Kural #214
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Tamil text
ஒத்த தறிவான் உயிர்வாழ்வான்
மற்றையான் செத்தாருள் வைக்கப் படும்
Otta taṟivāṉ uyirvāḻvāṉ
Maṟṟaiyāṉ cettāruḷ vaikkap paṭum
English translation
Only one who knows social duty truly lives; others are counted among the dead.
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Explanation
Physical existence without social contribution is not true life. Those who ignore their duty to society are as good as dead.
விளக்கம்
ஒப்புரவறிதல் அதிகாரத்தில், சமூகக் கடமையை உணர்ந்து வாழ்பவனே உயிர் வாழ்கிறான். மற்றவர்கள் இறந்தவர்களோடு சேர்க்கப்படுவார்கள். பிறருக்கு உதவும் வாழ்க்கைதான் உண்மையான வாழ்க்கை என்பதை இது உணர்த்துகிறது.
Word meanings
- ஒத்ததுottatusocial duty/what is proper
- அறிவான்aṟivāṉone who knows
- உயிர்வாழ்வான்uyirvāḻvāṉtruly lives
- மற்றையான்maṟṟaiyāṉothers
- செத்தாருள்cettāruḷamong the dead
- வைக்கப்படும்vaikkapppaṭumwill be placed
Story behind this kural
In a small village nestled beside a whispering river lived two brothers, Arun and Bala. Arun toiled endlessly in his fields, his only concern the size of his harvest. He built a high fence around his land, ignoring the villagers' pleas for water during the dry season. Bala, on the other hand, shared his well, helped mend broken tools, and always offered a hand to those in need. One harsh winter, a fierce storm ravaged the village. Arun's crops were safe, but his neighbors suffered greatly. He watched from his warm hearth, untouched by their plight. Bala, though his own stores dwindled, shared what little he had, organizing shelter and support. When spring arrived, Arun's granary overflowed, yet he felt a hollowness he couldn't explain. Bala, though poorer in goods, was surrounded by grateful smiles and a deep sense of belonging. The villagers, rebuilding together, found their strength in unity and compassion, a richness that Arun, in his isolation, would never know.