Kural #287
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Tamil text
களவென்னும் காரறி வாண்மை
அளவென்னும் ஆற்றல் புரிந்தார்கண் இல்
Kaḷaveṉṉum kāraṟi vāṇmai
Aḷaveṉṉum āṟṟal purintārkaṇ il
English translation
The dark intelligence called theft is absent in those who practice the power called self-restraint.
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Explanation
Theft is described as a dark form of cleverness. Those who have cultivated self-restraint as their strength do not possess this destructive cunning. True intelligence lies in knowing limits, not in criminal craftiness.
விளக்கம்
களவு என்பது இருண்ட புத்தி. அளவுடன் வாழும் ஆற்றல் உள்ளவர்களிடம் அது இல்லை. கள்ளாமை அதிகாரத்தில், திருக்குறள் சுயக்கட்டுப்பாடே சிறந்த அறிவு என்கிறது. நேர்மையே வலிமை.
Word meanings
- களவுkaḷavutheft
- என்னும்eṉṉumcalled
- கார்kārdark
- அறிவுaṟivuintelligence
- ஆண்மைāṇmaipossession
- அளவுaḷavurestraint/limit
- ஆற்றல்āṟṟalpower/ability
- புரிந்தார்கண்purintārkaṇin those who practice
- இல்ilis not
Story behind this kural
In a village nestled beside a whispering forest, lived two merchants, Arun and Bala. Arun was known for his cleverness, always seeking an advantage. He'd subtly adjust his scales, adding a pinch here, subtracting a bit there, to increase his profits. Bala, however, valued honesty above all else. He measured his goods fairly, even if it meant smaller gains. One day, a wealthy traveler arrived, seeking precious jewels. Arun, seeing an opportunity, planned to sell him imitation stones as the real thing. Bala, witnessing the deceit, felt a pang of unease. He knew the traveler would be heartbroken when he discovered the fraud. Bala, with his own limited stock of genuine gems, approached the traveler. He showed the man his finest pieces, explaining their worth. The traveler, impressed by Bala’s integrity, purchased from him. Arun, watching his scheme fail, was left with worthless imitations. He had gained nothing.