Not Offending the Great and Powerful
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āṟṟuvā rāṟṟa likaḻāmai pōṟṟuvār / pōṟṟalu ḷellān talai.
“The chiefest care of those who guard themselves from ill, / Is not to slight the powers of those who work their mighty will.”
“The greatest care of a man that looketh to his safety should be to guard himself carefully from offending the Great Ones.”
Not despising the power of those who can accomplish all they undertake is the foremost safeguard among all protections.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
ஆற்றுவார் ஆற்றல் இகழாமை= எடுத்துக்கொண்டன யாவும் முடிக்கவல்லாருடைய ஆற்றல்களை அவமதியாமை; போற்றுவார் போற்றலுள் எல்லாம் தலை= தங்களுக்குத் தீங்கு வாராமற் காப்பார் செய்யும் காவல்கள் எல்லாவற்றினும் மிக்கது.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Not disrespecting the power of those capable of accomplishing whatever they undertake is the foremost safeguard among all the protections one can secure.