Kural #10
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Tamil text
பிறவிப் பெருங்கடல் நீந்துவர் நீந்தார்
இறைவன் அடிசேரா தார்
Piṟavip peruṅkaṭal nīntuvar nīntār
Iṟaivaṉ aṭicērā tār
English translation
Those who embrace the feet of the Lord will swim across the vast ocean of birth; those who do not, will not.
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Explanation
The first chapter concludes with a clear, simple statement. Life is compared to a vast, difficult ocean. Those who take divine refuge will successfully cross it; others will remain struggling. This kural summarizes the entire chapter's message: connection with God is essential for a meaningful life and liberation.
விளக்கம்
பிறவியாகிய பெரிய கடலை இறைவனின் திருவடியை அடைந்தவர் நீந்துவர். அடையாதவர் நீந்த மாட்டார். கடவுள் வாழ்த்து அதிகாரத்தில், இறைவனைச் சரணடைவதே வாழ்க்கையை அர்த்தமுள்ளதாக்கும் என்பது இதன் பொருள்.
Word meanings
- பிறவிpiṟavibirth/life
- பெரும்perumgreat/vast
- கடல்kaṭalsea/ocean
- நீந்துவர்nīntuvarwill swim across
- நீந்தார்nīntārwill not swim across
- இறைவன்iṟaivaṉthe Lord/God
- அடிaṭifeet
- சேராதார்cērātārthose who do not embrace
Story behind this kural
The old fisherman, Elan, knew the sea like the lines on his own weathered hands. Every morning, he’d cast his net, murmuring a prayer to the unseen forces that governed the tides and the catch. His neighbor, Tharan, a younger man, scoffed at Elan’s rituals. "The sea is about skill, not whispers," he'd boast, mending his nets with fierce determination. One day, a terrible storm arose, churning the sea into a frenzy. Tharan, confident in his strength, launched his boat. Elan, however, stayed on the shore, offering his prayers. Tharan battled the waves, his boat tossed about like a leaf. He struggled, his face etched with fear, until the storm swallowed him whole. When the tempest subsided, Elan gently sailed out. His small boat, guided by an unseen hand, returned laden with fish. He knew he had been protected, not by his own might, but by something far greater.