தன் நேர்மையான வழியை விட்டு விலகாது, அடக்கத்துடன் வாழ்பவனைப் பற்றிய பிறர் மனத் தோற்றம் மலையைக் காட்டிலும் மிக உயரமானது.

உறுதியான உள்ளமும், அத்துடன் ஆர்ப்பாட்டமற்ற அடக்க உணர்வும் கொண்டவரின் உயர்வு, மலையைவிடச் சிறந்தது எனப் போற்றப்படும்

தன் நிலையிலிருந்து மாறுபடாமல் அடங்கி ஒழுகுவோனுடைய உயர்வு, மலையின் உயர்வை விட மிகவும் பெரிதாகும்.

More lofty than a mountain will be the greatness of that man who without swerving from his domestic state, controls himself

The Kural 124 emphasizes the virtues of self-control and steadfastness in one's chosen path or duty. It implies that the man who, without deviating from his moral and ethical obligations, can master self-restraint, is held in higher esteem than a mountain. The mountain here is a metaphor for a significant, immovable, and unchanging object. The comparison to a mountain underlines the magnitude of this achievement. While a mountain may be physically imposing and unchanging, it lacks the capacity for moral and ethical reasoning that humans possess. Thus, a man who remains firm in his principles and self-control, despite the challenges and temptations he may encounter, attains a level of greatness that surpasses the grandeur of a mountain. The verse underscores the importance of self-discipline and unwavering adherence to one's dharma or moral duty in the face of life's trials and tribulations. This in turn, elevates a man's stature in the eyes of society, making his greatness loftier than the highest mountain. It’s a call to inculcate self-restraint and steadfastness in one's life, which are considered higher virtues than physical strength or power.