Purity of Action
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iṭukkaṭ paṭiṉu miḷivanta ceyyār / naṭukkaṟṟa kāṭci yavar.
Even when hardship closes in, people of unwavering clarity do not perform a degrading deed.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Though troubles press, no shameful deed they do, / Whose eyes the ever-during vision view.”
“Behold the men who see things in their right proportions: even when fallen on evil days they stoop not to action that is dishonourable and mean.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
இடுக்கண் படினும் இளிவந்த செய்யார்= தாம் இடுக்கண் படவரினும், அது தீர்தற்பொருட்டு முன் செய்தார்க்கு இளிவந்த வினைகளைச் செய்யார்; நடுக்கு அற்ற காட்சியவர்= துளக்கம் அற்ற தெளிவினை உடையார்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar says people of unwavering clarity will not perform deeds known to have degraded others, even when hardship presses and the deed appears to offer relief.