Greatness
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oḷiyoruvaṟ kuḷḷa veṟukkai yiḷiyoruvaṟ / kaḵtiṟantu vāḻtu meṉal.
“The light of life is mental energy; disgrace is his / Who says, 'I 'ill lead a happy life devoid of this.'”
“An aspiration for noble achievement, that is what is called greatness: and littleness is the thought that sayeth, I shall live without it.”
A person's true luster is energetic resolve of spirit; to live bereft of it is utter disgrace.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
ஒருவற்கு ஒளி உள்ள வெறுக்கை= ஒருவனுக்கு ஒளியாவது, பிறரால் செயற்கு அரிய செய்வேம் என்று கருதும் ஊக்கமிகுதி; ஒருவற்கு இளி அஃது இறந்து வாழ்தும் எனல்= ஒருவனுக்கு மாசாவது, அச்செயலை ஒழிந்து உயிர்வாழக் கடவேம் என்று கருதுதல்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
The true radiance of a person is an abundance of energetic resolve that aspires to accomplish great deeds; to abandon that noble ambition and merely exist in complacency is true disgrace.