Reserve Overcome
நாணம் எனும் கதவை உடைத்துக் கொண்டு பொங்கி எழும் காதலின் வேகத்தை உரைத்தல். — Admitting that the strong door of self-possession has been shattered by the axe of desire.
Tap an underlined Tamil word to explore its sound, meaning, and use.
niṟaiyuṭaiyē ṉeṉpēṉmaṉ yāṉōveṉ kāma / maṟaiyiṟantu maṉṟu paṭum.
“In womanly reserve I deemed myself beyond assail; / But love will come abroad, and casts away the veil.”
“I was proud that I was correct and decorous in my behaviour: but alas! love rendeth every veil and showeth itself in public.”
Until today I called myself a woman who holds herself in hand. So much for that: my longing has walked past every concealment and is standing in the open square.
Ask about this Kural
Answers are drawn only from this Kural's sourced text and named commentary, and always cite what they used.
Choose a section
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
யான் நிறையுடையேன் என்பேன்மன்= இன்றின் ஊங்கெல்லாம் யான் என்னை நிறையுடையேன் என்று கருதியிருந்தேன்; என் காமம் மறையிறந்து மன்றுபடும்= அதனால் என், இன்று என்காமம் மறைத்தலைக் கடந்து மன்றின்கண் வெளிப்படாநின்றது, எ-று.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Until today I believed I possessed unyielding reserve; but now my desire has broken every bound and stands exposed before the whole town.