Thirukkural 1114 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
காணின் குவளை கவிழ்ந்து நிலன்நோக்கும்
மாணிழை கண்ணொவ்வேம் என்று.
Transliteration
Kaanin Kuvalai Kavizhndhu Nilannokkum
Maanizhai Kannovvem Endru
Modern English
“The blue lotus is imagined as lowering its head because it cannot match the beloved's eyes.”
Modern Interpretation
The blue lotus is imagined as lowering its head because it cannot match the beloved's eyes. When someone admires a friend's exceptional talent, even the usual standards of beauty may seem inadequate beside it.
Listen
Tamil pronunciation
Compare translations
Modern Plain English
The blue lotus is imagined as lowering its head because it cannot match the beloved's eyes.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
Lily droops down to ground and says I can't equal the jewelled-one's eyes
G.U. Pope Translation
The lotus, seeing her, with head demiss, the ground would eye,And say, 'With eyes of her, rich gems who wears, we cannot vie.'
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
If the blue lotus could see, it would stoop and look at the ground saying, "I can never resemble the eyes of this excellent jewelled one."
Tamil commentary
குவளைப் பூக்களால் காண முடியுமானால், சிறந்த அணிகளைப் பூண்டிருக்கும் என் மனைவியின் கண்ணைப் போல தாம் இருக்கமாட்டோம் என்று எண்ணி நாணத்தால் தலைகுனிந்து நிலத்தைப் பார்க்கும்.
Chapter 112
More from The Praise of her Beauty
நலம் புனைந்து உரைத்தல்
Soft blessed anicha flower, hail On whom I dote is softer still
Kural 1112You can't liken flowers by many eyed, To her bright eyes, O mind dismayed
Kural 1113The bamboo-shouldered has pearl-like smiles Fragrant breath and lance-like eyes
Kural 1114Lily droops down to ground and says I can't equal the jewelled-one's eyes
Kural 1115Anicha flower with stem she wears To her breaking waist sad-drum-blares!
Kural 1116Stars are confused to know which is The moon and which is woman's face
Kural 1117Are there spots on the lady's face Just as in moon that changes phase?
Kural 1118Like my lady's face if you shine All my love to you; hail O moon!
Kural 1119Like the face of my flower-eyed one If you look, then shine alone O moon!
Kural 1120The soft flower and the swan's down are Like nettles to the feet of the fair