Avoiding Faults
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kuṟṟamē kākka poruḷāka kuṟṟamē / yaṟṟan tarūum pakai
Make guarding against fault itself the object of protection, because fault itself is the enemy that brings ruin.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Freedom from faults is wealth; watch heedfully / 'Gainst these, for fault is fatal enmity.”
“Guard thyself jealously against weaknesses: for they are the foes that will lead thee to ruin.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
அற்றம் தரூஉம் பகை குற்றமே= தனக்கு இறுதி பயக்கும் பகை குற்றமே; குற்றமே பொருளாக காக்க= ஆகலான், அக்குற்றம் தன்கண் வராமையே பயனாகக் கொண்டு காக்க வேண்டும்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar identifies a ruler's own fault as the enemy capable of bringing that ruler to an end, and therefore makes prevention of fault the central object of vigilance. The emphatic repetition turns attention inward. A modern response should target consequential habits and systems, not demand perfection, hypervigilance, or blame people for harms imposed by others.