Kural #619
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Tamil text
தெய்வத்தான் ஆகா தெனினும்
முயற்சிதன் மெய்வருத்தக் கூலி தரும்
Teyvattāṉ ākā teṉiṉum
Muyaṟcitaṉ meyvarutttak kūli tarum
English translation
Even if fate does not favor, effort will at least reward the wages of bodily labor.
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Explanation
A remarkably practical kural: even when destiny (தெய்வம்) does not cooperate, effort (முயற்சி) still pays. At minimum, one earns the கூலி (wages) of மெய்வருத்தம் (physical labor). This is not fatalistic resignation but realistic encouragement - keep working, and at least you will earn something. Destiny may limit success, but effort ensures survival.
விளக்கம்
விதி நமக்குச் சாதகமாக இல்லாவிட்டாலும், முயற்சி வீண் போகாது. உடல் உழைப்பிற்கேற்ற ஊதியமாவது நிச்சயம் கிடைக்கும். ஆள்வினையுடைமை அதிகாரத்தில், முயற்சி முக்கியம் என்பதை இது வலியுறுத்துகிறது. சோம்பேறித்தனம் இல்லாமல் உழைத்தால், ஏதோ ஒரு பலன் உண்டு.
Word meanings
- தெய்வத்தான்teyvattāṉby fate/destiny
- ஆகாதுākātunot happening
- எனினும்eṉiṉumeven if
- முயற்சிmuyaṟcieffort
- தன்taṉits
- மெய்meybody
- வருத்தம்varuttamlabor/toil
- கூலிkūliwages
- தரும்tarumwill give
Story behind this kural
In a small village nestled beside a parched field, lived two farmers: Kumar and Arul. Kumar prayed daily for rain, offering sacrifices to the gods. He believed the harvest depended solely on divine will. Arul, however, rose before dawn, tilling the hard earth, meticulously weeding, and drawing water from the deepest well. The monsoon season arrived, but the rains were meager. Kumar’s field, neglected and untended, yielded only a few withered stalks. He lamented his misfortune, blaming the heavens. Arul’s field, though not bountiful, held a modest crop. He gathered his harvest, his body weary but his heart content. He had food for his family and seeds for the next season. Kumar, seeing Arul’s small success, realized his prayers alone had not sufficed. He resolved to join Arul in the fields, ready to work.