Kural #260
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Tamil text
கொல்லான் புலாலை மறுத்தானைக் கைகூப்பி
எல்லா உயிரும் தொழும்
Kollāṉ pulālai maṟuttāṉaik kaikūppi
Ellā uyirum toḻum
English translation
All living beings will worship with folded hands the one who neither kills nor eats flesh.
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Explanation
The chapter concludes with a beautiful image. One who abstains from both killing and meat-eating earns the reverence of all creatures. Such a person is honored not just by humans but by all life forms, recognizing their protector.
விளக்கம்
கொல்லாமலும், இறைச்சி உண்ணாமலும் இருப்பவரை எல்லா உயிர்களும் கைகூப்பி வணங்கும். புலால் மறுத்தல் அதிகாரத்தில், உயிர்களைக் காப்பதே அறம் என்பதை இது காட்டுகிறது. எல்லா உயிர்களிடமும் அன்பு காட்டுவது உயர்ந்த பண்பு.
Word meanings
- கொல்லான்kollāṉone who does not kill
- புலாலைpulālaiflesh/meat
- மறுத்தானைmaṟuttāṉaione who refuses/abstains
- கைகூப்பிkaikūppiwith folded hands
- எல்லாellāall
- உயிரும்uyirumliving beings
- தொழும்toḻumwill worship
Story behind this kural
In a peaceful village nestled beside a whispering forest, lived a woodcutter named Arul. Unlike the other villagers who hunted for meat, Arul only gathered fallen branches. His meals consisted of fruits, vegetables, and grains. He treated all creatures with kindness, even the smallest insects. One day, a fearsome tiger, wounded and enraged, stumbled into the village. Fear gripped the hearts of the villagers. They readied their spears, but Arul stepped forward. He knelt before the tiger, his hands open in a gesture of peace. He spoke softly, soothing the animal's pain with gentle words. He then carefully cleaned the tiger’s wound with herbs and brought it water. The tiger, surprised by this unexpected kindness, calmed down. Days later, when the tiger had healed, it simply nodded at Arul and vanished back into the forest. From that day on, all the forest creatures, from the smallest birds to the largest deer, seemed to trust and respect Arul, often gathering near him in the fields.