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Thirukkural and the ethical works: the twenty syllabus chapters and the eighteen minor works

By TNPSC Guide editorial team · Last updated:

Key numbers

Answers to the previous-year questions

those like useless barren land (2024, Q20)the unlearned; chapter Kallaamai, kural 406
'mannodiyaintha maraththanaiyar' (2025, Q100)those without compassion; chapter Kannottam, kural 576
one able to say clearly before the learned what he has learnt (2025, Q50)is honoured as most learned among the learned; chapter Avaiyanjaamai, kural 722
meaning of the word 'thaguthiyaan' (2025, Q51)patience; chapter Poraiyudaimai, class 9 appendix, page 254
the medicine not in the Elathi (2025, Q47)kandangaththiri; it is a root of the Sirupanchamoolam
the work with "thootrin kan thooviya viththu" (2025, Q48)Thirikadugam; verse 80
the personal name of the Nanmanikkadigai's author (2025, Q99)Naganar (the author is Vilambi Naganar)

Poets who praised Valluvar

Bharathiyar"Valluvan thannai ulaginukke thanthu vaanpugazh konda Tamizhnaadu"
Bharathidasan"Valluvanaip petrathaal petrathe pugazh vaiyagame"

Chapters per iyal

Araththuppaal (38)Paayiraviyal 4, Illaraviyal 20, Thuravaraviyal 13, Oozhiyal 1
Porutpaal (70)Arasiyal 25, Amaichchiyal 32, Ozhibiyal 13
Inbaththuppaal (25)Kalaviyal 7, Karpiyal 18
Total133 chapters, 9 iyals

The twenty syllabus chapters

Aran Valiyuruththal4 (class 6 appendix)
Anbudaimai (TVA heading 'Anbu Udaimai')8 (kurals 71-80)
Virunthombal (TVA heading 'Virunthu Ombal')9 (kurals 81-90)
Naduvunilaimai (syllabus 'Nadunilaimai')12 (class 8 appendix)
Ozhukkamudaimai14 (class 10 appendix)
Poraiyudaimai16 (class 9 appendix)
Purangooraamai19 (class 7 appendix)
Eegai23 (kurals 221-230)
Aruludaimai25 (class 7 appendix)
Koodaa Ozhukkam28 (class 8 appendix)
Kalvi40 (kurals 391-400)
Kallaamai41 (class 8 appendix)
Periyaaraith Thunaikkodal45 (class 10 appendix)
Sengonmai55 (class 8 appendix)
Kannottam58 (class 10 appendix)
Ookkamudaimai (TVA heading 'Ookkam Udaimai')60 (kurals 591-600)
Vinai Seyalvagai (TVA heading 'Vinai Seyal Vagai')68 (kurals 671-680)
Avaiyanjaamai (TVA heading 'Avai Anjaamai')73 (kurals 721-730)
Natpu Aaraaithal (syllabus 'Natpaaraaithal')80 (class 8 appendix)
Panpudaimai100 (class 8 appendix)

Seven kurals from the TVA text

Anbudaimai, kural 71 (first kural)"Anbirkum undo, adaikkum thaazh? Aarvalar punkanneer poosal tharum"
Virunthombal, kural 90 (last kural, the anicham simile)"Moppak kuzhaiyum anichcham; mugam thirinthu nokkak kuzhaiyum virunthu"
Eegai, kural 221 (the definition of giving)"Variyaarkku ondru eevathe eegai; matru ellaam kuriyethirppai neerathu udaiththu"
Kalvi, kural 391 (first kural)"Karka, kasadu ara, karpavai! Katrapin, nirka, atharkuth thaga!"
Ookkamudaimai, kural 595 (the lotus-stalk simile)"Vellaththu anaiya, malar neettam; maanthartham ullaththu anaiyathu, uyarvu"
Vinai Seyalvagai, kural 675 (the five to weigh before acting)"Porul, karuvi, kaalam, vinai, idanodu ainthum irul theera ennich seyal!"
Avaiyanjaamai, kural 722 (second kural)"Katraarul katraar enappaduvar katraarmun katra selach solluvaar"

Authors of the ethical works

SirupanchamoolamKariyasan; a student of Makkaayanar, a Tamil teacher of Madurai; Kaari is the name, aasaan the profession; the preface calls him 'Maakkaariyaasaan' (class 9, page 134)
Sirupanchamoolam, verse 22'Poovaathu kaaikkum maram ula' (class 9, page 133)
ThirikadugamNallaathanar ('Aathanar' the name, 'nal' the prefix); a hundred verses without the invocation; verse 80 has 'Thootrinkan thooviya viththu' (TVA preface)
Thirikadugam, verse 11the one beginning 'Kanakkaayar illaatha oorum' (class 11, page 95)
ElathiKanimethaviyar (Kanimethai); taken as a Jain because he praises Arugan; he also wrote the Thinaimaalai Nootraimbathu; he too was a student of Makkaayanar; each verse gives six thoughts (TVA preface)
NanmanikkadigaiVilambi Naganar; 'Naganar' may be taken as the personal name and 'Vilambi' as the place name; taken as a Vaishnava because both invocations sing of Maayavan (TVA preface)
Inna NarpathuKabila Thevar, later than the Sangam Kabilar, friend of Paari; forty verses without the invocation (TVA preface)

Other ethical works in the textbooks

Neethineri VilakkamKumaragurubarar; 102 venbas with the invocation; 'Kalvi azhage azhagu' is its verse 13 (class 8, page 70)
Naladiyarthe verse beginning 'Kalvi karaiyila karpavar naalsila' (class 8, page 71)
Vetrivetkai (Narunthogai)Athiveerarama Pandiyar, king of Korkai (class 10, page 55)
Neethi VenbaKa.Pa. Seigu Thambi Pavalar (class 10, page 106)
Pazhamozhi Nanoorusays of the giving of Paari and Pegan, 'arimadamum saandrorkku ani' (class 12, page 203)
Aathichoodi, Kondraivendhanread by children; arranged in alphabetical order (class 12, page 82)

Easy to confuse

Naduvunilaimai / Nadunilaimaitextbook spelling / syllabus spelling; both chapter 12
Natpu Aaraaithal / Natpaaraaithaltextbook spelling / syllabus spelling; both chapter 80
Vinai Seyalvagai / Vinai Seyal Vagaisyllabus spelling / TVA heading; both chapter 68
Ozhukkam Udaimai, Arul Udaimaiprinted with a space in the appendix (class 10, page 230; class 7, page 76); both are right; do not change an answer because of the space
Koodaa Ozhukkam / Koodaa Natpuchapter 28, Araththuppaal / chapter 83, Porutpaal
Natpu / Natpu Aaraaithalchapter 79 / chapter 80
Amaichchiyal / Arasiyal32 chapters, the largest iyal / 25 chapters
Thuravaraviyal / Ozhibiyal13 chapters each
kandangaththiria Sirupanchamoolam root, not an Elathi ingredient
sirunaavarpoo (the fourth option of 2025 Q47)the TVA preface's Elathi list does not have this name (it has naagakesaram); this lesson's sources do not say whether the two are the same; the final key is kandangaththiri alone
sukku, milagu, thippiliin both the Thirikadugam and the Elathi
Kabila Thevar of the Inna Narpathu / the Sangam Kabilarlater / friend of Paari; not the same person
Neethineri Vilakkam / Neethi VenbaKumaragurubarar / Seigu Thambi Pavalar
The full note

The name and its glory

Thiru + kural = Thirukkural. It got this name as a work made of excellent kural venbas; a kural is a two-line venba, and thiru is an honorific prefix. The Thirukkural is praised as the common scripture of the world, an ethical classic and the Tamils' sacred book; it has been translated into English, Latin, Greek and other languages. In the proverb 'Aalum velum pallukkuruthi, naalum irandum sollukkuruthi', 'naalu' means the Naladiyar and 'irandu' the Thirukkural. The Tamil Nadu government has set up a 133-foot statue of Thiruvalluvar at Kanniyakumari; Thiruvalluvar University has been set up at Vellore. Example: Valluvar's statue at Kanniyakumari is 133 feet high; the Thirukkural also has 133 chapters; remember the two together.

Paals and iyals

The three paals of the Thirukkural are divided into iyals. Araththuppaal has 38 chapters, Porutpaal 70 and Inbaththuppaal 25; in all 133 chapters and 9 iyals. The Thirukkural commentary in the appendix of the school textbooks is Dr Va.Suba. Manickanar's 'Eliya Urai'. Example: just as a house has rooms, each paal is made of some iyals, and each iyal of some chapters.

Neighbouring chapters

Some chapters come at neighbouring numbers; remember them in pairs. Anbudaimai 8, Virunthombal 9; Kalvi 40, Kallaamai 41; Sengonmai 55, Kodungonmai 56, Veruvantha Seyyaamai 57, Kannottam 58; Natpu 79, Natpu Aaraaithal 80. Koodaa Ozhukkam is chapter 28 (Araththuppaal); Koodaa Natpu is chapter 83 (Porutpaal); both begin with 'koodaa', so they get swapped. Example: just as you think of two classmates with neighbouring roll numbers together, say 40 Kalvi, 41 Kallaamai together.

Similes of Araththuppaal

Naduvunilaimai (kural 118): like the balance that weighs evenly, not leaning to one side is the beauty of the noble. Its last kural (kural 120): to guard others' goods as one's own is good trade for traders. Koodaa Ozhukkam (kural 273): the ascetic garb of one without self-control is like a cow grazing under a tiger's skin. Doing evil hidden in a disguise is like a hunter hiding in a bush to catch birds (kural 274). If one gives up conduct the world blames, there is no need to shave the head or grow matted hair (kural 280). Example: when you see a balance standing level at the market, recall the Naduvunilaimai chapter. These explanations give the thought of the simple commentary. 2024 Q20 and 2025 Q100 both asked for the simile, not the commentary's words.

Similes of Porutpaal

As living beings live looking to the rain, the people live looking to the king's just sceptre (kural 542). What gives a king victory is not the spear but the unbent sceptre (kural 546). Punishing the wicked is like weeding a crop (kural 550). The unlearned are like barren land, of no use beyond being alive (Kallaamai, kural 406). Those without compassion though they have eyes are like a tree rooted in the soil that does not grow (Kannottam, kural 576). Example: when you see weeding in a field, recall kural 550, which likens punishing the wicked to weeding.

The eighteen minor works and the medicine-named works

The ethical works that came after the Sangam literature are the eighteen minor works (Pathinen Keezhkkanakku); among them are works that give three, five or six thoughts in one verse. Thirikadugam, Sirupanchamoolam and Elathi are named after medicines; each verse gives three, five and six thoughts respectively. Thirikadugam is sukku, milagu and thippili. Sirupanchamoolam is the five small roots kandangaththiri, siruvazhuthunai, sirumalli, perumalli and nerunji. Elathi is a powder of the six things elam, ilavangappattai, naagakesaram, milagu, thippili and sukku, mixed in one to six parts in that order. Example: sukku, milagu and thippili are kitchen items; they are in both the Thirikadugam and the Elathi; kandangaththiri is only in the Sirupanchamoolam.

What the names mean

Nanmanikkadigai means four pieces of gem (kadigai = piece); each verse gives four matching thoughts; there are 101 verses besides the two invocations. Each verse of the Inna Narpathu names four things that cause suffering as 'innaa'. Four works of the minor works are named 'narpathu': Kaar Narpathu (agam), Kalavazhi Narpathu (puram), Inna Narpathu and Iniyavai Narpathu (aram). In Muthumozhikkanchi, 'muthumozhi' means proverb; it is said to be a work stringing many proverbs, like a kaanji ornament stringing many gems; the venba that lists the eighteen minor works calls it just 'Kaanji'. Example: as gems are strung into a garland, the Muthumozhikkanchi strings proverbs together.

Source: தமிழ், ஆறாம் வகுப்பு, முதல் பருவம், தொகுதி 1 (Tamil, Standard VI, Term I, Volume 1; Samacheer Kalvi) (12ஆம் வகுப்புப் பொதுத் தமிழ், இயல் 3 திருக்குறள் (நூல்வெளி), பக்கம் 76, இயல் 4, பக்கம் 82, இயல் 8, பக்கம் 203; 11ஆம் வகுப்புத் தமிழ், இயல் 4, பக்கம் 95; திருக்குறள் எளிய உரை (பின்னிணைப்பு): 6ஆம் வகுப்பு, முதல் பருவம், பக்கம் 78; 7ஆம் வகுப்பு, முதல் பருவம், பக்கம் 75-76; 8ஆம் வகுப்பு, பக்கம் 214-221; 9ஆம் வகுப்பு, பக்கம் 254; 10ஆம் வகுப்பு, பக்கம் 230-235; 9ஆம் வகுப்புத் தமிழ், இயல் 5 சிறுபஞ்சமூலம், பக்கம் 133-134; 8ஆம் வகுப்புத் தமிழ், இயல் 4, பக்கம் 70-71; 10ஆம் வகுப்புத் தமிழ், இயல் 3, பக்கம் 55, இயல் 5, பக்கம் 106; தமிழ் இணையக் கல்விக்கழகம் (2026-10-20 அன்று சேமித்த பக்கங்கள்): அதிகாரங்கள் 8, 9, 23, 40, 60, 68, 73; திரிகடுகம், ஏலாதி, நான்மணிக்கடிகை, இன்னா நாற்பது, முதுமொழிக்காஞ்சி முகவுரைகள்)

PYQ (2012-2025 papers)

Provisional key: until TNPSC publishes the final key; the answer may change.

Free questions

  1. Question 1

    திருக்குறளின் இயல்களுள் மிகுதியான அதிகாரங்களைக் கொண்டது எது?

    1. A. அரசியல்
    2. B. இல்லறவியல்
    3. C. கற்பியல்
    4. D. அமைச்சியல்
    Answer and explanation

    Correct answer: D. அமைச்சியல்

    பொருட்பாலின் 70 அதிகாரங்கள் அரசியல் 25, அமைச்சியல் 32, ஒழிபியல் 13 எனப் பகுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன; ஒன்பது இயல்களுள் மிகப் பெரியது அமைச்சியல் (32).

    Source: பொதுத் தமிழ், மேல்நிலை இரண்டாம் ஆண்டு (General Tamil, Standard XII; Samacheer Kalvi) (இயல் 3 திருக்குறள் (நூல்வெளி), p. 76 (PDF p. 88))

  2. Question 2

    திருவள்ளுவரின் நினைவாக அமைக்கப்பட்டுள்ள திருவள்ளுவர் பல்கலைக்கழகம் எங்குள்ளது?

    1. A. கன்னியாகுமரி
    2. B. மதுரை
    3. C. கொற்கை
    4. D. வேலூர்
    Answer and explanation

    Correct answer: D. வேலூர்

    தமிழ்நாடு அரசு 133 அடி உயரத் திருவள்ளுவர் சிலையைக் கன்னியாகுமரியில் நிறுவியுள்ளது; திருவள்ளுவரின் நினைவாக வேலூரில் திருவள்ளுவர் பல்கலைக்கழகம் அமைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது (12ஆம் வகுப்பு நூல்வெளி).

    Source: பொதுத் தமிழ், மேல்நிலை இரண்டாம் ஆண்டு (General Tamil, Standard XII; Samacheer Kalvi) (இயல் 3 திருக்குறள் (நூல்வெளி), p. 76 (PDF p. 88))

  3. Question 3

    அறத்துப்பாலின் இல்லறவியலில் உள்ள அதிகாரங்கள் எத்தனை?

    1. A. 13
    2. B. 20
    3. C. 4
    4. D. 38
    Answer and explanation

    Correct answer: B. 20

    அறத்துப்பாலின் 38 அதிகாரங்கள் பாயிரவியல் 4, இல்லறவியல் 20, துறவறவியல் 13, ஊழியல் 1 எனப் பகுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன (12ஆம் வகுப்பு நூல்வெளி).

    Source: பொதுத் தமிழ், மேல்நிலை இரண்டாம் ஆண்டு (General Tamil, Standard XII; Samacheer Kalvi) (இயல் 3 திருக்குறள் (நூல்வெளி), p. 76 (PDF p. 88))

  4. Question 4

    திருக்குறளில் ஒரே ஓர் அதிகாரத்தைக் கொண்ட இயல் எது?

    1. A. பாயிரவியல்
    2. B. களவியல்
    3. C. ஒழிபியல்
    4. D. ஊழியல்
    Answer and explanation

    Correct answer: D. ஊழியல்

    அறத்துப்பாலின் ஊழியல் ஓர் அதிகாரம் மட்டும் கொண்டது; பாயிரவியல் 4, களவியல் 7, ஒழிபியல் 13.

    Source: பொதுத் தமிழ், மேல்நிலை இரண்டாம் ஆண்டு (General Tamil, Standard XII; Samacheer Kalvi) (இயல் 3 திருக்குறள் (நூல்வெளி), p. 76 (PDF p. 88))

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