Impartiality
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Tap an underlined Tamil word to explore its sound, meaning, and use.
kēṭum perukkamum illalla neñsattuk / kōṭāmai sāṉṟōrkku aṇi
Loss and gain were settled long ago; so the wise keep an unbending heart, and that is their ornament.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“The gain and loss in life are not mere accident; / Just mind inflexible is sages' ornament.”
“Evil and good come unto all: but an upright heart is the glory of the wise.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
கேடும் பெருக்கமும் இல் அல்ல = தீவினையால் கேடும் நல்வினையால் பெருக்கமும் யாவர்க்கும் முன்னே அமைந்து கிடந்தன; நெஞ்சத்துக் கோடாமை சான்றோர்க்கு அணி = அவ்வாற்றை அறிந்து அவை காரணமாக மனத்தின்கண் கோடாமையே அறிவான் அமைந்தார்க்கு அழகு ஆவது.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Loss comes by past wrong and gain by past good — both were settled long before. Knowing this, the wise never tilt their mind toward either out of fear or greed, and that unswerving heart is their ornament.