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Kural #866

Wealth· பொருள்Enemy's Greatness· பகைமாட்சி

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Tamil text

காணாச் சினத்தான் கழிபெருங் காமத்தான்

பேணாமை பேணப் படும்

Kāṇāc ciṉattāṉ kaḻiperuṅ kāmattāṉ

Pēṇāmai pēṇap paṭum

English translation

One with blind anger and excessive lust - his enmity should be cherished.

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Explanation

An enemy blinded by rage (காணா சினத்தான்) and overwhelmed by desire (கழிபெரும் காமத்தான்) is weak. His enmity (பேணாமை) should be cherished (பேணப்படும்) because such flaws make him easy to defeat.

விளக்கம்

கோபம், காமம் மிக்கவர் பலவீனமான பகைவர். "பகைமாட்சி" அதிகாரத்தில், இப்படிப்பட்டவரின் பகையை விரும்பி ஏற்கலாம். ஏனெனில், அவர்கள் எளிதில் வெல்லக்கூடியவர்கள். உணர்ச்சிவசப்படாமல் இருப்பது வெற்றிக்கு உதவும்.

Word meanings

  • காணாkāṇāblind/not seeing
  • சினத்தான்ciṉattāṉone with anger
  • கழிkaḻiexcessive
  • பெரும்perumgreat
  • காமத்தான்kāmattāṉone with desire
  • பேணாமைpēṇāmaienmity/not caring
  • பேணப்படும்pēṇappaṭumshould be cherished

Story behind this kural

The King's advisor, a wise old man, observed the neighboring kingdom's new ruler. This king, young and impulsive, flew into a rage at the slightest offense. He also indulged in lavish feasts and endless pleasures, his court a den of excess. "He will be our downfall!" cried the generals, fearing the inevitable war. "He is building a mighty army!" The old advisor smiled. "No, he builds his own prison. Observe him closely." Days turned into months. The young king, fueled by fury, made rash decisions, alienating allies and exhausting his treasury. His lust for power led him to overreach, demanding more than he could reasonably command. His people grew weary of his whims. When the inevitable war came, the neighboring kingdom's army was formidable, yet it lacked true strength. It was a force divided by resentment and weakened by the king's excesses. The wise advisor knew this before the battle began.