The Country
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taḷḷā viḷaiyuḷun takkārun tāḻvilāc / celvaruñ cērvatu nāṭu.
A country is where producers of unfailing yield, people worthy through virtue, and possessors of wealth without decline live together.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Where spreads fertility unfailing, where resides a band, / Of virtuous men, and those of ample wealth, call that a 'land'”
“That is the great country which never faileth in its yield of harvests, and which is the abode of sages and of rich men that are worthy.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
தள்ளா விளையுளும்= குன்றாத விளையுளைச் செய்வோரும்; தக்காரும்= அறவோரும்; தாழ்வு இலாச் செல்வரும்= கேடில்லாத செல்வம் உடையோரும்; சேர்வது நாடு= ஒருங்கு வாழ்வதே நாடாவது.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar explains that a country is the place where producers of undiminishing yield, people of virtue, and possessors of wealth that does not fail live together.