Kural #947
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Tamil text
தீயள வன்றித் தெரியான்
பெரிதுண்ணின் நோயள வின்றிப் படும்
Tīyaḷa vaṉṟit teriyāṉ
Perittuṇṇiṉ nōyaḷa viṉṟip paṭum
English translation
One who eats excessively without knowing the digestive fire's capacity will suffer unlimited diseases.
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Explanation
The digestive fire (தீ - agni in Siddha/Ayurveda) has limits (அளவு). Eating beyond this capacity (பெரிது உண்ணின்) without understanding (தெரியான்) leads to boundless disease (நோய் அளவு இன்றி).
விளக்கம்
செரிமான சக்தியை அறியாமல் அதிகம் சாப்பிட்டால், அளவற்ற நோய்கள் வரும். "மருந்து" அதிகாரத்தில், உணவே மருந்து என்பதை வலியுறுத்துகிறார் வள்ளுவர். அளவோடு சாப்பிடுவதே ஆரோக்கியம் தரும்.
Word meanings
- தீtīdigestive fire
- அளவுaḷavumeasure/capacity
- அன்றிaṉṟiwithout
- தெரியான்teriyāṉnot knowing
- பெரிதுperitumuch/excessively
- உண்ணின்uṇṇiṉif eating
- நோய்nōydisease
- இன்றிiṉṟiwithout
- படும்paṭumwill occur
Story behind this kural
In a village nestled beside a lush green valley, lived a farmer named Arul. His harvests were plentiful, and his table always overflowed with delicious food. Arul loved to eat, and his feasts were legendary. He’d gorge himself on rice, vegetables, and sweets, often ignoring the fullness within. One day, a wise old woman visited the village. She observed Arul's eating habits and, noticing his frequent ailments, offered him a simple piece of advice: "Listen to your body, Arul. It speaks to you. When it tells you it is full, stop." Arul, however, chuckled and continued his lavish eating. Soon, he began to suffer. Aches, pains, and a general feeling of unwellness plagued him. He sought remedies, but nothing seemed to help. He had forgotten the old woman's simple wisdom. He had not considered the limits of his own capacity. He continued to eat, and his health suffered greatly.