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Kural #625

Wealth· பொருள்Not Despairing in Adversity· இடுக்கண் அழியாமை

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Tamil text

அடுக்கி வரினும் அழிவிலான்

உற்ற இடுக்கண் இடுக்கட் படும்

Aṭukki variṉum aḻivilāṉ

Uṟṟa iṭukkaṇ iṭukkaṭ paṭum

English translation

Even when troubles pile up one after another, the troubles of the unshaken person will themselves suffer trouble.

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Explanation

Troubles often compound (அடுக்கி வரினும் - coming piled up). Yet, if one remains unshaken (அழிவிலான் - one without destruction), the troubles themselves get troubled! This is psychological warfare against adversity. By refusing to break, you break the power of difficulties over you. The repetition of இடுக்கண் creates emphasis.

விளக்கம்

துன்பங்கள் பல வந்தாலும் கலங்காதவன் முன் அவை தோற்கும். "இடுக்கண் அழியாமை" அதிகாரத்தில், மனவுறுதியுடன் இருந்தால் துன்பமே துன்பப்படும் என்பது கருத்து. தன்னம்பிக்கையே வெற்றி தரும்.

Word meanings

  • அடுக்கிaṭukkipiling up
  • வரினும்variṉumeven if coming
  • அழிவுaḻivudestruction
  • இலான்ilāṉone without
  • உற்றuṟṟaencountered
  • இடுக்கண்iṭukkaṇadversity
  • இடுக்கட்படும்iṭukkaṭpaṭumwill suffer hardship

Story behind this kural

In a small village nestled beside a whispering forest lived a potter named Kumar. His days were filled with shaping clay, and his heart with dreams of a thriving workshop. One harsh winter, misfortune struck. First, a storm shattered his kiln, then a sickness swept through the village, leaving him with no customers. Finally, a greedy merchant demanded repayment of a loan Kumar couldn't afford. Many villagers, seeing his plight, urged Kumar to despair. "Give up," they said. "The gods have turned their backs on you." But Kumar, though his hands were calloused and his brow furrowed, refused to yield. He rebuilt his kiln, bartered his pots for food, and patiently waited for the illness to pass. When spring arrived, the merchant returned, expecting Kumar to be broken. Instead, he found a man whose spirit remained unbroken. Kumar, though still poor, stood tall. The merchant, witnessing Kumar's unwavering resolve, relented on the loan, shamed by his own harshness. The village, witnessing Kumar's steadfastness, soon flocked to his workshop, eager to support him.