Avoiding Faults
Tap an underlined Tamil word to explore its sound, meaning, and use.
kātala kāta laṟiyāmai yuykkiṟpiṉ / ṉētila vētilār nūl
If one can enjoy desired things without enemies knowing that attachment, the enemies' stratagems will fail.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“If, to your foes unknown, you cherish what you love, / Counsels of men who wish you harm will harmless prove.”
“If thou canst keep from the knowledge of others the things in which thy heart taketh delight, the machinations of thy foes will be in vain.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
காதல காதல் அறியாமை உய்க்கிற்பின்= தான காதலித்த பொருள்களை அவர் அக்காதலறியாமல் அனுபவிக்கவல்லனாயின்; ஏதிலார் நூல் ஏதில= பகைவர் தன்னை வஞ்சித்தற்கு எண்ணும் எண்ணம் பழுதாம்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar advises a ruler to enjoy desired things without allowing enemies to learn the attachment, because a concealed preference denies hostile strategy its leverage. The direct claim is about adversarial intelligence and exploitable desire. A humane modern application favors proportionate privacy and need-to-know security, never paranoia, dishonest concealment, isolation from trusted support, or keeping abuse and danger secret.