THE TIRUKKURAL OF TIRUVALLUVAR

SECTION - 71-

VERSES 701 TO 710
    
Æ÷¨çªç÷¨êùª     Insight--Judging   by   Appearance

Ô÷èéë  îåèæÐæ¨æР Æ÷¨çªç÷¨ôè䪠 ö¢ª¢èäª×몠   701
ëè÷èå©õР  éôáæÐÆ   íú¨
 
Ô÷èéë       without being told
îåèæÐ樠      observing the physiognomy
Æ÷¨çªµ    í÷¨ôè䪠      divine what is in mind
ö¢ª¢èäª×몠      always
ëè÷èå©õР      the (enveloping) waters which never dry up
éôáæÐÆ       to the world
íú¨       ornament

He   who   can   divine   the   king's   thoughts   before   they   are   expressed,
is   to   be   considered   an   ornament   to   this   world   (701).
   
Éá窠  çìèíÊ   íæêÐê   ÊúõÐôèéäêР      702
âêáªôêÐâêè   âìèçªçæР  âæèóùª
 
Éá窠   çìè   íÊ       without any confusion
íæêÐêÊ       inner thoughts
ãúõÐôèéä       the one who could divine
âêáªôêÐâêèÌ       on par with god
øçªçæР   âæèóùª       should be regarded

He   who   can   sense   the   thoughts   of   others   without   doubt,   must   be
regarded   equal   to   the   gods   (702).
   
Æ÷¨çªç¨÷ª   Æ÷¨çªµúõР  ôèéõ   ã×çªç¨Äóª    703
áèÊ   âæèÌêÐÊ몠  âæèóùª
 
Æ÷¨çªç¨äª       by observing the appearance
Æ÷¨çªµ    ãúõР  ôèéõ       the one who can divine the thoughts
ã×çªç¨Äóª         of his limbs
áèÊ       whatever
âæèÌêÐÊ몠      by offering
âæèóùª       must be maintained

He   who   can   divine   the   thoughts   of   others   must   be   taken   into
employment   at   any   cost   (703).
 

Æ÷¨êÐêÊ   Ô÷èéëæР  âæèóªôèîõèÌ   Öéä    704
ã×窵ؠ  õéäáõèùª   îô×
 
Æ÷¨êÐêÊ       what is in mind
Ô÷èéë       without being expressed
âæèóªôèîõèÌ       those who can discern
Öéä       others
ã×窵       limbs (physical)
ØõР  íéäáõèùª       though similar in appearance
îô×       are different from others

 
Those   who   can   divine   thoughts   from   unspoken   words   stand
unique   from   others   (704).
 
 
Æ÷¨çªç¨äª  Æ÷¨çªµúõè  Íá¨äª  ã×çªç¨Äóª    705
öäªä   çáêÐêîôè   æúª
 
Æ÷¨çªç¨äª       by mere observation
Æ÷¨çªµúõè       not divine the mind (of another)
Íá¨äª       if
ã×çªç¨Äóª         of all limbs in the body
öäªä       what
çáêÐêîôè       utility
æúª       the eyes (serve)

If   one   cannot   see   significance   in   circumstances,     of   what
use   are   the   eyes   amongst   the   sense   organs?   (705)
 
íÌêÐêÊ  æèìªÌ몠 ç󨧪Æîçèùª â墪ò몠    706
æÌêÐêÊ   æèìªÌ몠  Ëæëª
 
íÌêÐêÊ       nearby object
æèìªÌ몠      reflects
ç󨧪Æîçèùª       like a crystal
â墪ò몠      the mind
æÌêÐêÊ       the preponderent thought
æèìªÌ몠      will reflect
Ëæ몠      the face
 
Just   as   a   crystal   reflects   the   colours   of   a   nearby   object,
the   face   reflects   (bad)   inner   thoughts   (706).
   
ËæêÐê¨äª  ËÊæÐÆé÷åÐêÊ  ãúªîìè  ãôçªç¨Ä몠  707
æèá¨Ä몠  êèäªËåР  Ê×ëª

ËæêÐê¨äª       than the face
ËÊæÐÆé÷åÐêÊ       more subtle index
ãúªîìè       is there any
ãôçªç¨Ä몠      likes
æèá¨Ä몠      dislikes
êèäªËåР   Ê×몠      will come to the fore
 
Can   there   be   a   more   subtle   index   than   your   face   that   will
show   your   likes   and   dislikes   ?   (707)
   
ËæëªîåèæÐ樠 å¨÷ªæ íéë±ëª  íæëªîåèæÐ樠   708
ã÷ª÷Ê   ãúõÐôèõÐ窠  âç÷¨äª
 
Ëæ몠      (his) face
îåèæÐ樠      observing
å¨÷ªæ       if done so
íéë±ëª       it is enough
íæëªîåèæÐ樠      to read one's mind
ã÷ª÷Ê       understand one's travails
ãúõÐôèõР      one who
âç÷¨äª       has (as a companion)
 
It   is   sufficient   to   merely   look   at   a   person,   if   he   has   the
capacity   to   read   your   mind   from   your   face   (708).
 
çéæéë±ëª îæúªéë±ëª æúªÑéõæÐÆ몠  æúªú¨äª   709
ôéæéë   ãúõÐôèõÐ窠  âç÷¨äª
 
çéæéë±ëª       enmity
îæúªéë±ëª       friendship
æúªÑéõæÐÆ몠      through visual communication
æúªú¨äª         of the eye
ôéæéë       different types
ãúõÐôèõР      who can discern
âç÷¨äª       if acquired as a companion
 
Likes   and   dislikes   can   be   read   from   the   eyes,   by   those
who   have   this   capacity   and   a   king   should   have   such   persons
as   his   ministers   (709).
     
Åúªú¨á몠 öäªçèõР íóæÐƧªîæèùª  æèѧªæèùª  710
æúªúùªùÊ   ¬ùªéù   ç¨÷
 
 
öäªçèõР      for those who claim
íóæÐƧªîæèùª       measuring instrument
æèѧªæèùª       while examining
æúª       eye
íùªùÊ       no other
¬ùªéù       not
ç¨÷       other
 
There   can   be   no   measuring   instrument   better   than   the   eyes   ,
for   those   of   sharp   intelligence   (710).
 

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