Naaladiyaar – 26
Does it matter if it is dragged with a rope? Or cleaned up and buried?
Does it matter if it is left in public? And people badmouth it?
Once the actor, who resides in this bundle off flesh
Playing his role departs, does it matter?
நார்த் தொடுத்து ஈர்க்கில் என்? நன்று ஆய்ந்து அடக்கில் என்?
பார்த்துழிப் பெய்யில் என்? பல்லோர் பழிக்கில் என்?-
தோற்பையுள்நின்று, தொழில் அறச் செய்து ஊட்டும்
கூத்தன் புறப்பட்டக்கால்.
The poet equates life / soul to an actor who resides in our body (bag of flesh). Once his role is over he departs. After that this body worthless. It doesntatter if it is dragged around or cleaned up and buried. It doesn’t matter if it is left lying around and people bad mouth it. The body isn’t affected anyway as it is just an inanimate object.
Old Tamil Poetry 
Yes, the author of the verse is right – at a certain level it matters not. But in reality it matters much how the ‘bag of flesh’ is treated.
Should it be stripped naked and dragged about the streets for all to gawk and sneer? Or left to rot and be a beacon for vermin that spread disease.
The dead might not care. But the living better take care.
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