Kural #242
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Tamil text
நல்லாற்றான் நாடி அருளாள்க
பல்லாற்றான் தேரினும் அஃதே துணை
Nallāṟṟāṉ nāṭi aruḷāḷka
Pallāṟṟāṉ tēriṉum aḵtē tuṇai
English translation
Seek and embrace compassion through the right path; even after searching many ways, compassion alone is the true support.
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Explanation
Among all virtues and paths, compassion stands supreme as the ultimate support. No matter how much you search, you will find no better companion.
விளக்கம்
நல்ல வழியில் கருணையைக் கடைப்பிடி. பல வழிகளில் தேடினாலும், கருணையே சிறந்த துணை. அருளுடைமை அதிகாரத்தில், கருணையே அறத்தின் உச்சம் என்பதை வள்ளுவர் கூறுகிறார். இதுவே வாழ்வில் உதவும் உண்மை துணை.
Word meanings
- நல்லாற்றான்nallāṟṟāṉthrough the good path
- நாடிnāṭiseeking
- அருள்aruḷcompassion
- ஆள்கāḷkalet one possess
- பல்லாற்றான்pallāṟṟāṉthrough many paths
- தேரினும்tēriṉumeven if searched
- அஃதேaḵtēthat alone
- துணைtuṇaisupport/companion
Story behind this kural
In a small village nestled beside a whispering forest, lived two brothers, Arun and Bala. Arun was a shrewd merchant, always seeking profit. Bala was a farmer, whose heart ached at the sight of any suffering. One harsh winter, the village faced famine. Arun hoarded his grain, waiting for prices to soar. Bala, however, shared his meager harvest with the hungry, even as his own family grew thin. A passing traveler, seeing Bala’s generosity, offered him a rare, fertile seed. Arun, witnessing this, scoffed at his brother's foolishness. “You’ll be left with nothing,” he sneered. When spring arrived, Arun's grain sold for a fortune. Yet, the villagers, remembering his cold heart, turned away. Bala's single seed blossomed into a field of abundance. People came, not to buy, but to help and share in the harvest. Arun, alone with his riches, found himself utterly isolated, while Bala’s kindness had sown a community.