Kural #990
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Tamil text
சான்றவர் சான்றாண்மை குன்றின்
இருநிலந்தான் தாங்காது மன்னோ பொறை
Cāṉṟavar cāṉṟāṇmai kuṉṟiṉ
Irunilantāṉ tāṅkātu maṉṉō poṟai
English translation
If the nobility of the noble diminishes, the great earth itself will be unable to bear its burden.
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Explanation
The noble sustain the moral order of the world. If their virtue were to decline, even the earth (இருநிலம்) could not endure. This shows the cosmic importance of noble character in maintaining universal harmony.
விளக்கம்
சான்றோரின் பெருமை குறைந்தால், இந்த பூமியே பாரம் தாங்காது. சான்றாண்மை அதிகாரத்தில், உயர்ந்த குணமே உலகை நிலைநிறுத்தும் என்கிறது குறள். நல்லொழுக்கம் காப்பதே நம் கடமை.
Word meanings
- சான்றவர்cāṉṟavarthe noble ones
- சான்றாண்மைcāṉṟāṇmainobility
- குன்றின்kuṉṟiṉif diminishes
- இருநிலம்irunilamthe great earth
- தான்tāṉitself
- தாங்காதுtāṅkātucannot bear
- மன்னோmaṉṉōindeed (emphatic)
- பொறைpoṟaiburden
Story behind this kural
In a village nestled beside a great mountain, lived a wise elder named Thiru. He was known for his unwavering honesty and kindness. The villagers prospered under his guidance, their harvests plentiful, their disputes settled peacefully. The mountain, they said, seemed to smile down upon them. One year, greed poisoned the hearts of some. They coveted the elder's wisdom and began spreading rumors, accusing him of hoarding wealth. Slowly, distrust crept into the village. The farmers became quarrelsome, the marketplace became a place of deceit, and the harvests dwindled. The mountain, once clear, became shrouded in mist. Then, a great tremor shook the village. Cracks appeared in the earth, and the houses began to crumble. The villagers, terrified, realized their folly. They begged Thiru for forgiveness. As he embraced them, the tremors ceased, the mist lifted, and the sun shone again. The mountain stood tall and strong once more.