THE TIRUKKURAL  OF  TIRUVALLUVAR

SECTION  - 74 -

VERSES 731 TO 740
                                                                  
åèÌ      The   Nation

êóªóè   ô¨éó±Ó몠  êæÐæèÕ몠  êèȪ²¬ùèòР  731
âòùªôÕ몠  îòõÐôÊ   åèÌ
 
êóªóè         unfailing
ô¨éó±Ó몠      harvest
êæÐæèÕ몠      the fit persons
êèȪ²         deficiency
¬ùè           withou
âòùªôÕ몠        those with resources
îòõÐôÊ           all put together
åèÌ         is a (prosperous) nation
   
That   will   be   a   prosperous   nation   which   has   many   who   are   wise
and   wealthy   and   which   has   unfailing   harvests   (731).
   
âçÕëªâçèÕóèùª  âçìªìæÐæÊ  Í樠 íÕ§ªîæìªìèùª  732
Í÷ª÷   ô¨éóôÊ   åèÌ
 
âçÕ몠        plentiful
âçèÕóèùª         resources
âçìªìæÐæÊ           desirable (by other nations)
Í樠          having become
íÕ§ªîæìªìèùª         without problems
Í÷ª÷           bountiful
ô¨éóôÊ           with harvest
åèÌ       is a (prosperous) nation
   
That   is   considered   a   prosperous   nation   that   is   envied   for   its
plentiful   harvests   and   freedom   from   problems   (732).
   
âçèé÷âáèÕ§ªÆ  îëùªôÕ§ªæèùª  ê觪樠 ¬é÷ô÷ªÆ 733
¬é÷øקªÆ   îåõÐôÊ   åèÌ
 
âçèé÷         the burdens of different types
øÕ§ªÆ         together
îëùªôÕ§ªæèùª         when falls to the lot (of a country)
ê觪樠        to manage
¬é÷ô÷ªÆ           to its ruler
¬é÷øקªÆ         all the taxes
îåõÐôÊ         agree to pay
åèÌ         (a good) country
 
That   is   a   good   country   where   various   burdens   are   borne   with
fortitude   and   taxes   continue   to   be   paid   (733).
   
ã×çò¨±ëª   Øôè窠  ç¨ú¨±ëª   âò×çéæ±ëª    734
îòõèÊ   ¬áùªôÊ   åèÌ
 
ã×         extreme
çò¨±ëª         hunger (suffering)
Øôè           chronic
ç¨ú¨±ëª           diseases
âò×         destructive
çéæ±ëª         hostility
îòõèÊ           without
¬áùªôÊ         functioning
åèÌ         (is a good) country
   
A   good   country   is   one   that   is   free   from   hunger,   disease
and   hostility   (734).
   
çùªÆÇ²ëª çèȪâòáª±ëª ãìªçéæ±ëª îôåÐêéùæÐÆ몠 735
âæèùªÆ×몵몠  ¬ùªùÊ   åèÌ

çùªÆDz몠          groups having interdoctrinal differences
çèȪâò᪱몠          causing destruction
ãìªçéæ±ëª           internal strifes
îôåÐÊ    íéùæÐÆ몠        tormenting the ruler
âæèùªÆ×몵몠          murderers
¬ùªùÊ         devoid of
åèÌ       (a good) nation
 
A   good   country   is   that   which   is   free   from   conflicting   groups,
internal   strife   and   murderers   who   disturb   the   king's   peace   (735).
   
îæì÷¨áèæР  âæìªì   ô¨ìêÐÊ몠  ôó§ªÆäª÷è    736
åèâìäªç   åèìªï䪠  êéù
 
îæÌ   í÷¨áè         not damaged by enemies
âæìªì      ¬ìêÐÊ몠          evne when damaged
ôó§ªÆäª÷è         without losing its prosperity
åèÌ         a nation
öäªç           it is said
åèìªï䪠          among all nations
êéù           the best
 
That   nation   is   considered   the   best   which   has   not   suffered   froms
enemies   and   maintain   its   growth   even   during   adverse   periods   (736).
   
¬ÕµäÙ몠  ôèáªåÐê   ëéù±ëª   ôÕµäÙ몠   737
ôùªùõÑ몠  åèìªï÷ªÆ   ã×窵
 
¬Õ           twofold
äÙ몠        water sources (from subterranean and rains)
ôèáªåÐê         endowed with all riches
ëéù±ëª           mountains
ôÕµäÙ몠          the water streaming down from them
ôùª           impregnable
íõÑ몠        fortress
åèìªï÷ªÆ         for a nation
ã×窵           limbs
 
Plentiful   water   in   the   plains   and   the   hills   and   from   rain,   and
good   fortifications   make   for   a   good   nation   (737).
 
 
ç¨ú¨á¨äªéë   âòùªô몠  ô¨éóô¨äªç몠  Öë몠   738
íú¨âáäªç   åèìªï÷ªæ¨ôª   éôåÐÊ
 
ç¨ú¨á¨äªéë         absence of diseases
âòùªô몠        plentiful resources
ô¨éó²         luxuriant harvest
¬äªç몠          general happiness (among the people)
Öë몠        security
íú¨         ornament
öäªç         it is said
åèìªï÷ªÆ         for a nation
¬ôª   éôåÐÊ         these five
 
The   five   ornaments   that   adorn   a   nation   are   happiness,   wealth,
productive   agriculture,   security   and   freedom   from   disease   (738).
   
åèâìäªç   åèìè   ôóêÐêä   åèìùªù           739
åèì   ôóåÐêÕ몠  åèÌ
 
åèÌ           a nation
öäªç           is said to be
åèìè           without going in search of
ôóêÐêä         those nations which are prosperous
åèÌ         a good nation
íùªù         is not
åèì           seeking
ôó몠   êÕ몠        that which gives resources
åèÌ         the nation
 
That   is   a   good   nation   where   wealth   flows   of   its   own,   without
going   in   search   of   it   (739).
 

ͧªÆíéë²   öáªê¨áæР  æúªÑ몠  çá몬äªî÷     740
îôåÐÊíéë²   ¬ùªùèê   åèÌ
 
ͧªÆ         the aforesaid attributes
íéë²         in full measure
öáªê¨áæР   æúªÑ몠        even if are available
çá䪠        use
¬äªî÷       is of no
îôåÐÊ           (a good) king
íéë²           with
¬ùªùèê         if not (ruled by)
åèÌ         a nation
 
All   the   attributes   of   prosperity   may   be   present,   but
these   are   of   no   avail   without   a   good   king   (740).
 

PROCEED TO THE NEXT KURAL - SECTION 75 -
RETURN TO THE INDEX OF KURAL PRESENTATIONS