Kural #899
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Tamil text
ஏந்திய கொள்கையார் சீறின்
இடைமுரிந்து வேந்தனும் வேந்து கெடும்
Ēntiya koḷkaiyār cīṟiṉ
Iṭaimurintu vēntaṉum vēntu keṭum
English translation
If those of lofty principles become angry, even a king will be broken in the middle and lose his kingdom.
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Explanation
Those with elevated principles (ஏந்திய கொள்கையார்) have immense moral power. Their anger can break even a king (வேந்தன்) and destroy his kingdom (வேந்து). Moral authority exceeds political power.
விளக்கம்
பெரிய கொள்கையுடைய சான்றோர் கோபம் கொண்டால், அரசனும் அவன் நாடும் அழிவர். உயர்ந்தோர் மனதை புண்படுத்தினால் அரசனுக்கும் கெடுதி வரும். பெரியாரைப் பிழையாமல் காப்பதே நல்லது.
Word meanings
- ஏந்தியēntiyalofty/elevated
- கொள்கைkoḷkaiprinciples
- ஆர்ārthose who
- சீறின்cīṟiṉif angered
- இடைiṭaimiddle
- முரிந்துmurintubroken
- வேந்தன்vēntaṉking
- வேந்துvēntukingdom
- கெடும்keṭumwill perish
Story behind this kural
In the kingdom of Eldoria, King Alaric ruled with an iron fist. He demanded absolute obedience and punished any perceived slight with swift cruelty. One day, the King, in his arrogance, decreed that the wise old hermit, Silas, living on the outskirts of the village, must pay taxes. Silas, known for his simple life and profound wisdom, refused. Alaric, enraged, sent his soldiers to drag Silas before him. The soldiers found Silas meditating peacefully under a tree. When they tried to seize him, they found themselves frozen, unable to move. The King, witnessing this, scoffed and rode out himself. "Old man," he roared, "Submit to my will!" Silas simply looked at the King with quiet sadness. Suddenly, the King's magnificent palace crumbled, his soldiers vanished, and the King was left alone, stripped of his power, in the dust. Only Silas remained, still meditating beneath the ancient tree.