Kural #72
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Tamil text
அன்பிலார் எல்லாம் தமக்குரியர்
அன்புடையார் என்பும் உரியர் பிறர்க்கு
Aṉpilār ellām tamakkuriyar
Aṉpuṭaiyār eṉpum uriyar piṟarkku
English translation
Those without love claim everything for themselves; those with love give even their bones to others.
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Explanation
This powerful kural contrasts the selfish with the loving. The loveless hoard everything for themselves, while those with true love would sacrifice even their physical being (symbolized by bones - the innermost part of the body) for others. Love transforms a person from self-centered to other-centered.
விளக்கம்
அன்பில்லாதவர் எல்லாம் தமக்கே என்பர். அன்பு உள்ளவரோ, தம் எலும்பையும் பிறர்க்குக் கொடுப்பர். அன்புடைமை அதிகாரத்தில், பிறர் நலனே பெரிதென வாழ்வதே சிறந்த அறம் என்கிறது இக்குறள். சுயநலத்தை விட்டு, பிறர் மேல் அன்பு காட்டுவதே சிறப்பு.
Word meanings
- அன்பிலார்aṉpilārthose without love
- எல்லாம்ellāmeverything
- தமக்குtamakkufor themselves
- உரியர்uriyarbelong/claim
- அன்புடையார்aṉpuṭaiyārthose with love
- என்பும்eṉpumeven bones
- உரியர்uriyarbelong/give
- பிறர்க்குpiṟarkkuto others
Story behind this kural
In a small village nestled beside a whispering forest, lived two brothers, Arun and Bala. Arun owned a vast granary, overflowing with grain. He measured out meager portions, guarding his wealth jealously. When a famine struck, Arun’s fields remained untouched, his heart unmoved by the villagers’ hunger. Bala, on the other hand, possessed only a small plot. Yet, seeing his neighbors suffer, he shared his precious harvest, even when it meant he and his family would eat less. He offered not just grain, but also his time, helping those too weak to work. As the famine worsened, Arun’s granary stood full, but his spirit withered. Bala’s plot yielded little, but his heart overflowed with the warmth of shared meals and grateful smiles. When the rains finally returned, it was Bala’s fields that flourished, nourished by the love he had sown. Arun's granary, though full, felt empty, his wealth failing to bring him joy.