Kural #973
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Tamil text
மேலிருந்தும் மேலல்லார் மேலல்லர்
கீழிருந்தும் கீழல்லார் கீழல் லவர்
Mēliruntum mēlallār mēlallar
Kīḻiruntum kīḻallār kīḻal lavar
English translation
Those without greatness remain low even if placed high; those with true greatness are never low even if placed low.
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Explanation
Position and status do not determine true worth. An ignoble person in a high position remains base, while a noble person in humble circumstances retains their dignity. This teaches us that character, not circumstance, defines a person.
விளக்கம்
உயர்ந்த இடத்தில் இருந்தாலும் பெருமை இல்லாதவர் பெரியவர் ஆகார். தாழ்ந்த இடத்தில் இருந்தாலும் பெருமை உடையவர் தாழ்ந்தவர் ஆகார். பெருமை என்பது நிலையால் வருவதில்லை, குணத்தால் வருவது. இது பெருமை அதிகாரத்தில் சொல்லப்பட்டுள்ளது.
Word meanings
- மேல்mēlhigh position
- இருந்தும்iruntumeven being in
- மேலல்லார்mēlallārthose without greatness
- மேலல்லர்mēlallarare not great
- கீழ்kīḻlow position
- கீழல்லார்kīḻallārthose who are not low
- கீழல்லவர்kīḻallavarare not low
Story behind this kural
In a bustling marketplace, a wealthy merchant, adorned in silks, scoffed at a humble potter selling his wares. "Look at you," he boomed, "covered in dirt, selling cracked pots! You are beneath me." The potter simply smiled and continued arranging his goods. Later that day, a fire erupted in the merchant's lavish mansion. The merchant, flustered and helpless, watched as his riches burned. The potter, however, rushed in, calmly directing villagers, using his knowledge of the wind and available water to contain the blaze. He saved the homes of many. The merchant, now humbled and soot-covered, found himself standing beside the potter. He finally understood that true worth was not measured by possessions, but by the actions of one's heart. The villagers praised the potter's bravery and kindness, while the merchant was left to rebuild his life, forever changed by the day's events.