Kural #989
Last reviewed:
Tamil text
ஊழி பெயரினும் தாம்பெயரார்
சான்றாண்மைக்கு ஆழி எனப்படு வார்
Ūḻi peyariṉum tāmpeyarār
Cāṉṟāṇmaikku āḻi eṉappaṭu vār
English translation
Even if the ages turn, those who are called the ocean of nobility will never change their nature.
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Explanation
True nobility is steadfast like the ocean. Even cosmic changes (ஊழி) cannot alter the character of the truly noble. They are called the ocean (ஆழி) of nobility because of their vast, unchanging depth of virtue.
விளக்கம்
சான்றாண்மை என்னும் உயர்ந்த குணமுடையோர், ஊழிக்காலம் மாறினாலும் தம் நற்குணத்திலிருந்து மாற மாட்டார்கள். கடல் அலைகளால் மாறாதது போல, அவர்கள் உறுதியாக இருப்பார்கள். நற்பண்புகளைக் காப்பதில் அவர்கள் கடலைப் போன்றவர்கள்.
Word meanings
- ஊழிūḻiages/eons
- பெயரினும்peyariṉumeven if changes
- தாம்tāmthey
- பெயரார்peyarārwill not change
- சான்றாண்மைக்குcāṉṟāṇmaikkufor nobility
- ஆழிāḻiocean
- எனப்படுவார்eṉappaṭuvārthose who are called
Story behind this kural
In a humble village nestled beside a vast ocean, lived an old fisherman named Arul. For generations, his family had sailed these waters, known for their unwavering kindness. One year, a terrible storm ravaged the coast. Many villagers, desperate, turned to greed, hoarding supplies and betraying their neighbors for survival. Arul, though his own boat was destroyed, continued to share his meager catch with those in need. He helped rebuild homes, offering his skills without expectation of reward. Some scoffed, calling him foolish, as they amassed wealth from the misfortune. Years passed. The storm became a memory, and fortunes shifted. Those who had hoarded lost their gains, their reputations tarnished. But Arul, his character unchanged, remained respected. His generosity, like the ocean itself, had weathered the tempest. People still sought his counsel, finding in him a steady presence, a wellspring of quiet strength that never diminished.