Kural #965
Last reviewed:
Tamil text
குன்றின் அனையாரும் குன்றுவர்
குன்றுவ குன்றி அனைய செயின்
Kuṉṟiṉ aṉaiyārum kuṉṟuvar
Kuṉṟuva kuṉṟi aṉaiya ceyiṉ
English translation
Even those as great as mountains will diminish if they do things as small as a kunri seed that diminish them.
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Explanation
A powerful contrast: even mountain-like (குன்றின் அனையார்) great people will be diminished (குன்றுவர்) by doing குன்றி (tiny seed) -sized dishonorable acts. Small wrongs have big consequences.
விளக்கம்
மானம் அதிகாரத்தில், இந்த குறள் ஒரு பெரிய கருத்தை சொல்கிறது. மலை போல் உயர்ந்தவர்களும், குன்றிமணி அளவு சிறுமையான செயல்களைச் செய்தால் தாழ்ந்து போவார்கள். சிறிய தவறுகளும் பெரிய விளைவுகளை ஏற்படுத்தும். எனவே, எப்போதும் மானத்துடன் வாழ வேண்டும்.
Word meanings
- குன்றுkuṉṟuhill/mountain
- இன்iṉlike
- அனையார்aṉaiyārthose who are like
- குன்றுவர்kuṉṟuvarwill diminish
- குன்றுவkuṉṟuvadiminishing things
- குன்றிkuṉṟiabrus seed (tiny)
- அனையaṉaiyalike
- செயின்ceyiṉif doing
Story behind this kural
In a village nestled beside a towering mountain, lived a respected elder named Kumar. His wisdom was vast, his generosity known throughout the land. He was a mountain in the eyes of the villagers. One day, a merchant offered Kumar a shimmering jewel, acquired through a questionable deal. Kumar, tempted by its beauty, accepted it, rationalizing that a small act wouldn't matter. Soon after, he overheard villagers whispering about the merchant’s deceit. Ashamed, Kumar hid the jewel. Later, Kumar found himself hesitant to offer counsel, the jewel's shadow dimming his clarity. He started avoiding eye contact, his once-confident voice wavering. The jewel, a tiny seed of ill-gotten gain, had begun to erode the mountain of his reputation. He felt smaller and smaller with each passing day. The jewel’s shine had become a heavy burden, diminishing the great man in everyone's eyes.