing together. This is considered its greatest specialty.
Unique Structure and Global Reach
The structure of Thirukkural is also very unique. The entire work contains 1330 couplets, divided into 133 chapters. Each chapter contains 10 couplets. This means that very large ideas are condensed into a small composition. The popularity of Thirukkural isn't limited to India. According to the Central Institute of Classical Tamil, Thirukkural has been translated into 65 languages and has reached six continents. Its translation into the Russian language is also not a new phenomenon.
A Symbol of India's Diversity
The book gifted to Russian President Vladimir Putin is in itself a picture of India's diversity. During the welcome of the Russian President in Delhi, the Thirukkural chosen by Prime Minister Modi doesn't come from North India but from the thousands of years old Tamil knowledge tradition of South India. Through this gesture, PM Modi has sent a message that the friendship between India and Russia isn't just strategic but also deeply cultural.