THE TIRUKKURAL OF TIRUVALLUVAR
SECTION - 75 -
VERSES 741 TO 750
íõúª
Fortifications
Í÷ª× çôõÐæÐÆëª
íõúªâçèÕóª
í¢ªò¨êÐêäª
741
îçè÷ª× çôõÐæÆëª
âçèÕóª
Í÷ª×çôõÐæÐÆëª
| for those
who attack others |
îçè÷ª×çôõÐæÆëª
| seeking refuge |
A good fortress
is essential for a king,
whether for defence or for
attacking the enemy (741).
ëú¨å©Õëª ëúªÑëª
ëéù±ëª íú¨å¨È÷ª
742
æèÌëª ãéìáÊ
íõúª
ëú¨å©Õëª
| (surrounded by)
water |
ëúªÑëª
| extensive open
areas |
A good fortress
must be set in a
hilly and wooded area, and
surrounded by a stretch
of water (a moat) with
extensive open areas beyond (742).
ãáõÐôæùëª
ê¨úªéë íÕéë¬åÐ
åèäªæ¨äª
743
íéëôõúª öäª×éõæÐÆëª
¿ùª
íÕéë
| difficult
of ingress for the enemy |
¬åÐ åèäªæ¨äª
| with these four |
¿ùª
| the books
(on architecture) |
The fortress
walls, as laid down in
the books, should have four
attributes- they should be high,
broad, strong and difficult of
approach (743).
ò¨×æèçªç¨÷ª
îçõ¨ìêÐêÊ
Íæ¨ ã×çéæ
744
ÃæÐæëª íȨçªçÊ
íõúª
ò¨×æèçªç¨äª
| occupying a small
area |
îçõÐ
¬ìêÐêÊ
| protecting expansive
areas |
ã×çéæ
| attack
from enemies |
A good fortress
should, from a small area,
be able to protect
expansive areas,
and foil enemy attacks
(744).
âæèó÷ªæõ¨êèáªæÐ
âæèúªìÔȪêÐÊ
Íæ¨ íæêÐêèõÐ
745
å¨éùæÐâæó¨êèëª
å©õÊ íõúª
íõ¨êèáª
| difficult of
overrunning |
ÔȪêÐÊ
꾬 |
reserves of food |
íæêÐêèõÐ
| those living
within |
å¨éùæÐÆ
| without any
difficulty |
öó¨Ê
ꑻ |
which facilitates |
Impregnable to
the enemy abundant provisioning
to enable effective defence, make
for a good fortress (745).
öùªùèçª âçèÕÓëª
ãéìêÐêèáª
¬ìêÐÊê²ëª
746
åùªùèóª ãéìáÊ
íõúª
öùªùèçª
âçèÕÓëª
| all the
required materials |
¬ìêÐÊ
| at the appropriate
(adverse) time |
åùª Íóª
| with competent
warriors |
A good fort
should have enough of all
the materials for defence,
and be manned
by brave warriors who can
foil the enemy (746).
Ë÷ª÷¨±ëª Ë÷ª÷èÊ
ö÷¨åÐÊëª íé÷çªçÌêÐÊëª
747
ç÷ª÷÷ªÆ íõ¨áÊ
íõúª
Ë÷ª÷¨±ëª
| those who surround |
Ë÷ª÷èÊ
ö÷¨åÐÊëª
| those who attack
directly |
íé÷çªçÌêÐÊëª
| those who use
trickery and deceit (from |
ç÷ª÷÷ªÆ
íõ¨áÊ
| for all these
enemies, difficult to conquer |
That is a
good fortress which will
defy a blockade or a
direct
attack, or
even by traitors within (747).
Ë÷ª×Í÷ª÷¨
Ë÷ª÷¨ áôéõ±ëª
ç÷ª×Í÷ª÷¨çª
748
ç÷ª÷¨áèõÐ
âôùªôÊ íõúª
Ë÷ª×Í÷ª÷¨
| against those
experts in encircling |
Ë÷ª÷¨áôéõ±ëª
| and such of
those who have surrounded |
ç÷ª×Í÷ª÷¨
| standing one's
ground |
ç÷ª÷¨áèõÐ
| those
(warriors) within |
âôùªôÊ
| thwarting the
efforts of the enemies |
That is a
good fortress that defeats
the utmost efforts of
the enemy to overtake
it (748).
ËéäËæêÐÊ ëè÷ª÷ùõÐ
òèá ô¨éäËæêÐÊ
749
ô©×öáªê¨ ëèúªìÊ
íõúª
ËéäËæêÐÊ
| in the battle
front |
ô¨éäËæêÐÊ
| by the
ability in warfare by
warriors within |
The good fortress
should enable various tactics
to overcome the enemy attack
(749).
öéäëèìªò¨êÐÊ
Íæ¨áæÐ æúªÑëª
ô¨éäëèìªò¨
750
¬ùªùèõÐæúª
¬ùªùÊ íõúª
öéäëèìªò¨êÐÊ
| whatever may
be the strength |
Íæ¨áæÐ
æúªÑëª |
provided with |
ô¨éäëèìªò¨
| the excellence
in the art (of warfare) |
¬ùªùèõÐæúª
| if not possessed
by (the warriors) |
A good fortress,
however excellent in its
features, will be of no
avail, without brave soldiers
to defend it (750).
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