Kural #439
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Tamil text
வியவற்க எஞ்ஞான்றும் தன்னை
நயவற்க நன்றி பயவா வினை
Viyavaṟka eññāṉṟum taṉṉai
Nayavaṟka naṉṟi payavā viṉai
English translation
Never praise yourself at any time; never desire actions that yield no good.
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Explanation
Two simple rules: avoid self-praise (which blinds you to faults) and avoid unproductive actions (which waste life). Self-aggrandizement and futile activity are twin enemies of progress.
விளக்கம்
தன்னைத் தானே எக்காலத்தும் புகழாதே. நன்மை தராத செயல்களை விரும்பாதே. இது குற்றங்களை நீக்கும் வழியாம். வீண் பெருமையும் பயனற்ற செயலும் முன்னேற்றத்தைத் தடுக்கும்.
Word meanings
- வியவற்கviyavaṟkado not praise
- எஞ்ஞான்றும்eññāṉṟumat any time
- தன்னைtaṉṉaiyourself
- நயவற்கnayavaṟkado not desire
- நன்றிnaṉṟigood/benefit
- பயவாpayavānot yielding
- வினைviṉaiaction
Story behind this kural
The potter, Arun, was known throughout the village for his beautiful clay pots. Each one was perfectly formed, glazed to a brilliant sheen. He often boasted of his skill, declaring his pots the finest in the land. One day, a wealthy merchant commissioned a large water vessel, promising a generous reward. Arun, puffed up with pride, hurried the work, eager to collect his payment. He skipped the crucial step of slow-baking the clay. The pot looked magnificent, but as the merchant filled it, it crumbled, spilling water and ruining the merchant's silks. Ashamed, Arun returned to his workshop, but instead of learning from his mistake, he blamed the clay, the weather, anything but himself. He then decided to craft decorative figurines, intricate and time-consuming, knowing they would not hold water or serve any practical purpose. His workshop became cluttered with useless creations, and his reputation, like his poorly made pots, began to crack.