Kural Chronicles

KURAL 475

PORUTPAAL

ARASIYAL

ADHIKAARAM 48: VALIYARIDHAL – KNOWING YOUR STRENGTH

பீலிபெய் சாகாடும் அச்சிறும் அப்பண்டஞ்
சால மிகுத்துப் பெயின்.

Peelipei saagaadum achirum appandam

Saala miguthup peyin

Even a cart of peacock feathers, if loaded with one two many, will capsize from a broken axle.

Peeli: peacock feather;  Saagaadu: cart;  Achchu: axle;  Pandam: object;  Saala: many or great;  Miguthu: extra.

This Kural is very similar to the last straw that broke the camel’s back.

The point to note here is, however, that Valluvar places this Kural under Arasiyal  (Governance), adhikaaram Valiyaridhal or knowing your strength.

You may load a cart with just feathers. Load it too much and even with one extra feather, the axle of the cart will break. Learn to judge ‘ how much is too much’. Understand your strengths. Understand how much you can take up realistically. Learn to stop with that. Just one more small task will lead to one more and one more. Learn to say no to others and to yourself.

Considering the head is governance, you could also take it to pertain to employees as well. Know how much they are capable of and task them no more.