The Way of Building a Family Name
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kuṭiceyva leṉṉu moruvaṟkut teyva / maṭitaṟṟut tāṉmun tuṟum.
To the one who says 'I will raise my household', the divine power itself goes ahead and stands there — with its cloth gathered at the waist, in Parimelazhagar's reading of that phrase.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“'I'll make my race renowned,' if man shall say, / With vest succinct the goddess leads the way.”
“When a man setteth out saying, I shall advance my house, the very Gods gird up their loins and march before him.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
குடி செய்வல் என்னும ஒருவற்கு= என் குடியினை உயரச்செய்யக் கடவேன் என்றுகொண்டு அதற்கு ஏற்ற கருமங்களின் முயலும் ஒருவனுக்கு; தெய்வம் மடிதற்றுத் தான் முந்துறும்= தெய்வம் ஆடையைத் தற்றுக்கொண்டு தான் முந்துற்று நிற்கும்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
A man resolves to raise his household and sets about the work it needs. Then the divine tightens its garment and goes and stands ahead of him.
This verse is in tension
AI draft · pending scholar review