Kural #160
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Tamil text
உண்ணாது நோற்பார் பெரியர்
பிறர்சொல்லும் இன்னாச்சொல் நோற்பாரின் பின்
Uṇṇātu nōṟpār periyar
Piṟarcollum iṉṉāccol nōṟpāriṉ piṉ
English translation
Those who fast without eating are great, but only after those who endure the bitter words of others.
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Explanation
This closing kural makes a bold comparison. Fasting ascetics are honored for their physical discipline. But those who endure verbal abuse demonstrate even greater spiritual discipline. Mind over body, patience over abstinence.
விளக்கம்
உணவு உண்ணாமல் தவம் செய்பவர் பெரியவரே. ஆனால், பிறர் கூறும் கெட்ட சொற்களைப் பொறுத்துக்கொள்பவர் அவர்களைவிட மேலானவர். பொறையுடைமை அதிகாரத்தில், பொறுமையின் சிறப்பை இது காட்டுகிறது. பொறுமை, தவத்தை விட உயர்ந்தது.
Word meanings
- உண்ணாதுuṇṇātuwithout eating
- நோற்பார்nōṟpārthose who fast/do penance
- பெரியர்periyargreat ones
- பிறர்piṟarothers
- சொல்லும்collumsay
- இன்னாiṉṉābitter
- சொல்colwords
- நோற்பார்nōṟpārthose who endure
- பின்piṉafter/behind
Story behind this kural
In a quiet village nestled beside a shimmering river, lived two monks. One, a man named Tharan, was known for his rigorous fasts. For weeks, he’d abstain from food, seeking enlightenment through physical denial. The other, Arul, was a humble man, often ridiculed for his simple ways. One day, a wealthy merchant, angered by Arul's refusal to offer him a discount, began to hurl insults. He mocked Arul's appearance, his clothes, and his perceived lack of wisdom. Arul listened, his face remaining calm, his eyes reflecting a quiet understanding. He offered no defense, no angry retort. Tharan, observing from afar, felt a surge of pride in his own asceticism. He believed his fasts were the truest path. Yet, as he watched Arul, the merchant eventually tiring of his tirade and leaving in a huff, a different understanding dawned. He realized that true strength lay not just in denying the body, but in mastering the spirit, in enduring the unkindness of others with grace. He understood where the true path to enlightenment lay.