Sanskrit Verses Similar to Thirukkural - Verse 0004

Verse 4

Kural	Shloka
வேண்டுதல் வேண்டாமை இலானடி சேர்ந்தார்க்கு யாண்டும் இடும்பை இல.	योगयुक्ते त्वयि सदा रागद्वेषविवर्जिते | दयामात्रैकनिरते न वध्या ह्यथवा तव || Shiva Purana, Rudra Samhita, Sati Kanda 2.2.16.11 त्वत्पादपङ्कजं स्मृत्वा सर्वदुःखक्षयो भवेत् | दुःखं सतीवियोगोत्थं निवर्तय महेश्वर || Shiva Rahasya, Ishakhya 12th Amsa, Adhyaya 7, Verse 39

Comments and Research Notes

The kural combines two ideas: One who is without desire and aversion, and removal of afflictions of those who reach the feet of such a One. The kural does not explicitly name such a One as God, although it is implicit due to its being within the கடவுள் வாழ்த்து adhikaram and இறைவன் is mentioned explicitly in other kurals in that section.

We could find a parallel only by including two shlokas that touch upon one idea each. The first shloka is Daksha speaking in praise of Shiva to Sati about Shiva, characrterizing him as रागद्वेषविवर्जिते, which correspponds to வேண்டுதல் வேண்டாமை இலான். In the second shloka chosen here from the Shiva Rahasya, Brahma addresses Shiva, who is grieving Sati’s separation, declares that remembering Shiva’s lotus-feet destroys all suffering. This correspons to: அடிசேர்ந்தார்க்கு யாண்டும் இடும்பை இல.

Though apaprently the sources of the two shlokas are different, they share a common anchor. In both cases, they refer to Lord Shiva, and specifically within the shared context of the story of Sati devi. The second verse was therefore chosen over countless other alternatives in the literature conveying that those who reach God’s feet are freed of all sorrows and afflictions.

It is useful to note that Lord Shiva is characterized not only as beyond desires and aversions, but more generally as being beyond dualities, for example, see Shiva Purana 2.2.1.4: स योगी सर्वविष्ण्वादिसुरसेव्यः सतां गतिः । निर्द्वन्द्वः क्रीडति सदा निर्विकारो महाप्रभुः ॥ This is a recurrent theme across many texts for different names and forms of divinity. See for example: Lord Krishna says न मे द्वेष्योऽस्ति न प्रियः in Bhavad Gita 9.29.

Associating the concept of रागद्वेषविवर्जितः with the divine if found in other Indic religions too. In the Jain text by Haribhadra called the Shad-darshana-samuccaya, verse 45, we find expression of a similar idea: जिनेन्द्रो देवता तत्र रागद्वेषविवर्जितः। हतमोहमहामल्लः केवलज्ञानदर्शनः ॥ A similar idea is found in the well known Buddhist vandana: तं भगवन्तं वीतरागं वीतद्वेषं शिरसा नमामि । Sikh texts (in Punjabi) also contain similar themes: characterizing God as nirvair and beyond all dualities, and discusses freedom from duhkha and raaga through God and Guru.