The Possession of Forbearance
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tuṟandhāriṉ tūymai uḍaiyar iṟandhārvāy / iṉṉācchol nōṟkiṟ pavar
Those who can absorb the cruel words of people who've lost all decency are as pure as those who renounced the world — and they never left ordinary life.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“They who transgressors' evil words endure With patience, are as stern ascetics pure.”
“More saintly than even those that have renounced are they that bear with the bitter tongue of their detractors.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
துறந்தாரின் தூய்மை உடையர் — இல்வாழ்க்கைக்கண் நின்றேயும், துறந்தார் போலத் தூய்மை உடையார்; இறந்தார் வாய் இன்னாச்சொல் நோற்கிற்பவர் — நெறியைக் கடந்தார் வாய் இன்னாத சொல்லைப் பொறுப்பவர். (உரைவிளக்கம்: தூய்மை மனமாசின்மை.)
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Those who endure the cruel words of people who have abandoned all decency are as pure as renunciants — even while living an ordinary household life. (Here 'purity' means freedom from inner stain.)