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Kural #706

Wealth· பொருள்Reading Faces· குறிப்பறிதல்

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Tamil text

அடுத்தது காட்டும் பளிங்குபோல்

நெஞ்சம் கடுத்தது காட்டும் முகம்

Aṭuttatu kāṭṭum paḷiṅkupōl

Neñcam kaṭuttatu kāṭṭum mukam

English translation

Just as a crystal reflects what is placed before it, the face reveals what the heart conceives.

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Explanation

A beautiful simile: as crystal (பளிங்கு) reflects nearby objects, the face (முகம்) reveals the heart's thoughts (நெஞ்சம் கடுத்தது). The face is the window to the soul.

விளக்கம்

பளிங்கு அருகில் உள்ளதை காட்டுவது போல், முகம் மனதில் உள்ளதை காட்டும். உள்ளத்தில் இருக்கும் எண்ணங்களை முகத்தில் இருந்து தெரிந்து கொள்ளலாம். குறிப்பறிதல் அதிகாரத்தில், பிறர் மனதை அறிந்து நடக்க இது உதவும்.

Word meanings

  • அடுத்ததுaṭuttatuwhat is near
  • காட்டும்kāṭṭumshows
  • பளிங்குpaḷiṅkucrystal
  • போல்pōllike
  • நெஞ்சம்neñcamheart
  • கடுத்ததுkaṭuttatuwhat it conceived
  • முகம்mukamface

Story behind this kural

In a village nestled beside a whispering river, lived two sisters, Anya and Maya. Anya was known for her generous spirit, always offering help with a smile. Maya, however, often hid her envy and resentment behind a composed facade. One day, the village elder announced a contest: the maker of the most beautiful clay pot would win a year's supply of grain. Anya's face lit up with genuine excitement. She shared her ideas freely, even helping others. Her pot, crafted with joy, was radiant. Maya, though secretly determined to win, felt a knot of bitterness. She guarded her techniques, her brow furrowed in concentration. Her pot, though skillfully made, seemed to lack warmth. When the results were announced, Anya’s pot shone, while Maya’s felt dull. The villagers, though polite, seemed to perceive a certain emptiness in Maya’s work. They could see, without words, the difference in the sisters' hearts.