Kural #477
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Tamil text
ஆற்றின் அறவறிந்து ஈக
அதுபொருள் போற்றி வழங்கும் நெறி
Āṟṟiṉ aṟavaṟintu īka
Atuporul pōṟṟi vaḻaṅkum neṟi
English translation
Give according to your means; this is the way to preserve and grow wealth.
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Explanation
Charity must be proportionate to one's resources. Giving beyond one's means depletes the source of future giving. Sustainable generosity requires balancing the impulse to give with the wisdom to preserve.
விளக்கம்
தன் சக்திக்கு ஏற்றவாறு தானம் செய்யணும். அளவு மீறினால் செல்வம் குறையும். உள்ளதை பாதுகாத்து, முறையாகக் கொடுத்தாலே பெருகும். இதுவே வலியறிதல் அதிகாரத்தின் நீதி.
Word meanings
- ஆற்றின்āṟṟiṉin the proper way
- அறaṟameasure
- அறிந்துaṟintuknowing
- ஈகīkagive
- அதுatuthat
- பொருள்poruḷwealth
- போற்றிpōṟṟipreserving
- வழங்கும்vaḻaṅkumdistributing
- நெறிneṟiway/path
Story behind this kural
In a small village nestled beside a lush green valley, lived two farmers, Arun and Bala. Arun was known for his overflowing granary, while Bala's storehouse was modest. One year, a devastating drought struck, and the village faced famine. Arun, seeing the suffering, opened his stores generously, giving away much of his grain. Bala, though his heart ached for his neighbors, distributed his grain sparingly, enough to help but also to ensure his family survived. The drought persisted. Arun, having given away most of his grain, soon had nothing left to offer. He and his family struggled. Bala, however, though he had shared, still had enough to feed his family and help others in smaller portions throughout the crisis. When the rains finally returned, Bala's family, though touched by the suffering of others, were in good health and able to start farming again. Arun, depleted, had to rebuild everything from scratch.