THE TIRUKKURAL OF TIRUVALLUVAR

SECTION - 75 -

VERSES 741 TO 750
    
  íõúª      Fortifications
 
Í÷ª×   çôõÐæÐÆ몠  íõúªâçèÕóª   í¢ªò¨êÐê䪠   741
îçè÷ª×   çôõÐæÆ몠  âçèÕóª
Í÷ª×çôõÐæÐÆ몠            for those who attack others
íõúª                             fortress
âçèÕóª                         is good
í¢ªò¨                            terrified
ê䪠                               to one (who is)
îçè÷ª×çôõÐæÆ몠          seeking refuge
âçèÕóª                         is good
 
A   good   fortress   is   essential   for   a   king,   whether   for   defence or   for   attacking   the   enemy   (741).    
ëú¨å©Õ몠  ëúªÑ몠  ëéù±ëª   íú¨å¨È÷ª   742
æèÌ몠  ãéìáÊ   íõúª
 
ëú¨å©Õ몠      (surrounded by) water
ëúªÑ몠        extensive open areas
ëéù±ëª         mountainous
íú¨å¨Èùª         wooded
æèÌ몠        jungle also
ãéìáÊ           having
íõúª         a fortress
 
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).  
ãáõÐôæù몠  ê¨úªéë   íÕéë¬åР  åèäªæ¨äª     743
íéëôõúª   öäª×éõæÐÆ몠  ¿ùª
 
ãáõв         height
íæù몠            breadth
ê¨úªéë             strength
íÕéë         difficult of ingress for the enemy
¬åР  åèäªæ¨äª       with these four
íéë²           provision
íõúª           fortress
öäª×    ãéõæÐÆ몠          so declare
¿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   Í樠  ã×çéæ  744
ÃæÐæ몠  íȨçªçÊ   íõúª
 
ò¨×æèçªç¨äª         occupying a small area
îçõР   ¬ìêÐêÊ         protecting expansive areas
Í樠        becoming
ã×çéæ         attack from enemies
ÃæÐæ몠        enthusiasm
íȨçªçÊ         dampening
íõúª           (is a ) fortress
 
A   good   fortress   should,   from   a   small   area,   be   able   to   protect
expansive   areas,   and   foil   enemy   attacks   (744).    
âæèó÷ªæõ¨êèáªæР  âæèúªìÔȪêÐÊ   Í樠  íæêÐêèõР  745
å¨éùæÐâæó¨êè몠  å©õÊ   íõúª
 
âæèó÷ªÆ         to enemies
íõ¨êè᪠        difficult of overrunning
âæèúªì         with plentiful
ÔȪêÐÊ    Í樠        reserves of food
íæêÐêèõР        those living within
å¨éùæÐÆ         without any difficulty
öó¨Ê    Í몠        which facilitates
å©õÊ       of the nature of
íõúª         (is a) fortress
 
Impregnable   to   the   enemy   abundant   provisioning   to   enable effective   defence,   make   for   a   good   fortress   (745).    
öùªùè窠  âçèÕÓ몠  ãéìêÐêè᪠  ¬ìêÐÊê²ëª     746
åùªùèóª   ãéìáÊ   íõúª
 
 
öùªùè窠   âçèÕÓ몠      all the required materials
ãéìêÐêè᪠          containing
¬ìêÐÊ         at the appropriate (adverse) time
ãê²ëª         coming in handy
åùª   Íóª         with competent warriors
ãéìáÊ       having
íõúª         (is a) fortress
 
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÷¨åÐÊ몠  íé÷çªçÌêÐÊ몠  747
ç÷ª÷÷ªÆ   íõ¨áÊ   íõúª
 
Ë÷ª÷¨±ëª       those who surround
Ë÷ª÷èÊ    ö÷¨åÐÊ몠        those who attack directly
íé÷çªçÌêÐÊ몠        those who use trickery and deceit (from
ç÷ª÷÷ªÆ    íõ¨áÊ         for all these enemies, difficult to conquer
íõúª           (is a) fortress

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÷¨áèõР  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÷¨áèõР        those (warriors) within
âôùªôÊ           thwarting the efforts of the enemies
íõúª         (is a) fortress
   
That   is   a   good   fortress   that   defeats   the   utmost   efforts   of   the   enemy     to   overtake   it   (748).    
ËéäËæêÐÊ   ëè÷ª÷ùõР  òèá   ô¨éäËæêÐÊ      749
ô©×öáªê¨   ëèúªìÊ   íõúª
 
ËéäËæêÐÊ           in the battle front
ëè÷ª÷ùõР          enemies
òèá         being routed
ô¨éäËæêÐÊ         by the ability in warfare by warriors within
ô©×öáªê¨         excelling
ëèúªìÊ           bringing in glory
íõúª         (is a) fortress
 
The   good   fortress   should   enable   various   tactics   to overcome   the   enemy   attack   (749).    
öéäëèìªò¨êÐÊ   Íæ¨áæР  æúªÑ몠  ô¨éäëèìªò¨    750
¬ùªùèõÐæúª   ¬ùªùÊ   íõúª
 
öéäëèìªò¨êÐÊ         whatever may be the strength
Íæ¨áæР   æúªÑ몠      provided with
ô¨éäëèìªò¨         the excellence in the art (of warfare)
¬ùªùèõÐæúª           if not possessed by (the warriors)
¬ùªùÊ         is not
íõúª         (a good) fortress
 
A   good   fortress,   however   excellent   in   its   features,   will   be   of  no   avail,   without   brave   soldiers   to   defend   it   (750).

PROCEED TO THE NEXT KURAL - SECTION 76 -
RETURN TO THE INDEX OF KURAL PRESENTATIONS