Fortification
.
Tap an underlined Tamil word to explore its sound, meaning, and use.
muṟṟāṟṟi muṟṟi yavaraiyum paṟṟāṟṟip / paṟṟiyār velva taraṇ.
A true fort enables those who hold it to keep their positions and defeat even enemies powerful enough to encircle it fully.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Howe'er the circling foe may strive access to win, / A fort should give the victory to those who guard within.”
“That is the veritable fortress which enableth the garrison to defeat the besiegers even when they exert their utmost against it.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
முற்று ஆற்றி முற்றியவரையும்= தானைப்பெருமையாற் சூழ்தல் வல்லராய் வந்து சூழ்ந்த புறத்தோரையும்; பற்றியார் பற்று ஆற்றி வெல்வது அரண்= தன்னைப் பற்றிய அகத்தோர், தாம்பற்றிய இடம் விடாதே நின்று, பொருது வெல்வதே அரணாவது.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar explains that a fort is one in which those inside can remain at the positions they hold and defeat even outsiders whose great army has enabled them to form a full encirclement.