The Excellence of an Army
.
Tap an underlined Tamil word to explore its sound, meaning, and use.
maṟamāṉa māṇṭa vaḻiccelavu tēṟṟa / meṉanāṉkē yēmam paṭaikku.
Courage, honour, following the proven path, and the ruler's confidence in the force—these four alone are protections for an army.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Valour with honour, sure advance in glory's path, with confidence; / To warlike host these four are sure defence.”
“Valour, honour, a clear head, and a thorough acquaintance with the history of the great wars of the past, these four are the armours of protection for an army.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
மறம் மானம் மாண்ட வழிச்செலவு தேற்றம் என நான்கே= தறுகண்மையும், மானமும், முன் வீரராயினார் சென்ற நன்னெறிக்கண் சேறலும் அரசனால் தேறப்படுதலும் என இந்நான்கு குணமுமே; படைக்கு ஏமம்= படைக்கு அரணாவது.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar names exactly four protections: martial courage, honour, proceeding in the good path taken by earlier warriors, and being trusted by the ruler. The fourth is the ruler's assurance about the army, not generic optimism.