CHAP. IV. On the power of virtue. அறன்வலியுறு த.தல On the The title of this Chapter is composed of the terms virtue, a strength, power, and mss to cause, originate, and signifies the source whence thepower of virtue is derived. I. சிறப்பீனுஞ்செலவமுமீனும் அறத்திரை உங்காக்கமெவனோவுயிராக்கு (க) What more doth profit man than virtue doth, Eternal bliss ensues 2 ம “ Virtue'— The word here employed அறம, coinciding nearly with the Sanscrit term '80, which is frequently substituted for it, possesses great latitude of meaning. It signifies virtue generally; moral right as opposed to wrong; religious righteousness and the merit resulting from religious acts; the positive rights of things and persons, as ordained by law or established by custom, and the maintenance of such rights, or justice ; and lastly.charity. in the abstract and charitable acts of every description. In this Chapter, which is considered the particular introduction to the First Division of the work in it's two parts, Domestic virtue and Religious virtue, it must be taken in its more general sense, and as including both secular and religious virtue; this is expressly.stated by Parimel-azhager in his explanation of the title. அறனவகியுறுத்தல் அஃதாவது- அம்முனிவரா னுணரத்தப் பட்டவம்மூன்றனுளேவினைப்பொருளு ளவனைப்பொருளுமின்பமும்போலாதறனிமமை ம றுமைவீடென்னுமூன்றவனயும் பயத்தலானவற்றின வழியுடைத்தென பதுகூறுதலதிகாரமுறைமையுமிதனானே விளஙகும This title-The origination of the power of virtue is thus explained. Of the three great incidents of life distinguished by the sages who have treated on them, virtue differs from wealth and pleasure in that it effects alike both present and future. existence and the state of eternal beatitude; its power, therefore, is here stated and the purport of this Chapter will be explained accordingly. The following extracts will exemplify this term in many of the senses here stated and illustrate this couplet generally. The final stanzas are the composition of a living author Sidambala Pandáram. MA GA-PURA'NAM, கரும்பூமியிறபுன்முதற்பிறப்பெலாங்கடந்து பேதையீரறம்புரிந்திடுமென்மறை பேசும த்துவித்தரு மதானங்களிம்மையின் மெத்தியசெல்வமுஞ்சுதருமேவிநீண Having, in this world of works, passed through various states of existence from grass upwards, until by divine grace thou hast attained the human form; do not then say, while time passes in sleep and youth and age, I will perform acts of charity when it suits me; virtue when practised exalteth itself. Those, who, being properly instructed, do not perform duly their devotions, shall be thrust into a painful hell: Death pursues us from the hour of life watching his opportunity, therefore the Scriptures say “ye fools practise virtue." They who thus bestow alms and perform other acts of charity shall be blessed with children and the greatest felicity in this world, and an exalted station in the world to come; but, according to the ancient Word, alms can be rendered efficacious by charity only (lit. by zeali. e. for charity). டாகும் அகநெகலுமாதாவுமரியதாமென்ற றியாதாரென்பெறுவரனனாவன்னோ Neither by sacrifices, nor by bodily austerities, nor by the distribution of abundant wealth, nor by the aid of the powerful Gods, can virtue be establish cd, if affection (kindness or charity) exist not. When from charitable motives assistance, productive of satisfaction, is rendered, however small it may actually be, the virtue whence it proceeds will make it of great account ; Alas! alas! what then will they obtain who know not how important in its consequences is that charity which satisfieth the mind? i. e. that charity, which, not being hypocritical or vain-glorious, gives satisfaction to the mind of those by whom it is bestowed. PRABULINGA-LI'LEI. ஆதாவிலையேல்வேண்டுமறத்தின் றபொருளோர்செம்பொற் பூதாவளவழித்தும்பொருளழிவளவேயாகும் மாதரவுளதேனல்கும்பொருளணுவள் வென்றாலும் பூதரடுமனவளரந்து புண்ணியப்பொருள்ளிக்கும் If real charity exist not, though wealth equal to a mountain of gold be expended under the pretence of charity, it is all thrown away; if wealth equal to an atom be bestowed from feelings of real charity, this virtue will produce fruit enlarged to the size of a mountain, SA'NANDA-GANE'SA PURA'NAM. தருமமியற் றியதாழ்வறு நலலோர Can one mouth, however eloquent, declare the glory of the right road, which the eminently good, who have practised real charity, have entered, mounted on the chariot of arduous virtue, and by which they have attained to incalculable felicity. NÁLADI-NA'NURU. அரும்பெறவியாக்கையைப்பெற்றபயத்தாற் கரும்பாட்டிக்கட்டிசிறுகாவலக்கொண்டார துரு மபெழுந்துவேங்காற்றுயராண்டுழ்வார் வருந்தியுடம்பின்பயன் கொண்டார் கூற்றம் வருங்காறபரிவதிலர Having obtained a human form so difficult to obtain, act so as from it to acquire great merit; for in the next birth, charity will profit thee as the juice of the sugarcane, while thy body will resemble the refuse of the cane from which the juice has been pressed. They who have pressed the cane and extracted the juice will not be grieved when they see the smoke arising from the refuse while burning, nor will they who have acquired the merit accruing from the mortification of the body mourn when death approacheth. உறக்குந்துவிணையதோரால்மவித்தீண்டி இறப்பநிழற்பயந்தா அங்கப்பயனுந் தானசிறிதாயினுந்தக்கார்கைப்பட்டக்கால் The seed of the Al′ (Banyan tree) though exceedingly small grows large and affords abundant shade; so, however small may be the benefit of a virtuous act, it facilitates, when conferred on the worthy, the attainment of heaven. ணல்லறநறபொருளீட்டி நல்கலே யல்லதில்லாதிவிட்டகல்லாகுமால் ஆசறச்செய்யாநின்றவறத்தினாலுலகினமிக்க If men frequent the Soccity of those, who, by means of that eminent wisdom which proceeds chiefly from moral conduct, beneficence and truth, free from all defects, are distinguished for superior virtue, they will themselves become faultless and, distinguishing clearly the difference between. right and wrong, will cleanse themselves from the defilement of sin and become capable of practising the purest virtue. As the ordinances of the founders of all sects teach the practise of virtue, which sedulously avoids vice, and particularizes the eminence that thence results, assuredly the practise of that virtue is incumbent on all men. Of the two species of virtue, of which those versed in the knowledge of virtue have treated, namely, domestic and religious virtue; the former, of which the essence is beneficence, consists in the dispensing of wealth when it has been accumulated; the latter in retirement from domestic life and other enjoyments. As it is declared that from virtue, by which vice is destroyed, the highest felicity, liable to no calumny, proceeds in this world, and hereafter the attainment of eternal beatitude when all delusion ceases, can any thing more profitable than this glorious virtue be conceived or expressed? எல் "Felicity eternal bliss"-The terms used in the original are o and the former signifying temporal and the latter eternal felicity; லாபபெற்றிலுஞ்சிறந்தமையின் வீடுகிறப்பென்னப்பட்டதthestateof final beatitude being specially distinguished from all others is called the special state. The latter is obtained only by the exalted piety, which, as stated in the preceding chapter, results from renouncing all material objects and aspiring to a purely spiritual existence; the former, which includes both earthly. felicity and that enjoyed in the several heavens in which merit is rewarded, results from the exercise of the social virtues, benevolence, charity, hospitality and the rest. 分 Duy speciality; here and in other places in this work it signifies the special joys of eternity.- that will produce; the future participle of us to bring forth. temporal happiness, prosperity, wealth, from Os to go, depart, pass away.—es and; this conjunction may be united, as in the present instance, to one only or to all the terms it conjoins as above. than அறத்தின் virtue; the 5th case used with terins denoting comparison.eveng fore, the first vowel being lengthened by L, more.— sss gain, profit. what? this term, though properly a substantive pronoun, is here used adjectively for this is properly an interrogative particle, but being here used with a term implying interrogation, adds nothing to the sense and must, therefore, be considered expletive.-— to the living, to mortals; en means literally life, but is frequently used in this general sense. - II. அறததி றத்தினூஉங்காக்கமுமில்விலயதவன மறத்தலினூ உங்கில்வில்கேடு No greater gain than virtue can'st thou know, (2) "No greater gain-no greater loss"This verse is corroborative of the preceding. As these two verses are connected in subject with the Couple |