Kural #705
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Tamil text
குறிப்பிற் குறிப்புணரா வாயின்
உறுப்பினுள் என்ன பயத்தவோ கண்
Kuṟippiṟ kuṟippuṇarā vāyiṉ
Uṟuppiṉuḷ eṉṉa payattavō kaṇ
English translation
If one cannot read intentions from facial expressions, of what use are the eyes among the body parts?
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Explanation
A rhetorical question: if eyes cannot perceive intentions (குறிப்பிற் குறிப்பு உணரா), what good are they? Eyes that merely see physical forms miss their highest purpose - reading hearts.
விளக்கம்
கண்களின் பயன் முகக்குறிப்பால் எண்ணம் அறிவதே. அதை உணரமுடியாவிட்டால், அவை இருந்தும் பயனில்லை. பிறர் மனதை அறிவதே சிறந்த அறிவு; இது குறிப்பறிதல் அதிகாரத்தின் கருத்து.
Word meanings
- குறிப்பிற்kuṟippiṟfrom expressions
- குறிப்புkuṟippuintention
- உணராuṇarānot perceiving
- ஆயின்āyiṉif
- உறுப்பினுள்uṟuppiṉuḷamong organs
- என்னeṉṉawhat
- பயத்தவோpayattavōof what use
- கண்kaṇeyes
Story behind this kural
In a quiet village nestled beside a whispering forest lived a wise old woman named Elara. Her eyes, though clouded with age, held a depth that saw beyond mere appearances. One day, a young merchant, Kai, arrived, his face a mask of smiles as he offered her exquisite silks. He spoke of friendship and generosity, his words flowing like a gentle stream. Elara examined the silks, then looked intently at Kai's face. She saw not friendship, but a hidden eagerness to strike a hard bargain. She noticed the fleeting flicker of impatience in his eyes. Another villager, a humble farmer named Rohan, arrived shortly after, his face etched with worry. He offered Elara a small basket of fresh fruit, his eyes filled with genuine gratitude for her past kindness. Elara accepted the fruit with a warm smile, her gaze meeting Rohan’s. She knew, without a single word spoken, the true value of his offering. Kai, watching, wondered how she always seemed to know what others truly desired.