Greatness
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ciṟiyā ruṇarcciyu ḷillai periyāraip / pēṇikkoḷ vēmeṉṉu nōkku.
In the awareness of the small there is not the aim that says: we shall attend upon the great and take their nature for ourselves.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“'As votaries of the truly great we will ourselves enroll,' / Is thought that enters not the mind of men of little soul.”
“It is not in the grain of small men to revere the great and earn their good will and favour.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
பெரியாரைப் பேணிக் கொள்வேம் என்னும் நோக்கு= அப்பெற்றியராய பெரியாரை வழிபட்டு அவர் இயல்பினை யாம் கோடும் என்னும் கருத்து; சிறியார் உணர்ச்சியுள் இல்லை= மற்றைச் சிறியராயினார் மனத்தின்கண் உளதாகாது.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
In the awareness of the small there is no aim that says: we shall attend upon the great and take their nature for ourselves.