The Majesty of a King
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muṟaiceytu kāppāṟṟum maṉṉavaṉ makkaṭ / kiṟaiyeṉṟu vaikkap paṭum
The ruler who administers justice and protects people from being harmed by others will be regarded by those people as their divinely honoured protector.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Who guards the realm and justice strict maintains, / That king as god o'er subject people reigns.”
“Behold the prince who administereth impartial justice and protecteth his subjects: he shall be called a God among men.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
முறைசெய்து காப்பாற்றும் மன்னவன்= தான் முறைசெய்து, பிறர் நலியாமல் காத்தலையும் செய்யும் அரசன்; மக்கட்கு இறை என்று வைக்கப்படும்= பிறப்பான் மகனேயாயினும் செயலான் மக்கட்குக் கடவுள் என்று வேறு வைக்கப்படும் என்றவாறு.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar says that although the ruler is human by birth, just procedure and protection make people set him apart as இறை. This praise is functional and must not deify office: modern leaders remain ordinary accountable persons, removable under law, with no sacred immunity, inherited superiority, or right to obedience.