Kural #281
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Tamil text
எள்ளாமை வேண்டுவான் என்பான்
எனைத்தொன்றும் கள்ளாமை காக்கதன் நெஞ்சு
Eḷḷāmai vēṇṭuvāṉ eṉpāṉ
Eṉaittoṉṟum kaḷḷāmai kākkataṉ neñcu
English translation
One who wishes not to be scorned should guard their heart against any form of theft.
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Explanation
To avoid contempt and maintain honor, one must protect their mind from the slightest inclination toward theft or fraud. The heart is where dishonesty begins, so that is where protection must start.
விளக்கம்
பிறர் இகழாமல் இருக்க விரும்புபவர், எதையும் திருட நினைக்காத மனதை காக்க வேண்டும். கள்ளாமை அதிகாரத்தின்படி, திருட்டு எண்ணம் முதலில் மனதில் தான் தோன்றும். மனதை சுத்தமாக வைத்துக்கொண்டால், திருடாமல் இருக்கலாம். இதுவே அறம்.
Word meanings
- எள்ளாமைeḷḷāmainot being scorned
- வேண்டுவான்vēṇṭuvāṉone who desires
- என்பான்eṉpāṉwhoever
- எனைத்துeṉaittuany
- ஒன்றும்oṉṟumanything
- கள்ளாமைkaḷḷāmainot stealing
- காக்கkākkashould guard
- தன்taṉone's own
- நெஞ்சுneñcuheart
Story behind this kural
In a small village nestled beside a whispering forest, lived two farmers, Arun and Bala. Arun toiled diligently, his fields yielding a modest harvest each season. Bala, however, envied Arun's success. One day, spotting a way to get ahead, Bala secretly diverted water from Arun's irrigation channel to his own parched land. Arun noticed his crops were failing. He investigated and discovered Bala’s deceit. He confronted Bala, who, ashamed, confessed. Arun, though hurt, said nothing. Instead, he worked harder, sharing his surplus harvest with Bala and offering him advice on improving his own land. Bala was bewildered. He expected anger, perhaps a public shaming. But Arun's generosity pricked at his conscience. Slowly, Bala began to change. He repaired the damage, learned from Arun, and eventually, his fields flourished. Soon, Bala became known for his honesty, and his crops were as plentiful as Arun's.