Following a Wife's Direction
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peṇṇēval ceytoḻuku māṇmaiyi ṉāṇuṭaip / peṇṇē perumai uṭaittu.
“The dignity of modest womanhood excels / His manliness, obedient to a woman's law who dwells.”
“Behold the man that submitteth to petticoat government: a bashful maid hath more dignity in her than he.”
Greater is the dignity of a woman adorned with modesty than the manhood of one who slavishly obeys his wife's dictates.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
பெண் ஏவல்செய்து ஒழுகும் ஆண்மையின்= நாண்இன்றித் தன் இல்லாளது ஏவல் தொழிலைச் செய்து திரிகின்றவனது ஆண்தன்மையின்; நாண் உடைப் பெண்ணே பெருமை உடைத்து= நாணினையுடைய அவள் பெண்தன்மையே மேம்பாடு உடைத்து.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Far nobler is a woman adorned with modesty than the so-called manhood of a person who spends his life servilely running his wife's errands.