(51 - 60) Caring for the wife

வாழ்க்கைத்துணை நலம்

VAAZHKAITTHUNAI NALAM

 

WELL-BEING OF LIFE PARTNER

INTRODUCTION

In this section, Valluvar extols a virtuous woman who is devoted to her husband in mind, body and words.

(51)

  மனைத்தக்க மாண்புடையள் ஆகித்தற் கொண்டான்

 வளத்தக்காள் வாழ்க்கைத் துணை

MANAITTHAKKA MAANBUDAIYAL AAGITTARKONDAAN

VALATHAKKAAL VAAZHKAITTHUNAI

She alone is fit to be called a life-partner,

who has the virtues fit for being a wife;

and who spends the wealth of her husband frugally,

depending on his earnings.

(A householder can perform all his duties according to Dharma, only if his wife supports him in all his ventures.

She has to understand the responsibility of her post of the wife; act mature; not be a spendthrift; must run the house based on the earnings of her husband. She should not bring harm to the household by her irresponsible actions.)

(52)

மனைமாட்சி இல்லாள்கண் இல்லாயின் வாழ்க்கை

 எனைமாட்சித் தாயினும் இல்

MANAIMAATSI ILLAALKAN ILLAYIN VAAZKAI

ENAIMAATSITTHAAYINUM IL

If the wife does not have the virtues necessary for running the household,

then whatever be the glories of the house, it is worthless.

(A house may be overflowing with riches; family members may be of a noble lineage; the house may be grand and beautiful; servants may move about hundreds in number; vehicles may stand in wait at the gate; yet-

if the lady of the house does not have virtuous qualities, if she behaves in an irresponsible manner, if she is a spendthrift, then all the glory of the house becomes nil.)

 (53)

 இல்லதென் இல்லவள் மாண்பானால் உள்ளதென்

 இல்லவள் மாணாக் கடை

ILLADEN ILLAVAL MAANBAANAAL ULLADEN

ILLAVAL MAANAAKKADAI

 If a woman of virtues is the life partner, then what does one lack?

If she has no virtues, what indeed does he have?

(A woman makes the house, or breaks the house.

If a man finds a woman of good qualities fit for running the household; his life is made. His wife will make him happy and take half the burden of running the house.

But if the man gets an arrogant self-conceited lady without any virtue as his wife, he has no life any more. He lives in a hell created on earth by his wife.)

(54)

  பெண்ணின் பெருந்தக்க யாவுள கற்பென்னும்

 திண்மைஉண் டாகப் பெறின் 

PENNIN PERUNTHAKKA KARPENNUM

THINMAI UNDAAKAPPERIN

What greater thing can be there,

than a woman who has the firmness in maintaining chastity?

(Chastity of the yonder era was not, just not-seeking the company of a man other than the husband; but even in the mind the chaste woman will not think of another man with a wrong attitude. What greater thing can be there in the world than a woman of good character?)

(55)

தெய்வம் தொழாஅள் கொழுநற் றொழுதெழுவாள்

 பெய்யெனப் பெய்யும் மழை

THAIVAM THOZHAA AL KOZHANAR RROZAHTHEZHAVAAL

PEYYENAPPEYYUM MAZHAI

When a woman - who though not worshiping any deity,

  adores her husband only as a deity -

wishes for rain, rain will pour down by her words.

(A woman who loves her husband and adores his virtues giving him the position of a God in her mind, makes even the nature obey her wishes. Her love for her husband is equal to a penance and her chaste mind is very powerful.)

(In those days husbands also had to follow strict disciplines ordained by scriptures and were worthy of worship and adoration.)

(56)

தற்காத்துத் தற்கொண்டாற் பேணித் தகைசான்ற

 சொற்காத்துச் சோர்விலாள் பெண்

THARKAATTHU THARKONDAARPENITTHAGAI SAANRA

SORKAATUS SORVILAAL PEN

She indeed is worthy of the name ‘woman’, who,

without tiring ever, guards her chastity,

(and through that) protects also her husband,

and also saves the honored name that belongs to the family.

(The power of a woman who is chaste is immeasurable. If she overcomes all temptations and preserves her purity in the body and also the mind, she can save her adored husband from any difficulty by her power of chastity. A family with such a woman is indeed honored and is commended by all.

But lo, if the woman is wayward, the husband is ridiculed by all and the family name gets tainted forever.)

(57)

சிறைகாக்கும் காப்பெவன் செய்யும் மகளிர்

 நிறைகாக்கும் காப்பே தலை

 SIRAIKAAKKUM KAAPEVAN SEYYUM MAGALIR

NIRAIKAAKKUM KAAPPE THALAI

Can one ever guard a woman by constraining her?

 The best constraint is

what the woman imposes on herself to guard herself.

(Can a man ever police a wife all the twenty four hours and preserve her chastity?

No! It is useless.

A woman herself must preserve her chastity by her own will. She has to control her temptations and be loyal to her husband. Nobody can force virtues on a woman.)

(58)

பெற்றாற் பெறின்பெறுவர் பெண்டிர் பெருஞ்சிறப்புப்

 புத்தேளிர் வாழும் உலகு

PERRAAR PERIN PERUVAR PENDIR PERUNJCHIRAPPU

PUTTHELIR VAAZHAM ULAGU

If women are endowed with the great virtue of being loyal to their husbands,

then they will make a heaven of this world.

(A house where love and loyalty is maintained between the husband and wife is a heaven on earth.)

(59)

 புகழ்புரிந் தில்லிலோர்க் கில்லை இகழ்வார்முன்

 ஏறுபோல் பீடு நடை

PUGAZH PURINTHILLILORKKILLAI IGAZHVAARMUN

ERU POL PEEDUNADAI

A man cannot walk majestically like

a sturdy bull with the head held high,

if he does not have a wife who is honored for her chastity.

(A man, whose wife is wayward and is loose in character, commends no respect in the society. He is ridiculed and taunted by one and all. He walks with his head bent in shame when he meets anyone anywhere. He lives like a man pushed into hell.)

(60)

 மங்கலம் என்ப மனைமாட்சி மற்றதன்

 நன்கலம் நன்மக்கட் பேறு

MANGALAM ENBA MANAIMAATSI MARRADAN

NANKALAM NANMAKKATPERU

 The virtuous woman is the auspicious symbol of the house.

The begetting of good children by her,

becomes the ornament of the house.

(A woman with a pure heart and a smiling face is an auspicious lamp burning in the temple of the house in front of her deity, the husband.

And she decorates the house not with the objects bought from shops, but by giving birth to children of good character.)