Sanskrit Verses Similar to Thirukkural - Verse 0010

Verse 10

Kural	Shloka
பிறவிப் பெருங்கடல் நீந்துவர் நீந்தார் இறைவன் அடிசேரா தார்.	अविरतभवभावनातिदूरं भवविमुखैर्मुनिभिः सदैव दृश्यम् | भवजलधिसुतारणाङ्घ्रिपोतं शरणमहं रघुनन्दनं प्रपद्ये || Adhyatma Ramayaṇa, Araṇyakaṇḍa 3.8.48

Comments and Research Notes

The shloka is an excellent semantic match for the kural: both directly connect crossing the ocean of birth with reaching the feet of God. This shloka is the 5th in a subsection called the Jatayukruta Rama Stotram, which occurs within Sarga 8 of the Aranyakandam of Adhyatma Ramayanam.

There are some differences between the kural and shloka. The kural uses the general and abstract term for God, whereas, the shloka specifies (the name and form of) Lord Rama. The kural uses the term swim across, whereas the shloka mentions a boat (potam). The kural explicitly asserts the converse position, that is, those who do not reach the feet of God do not swim across; the shloka is silent about them. The shloka has the notion of surrendering to the Lord whose feet is the boat, whereas the kural talks simply of reaching His feet.

The first line of the shloka additionally conveys that Lord Rama is very far from the constant contemplation of worldly existence, but is ever seen by the sages sages who have turned away from worldly existence. This idea is not covered by the kural.

This crossing the ocean of samsara by taking refuge in God’s feet is a common theme across numerous Indic texts.

Another strikingly similar shloka that is an equally good match is Verse 4 of the Dakshinamurthy Ashtakam by Vrishabhadeva Verse 4: अविरतभवभावनाऽतिदूरं पदपद्मद्वयभाविनामदूरम् । भवजलधिसुतारणाङ्घ्रिपोतं सततमहं दक्षिणामूर्तिमीडे ॥