Righteousness

என்பி லதனை வெயில்போலக் காயுமே
அன்பி லதனை அறம். (77)

enpi ladhanai veyilpoalak kaayumae
anpi ladhanai aRam.

A life without love will be stung by the righteous conscience
like a body without bones that is burnt by the sun. [Couplet 77]

This is one of the oft-quoted couplet. The usual explanation to this goes as given in the English version.

But I have recently heard a better explanation to this couplet on its nuance. And I just wanted to share it here for I loved the explanation.

The righteous virtue burns away the soul of the loveless people. But why is it compared to that of the Sun burning the boneless? Because, it has a special unique feature.

The Sun burns the boneless only when the creature attempts to stay in the Scorching sun. As Sun never goes in search of boneless to burn them..

Similarly, Righteousness doesn’t burn the loveless as long as they stay confined within their solitude.. It starts punishing only when the loveless people come out to stay in the society without having the least compassion for the society.

So being Loveless is not a crime by itself to deserve the punishment of righteousness.

Share your love and let the World be a better place to live upon.