Not Fearing the Assembly
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pakaiyakattup pēṭikai yoḷvā ḷavaiyakat / tañcu mavaṉkaṟṟa nūl.
“As shining sword before the foe which 'sexless being' bears, / Is science learned by him the council's face who fears.”
“Even as the sword in the hand of the eunuch on the battlefield is the learning of him who is afraid to face an audience.”
Learning held by one who fears speaking in an assembly is like a sharp sword held by someone unable to use it amid battle.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
பகை அகத்துப் பேடி கை ஒள்வாள்= எறியப்படும் பகை நடுவண் அதனை அஞ்சும் பேடி பிடித்த கூர்வாளை ஒக்கும்; அவை அகத்து அஞ்சுமவன் கற்ற நூல்- சொல்லப்படும் அவை நடுவண் அதனை அஞ்சுமவன் கற்ற நூல்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
The learning possessed by one who trembles before an assembly is as powerless as a glittering sword held in the hand of a trembling coward on the battlefield.