Kural #543
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Tamil text
அந்தணர் நூற்கும் அறத்திற்கும் ஆதியாய்
நின்றது மன்னவன் கோல்
Antaṇar nūṟkum aṟattiṟkum ātiyāy
Niṉṟatu maṉṉavaṉ kōl
English translation
The king's scepter stands as the foundation for both the scriptures of the learned and virtue itself.
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Explanation
Without law and order, neither scholarship (அந்தணர் நூல்) nor righteousness (அறம்) can flourish. The king's just rule (கோல்) creates the stable environment in which learning and virtue can develop.
விளக்கம்
செங்கோல் அதிகாரத்தில் வரும் இக்குறள், அரசனின் நீதியான ஆட்சி கற்றோரின் நூல்களுக்கும், அறத்திற்கும் அடிப்படையாகும் என்கிறது. நாட்டில் நீதி நிலைநாட்டப்பட்டால் மட்டுமே கல்வி மற்றும் தர்மம் தழைக்கும். நல்லாட்சி, சமூக ஒழுங்கை காத்து, அறம் வளர்க்கும்.
Word meanings
- அந்தணர்antaṇarthe learned/brahmins
- நூற்கும்nūṟkumfor scriptures
- அறத்திற்கும்aṟattiṟkumfor virtue
- ஆதிātifoundation
- ஆய்āyas
- நின்றதுniṉṟatustands
- மன்னவன்maṉṉavaṉking
- கோல்kōlscepter
Story behind this kural
In a village nestled beside a whispering forest, lived two farmers: Arun and Bala. Arun toiled relentlessly, his fields overflowing with grain. Bala, however, found his crops often stolen, his efforts thwarted by petty thieves who knew the village guard was easily swayed. One year, a wise elder advised the village headman to appoint a just leader. A man known for his fairness was chosen, and the guard was replaced. Immediately, order returned. Thieves, fearing swift punishment, vanished. Arun’s harvests became bountiful; his granary swelled. He shared his abundance, helping others. Bala, too, saw his fields flourish. He learned to tend his land with renewed hope, now that his efforts wouldn’t be in vain. The villagers, once divided by fear, began to help each other, sharing knowledge and resources. The village, under the new leader, became a place where hard work and kindness thrived.