Kural #217
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Tamil text
மருந்தாகித் தப்பா மரத்தற்றால்
செல்வம் பெருந்தகை யான்கண் படின்
Maruntākic tappā marattaṟṟāl
Celvam peruntakai yāṉkaṇ paṭiṉ
English translation
Wealth in the hands of a great person is like a medicinal tree that heals all.
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Explanation
A truly noble rich person uses wealth like medicine to heal society's ailments. Every part of such a person's wealth serves to cure suffering.
விளக்கம்
செல்வம் நல்லவர் கையில் இருந்தால், அது ஒரு மருத்துவ மரம் போல உதவும். அந்த செல்வம், சமூகத்தின் துன்பங்களை நீக்கி, எல்லாருக்கும் நன்மை செய்யும். ஒப்புரவறிதல் அதிகாரத்தின்படி, பிறருக்கு உதவுவதே சிறந்த அறம்.
Word meanings
- மருந்துmaruntumedicine
- ஆகிākibecoming
- தப்பாtappāunfailing
- மரத்தற்றால்marattaṟṟāllike a tree
- செல்வம்celvamwealth
- பெருந்தகையான்peruntakaiyāṉgreat/noble person
- கண்kaṇin
- படின்paṭiṉif falls/rests
Story behind this kural
In a humble village nestled beside a whispering forest lived a wealthy merchant named Arul. His granaries overflowed, yet he lived simply, his heart yearning to serve. A terrible drought struck, and the villagers' crops withered. Hunger gnawed at their bellies. Arul, witnessing their plight, didn't hoard his fortune. Instead, he opened his stores. He provided grain to feed the hungry, seeds to replant the fields, and tools for those whose livelihoods were lost. He funded the digging of wells, ensuring a source of water for all. As the rains finally returned, the village blossomed anew. Fields of golden grain swayed in the breeze. The villagers, once gaunt and despairing, now laughed and worked with renewed vigor. They looked upon Arul not just as a merchant, but as a source of life itself. His wealth, like the most potent of medicines, had healed the village.