Reading Unspoken Signs
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Tap an underlined Tamil word to explore its sound, meaning, and use.
kuṟippiṟ kuṟippuṇar vārai yuṟuppiṉuḷ / yātu koṭuttuṅ koḷal.
Secure as an ally, at whatever fitting cost among one's resources, the person who understands another's sign from knowing how their own signs arise.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Who by the sign the signs interprets plain, / Give any member up his aid to gain.”
“Behold the men that can judge a man’s intentions from his looks: take them into thy council at whatever cost.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
குறிப்பின் குறிப்பு உணர்வாரை= தம் குறிப்பு நிகழுமாறு அறிந்து; அதனான் பிறர் குறிப்பு அறியும் தன்மையாரை; உறுப்பினுள் யாது கொடுத்தும் கொளல்= அரசர் தம் உறுப்பினுள் அவர் வேண்டுவது ஒன்றனைக் கொடுத்தாயினும், தமக்குத் துணையாகக் கொள்க.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar describes a person who understands how signs arise in oneself and thereby reads another's signs. A ruler should secure such a person as an ally, even by granting something that person desires among the resources of government.