Kural #191
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Tamil text
பல்லார் முனியப் பயனில சொல்லுவான்
எல்லாரும் எள்ளப் படும்
Pallār muṉiyap payaṉila colluvāṉ
Ellārum eḷḷap paṭum
English translation
He who speaks useless words that annoy many will be despised by everyone.
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Explanation
The chapter on vain speech opens with a clear warning: useless talk that irritates people leads to universal contempt. Both the meaninglessness and the annoyance factor contribute to loss of respect.
விளக்கம்
பயனில்லாத சொற்களைப் பலர் வெறுக்கும்படி பேசுபவன், எல்லாராலும் இகழப்படுவான். பயனில சொல்லாமை அதிகாரத்தில் இது முக்கியம். வீணான பேச்சு மரியாதை குறைக்கும் என்பதை உணர்த்துகிறது.
Word meanings
- பல்லார்pallārmany people
- முனியmuṉiyato be annoyed
- பயன்payaṉbenefit/use
- இலilawithout
- சொல்லுவான்colluvāṉone who speaks
- எல்லாரும்ellārumeveryone
- எள்ளப்படும்eḷḷappaṭumwill be despised
Story behind this kural
In a bustling village square, stood a well known chatterbox named Ravi. He loved to hear himself speak, often sharing tales of fantastical beasts and treasures he’d never seen. The villagers initially listened, amused. But Ravi's stories grew longer, more outlandish, and filled with needless detail. He'd interrupt conversations, offering unsolicited advice laced with exaggeration. One day, a merchant announced a lost shipment. The villagers, eager to help, organized a search. Ravi, however, launched into a lengthy account of a similar, yet entirely fictional, lost shipment he supposedly found years ago. He described mythical creatures and hidden routes, adding irrelevant details about the quality of the moon's light. The villagers, frustrated by his rambling, turned away to continue their search. Ravi, left alone, watched them depart, his words lost on the wind. Later, when he tried to join their conversations, he found himself ignored.