Old Tamil Poetry

Pazha Mozhi 400 – 42

Even Thirumal* who saved cows in distress
is called just a cow herd by this world;
irrespective of whether Gods or humans,
tongue that speaks ill is never at a loss.

*Thirumal – Tamil for Lord Vishnu

ஆவிற் கரும்பனி தாங்கிய மாலையும்
கோவிற்குக் கோவல னென்றுலகம் கூறுமால்
தேவர்க்கு மக்கட் கெனல்வேண்டா தீங்குரைக்கும்
நாவிற்கு நல்குர(வு) இல்

When Indra sent rain and thunder to destroy Brindavan, Lord Krishna (avatar of Vishnu) lifted the hills and saved men and cattle from their distress. Even though standing up to Indra was a praiseworthy feat, still the world calls him but a cow herd. So this world doesn’t differentiate between Gods or humans when it disparagaes them. The tongue is never at a loss to criticize / say bad things about people.

The proverb here is “Tongue that speaks ill is never at a loss” (தீங்குரைக்கும் நாவிற்கு நல்குர(வு) இல்)

Pazhamozhi 400 (Proverbs 400) is one of the 18 post Sangam anthologies. It was written / compiled by முன்றுறை அரையனார் (Mundrurai Arayanar, Chief of Mundrurai) and is generally dated to around 5th Century AD.

ஆ – cow
அரும் – great
பனி – distress
மால் – திருமால் – Thirumal (Tamil for Vishnu)
கோ – cow
கோவலன் – cow herd
தீங்கு உரைக்கும் – speaking ill
நா – tongue
நல்குரவு – poverty / shortage