Kural #1033
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Tamil text
உழுதுண்டு வாழ்வாரே வாழ்வார்
மற்றெல்லாம் தொழுதுண்டு பின்செல் பவர்
Uḻutuṇṭu vāḻvārē vāḻvār
Maṟṟellām toḻutuṇṭu piṉcel pavar
English translation
Only those who plough and eat truly live; all others merely worship and eat, following them.
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Explanation
Farmers alone live independently through their own labor. All other professions depend on farmers for sustenance, making them secondary.
விளக்கம்
உழுது உணவுண்போரே உயிர் வாழ்கிறார்; மற்றவர் அவரைச் சார்ந்து வாழ்பவரே. உழவுத் தொழிலே முதன்மையானது, அதுவே சிறந்த வாழ்வு. பிற தொழில்கள் எல்லாம் உழவை நம்பியே உள்ளன. உழவின் மேன்மையை இது உணர்த்துகிறது.
Word meanings
- உழுதுuḻutuploughing
- உண்டுuṇṭueating
- வாழ்வார்vāḻvārthose who live
- வாழ்வார்vāḻvārtruly live
- மற்றுmaṟṟuothers
- எல்லாம்ellāmall
- தொழுதுtoḻutuworshipping/serving
- பின்செல்பவர்piṉcelpavarthose who follow
Story behind this kural
In a sun-drenched village, lived a farmer named Arul. His days began with the dawn, toiling in his fields, coaxing life from the earth. His harvest fed not only his family but also the village. The weaver, the potter, and the merchant all depended on Arul’s yield. The weaver, adorned in fine clothes, often boasted of his skill. The potter, proud of his crafted vessels, spoke of their beauty. The merchant, with his bustling shop, declared himself the wealthiest. Yet, when the rains failed one year, and Arul’s fields withered, their skills and treasures proved worthless. The weaver’s clothes couldn't fill an empty stomach. The potter’s pots couldn't hold the wind. The merchant's riches could not conjure a single grain. They all, in the end, looked to Arul, the humble farmer, who, despite hardship, had managed to salvage a small portion of his harvest. They realized then the true source of sustenance.