The Country
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irupuṉalum vāynta malaiyum varupuṉalum / vallaraṇu nāṭṭiṟ kuṟuppu.
Groundwater and surface water, a fitting mountain, water flowing from it, and a strong fort are constituent parts of a country.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Waters from rains and springs, a mountain near, and waters thence; / These make a land, with fortress' sure defence.”
“The waters of the surface, the waters that flow underground, rainwater, well-situated mountains, and strong fortifications, these are indispensable to every country.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
இருபுனலும்= கீழ்நீர், மேனீர் எனப்பட்ட தண்ணீரும்; வாய்ந்த மலையும்= வாய்ப்புடைத்தாய மலையும்; வருபுனலும்= அதனின்றும் வருவதாய நீரும்; வல் அரணும்= அழியாத நகரியும்; நாட்டிற்கு உறுப்பு= நாட்டிற்கு அவயவமாம்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar explains that lower and upper waters, a fitting mountain, water flowing from it, and an indestructible fort are constituent limbs of a country.