Abstaining from Flesh
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paṭaikoṇṭār neñcampōl naṉṟūkkā toṉṟa / ṉuṭaṟcuvai yuṇṭār maṉam
“Like heart of them that murderous weapons bear, his mind, / Who eats of savoury meat, no joy in good can find.”
“The heart of the man that tasteth flesh turneth not towards good, even as the heart of him that is armed with steel.”
As the mind of one holding a killing weapon does not incline toward good, the mind of one who has savoured another creature's body does not incline toward good.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
படை கொண்டார் நெஞ்சம் போல்= கொலைக் கருவியைத் தம் கையில் கொண்டவர் மனம் அதனால் செய்யும் கொலையையே நோக்குவது அல்லது, அருளை நோக்காதவாறு போல; ஒன்றன் உடல்சுவை உண்டார் மனம் நன்று ஊக்காது= பிறிதோர் உயிரின் உடலைச் சுவைபட உண்டவர் மனம் அவ்வூனையே நோக்குவதுஅல்லது அருளை நோக்காது.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Just as the mind of a person wielding a deadly weapon is fixed solely on destruction rather than mercy, the mind of one accustomed to relishing the flesh of living beings will not incline toward compassion and goodness.
This verse is in tension
AI draft · pending scholar review