Knowing One's Duty to Society
Tap an underlined Tamil word to explore its sound, meaning, and use.
iṭaṉil paruvattu moppuraviṟ kolkār / kaṭaṉaṟi kāṭci yavar
“E'en when resources fall, they weary not of 'kindness due,'- / They to whom Duty's self appears in vision true.”
“Behold the men who know what is just and proper: they fail not to oblige others even when fallen on evil days.”
Those who clearly understand their civic duty do not shrink from helping others, even during periods when their own resources decline.
Ask about this Kural
Answers are drawn only from this Kural's sourced text and named commentary, and always cite what they used.
Choose a section
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
இடன் இல் பருவத்தும் ஒப்புரவிற்கு ஒல்கார்= செல்வம் சுருங்கிய காலத்தும் ஒப்புரவு செய்தற்குத் தளரார்;; கடன் அறி காட்சியவர்= தாம் செய்யத் தகுவனவற்றை அறிந்து இயற்கை அறிவுடையார், என்றவாறு.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Those who clearly understand their civic duty do not shrink from helping others, even during periods when their own resources decline.