Following a Wife's Direction
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Tap an underlined Tamil word to explore its sound, meaning, and use.
maṉaiviḻaivār māṇpaya ṉeytār viṉaiviḻaivār / vēṇṭāp poruḷu matu.
In its ancient patriarchal frame, the couplet says: men ruled by desire for their wives do not attain virtue's noble benefit; those intent on productive work reject that pleasure as an obstacle.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Who give their soul to love of wife acquire not nobler gain; / Who give their soul to strenuous deeds such meaner joys disdain.”
“Those that dote upon their wives will not attain to greatness: those that have the ambition to do great things turn away from such seduction.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
மனைவிழைவார் மாண் பயன் எய்தார்= இன்பங்காரணமாகத் தம் மனையாளை விழைந்து அவள்தன்மையராய் ஒழுகுவார் தமக்கு இன்றுணையாய அறத்தினை எய்தார்; வினை விழைவார் வேண்டாப் பொருளும் அது= இனிப் பொருள்செய்தலை முயல்வார் அதற்கு இடையீடு என்று இகழும் பொருளும் அவ்வின்பம்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar explains that men who pursue pleasure through desire for their wives and conduct themselves according to their wives' disposition fail to attain virtue, their finest support. He adds that people striving to produce wealth disdain that pleasure as an interruption to their work. This is a patriarchal historical claim; it does not make respect, consultation, affection, or equal decision-making in a modern partnership a fault.