Avoiding Forgetfulness
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poccāppuk kollum pukaḻai yaṟiviṉai / nicca nirappukkoṉ ṟāṅku.
Forgetful negligence destroys a person's reputation, just as continual destitution destroys learning or practical intelligence.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Perpetual, poverty is death / to wisdom of the wise;”
“A false sense of security killeth glory even as indigence crusheth the understanding.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
புகழைப் பொச்சாப்புக் கொல்லும்= ஒருவன் புகழினை அவன் மறவி கெடுக்கும்; அறிவினை நிச்ச நிரப்புக் கொன்றாங்கு= அறிவினை நிச்சநிரப்புக் கெடுக்குமாறு போல.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar explains that forgetfulness destroys a person's reputation just as continual destitution destroys knowledge or intelligence. The comparison names what relentless deprivation can do to learning; it does not assign lower worth or ability to poor people.