Tirukkural Chapter 78 - Couplets 1,2,3 Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

திருக்குறள் -TIRUKKURAL
அதிகாரம் 78 - படைச்செருக்கு.
CHAPTER 78 - PRIDE OF THE ARMY
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78/01. என்னைமுன் நில்லன்மின் தெவ்விர் பலர்என்னை
முன்நின்று கல்நின் றவர்.

78/01. Ennaimun nillanmin thevvir palarennai
Munnindrru kalnin rravar.

78/01. Oh Enemies, Don't stand before our Commander.
Those who stood before him earlier are now standing as dead stones.
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Giridhar: The pride of an army is coming out
In the form of an address to the enemies.

Laxman: A soldier is warning enemies,
"Oh you, enemy soldiers,
Before our commander don't stand,
Like your brothers, who stood and died."

"They're now standing as stones,
Not obeying our earlier warnings,
Don't commit the same mistake,
As your brothers did sometime back."

"Better go home and take rest
Instead of taking eternal rest
In this battle field as dead men
And this warning is the last one."
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78/02. கான முயலெய்த அம்பினில் யானை
பிழைத்தவேல் ஏந்தல் இனிது.

78/02. Kaana muyaleidha ambinil yaanai
Pizhaiththavel eandhal inidhu.

78/02. To hold a spear thrown against an elephant on plains, that missed its aim, is better than shooting an arrow, without fail, against a hare in the forest.
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Giridhar: Shooting an arrow against hare is easy,
But throwing a spear on an elephant is not that much easy.

Laxman: Hunting a hare is easy.
But not that much easy
To kill an elephant
In the battle front.

What is the weight
Of an elephant,
And that of a hare,
No one can compare.

Warriors can kill an elephant
With a spear on the spot.
So, what a warrior can do
A hunter can't do.
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78/03.பேராண்மை என்ப தறுகண்ஒன்று உற்றக்கால்
ஊராண்மை மற்றதன் எஃகு.

78/03. Peraannmai enba tharrukannondru utrrakkaal
Ooraanmai matrrathan ekku.

78/03. Fearlessness against enemies is the virtue of a male.
But when enemy is suffering to help him is merciful.
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Giridhar: An enemy at the time of his suffering,
He is not treated as enemy out of mercy.

Laxman: Ravana stood alone
Without any weapon,
And Rama told him "Go today
And come tomorrow."

Rama could have killed him,
But he showed mercy to him
When Ravana was wounded
And to fight he was tired.

Ravana took Rama's wife
Rama can easily take his life.
But out of mercy for him
Next day he asked him to come.
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