Greatness
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ciṟiyā ruṇarcciyu ḷillai periyāraip / pēṇikkoḷ vēmeṉṉu nōkku.
“'As votaries of the truly great we will ourselves enroll,' / Is thought that enters not the mind of men of little soul.”
“It is not in the grain of small men to revere the great and earn their good will and favour.”
In the minds of the small, there is never the noble thought to revere and learn from the great.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
பெரியாரைப் பேணிக் கொள்வேம் என்னும் நோக்கு= அப்பெற்றியராய பெரியாரை வழிபட்டு அவர் இயல்பினை யாம் கோடும் என்னும் கருத்து; சிறியார் உணர்ச்சியுள் இல்லை= மற்றைச் சிறியராயினார் மனத்தின்கண் உளதாகாது.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
In the narrow perception of small-minded people, there is never any desire to revere the great and emulate their noble virtues.