Kural #7
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Tamil text
தனக்குவமை இல்லாதான் தாள்சேர்ந்தார்க் கல்லால்
மனக்கவலை மாற்றல் அரிது
Taṉakkuvamai illātāṉ tāḷcērntārk kallāl
Maṉakkavalai māṟṟal aritu
English translation
Except for those who embrace the feet of the Incomparable One, it is difficult for anyone to remove mental anxiety.
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Explanation
God is described as the One without equal, beyond all comparison. This kural addresses a universal human problem: mental worry and anxiety. Thiruvalluvar states that true peace of mind comes only through divine connection.
விளக்கம்
இக்குறள் கடவுள் வாழ்த்தில் உள்ளது. தனக்கு இணையில்லாத இறைவனின் பாதங்களைச் சரணடைந்தால் மனக்கவலை நீங்கும். அவரைத் தவிர வேறு யாராலும் கவலையை மாற்ற முடியாது. இறைவழிபாடு மன அமைதி தரும்.
Word meanings
- தனக்குtaṉakkuto Himself
- உவமைuvamaicomparison/equal
- இல்லாதான்illātāṉHe who has none
- தாள்tāḷfeet
- சேர்ந்தார்க்குcērntārkkufor those who embrace
- அல்லால்allālexcept/other than
- மனக்கவலைmaṉakkavalaimental worry/anxiety
- மாற்றல்māṟṟalto remove/change
- அரிதுarituis difficult
Story behind this kural
The potter, Elan, toiled endlessly. His days were filled with shaping clay, yet his nights were restless. He worried over the market's whims, the price of firewood, and the health of his children. His neighbor, Meena, a weaver, seemed serene despite her own hardships. Elan, frustrated, asked, "How do you find such peace?" Meena smiled, "Each morning, before the sun crests the hills, I sit by the river and simply *be*. I watch the water flow, the birds awaken, and I feel a connection to something larger than my worries." Elan scoffed, "That's foolishness! I have debts to pay!" But he couldn't shake Meena's calm. One day, overwhelmed by his anxieties, Elan followed her. He sat by the river, not to work, but to simply observe. As the sun rose, a sense of calm washed over him. He still had his worries, but they seemed… smaller. The river kept flowing.