The Worth of a Wife
Tap an underlined Tamil word to explore its sound, meaning, and use.
teyvam tozhāaḷ kozhunaṉ tozhutezhuvāḷ / peyyeṉap peyyum mazhai
She who honors no distant deity but rises revering her partner has power to summon rain at her word.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“No God adoring, low she bends before her lord; Then rising, serves: the rain falls instant at her word.”
“Behold the woman who worshippeth not other Gods but worshippeth her husband even as she riseth from bed: the rain-cloud obeyeth her commands.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
தெய்வம் தொழாஅள் கொழுநன் தொழுது எழுவாள் பெய் என = (பிற) தெய்வந் தொழாது (தன் தெய்வமாகிய) கொழுநனைத் தொழாநின்று துயிலெழுவாள் பெய்யென்று சொல்ல; மழை பெய்யும் = மழை பெய்யும். (தெய்வந் தொழுதற்கு மனந் தெளிவது, துயில் எழுங் காலத்தாகலின் 'தொழுதெழுவாள்' என்றார். தெய்வந்தான் ஏவல் செய்யும் என்பதாம்.)
Source: Tamil Wikisource
A wife who worships no distant divinity but reveres her partner with devotion will command the rain itself to fall upon her word.