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Chapter 66: வினைத்தூய்மை

On Wealth & Statecraft The Limbs of Society Chapter 66

Kural 660

வினைத்தூய்மை

Position 10/10

திருக்குறள்

சலத்தால் பொருள்செய்தே மார்த்தல் பசுமண் கலத்துள்நீர் பெய்திரீஇ யற்று.

Salaththaal Porulseydhe Maarththal Pasuman Kalaththulneer Peydhireei Yatru

“The wealth gathered in guilty ways Is water poured in wet clay vase”

In pot of clay unburnt he water pours and would retain,Who seeks by wrong the realm in wealth and safety to maintain

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Kural #660

The Clay Horse

The story illustrates the Kural's metaphor: just as adding water to a wet clay vessel to preserve it actually causes it to collapse, using ill-gotten wealth to serve a noble cause (like a minister protecting a king) leads to ultimate failure. (For a minister) to protect (his king) with wealth obtained by foul means is like preserving a vessel of wet clay by filling it with water

8–14 yr 2 min