கோளில் பொறியின் குணமிலவே எண்குணத்தான் தாளை வணங்காத் தலை.

Kōḷil poṟiyiṉ guṇamilavē eṇguṇattāṉ Tāḷai vaṇaṅkāt talai.

Though the sense-organs function in the body, they lack worth if the head does not bow to the feet of the eight-virtue master.

A functioning body without reverence for the virtuous exemplar is mere mechanism. The Stoic walks toward those who embody wisdom, and in that turning finds the only strength that survives scrutiny.