Shame and Self-Respect
.
Tap an underlined Tamil word to explore its sound, meaning, and use.
ūṉaik kuṟitta vuyirellā nāṇeṉṉu / ṉaṉmai kuṟittatu cālpu.
Every life has fixed upon flesh as the ground it stands on; in that same way, fullness of character has fixed upon the good quality called nāṇ, the drawing back from a base act.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“All spirits homes of flesh as habitation claim, / And perfect virtue ever dwells with shame.”
“The body is the seat of all life: but a virtuous blush is the dwelling place of worth.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
உயிர் எல்லாம் ஊனைக் குறித்த= எல்லா உயிர்களும், உடம்பினைத் தமக்கு நிலைக்களனாகக் கொண்டு அதனை விடா; சால்பு நாண் என்னும் நன்மை குறித்தது= அதுபோலச் சால்பு, நாண் என்னும் நன்மைக்குணத்தைத் தனக்கு நிலைக்களனாகக் கொண்டு அதனை விடாது.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Every life takes the body as its standing-ground and does not let go of it. In the same way, fullness of character takes the good quality called nāṇ as its own standing-ground, and does not let go of that.