Tamil books of law () or the more correct, Classical Tamil phrase (), are didactic

Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, nativ ...

works aimed to promote discipline (ஒழுக்கம்) among people. They were composed with intent to propound moral guidelines, often without specific religious affiliation, hence, many consider them to be

secular Secularity, also the secular or secularness (from Latin ''saeculum'', "worldly" or "of a generation"), is the state of being unrelated or neutral in regards to religion. Anything that does not have an explicit reference to religion, either negativ ...

. They are comparable to the dharmashastra of the Vedic culture.

Late Sangam period

Tirukkuṛaḷ The ''Tirukkuṟaḷ'' ( ta, திருக்குறள், lit=sacred verses), or shortly the ''Kural'' ( ta, குறள்), is a classic Tamil language text consisting of 1,330 short couplets, or kurals, of seven words each. The tex ...

(or the ''

Kural The ''Tirukkuṟaḷ'' ( ta, திருக்குறள், lit=sacred verses), or shortly the ''Kural'' ( ta, குறள்), is a classic Tamil language text consisting of 1,330 short couplets, or kurals, of seven words each. The tex ...

'')

Post Sangam period

Nālaṭiyār The Nālaṭiyār ( ta, நாலடியார்) is a Tamil poetic work of didactic nature belonging to the Eighteen Lesser Texts (''Patiṉeṇkīḻkaṇakku'') anthology of Tamil literature. This belongs to the post Sangam period cor ...

Nāṉmaṇikkaṭikai Nāṉmaṇikkaṭikai ( ta, நான்மணிக்கடிகை) is a Tamil poetic work of didactic nature belonging to the Eighteen Lesser Texts (''Patiṉeṇkīḻkaṇakku'') anthology of Tamil literature. This belongs to the 'post S ...

Iṉṉā Nāṟpatu Inna Narpathu () is a Tamil language, Tamil poetic work of didactic nature belonging to the Eighteen Lesser Texts (''Pathinenkilkanakku'') anthology of Tamil literature. The poems of ''Inna Narpathu'' are written in the Venpa meter. It was author ...

* Iṉiyavai Nāṟpatu, ''Forty Sweet things'' *

Tirikaṭukam Thirikatukam (Tamil: திரிகடுகம்) is a Tamil poetic work of didactic nature belonging to the Eighteen Lesser Texts (''Pathinenkilkanakku'') anthology of Tamil literature. This belongs to the 'post Sangam period' corresponding ...

, ''Three Medications'' *

Ācārakkōvai Acharakkovai ( ta, ஆசாரக்கோவை) is a poetic work of didactic nature belonging to the Eighteen Lesser Texts (''Pathinenkilkanakku'') anthology of Tamil literature. This belongs to the 'post Sangam period' corresponding to betw ...

Paḻamoḻi Nāṉūṟu Pazhamozhi Nanuru (Tamil: பழமொழி நானூறு) is a Tamil language, Tamil poetic work of didactic nature belonging to the Eighteen Lesser Texts (''Pathinenkilkanakku'') anthology of Tamil literature. This belongs to the 'post Sa ...

, ''Four-Hundred Sayings'' *

Ciṟupañcamūlam Ciṟupañcamūlam (Siruppanchamulam) (Tamil: சிறுபஞ்சமூலம்) is a Tamil language, Tamil poetic work of didactic nature belonging to the Eighteen Lesser Texts (''Pathinenkilkanakku'') anthology of Tamil literature. This ...

, ''Minor Origin of the Five'' *

Elāti Elathi is a Tamil language, Tamil poetic work of didactic nature belonging to the Eighteen Lesser Texts (''Pathinenkilkanakku'') anthology of Tamil literature. This belongs to the 'post Sangam period' corresponding to between 100 and 500 CE. ''E ...

Mutumoḻikkānci Muthumozhikkanchi (Tamil: முதுமொழிக்காஞ்சி) is a Tamil poetic work of didactic nature belonging to the Eighteen Lesser Texts (''Pathinenkilkanakku'') anthology of Tamil literature. This belongs to the 'post Sangam ...

Middle ages

*Aruṉkalaceppu *Aṟanericcāram, ''Chapter of Good Ethics'' *Naṟuttokai, ''Anthology of Goodness'' *Nītineṟiviḷakkam, ''Explanation of Laws and Morals'' *Nanneṟi, ''Good Ethics'' *Ulakanīti. ''Universal Law'' *Mutumoḻi Veṉpā ''The

Venpa Venpa or Venba ('' வெண்பா'' in Tamil) is a form of classical Tamil poetry. Classical Tamil poetry has been classified based upon the rules of metric prosody. Such rules form a context-free grammar. Every venba consists of between two ...

of Wise language'' *Āticūṭi, ''Classic of the

Orchid Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowerin ...

'' *Konṟai Vēntan, ''Lord of the

Golden Shower Golden means made of, or relating to gold. Golden may also refer to: Places United Kingdom *Golden, in the parish of Probus, Cornwall *Golden Cap, Dorset *Golden Square, Soho, London *Golden Valley, a valley on the River Frome in Gloucestershir ...

'' *Mūturai, ''Counsel of the wise'' *Nalvaḻi, ''Good path''

Modern

*Putiya Āticūṭi, ''New Āticūṭi'' *Neṟicūṭi, ''Classic of Ethics'' *Tamiḻcūṭi, ''Classic of Tamil'' *Nīticūṭi, ''Classic of Law'' *Nīticintāmaṉi, ''Thought gem of Law'' *Poṉmatimālai *Nītinūl, ''Book of Law'' *Nītipētam *Vivēkacintāmaṉi, ''Thought gem of wisdom'' {{Tamil language Legal history of India Tamil-language literature Tamil philosophy Law books