Compassion
Tap an underlined Tamil word to explore its sound, meaning, and use.
teruḷātāṉ meypporuḷ kaṇṭāṟṟā ṟēri / ṉaruḷātāṉ ceyyu maṟam
If one examines the virtue performed by a person without compassion, it resembles an undiscerning person's perception of ultimate reality.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“When souls unwise true wisdom's mystic vision see, / The 'graceless' man may work true works of charity.”
“It is as easy for the hard of heart to do deeds of righteousness as for the confused in mind to realise the Truth.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
அருளாதான் செய்யும் அறம் தேரின்= உயிர்கள் மாட்டு அருள் செய்யாதவன் செய்யும் அறத்தை ஆராயின்; தெருளாதான் மெய்ப் பொருள் கண்டற்று= ஞானம் இல்லாதவன் ஒருகால் மெய்ப்பொருளை உணர்ந்தாற் போலும்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar says that, when examined, the virtue done by someone who shows no compassion toward living beings resembles an undiscerning person's supposed perception of ultimate reality: it lacks the understanding required to be genuine. The comparison questions the coherence of the doer's virtue; it does not say an isolated helpful act gives no benefit to its recipient.