Renown
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nilavarai nīḷpuka ḻāṟṟiṟ pulavaraip / pōṟṟātu puttē ḷulaku
If a person creates enduring renown that reaches the earth's bounds, the Kural poetically says the celestial world will honour that person rather than the sages already there.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“If men do virtuous deeds by world-wide ample glory crowned, / The heavens will cease to laud the sage for other gifts renowned.”
“Behold the man that hath won a lasting, worldwide fame: the Gods on high prefer him even before saints.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
நிலவரை நீள் புகழ் ஆற்றின்= ஒருவன் நிலஎல்லைக்கண்ணே பொன்றாது நிற்கும் புகழைச்செய்யுமாயின்; புத்தேள் உலகு புலவரைப்போற்றாது= புத்தேள் உலகம் அவனையல்லது தன்னை எய்திநின்ற ஞானிகளைப் பேணாது.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar reads the first clause as creating renown that does not perish anywhere within the earth's bounds. The second clause elevates such a person through a religious-poetic image: the celestial world honours that person in preference to sages who have already reached it.