90.1 Not Offending the Mighty

 90.1 Not Offending the Mighty

Question:

What happens when a weak person offends a mighty person?

Answer:

The weak challenging the mighty is like invciting the

good of death (yama).                                 (Couplet – 894)

கூற்றத்தைக் கையால் விளித்தற்றால் ஆற்றுவார்க்கு

ஆற்றாதார் இன்னா செயல்.             (குறள் - 894)

Explanation:

                The weak offending the mighty is a fatal mistake. The mighty can easily destroy the weak. Valluvar’s advice for the weak is to refrain from offending the mighty. This is consistent with what Valluvar says in Couplet 861. In Couplet 861, he says one should not fight against a strong enemy, but one may choose to fight with a weaker enemy.