Kural #259
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Tamil text
அவிசொரிந் தாயிரம் வேட்டலின்
ஒன்றன் உயிர்செகுத் துண்ணாமை நன்று
Aviccorint āyiram vēṭṭaliṉ
Oṉṟaṉ uyircekut tuṇṇāmai naṉṟu
English translation
Better than offering a thousand fire sacrifices with ghee is to abstain from eating flesh by killing a single creature.
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Explanation
This kural challenges ritualistic religion. Even a thousand elaborate fire sacrifices (யாகம்) with offerings of clarified butter (அவி) are less meritorious than the simple act of refusing to take a life for food. Compassion outweighs ceremony.
விளக்கம்
குறள் 259-ன் விளக்கம்: ஆயிரம் யாகம் செய்வதை விட, ஒரு உயிரைக் கொன்று சாப்பிடாமல் இருப்பது நல்லது. புலால் மறுத்தல் அதிகாரத்தில், உயிர்களிடத்தில் கருணை காட்டுவதே சிறந்த அறம் என்பதை இது உணர்த்துகிறது. யாகத்தை விட உயிரிரக்கம் மேலானது.
Word meanings
- அவிavighee/clarified butter offering
- சொரிந்துcorintupouring
- ஆயிரம்āyiramthousand
- வேட்டலின்vēṭṭaliṉthan performing sacrifices
- ஒன்றன்oṉṟaṉone creature's
- உயிர்uyirlife
- செகுத்துcekuttudestroying/killing
- உண்ணாமைuṇṇāmainot eating
- நன்றுnaṉṟuis better/good
Story behind this kural
The villagers of Eldoria prepared for the annual Festival of Abundance. They planned a grand feast, the centerpiece a roasted stag, sacrificed to honor the forest spirits. The village elder, Silas, a man known for his piety, oversaw the preparations. He instructed his son, Thomas, to hunt the finest stag. Thomas, skilled with a bow, tracked a magnificent stag for days. He aimed, ready to release the arrow, but hesitated. He saw the stag's gentle eyes, the way it grazed peacefully. He lowered his bow. Returning empty-handed, Thomas confessed his failure. Silas was furious. "The spirits demand this sacrifice!" he thundered. But that night, a terrible storm ravaged Eldoria. The feast was ruined, the village threatened. Yet, the next morning, Thomas found the stag standing near the village, seemingly unharmed. It was a sign of protection, a symbol of mercy. The villagers then understood the true meaning of abundance.