Kural #270
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Tamil text
இலர்பல ராகிய காரணம்
நோற்பார் சிலர்பலர் நோலா தவர்
Ilarpal rākiya kāraṇam
Nōṟpār cilarpalar nōlā tavar
English translation
The reason why some are poor and many are not is that those who practice penance are few while those who do not are many.
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Explanation
A sociological observation on spiritual practice. True ascetics are rare, while most people avoid the discipline of penance. This explains the scarcity of spiritual wealth and the abundance of worldly attachment.
விளக்கம்
தவம் செய்பவர் குறைவு, செய்யாதவர் அதிகம். அதனால் ஆன்மிக செல்வம் குறைந்தும், உலக ஆசைகள் அதிகரித்தும் காணப்படுகின்றன. தவத்தின் முக்கியத்துவத்தை உணர்ந்து நல்வழி நடக்க வேண்டும்.
Word meanings
- இலர்ilar(spiritually) poor/without
- பலர்palarmany
- ஆகியākiyabecoming
- காரணம்kāraṇamreason
- நோற்பார்nōṟpārthose who practice penance
- சிலர்cilarfew
- நோலாதவர்nōlātavarthose who do not practice
Story behind this kural
In a village nestled beside a whispering forest, lived two farmers, Arun and Bala. Arun toiled tirelessly, yet his fields yielded meager harvests. He grumbled, blaming the soil and the fickle weather. Bala, on the other hand, spent his mornings in quiet contemplation, tending to a small, barren patch of land. He practiced self-discipline, rising before dawn and eating simple meals. The villagers often mocked Bala, calling him a dreamer. "Look at Arun," they'd say, "He's the true worker!" But as the seasons turned, Arun's fields remained stubbornly unproductive. Meanwhile, Bala’s small plot, blessed by a subtle, unseen force, began to flourish. His crops grew strong and abundant, providing more than enough to share. The villagers, once scornful, now sought Bala's wisdom, realizing that true prosperity bloomed not from endless labor alone, but from a deeper, unseen source.