Kural #190
Last reviewed:
Tamil text
ஏதிலார் குற்றம்போல் தம்குற்றம் காண்கிற்பின்
தீதுண்டோ மன்னும் உயிர்க்கு
Ētilār kuṟṟampōl tamkuṟṟam kāṇkiṟpiṉ
Tītuṇṭō maṉṉum uyirkku
English translation
If one could see one's own faults as clearly as one sees others' faults, would any evil befall such a person?
Listen
Explanation
The golden principle to end the chapter: examine yourself as critically as you examine others. Self-awareness prevents the urge to criticize. Those who see their own faults will not be harmed.
விளக்கம்
பிறர் குறையைத் தேடுவதுபோல் தம் குறையை உணர்ந்தால், ஒருவருக்குத் துன்பம் ஏதும் இல்லை. புறங்கூறாமை அதிகாரத்தின்படி, தன்னைத் திருத்திக் கொண்டால் தீமை அணுகாது. இது சுயபரிசோதனை செய்து நல்வழி நடக்க உதவும்.
Word meanings
- ஏதிலார்ētilārothers/strangers
- குற்றம்kuṟṟamfaults
- போல்pōllike
- தம்tamone's own
- காண்கிற்பின்kāṇkiṟpiṉif one sees
- தீதுtītuevil/harm
- உண்டோuṇṭōis there?
- மன்னும்maṉṉumlasting
- உயிர்க்குuyirkkufor the soul/life
Story behind this kural
In the village of Eldoria lived two brothers, Theron and Silas. Theron was known for his sharp tongue, always pointing out the flaws of others. "Look at Elara," he'd sneer, "her weaving is uneven!" Silas, quieter, observed his brother's pronouncements. One day, their father asked them to repair the family's crumbling fence. Theron, with a critical eye, inspected Silas's work. "The posts are crooked!" he declared. "And the wood is splintered!" Silas, instead of arguing, examined the fence. He saw, to his dismay, that his own hammering had been careless. His own posts were indeed askew. Silas quietly straightened them, then turned to his brother. "Perhaps," he said, "we can help each other?" Together, they rebuilt the fence, their shared effort improving both the structure and their relationship. Theron, humbled, realized that pointing out flaws was easier than fixing them.