Kural #215
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Tamil text
ஊருணி நீர்நிறைந் தற்றே
உலகவாம் பேரறி வாளன் திரு
Ūruṇi nīrniṟain taṟṟē
Ulakavām pēraṟi vāḷaṉ tiru
English translation
The wealth of one with noble wisdom is like a village tank full of water.
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Explanation
Just as a village tank provides water to all, the wealth of a wise person benefits the entire community. Individual prosperity should serve collective welfare.
விளக்கம்
ஊரில் ஊருணி நீர் நிறைந்து உதவுவது போல், பெரிய அறிவுடையவனின் செல்வம் உலகிற்குப் பயன்படும். ஒப்புரவறிதல் அதிகாரத்தில், தனி ஒருவனின் வளர்ச்சி சமூகத்தின் நன்மைக்கே என்பது இதன் நீதி. பிறருக்கு உதவும் மனப்பான்மையே சிறந்த அறம்.
Word meanings
- ஊருணிūruṇivillage tank
- நீர்nīrwater
- நிறைந்தற்றேniṟaintaṟṟēlike being full
- உலகுulakuworld
- அவாம்avāmdesiring/benefiting
- பேர்pērgreat
- அறிவாளன்aṟivāḷaṉwise person
- திருtiruwealth/prosperity
Story behind this kural
In a parched village nestled beside a vast desert, lived a wealthy merchant named Arul. His granaries overflowed, yet the villagers struggled, their crops withered by the relentless sun. One day, Arul noticed their plight. He summoned the village elder and proposed a solution. "Let us build a well," he declared, "fed by the distant mountain spring. I will provide the materials, and you, the labor." The villagers, initially wary, agreed. Arul oversaw the project, ensuring everyone had food and tools. The well was completed, and water flowed freely, irrigating fields and quenching thirst. Soon, the village bloomed. Crops flourished, and prosperity returned. Arul continued to support the village, sponsoring festivals and aiding those in need. He never flaunted his wealth, but rather used it to uplift his community. His name became synonymous with generosity, and his legacy lived on in the thriving village he helped create.