Kural #491
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Tamil text
தொடங்கற்க எவ்வினையும் எள்ளற்க
முற்றும் இடங்கண்ட பின்அல் லது
Toṭaṅkaṟka evviṉaiyum eḷḷaṟka
Muṟṟum iṭaṅkaṇṭa piṉal latu
English translation
Do not begin any task nor despise an enemy until you have fully assessed the terrain.
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Explanation
Strategic assessment of location is essential before action. Neither underestimate enemies nor begin ventures until you understand the geographical and situational context completely. Place determines possibility.
விளக்கம்
எந்த வேலையையும் ஆரம்பிக்கும் முன், இடத்தைப் பற்றி முழுசா தெரிஞ்சிக்கணும். எதிரியையும் குறைவா எடை போடாதே. இடம் சரியில்லேன்னா, வெற்றி கிடைக்காது. இடனறிதல் அதிகாரத்தின் கருத்தும் இதுவே.
Word meanings
- தொடங்கற்கtoṭaṅkaṟkado not begin
- எவ்வினையும்evviṉaiyumany task
- எள்ளற்கeḷḷaṟkado not despise
- முற்றும்muṟṟumcompletely
- இடம்iṭamplace
- கண்டkaṇṭahaving seen
- பின்piṉafter
- அல்லதுallatuunless
Story behind this kural
The woodcutter, Elan, coveted the giant oak on the far side of the river. It was the largest tree in the forest, promising the most firewood. He declared he would fell it. Ignoring the advice of the village elder, who warned of the river's unpredictable currents, Elan began. He chose the day the river seemed calmest. But as he chopped, the sky darkened. A sudden storm swelled the river, turning it into a raging torrent. Elan, clinging to a half-fallen tree, watched his axe and the oak vanish downstream. Meanwhile, Kumar, a young farmer, wanted to plant rice in a new field. He first observed the land for a full season. He noted the sun's path, the wind's direction, and the soil's moisture. He saw how the river rose and fell. When the rains came, Kumar's field, cleverly terraced and protected, flourished while Elan's axe was lost. Kumar enjoyed a plentiful harvest.