Cherishing Kindred
Tap an underlined Tamil word to explore its sound, meaning, and use.
uḻaippirintu kāraṇattiṉ vantāṉai vēnta / ṉiḻaittirun teṇṇik koḷal.
“Who causeless went away, then to return, for any cause, ask leave; / The king should sift their motives well, consider, and receive!”
“When a kinsman that hath broken with thee cometh back to thee for a reason, accept thou him, but with caution.”
When a relative who left the king's side without cause returns for a purpose, the king should attend to that cause, examine thoughtfully, and then receive the person.
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.
உழைப்பிரிந்து காரணத்தின் வந்தானை= காரணமின்றித் தன்னிடத்து நின்றும் பிரிந்துபோய்ப் பின் காரணத்தான் வந்த சுற்றத்தானை; வேந்தன் இழைத்து இருந்து எண்ணிக் கொளல்= அரசன் அக்காரணத்தைச் செய்துவைத்து ஆராய்ந்து தழீஇக் கொள்க.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
When a relative who departed without reason returns out of some present need, the leader should fulfill that need, observe thoughtfully, and then warmly receive them back.