Strength needed for a job is one’s mental strength;
All else is secondary to that.
வினைத் திட்பம் என்பது ஒருவன் மனத் திட்பம்;
மற்றைய எல்லாம் பிற.
Manpower, equipment and all other strengths needed to do a job are secondary to one’s mental strength in completing it.
வினை – job / work
திட்பம் – strength
The cruel one doesn’t bestow his affection in reality,
Then why in my dreams does he torment me?
நனவினா னல்காக் கொடியார் கனவினான்
என்னெம்மைப் பீழிப் பது.
He has been away for a while and she is pining for him. When she is awake his absence makes her sick. When she sleeps, he appears in her dreams and torments her further. This is her lament.
நனவு – reality
நல்குதல் – to bestow
கொடியர் – cruel one
கனவு – dream
பீழித்தல் – to torment
Like the monsoon season
When water scooped up by the clouds
Pours down the mountain
And water from the mountain
Flows back to the sea,
Countless variety of goods
In limitless quantities
Are offloaded from sea to land
And loaded from land to sea..
வான் முகந்த நீர் மலைப் பொழியவும்,
மலைப் பொழிந்த நீர் கடல் பரப்பவும்,
மாரி பெய்யும் பருவம் போல
நீரினின்றும் நிலத்து ஏற்றவும்,
நிலத்தினின்று நீர்ப் பரப்பவும்,
அளந்து அறியாப் பல பண்டம்
வரம்பு அறியாமை வந்து ஈண்டி,
These lines are from Pattinap Palai, a long poem written in praise of Chola King Karikala Cholan, generally dated to the beginning of Common Era. Pattinap Palai is one of the ten long poems (பத்துப்பாட்டு) that are part of Sangam literature.
These lines talk about the flourishing trade and wealth of Karikala’s kingdom. Water cycle is the simile used for import and export of goods. Water from sea evaporates, rises up as clouds and pours as rain down the mountain during rainy season. Rain pouring down the mountains runs back as river to the sea and completes the cycle. Similarly in Karikala’s customs house, goods from the ships offloaded to land (import) and goods from land to be loaded on ships are gathered in countless quantities under the hawk eye of the customs officials.
If you can read Tamil, you will realize that these lines written 2000 years ago are as fresh as those written yesterday. All the words used then are still in use now. I chose these lines to show the continuity of Tamil, the biggest strength of our language.
வான் – cloud
முகந்த – scooped
மாரி பெய்யும் பருவம் – rain pouring season / monsoon
பண்டம் – goods
வரம்பு – limit
ஈண்டி – gathered
If hands of those who till their lands turn inactive,
Even those who renounced worldly pleasure, suffer.
உழவினார் கைம்மடங்கி னில்லை விழைவதூஉம்
விட்டேமென் பார்க்கும் நிலை.
If farmers stop tilling their lands and rest their hands idly, it will disturb everyone. Even monks who claim to have renounced worldly pleasures will find it difficult to carryout their duties in the absence of food.
உழவினார் – those who plough the land
கைம் மடங்கி – hands turn inactive
விழைவது – yearning / pleasure
விட்டேம் – gave up
என்பார்க்கும் – who say
நிலை இல்லை – can’t do their duty
 | Anon on Kurunthokai 166 |
 | prasana on Thirukkural – 819 |
 | Smitha Komandoor on Kurunthokai 63 |
 | Sanjay Prasad on Thirukkural 675 |
 | Kirayukimuras on Thirikadugam – 28 |
Old Tamil Poetry 