Thirukkural Verse 0030

Verse 30

Kural	Shloka
அந்தணர் என்போர் அறவோர்மற் றெவ்வுயிர்க்கும் செந்தண்மை பூண்டொழுக லான்.	मित्रता सर्वभूतेषु दानमध्ययनं तपः | ब्राह्मणस्यैष धर्मः स्यान्न राज्ञो राजसत्तम || Mahabharata Shanti Parva 12.14.15 (Gita Press)

Comments and Research Notes

The semantic parallel is straightforward: मित्रता सर्वभूतेषु corresponds to மற்றெவ்வுயிர்க்கும் செந்தண்மை பூண்டொழுகலான், ब्राह्मणस्य to அந்தணர், and धर्मः to அறவோர். The shloka states directly that the Dharma of the Brahmanas is benevolence or friendliness toward all beings, whereas the kural expresses the same semantics through the framing that the Brahmanas are called observers of Dharma because they conduct themselves with benevolence or friendliness toward all living beings. The shloka additionally includes दानम्, अध्ययनम्, तपः as part of ब्राह्मणस्यैष धर्मः, along with further contextual material not relevant to the kural parallel.