Kural #505
Last reviewed:
Tamil text
பெருமைக்கும் ஏனைச் சிறுமைக்கும்
தத்தம் கருமமே கட்டளைக் கல்
Perumaikkum ēṉaic ciṟumaikkum
Tattam karumamē kaṭṭaḷaik kal
English translation
For both greatness and smallness of character, one's own actions are the touchstone.
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Explanation
Actions speak louder than words or appearances. Just as gold is tested on a touchstone (கட்டளைக்கல்), a person's true worth - whether great (பெருமை) or petty (சிறுமை) - is revealed by their deeds (கருமம்). Judge people by what they do.
விளக்கம்
ஒருவர் பெரியவரா, சிறியவரா என்பதை அவரவர் செயல்களே காட்டும். தங்கம் உரைகல்லில் உரைத்துப் பார்ப்பது போல, செயல்களே ஒருவரின் உண்மையான குணத்தை வெளிப்படுத்தும். "தெரிந்து தெளிதல்" அதிகாரத்தில், ஒருவரை ஆராய்ந்து அவர்களின் செயல்களை வைத்தே நம்ப வேண்டும்.
Word meanings
- பெருமைக்கும்perumaikkumfor greatness
- ஏனைēṉaiother/opposite
- சிறுமைக்கும்ciṟumaikkumfor smallness
- தத்தம்tattamone's own
- கருமம்karumamaction/deed
- கட்டளைக்கல்kaṭṭaḷaikkaltouchstone
Story behind this kural
In a bustling village, lived two merchants: Arul, known for his lavish clothes and boastful tales, and Kumar, who dressed plainly and spoke little. Arul loudly proclaimed his generosity, yet frequently haggled over prices with the village potter. Kumar, on the other hand, quietly paid the potter handsomely, even when the pots were flawed. A severe drought struck, and the villagers faced hardship. Arul, despite his proclaimed wealth, hid his grain, fearing loss. Kumar, however, opened his storehouse, sharing his harvest freely, ensuring no one starved. When the rains finally came, Arul, his grain still hoarded, found his business failing. Kumar, his store empty, was celebrated. People remembered his actions, not his words. They saw the true measure of a man in times of difficulty.