Kural #746
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Tamil text
எல்லி செல்லாத் தாழ்வாரம் உள்ளதூஉம்
உயர்வகதூ உம் இல்
Elli cellāt tāḻvāram uḷḷatūum
Uyarvakadū um il
English translation
A fort should have deep moats that enemies cannot cross, with neither low places to infiltrate nor high places to scale.
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Explanation
Effective fortifications require both horizontal protection (impassable moats or water barriers) and vertical defenses (walls without vulnerable low points or climbable high points).
விளக்கம்
பகைவர் கடக்க முடியாத ஆழமான அகழியும், ஏற முடியாத உயரமான மதிலும் அரணுக்கு வேணும். தாழ்வான இடம் இருந்தா புகுந்துருவாங்க; உயரமா இருந்தா ஏறிடுவாங்க. அரண் அதிகாரத்துல, பாதுகாப்பான கோட்டை எப்படி இருக்கணும்னு வள்ளுவர் சொல்றார்.
Word meanings
- எல்லிellienemies
- செல்லாcellācannot go/cross
- தாழ்tāḻdeep
- ஆரம்ārammoat/ditch
- உள்ளதுuḷḷatuexists/has
- ஊஉம்ūumand also
- உயர்வுuyarvuheight
- அகதுakatubreadth/width
- இல்ilwithout
Story behind this kural
The King of Eldoria decided to build the strongest fortress in the land. He summoned his wisest architects. Some suggested soaring towers, others, impenetrable walls. One, an older architect named Theron, proposed something different. Theron designed a fortress surrounded by a wide, deep moat. The walls were smooth and unclimbable, and the ground around the walls was barren. No secret tunnels could be dug, no ladders leaned. The king, impatient for grandeur, almost dismissed the plan. Soon, the armies of the Shadow Lord attacked. Their siege engines hurled stones at the towering walls, but the stones bounced harmlessly. Soldiers tried to scale the walls, but the smooth stone offered no grip. They attempted to fill the moat, but it was too wide and deep. Frustrated, they gave up and retreated, defeated. The fortress of Eldoria stood strong, a testament to careful planning and comprehensive defense.