Reading Unspoken Signs
?
Tap an underlined Tamil word to explore its sound, meaning, and use.
kuṟippiṟ kuṟippuṇarā vāyi ṉuṟuppiṉu / ḷeṉṉa payattavō kaṇ.
“By sign who knows not sings to comprehend, what gain, / 'Mid all his members, from his eyes does he obtain?”
“What is the place of the eve among the organs of sense, if it divineth not by a look that which is in the heart?”
If the eyes cannot understand another person's intention from visible signs, what distinctive function do they fulfil among the bodily faculties?
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.
குறிப்பின் குறிப்பு உணராவாயின்= குறித்தது காணவல்ல தம் காட்சியாற் பிறர் குறிப்பினை உணரமாட்டாவாயின்; உறுப்பினுள் கண் என்ன பயத்தவோ= ஒருவன் உறுப்புக்களுள் சிறந்த கண்கள் வேறென்ன பயனைச் செய்வன?
Source: Tamil Wikisource
If the eyes cannot perceive another's inner thoughts by reading expressions, of what practical worth are they among bodily organs?