Kural #858
Last reviewed:
Tamil text
இகலிற்கு எதிர்சாய்தல் ஆக்கம்
அதனை மிகலூக்கின் ஊக்குமாம் கேடு
Ikaliṟku etircāytal ākkam
Ataṉai mikalūkkiṉ ūkkumām kēṭu
English translation
Yielding to enmity brings prosperity; intensifying it brings ruin.
Listen
Explanation
Yielding (எதிர் சாய்தல்) when facing enmity brings prosperity (ஆக்கம்). But if one intensifies (மிகல் ஊக்கின்) the conflict, it only accelerates ruin (கேடு). Strategic retreat is wiser than prideful escalation.
விளக்கம்
பொருள்: பகை வந்தால் பணிந்து போவது நல்லது; அதுவே நன்மை தரும். அதை விடாப்பிடியாக வளர்த்தால், அழிவு நிச்சயம். இகல் என்னும் அதிகாரத்தில், பகைமையை வெல்லும் வழியை வள்ளுவர் கூறுகிறார். பணிவு வெற்றியின் திறவுகோல்.
Word meanings
- இகலிற்குikaliṟkuto enmity
- எதிர்etiragainst/opposite
- சாய்தல்cāytalyielding/bending
- ஆக்கம்ākkamprosperity
- அதனைataṉaithat
- மிகல்mikalintensifying
- ஊக்கின்ūkkiṉif urged
- ஊக்குமாம்ūkkumāmwill urge
- கேடுkēṭuruin
Story behind this kural
In a small village nestled beside a whispering forest, lived two farmers, Arun and Bala. Their fields bordered each other, and for years they had shared irrigation, until a disagreement arose over a water channel. Arun, fueled by pride, blocked Bala’s access. Bala, seeing the rising anger in Arun's eyes, quietly diverted the water another way. Arun, enraged by what he saw as weakness, began spreading rumors, trying to diminish Bala's reputation. Bala, instead of retaliating, focused on his harvest, his actions speaking louder than words. His crops thrived, while Arun's withered from neglect, as he was consumed by his anger. Soon, a drought hit the village. Arun’s well dried up, and his family faced starvation. Seeing his plight, Bala, without hesitation, shared his water and food. Arun, humbled, helped Bala repair the original water channel.