THE TIRUKKURAL OF TIRUVALLUVAR

SECTION - 64 -

VERSION 631 TO 640
    
íéëòÐà      On   Ministers
 
æÕô¨±ëª   æèùË몠  âòáªéæ±ëª   âò᪱몠                          631
íÕô¨éä±ëª   ëèúªìÊ   íéëòÐà
 
æÕô¨±ëª       the appropriate instrument
æèùË몠      the best time
âòáªéæ±ëª       the method
âò᪱몠      to be adopted
íÕô¨éä±ëª       the task in hand
ëèúªìÊ       one who can choose these aspects with care
íéëòÐà       makes a good minister
 
He   who   knows   how   to   choose   the   best   instruments,   time   and place   for   accomplishing   tasks,   makes   a   good   minister   (631).
   
ôäªæúª   ÆïæèêÐêùª   æ÷ª×í÷¨êùª   Íóªô¨éäîáèÌ     632
ÉåÐÊì䪠  ëèúªìÊ   íéëòÐà
 
ôäªæúª       enthusiasm
Æï       impressive ancestry
æèêÐêùª       protecting his people
æ÷ª×    í÷¨êùª       wellversed in the books of law and procedures
Íóªô¨éäîáèÌ       effort
ÉåÐÊì䪠      with these five
ëèúªìÊ       possessed of
íéëòÐà       makes a good minister

He   who   is   enthusiastic   in   his   work,   promotes   the   welfare   of   the   people, is   well-versed   in   the   books   of   law   and   procedures,   of   indefatigableenergy   and   comes   of   an   impressive   ancestry,   has   the   five qualities   that   fit   a   minister   (632).
   
ç¨õ¨êÐêÙ몠  îçú¨æР  âæèóÙ몠  ç¨õ¨åÐêèõÐ窠                        633
âçèÕêÐêÙ몠  ôùªùÊ   íéëòÐà
 
ç¨õ¨êÐêÙ몠        sowing discord among the enemies
îçú¨æÐâæèóÙ몠      keeping in tact relationship with wellwishers
ç¨õ¨åÐêèõР      those who have fallen apart
âçèÕêÐêÙ몠      bring back to the fold
ôùªùÊ       capable of doing these
íéëòÐà       is a good minister

He   who   knows   how   to   divide   the   enemy,   mobilise   allies and   cpable   of   bringing   back   to   the   fold   those   who   have   fallen   apart, is   fit   to   be   a   minister   (633).
   
âêõ¨êÙ몠  îêõÐåÐÊ   âòáÙ몠  øÕêéùáèòР                      634
âòèùªùÙ몠  ôùªùÊ   íéëòÐà
 
âêõ¨êÙ몠      choosing the right task
îêõÐåÐÊ    âòáÙ몠      analysing, to take it to successful conclusion
øÕêéùáè       boldly
âòèùªùÙ몠      proclaimimg
ôùªùÊ       competent
íéëòÐà       is fit to be a minister

He   who   studies   all   aspects,   and   follows   up   with   decisive   action and   instruction   is   fit   to   be   a   minister   (634).
 
 
í÷ä÷¨åÐÊ   Íäª÷éëåÐê   âòèùªùè䪠  ö¢ª¢èäª×몠      635
ê¨÷ä÷¨åÐêè䪠  îêõÐòÐò¨êР  Êéú
 
í÷䪠   í÷¨åÐÊ       steeped in knowledge of righteous acts
Íäª×    íéëåÐê       well-informed
âòèùªùè䪠      possessed of speaking as above
ö¢ª¢èäª×몠      at all times
ê¨÷䪠   í÷¨åÐêè䪠      knower of means of successful accomplishment
îêõÐòÐò¨       for counsel
Êéú       suitable
 
He   who   is   learned   in   statecraft   and   provides   effective   advice, at   all   times,   is   the   best   support   for   a   king   (635).
   
ëê¨Åìªç몠  ¿îùèÌ   ãéìáèõÐæÐÆ   íê¨Åìªçëª
áè   ãó   Ëäªå¨÷ª   çéô     ?
 
ëê¨Åìªç몠      natural talent
¿îùèÌ       acquired knowledge
ãéìáèõÐæÐÆ       those who have
íê¨Åìªç몠      complicated task
áè²ó       what is there
Ëäªå¨÷ªçéô       to confront
 
What   can   be   beyond   the   capacity   of   those   who   combine   natural talent   with   acquired   knowledge   ?   (636)
   
âòá÷ªéæ   í÷¨åÐêæР  æéìêÐÊ몠  ãùæêÐÊ                         637
¬á÷ªéæ   í÷¨åÐÊ   âòáùª
 
âòá÷ªéæ       the method of doing gained from book knowledge
í÷¨åÐê    æéìêÐÊ몠      evne if one knows
ãùæêÐÊ       in the world
¬á÷ªéæ       the current state
í÷¨åÐÊ       having known
âòáùª       should engage in activity
 
Even   for   one   learned   in   the   books,   one   must   act   in   the   light of   practical   experience   (637).
   
í÷¨âæèäª×   í÷¨áè䪠  öä¨Ä몠  ã×ꨠ                        638
ãéÈá¨ÕåÐêè䪠  Ô÷ùª   æìäª
 
í÷¨âæèäª×       ignoring the advice of others
í÷¨áè䪠      the ignorant
öä¨Ä몠      even though
ã×ꨠ      good advice
ãéȬÕåÐêè䪠      the counsellor at hand
Ô÷ùª    æì䪠      the duty of counselling (the king)
 
Even   when   the   king   is   himself   foolish   and   ignores   the   wise, the   minister   is   obliged   to   give   correct   advice   (638).  

  çÇÊ   öúªÑ몠  ëåÐê¨õ¨á¨äª   çæÐæêÐÊóª   âêôªîôèõÐ     639
  öÇçÊ   îæèï   ã×ëª
 
çÇÊ   öúªÑ몠      thinking ill
ëåÐê¨õ¨á¨äª       of one counsellor
çæÐæêÐÊóª       by the side of the king
âêôªîôèõР      enemies
öÇçÊ    îæèï       seventy crores
ã×몠      better
 


 
The   minister   by   the   side   of   the   king,   indifferent   to   the   ruin   ofthe   king   is   worse   than   seventy   crore   enemies   (639).
   
Ëé÷çªçìòР  ÎȪåÐÊ몠  Ëïô¨ùîô   âòáªôõР                 640
ê¨÷çªçèÌ   ¬ùèí   êôõÐ
 
Ëé÷çªçì       in the proper way as regards tasks in hand
ÎȪåÐÊ몠      even though considering
Ëï²   ¬ùîô       without accomplishing their completion
âòáªôõР      will engage in work
ê¨÷çªçèÌ       competence
¬ùèêôõР      those who do not have
 
Even   well-conceived   plans   cannot   be   accomplished   by   those without   the   necessary   skills   (640).
 

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