THE TIRUKKURAL OF TIRUVALLUVAR

SECTION - 55 -

VERSES 541 TO 550
 
  âò§ªîæèäªéë   JUST RULE

ØõÐåÐÊæúª   îúèìèÊ   ¬é÷µõ¨åÐÊ   áèõÐëèìªÌ몠    541
îêõÐåÐÊâò᪠  ôþîê   Ëé÷
 
ØõÐåÐÊ                    considering the offence
æúªîúèìèÊ       without showing misplaced sympathy
¬é÷µõ¨åÐÊ          being impartial
áèõР   ëèìªÌ몠     towards everyone
îêõÐåÐÊ                  having examined
âòáªôîê              dispensing justice
Ëé÷                    is the right thing to do
 
Justice   consists   in   examining   all   offences,   and   dispensing considered   punishment   impartially   (541).    
ôèäªîåèæÐ樠  ôèÇ몠  ãùâæùªùè몠  ëäªäô䪠  542
îæèùªîåèæÐ樠  ôèÇ몠  Æï
 
ôè䪠                       the heavens (rains)
îåèæÐ樠                    looking up to
ôèÇ몠                    live
ãùÆ   öùªùè몠      (just as) all living creatures on earth
ëäªäô䪠               the king's
îæèùªîåèæÐ樠          sceptre (just dispensation)
ôèÇ몠                   live
Æï                         the citizens
 
Just   as   living   creatures   look   to   the   rain   for   their   sustenance, the   people   depend   on   the   sceptre   of   the   king   for   ensuring   justice   (542).    
íåÐêúõР  ¿÷ªÆ몠  í÷êÐê¨÷ªÆ몠  Íê¨áè᪠   543
å¨äª÷Ê   ëäªäô䪠  îæèùª
 
íåÐêúõР            the wise
¿÷ªÆ몠              the observances (expounded by the scriptures)
í÷êÐê¨÷ªÆ몠      and the teachings therein
Íê¨áè᪠           in preference to that
å¨äª÷Ê               remains
ëäªäô䪠          the king's
îæèùª                 sceptre (rule)
 
The   king's   sceptre   is   like   the   authority   of   the   scriptures  of   the   seers   and   the   teachings   of   the   virtuous   (543).    
ÆïêÈ©¬æР  îæèîùèòÐà몠  ëèå¨ù   ëäªä䪠   544
íïêÈ©¬   å¨÷ªÆ몠  ãùÆ
 
ÆïêÈ©    ¬               the welfare of the citizens
îæèùªØòÐà몠            who reigns with (in mind)
ëèå¨ù    ëäªä䪠      the great king
íïêÈ©¬                 the feet of the king
å¨÷ªÆ몠                    will follow
ãùÆ                        the world (the people)
 
The   people   will   cling   to   the   feet   of   the   king  who   ensures   the   rule   of   law   (544).    
¬áùªµó¨æР  îæèîùèòÐà몠  ëäªäô䪠  åèìªì     545
âçáÙ몠  ô¨éó±Ó몠  âêèæÐÆ
 
¬áùªµ    ãó¨       follow the path of righteousness
îæèîùèòÐà몠      the reign
ëäªäô䪠           of the king
åèìªì                 in the land
âçáÙ몠            timely rain
ô¨éó±Ó몠        bountiful crop
âêèæÐÆ                both together will prevail
 
Timely   rains     and   plentiful   crops   will   bless   the   land  where   the   king   rules   justly   (545).    
îôùäª×   âôäª÷¨   êÕôÊ   ëäªäô䪠  546
îæèù­ã몠  îæèìèÊ   öä¨äª
 
îôùª    íäª×            not the spear
âôäª÷¨    êÕôÊ        that gives victory
ëäªäô䪠                 of the king's
îæèùª                       sceptre (just rule)
í­ã몠                    even that
îæèìèÊ    öä¨äª       only if the rule does not deviate from righteousness
 
It   is   not   the   spear   but   the   straight   sceptre   (just   rule)  that   brings   victory   to   the   king   (546).    
¬é÷   æèæÐÆ몠  éôáæ몠  öùªùè몠  íôéä  547
Ëé÷æèæÐÆ몠  ËìªìèòÐâòá¨äª
 
¬é÷                       the king
æèæÐÆ몠                   protecting
éôáæ몠                  the world
öùªùè몠                  in entirety
íôéä                   him (that king)
Ëé÷æèæÐÆ몠          just rule will protect
ËìªìèòÐâòá¨äª       if done without let or hindrance
 
The   land   is   protected   by   the   king   and     the   king  by   the   sceptre,   if   he   wields   it   right(547).    
öúªçêêÐêè䪠  Øõè   Ëé÷âòáªáè   ëäªäô䪠   548
êúªçêêÐêè䪠  êèîä   âæÌëª
 
öúªçêêÐêè䪠         not easily accessible
Øõè                        having considered
Ëé÷âòáªáè         not rendering justice
ëäªäô䪠              the king
êúªçêêÐêè䪠         deteriorating
êèîä    âæÌ몠      will invite his own ruin
 
The   king   who   is   not   easily   accessible   and   does   not   render  justice,   will   thereby   invite   his   own   ruin   (548).    
Æïµ÷§ª   æèêÐîêèëªç¨æР  Æ÷ª÷몠  æïêùª    549
ôÌíäª×   îôåÐê䪠  âêèȨùª
 
Æï                     citizens
µ÷몠   æèêÐÊ       protecting them from injury from others
Øëªç¨                  himself also protecting
Æ÷ª÷몠               misdeeds
æïêùª                taking note for action
ôÌ   íäª×       with no holds barred
îôåÐê䪠            (is the) king's
âêèȨùª             duty
 
To   protect   the   people   from   harm   and   punish   those   who   cause   it, with   no   holds   barred,   is   the   duty   of   a   king   (549).    
âæèéùá¨äª   âæèïáèéõ   îôåÐÊø×êÐêùª   é秪ÔȪ   550
æéóæ쪠  ìêâäèÌ   îåõÐ
 
âæèéùá¨äª                    with death penalty
âæèïáèéõ                    the worst among criminals
îôåÐÊ                             the king
ø×êÐêùª                          visiting with punishment
é秪ÔȪ                        cultivation
æéó   æìªìêâäèÌ       weeding out the field
îåõР                               is similar to
 
The   king's   punishing   evil-doers   even   with   death,   is   like  the   farmer   destroying   the   weeds   to   protect   the   crop   (550).  
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