89.1 Internal Enmity

 89.1 Internal Enmity

Question:

Is the internal enemy more dangerous than an external enemy?

Answer:

Do not fear the foes wo are like a sword; fear the friendship of

foes who pretend like friends.                          (Couplet – 882)

வாள்போல பகைவரை அஞ்சற்க அஞ்சுக

கேள்போல் பகைவர் தொடர்பு.                           (குறள் – 882)

 

Explanation:

Although one should be vigilant about external enemies, at least one knows who they are and how to fight against them. That is why Valluvar compares external enemies to a sword. On the other hand, the foes who pretend to be friends are internal enemies. Internal enemies are hard to detect, so one should be more careful about internal enemies than external enemies.