Kural #835
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Tamil text
ஒருமைச் செயலாற்றும் பேதை
எழுமையும் தான்புக் கழுந்தும் அளறு
Orumai ceyalāṟṟum pētai
Eḻumaiyum tāṉpuk kaḻuntum aḷaṟu
English translation
The fool's single act plunges him into misery that lasts through seven births.
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Explanation
One foolish deed (ஒருமைச் செயல்) creates consequences lasting seven births (எழுமை). The fool sinks into the mud (அளறு = mire, hell) of suffering through his own actions. This emphasizes the long-lasting impact of foolish choices.
விளக்கம்
பேதைமை அதிகாரத்தில் வரும் இக்குறள், ஒரு முட்டாள் செய்யும் ஒரே ஒரு தவறான செயல் ஏழு பிறவிகளுக்கும் துன்பத்தைத் தரும் என்கிறது. அத்தகைய செயல், சேற்றில் அழுந்துவது போல, தொடர் துன்பத்தில் ஆழ்த்தும். எனவே, சிந்தித்து செயல்பட வேண்டும்.
Word meanings
- ஒருமைorumaione/single
- செயல்ceyalaction
- ஆற்றும்āṟṟumdoes
- பேதைpētaifool
- எழுமைeḻumaiseven births
- தான்tāṉoneself
- புக்குpukkuentering
- அழுந்தும்aḻuntumsinks
- அளறுaḷaṟumire/hell
Story behind this kural
In a small village nestled beside a whispering forest, lived a woodcutter named Arul. Though strong, Arul was known for his rash decisions. One day, fueled by a petty argument, he set fire to his neighbor's rice paddy. The flames spread quickly, consuming not only his neighbor's harvest but also a significant portion of the village's food supply. The villagers, furious and facing starvation, banished Arul. He wandered for years, always struggling, never finding a place to belong. He faced hardship after hardship: illness, betrayal, and constant hunger. He was forced to witness the suffering he caused ripple through generations of families. Even in his old age, as his hair turned white and his body grew frail, the memory of the fire haunted him. He realized his single act of anger had cast a long shadow, its consequences reaching far beyond that fateful day, touching every aspect of his existence. He was a prisoner of his own folly, forever bound to the repercussions of his reckless deed.