Kural #420
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Tamil text
செவியிற் சுவையுணரா வாயுணர்வின் மாக்கள்
அவியினும் வாழினும் என்
Ceviyiṟ cuvaiyuṇarā vāyuṇarviṉ mākkaḷ
Aviyiṉum vāḻiṉum eṉ
English translation
What matters if those who know only the taste of the mouth and not the ear live or die?
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Explanation
People who only know physical pleasures (taste) but never experience the joy of learning (ear) - their life or death makes no difference. They have not truly lived as humans.
விளக்கம்
குறள் 420: செவிக்கு உணவில்லாதவர், வாய்க்கு மட்டும் சுவை அறிந்தவர். அவர்கள் வாழ்ந்தென்ன, இறந்தென்ன? கேள்வி அதிகாரத்தில், கற்றலின் முக்கியத்துவத்தை இது உணர்த்துகிறது. அறிவில்லா வாழ்க்கை பயனற்றது.
Word meanings
- செவியில்ceviyilin the ear
- சுவைcuvaitaste/flavor
- உணராuṇarānot knowing
- வாய்vāymouth
- உணர்வின்uṇarviṉknowing only
- மாக்கள்mākkaḷpeople
- அவியினும்aviyiṉumeven if they die
- வாழினும்vāḻiṉumeven if they live
- என்eṉwhat (does it matter)?
Story behind this kural
In a village nestled beside a whispering river, lived two brothers, Tharan and Kiran. Tharan, the elder, owned a bakery, his days filled with the sweet aroma of baking bread. He delighted in the flavors, the textures, and the satisfied sighs of his customers. Kiran, however, spent his days with the village sage, poring over ancient scrolls, his mind feasting on stories and ideas. One year, a terrible famine struck. Food became scarce. Tharan, though he had bread, hoarded it, concerned only with his own survival. He grew gaunt and fearful, his joy replaced by worry. Kiran, however, shared his knowledge, helping villagers find forgotten food sources and devising methods to conserve what little they had. He remained serene, his spirit unburdened by fear. When the rains finally returned, both brothers survived. But while Tharan's bakery slowly recovered, his spirit remained shrunken. Kiran, his mind enriched and his heart full, helped rebuild the village, his wisdom a beacon of hope for all.