Begging
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irappārai yillāyi ṉīrṅkaṇmā ñāla / marappāvai ceṉṟuvan taṟṟu.
“If askers cease, the mighty earth, where cooling fountains flow, / Will be a stage where wooden puppets come and go.”
“If there were none to beg for alms, the whole world would have no more interest than a dance of marionettes.”
If none were in need of help, human life would be as lifeless as puppets moving on strings.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
இரப்பாரை இல்லாயின்= வறுமையுற்று இரப்பார் இல்லையாயின்; ஈர்ங்கண் மா ஞாலம்= குளிர்ந்த இடத்தையுடைய பெரிய ஞாலத்துள்ளார் செலவு வரவுகள்; மரப்பாவை சென்று வந்தற்று= உயிர் இல்லாத மரப்பாவை இயந்திரக் கயிற்றாற் சென்றுவந்தாற் போலும்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
If there were no people in need asking for assistance, the busy comings and goings of humanity across this world would be as empty and mechanical as wooden marionettes moving on strings.
This verse is in tension
AI draft · pending scholar review