Avoiding Fear-Inspiring Rule
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aruñcevvi yiṉṉā mukattāṉ peruñcelvam / pēeykaṇ ṭaṉṉa tuṭaittu.
The great wealth of one who is hard to approach and unpleasant in countenance has the fault of treasure seen under a demon's guard.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Whom subjects scarce may see, of harsh forbidding countenance; / His ample wealth shall waste, blasted by demon's glance.”
“Behold the dour-faced prince who is inaccessible to his people: the wealth in his hands is like treasure guarded by a demon.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
அருஞ்செவ்வி இன்னா முகத்தான் பெருஞ்செல்வம்= தன்னைக் காண வேண்டுவார்க்குக் காலம் அரியனாய்க் கண்டால் இன்னாத முகத்தினை உடையானது பெரிய செல்வம்; பேஎய் கண்டன்னது உடைத்து= பேயாற் காணப்பட்டாற் போல்வதொரு குற்றம் உடைத்து.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar says that a ruler who is difficult for petitioners to meet and forbidding when seen possesses wealth with the defect of treasure encountered under a demon's gaze: present, but frightening and unavailable.