The Excellence of an Army
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aḻiviṉ ṟaṟaipōkā tāki vaḻivanta / vaṉka ṇatuvē paṭai
That alone is a true army which is not destroyed in battle, cannot be undermined or bought away by the enemy, and possesses hardiness carried through long continuity.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“That is a host, by no defeats, by no desertions shamed, / For old hereditary courage famed.”
“That alone deserveth the name of army which knoweth no defeat, which is incapable of being corrupted, and which hath a long tradition of valour behind it.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
அழிவு இன்று= போரின்கண் கெடுதல் இன்றி; அறை போகாதாகி= பகைவரான் கீழறுக்கப்படாததாய்; வழிவந்த வன்கண்அதுவே படை= தொன்றுதொட்டு வந்த தறுகண்மையை உடையதே அரசனுக்குப் படையாவது.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar gives three conditions: no destruction in battle, no being undercut by the enemy, and hardiness continuing from old. Only the force possessing all three deserves the name army.