PART II. WEALTH -
Chapter. 39. The Greatness of a King
Kural -
An army, people, wealth, a minister, friends, fort: six things-
Who owns
them all, a lion lives amid the kings.
Kural -
Courage, a liberal hand, wisdom, and energy: these four
Are qualities a
king adorn for evermore.
Never to fail in these four things, fearlessness, liberality,
wisdom, and energy, is the kingly character.
Kural -
A sleepless promptitude, knowledge, decision strong:
These three for aye
to rulers of the land belong.
These three things, viz., vigilance, learning, and bravery,
should never be wanting in the ruler of a country.
Kural -
Kingship, in virtue failing not, all vice restrains,
In courage failing
not, it honour's grace maintains.
He is a king who, with manly modesty, swerves not
from virtue, and refrains from vice.
Kural -
A king is he who treasure gains, stores up, defends,
And duly for his kingdom's
weal expends.
He is a king who is able to acquire (wealth), to lay it up, to guard,
and to distribute it.
Kural -
Where king is easy of access, where no harsh word repels,
That land's high
praises every subject swells.
The whole world will exalt the country of the king who
is easy of access, and who is free from harsh language.
Kural -
With pleasant speech, who gives and guards with powerful liberal hand,
He
sees the world obedient all to his command.
The world will praise and submit itself
to the mind of the king who is able to give with affability, and to protect all who
come to him.
Kural -
Who guards the realm and justice strict maintains,
That king as god o'er
subject people reigns.
That king, will be esteemed a God among men, who performs his
own duties, and protects (his subjects).
Kural -
The king of worth, who can words bitter to his ear endure,
Beneath the
shadow of his power the world abides secure.
The whole world will dwell under the
umbrella of the king, who can bear words that embitter the ear.
Kural -
Gifts, grace, right sceptre, care of people's weal;
These four a light
of dreaded kings reveal.
He is the light of kings who has there four things, beneficence,
benevolence, rectitude, and care for his people.
Chapter. 40. Learning
Kural -
So learn that you may full and faultless learning gain,
Then in obedience
meet to lessons learnt remain.
Let a man learn thoroughly whatever he may learn, and
let his conduct be worthy of his learning.
Kural -
The twain that lore of numbers and of letters give
Are eyes, the wise declare,
to all on earth that live.
Letters and numbers are the two eyes of man.
Kural -
Men who learning gain have eyes, men say;
Blockheads' faces pairs of sores
display.
The learned are said to have eyes, but the unlearned have (merely) two sores
in their face.
Kural -
You meet with joy, with pleasant thought you part;
Such is the learned
scholar's wonderous art!
It is the part of the learned to give joy to those whom they
meet, and on leaving, to make them think (Oh! when shall we meet them again.)
Kural -
With soul submiss they stand, as paupers front a rich man's face;
Yet learned
men are first; th'unlearned stand in lowest place.
The unlearned are inferior to the
learned, before whom they stand begging, as the destitute before the wealthy.
Kural -
In sandy soil, when deep you delve, you reach the springs below;
The more
you learn, the freer streams of wisdom flow.
Water will flow from a well in the sand
in proportion to the depth to which it is dug, and knowledge will flow from a man
in proportion to his learning.
Kural -
The learned make each land their own, in every city find a home;
Who, till
they die; learn nought, along what weary ways they roam!
How is it that any one can
remain without learning, even to his death, when (to the learned man) every country
is his own (country), and every town his own (town) ?
Kural -
The man who store of learning gains,
In one, through seven worlds, bliss
attains.
The learning, which a man has acquired in one birth, will yield him pleasure
during seven births.
Kural -
Their joy is joy of all the world, they see; thus more
The learners learn
to love their cherished lore.
The learned will long (for more learning), when they
see that while it gives pleasure to themselves, the world also derives pleasure from
it.
Kural -
Learning is excellence of wealth that none destroy;
To man nought else
affords reality of joy.
Learning is the true imperishable riches; all other things
are not riches.
Chapter. 41. Ignorance
Kural -
Like those at draughts would play without the chequered square,
Men void
of ample lore would counsels of the learned share.
To speak in an assembly (of the
learned) without fullness of knowledge, is like playing at chess (on a board) without
squares.
Kural -
Like those who doat on hoyden's undeveloped charms are they,
Of learning
void, who eagerly their power of words display.
The desire of the unlearned to speak
(in an assembly), is like a woman without breasts desiring (the enjoyment of ) woman-
Kural -
The blockheads, too, may men of worth appear,
If they can keep from speaking
where the learned hear!
The unlearned also are very excellent men, if they know how
to keep silence before the learned.
Kural -
From blockheads' lips, when words of wisdom glibly flow,
The wise receive
them not, though good they seem to show.
Although the natural knowledge of an unlearned
man may be very good, the wise will not accept for true knowledge.
Kural -
As worthless shows the worth of man unlearned,
When council meets, by words
he speaks discerned.
The self-
Kural -
'They are': so much is true of men untaught;
But, like a barren field,
they yield us nought!
The unlearned are like worthless barren land: all that can be
said of them is, that they exist.
Kural -
Who lack the power of subtle, large, and penetrating sense,
Like puppet,
decked with ornaments of clay, their beauty's vain pretence.
The beauty and goodness
of one who is destitute of knowledge by the study of great and exquisite works, is
like (the beauty and goodness) of a painted earthen doll.
Kural -
To men unlearned, from fortune's favour greater-
Than poverty
to men of goodly wisdom brings.
Kural -
Lower are men unlearned, though noble be their race,
Than low-
Kural -
Learning's irradiating grace who gain,
Others excel, as men the bestial
train.
As beasts by the side of men, so are other men by the side of those who are
learned in celebrated works.
Chapter. 42. Hearing
Kural -
Wealth of wealth is wealth acquired be ear attent;
Wealth mid all wealth
supremely excellent.
Wealth (gained) by the ear is wealth of wealth; that wealth is
the chief of all wealth.
Kural -
When 'tis no longer time the listening ear to feed
With trifling dole of
food supply the body's need.
When there is no food for the ear, give a little also
to the stomach.
Kural -
Who feed their ear with learned teachings rare,
Are like the happy gods
oblations rich who share.
Those who in this world enjoy instruction which is the food
of the ear, are equal to the Gods, who enjoy the food of the sacrifices.
Kural -
Though learning none hath he, yet let him hear alway:
In weakness this
shall prove a staff and stay.
Although a man be without learning, let him listen (to
the teaching of the learned); that will be to him a staff in adversity.
Kural -
Like staff in hand of him in slippery ground who strays
Are words from
mouth of those who walk in righteous ways.
The words of the good are like a staff
in a slippery place.
Kural -
Let each man good things learn, for e'en as he
Shall learn, he gains increase
of perfect dignity.
Let a man listen, never so little, to good (instruction), even
that will bring him great dignity.
Kural -
Not e'en through inadvertence speak they foolish word,
With clear discerning
mind who've learning's ample lessons heard.
Not even when they have imperfectly understood
(a matter), will those men speak foolishly, who have profoundly studied and diligently
listened (to instruction).
Kural -
Where teaching hath not oped the learner's ear,
The man may listen, but
he scarce can hear.
The ear which has not been bored by instruction, although it hears,
is deaf.
Kural -
'Tis hard for mouth to utter gentle, modest word,
When ears discourse of
lore refined have never heard.
It is a rare thing to find modesty, a reverend mouth-
Kural -
His mouth can taste, but ear no taste of joy can give!
What matter if he
die, or prosperous live?
What does it matter whether those men live or die, who can
judge of tastes by the mouth, and not by the ear ?
Chapter. 43. The Possession of Knowledge
Kural -
True wisdom wards off woes, A circling fortress high;
Its inner strength
man's eager foes Unshaken will defy.
Wisdom is a weapon to ward off destruction; it
is an inner fortress which enemies cannot destroy.
Kural -
Wisdom restrains, nor suffers mind to wander where it would;
From every
evil calls it back, and guides in way of good.
Not to permit the mind to go where
it lists, to keep it from evil, and to employ it in good, this is wisdom.
Kural -
Though things diverse from divers sages' lips we learn,
'Tis wisdom's part
in each the true thing to discern.
To discern the truth in every thing, by whomsoever
spoken, is wisdom.
Kural -
Wisdom hath use of lucid speech, words that acceptance win,
And subtle
sense of other men's discourse takes in.
To speak so as that the meaning may easily
enter the mind of the hearer, and to discern the subtlest thought which may lie hidden
in the words of others, this is wisdom.
Kural -
Wisdom embraces frank the world, to no caprice exposed;
Unlike the lotus
flower, now opened wide, now petals strictly closed.
To secure the friendship of the
great is true wisdom; it is (also) wisdom to keep (that friendship unchanged, and)
not opening and closing (like the lotus flower).
Kural -
As dwells the world, so with the world to dwell
In harmony-
Kural -
The wise discern, the foolish fail to see,
And minds prepare for things
about to be.
The wise are those who know beforehand what will happen; those who do
not know this are the unwise.
Kural -
Folly meets fearful ills with fearless heart;
To fear where cause of fear
exists is wisdom's part.
Not to fear what ought to be feared, is folly; it is the
work of the wise to fear what should be feared.
Kural -
The wise with watchful soul who coming ills foresee;
From coming evil's
dreaded shock are free.
No terrifying calamity will happen to the wise, who (foresee)
and guard against coming evils.
Kural -
The wise is rich, with ev'ry blessing blest;
The fool is poor, of everything
possessed.
Those who possess wisdom, possess every thing; those who have not wisdom,
whatever they may possess, have nothing.
Chapter. 44. The Correction of Faults
Kural -
Who arrogance, and wrath, and littleness of low desire restrain,
To sure
increase of lofty dignity attain.
Truly great is the excellence of those (kings) who
are free from pride, anger, and lust.
Kural -
A niggard hand, o'erweening self-
Unseemly, bring disgrace
to men of kingly brith.
Kural -
Though small as millet-
As palm tree vast to those
who fear disgrace 'twill seem.
Kural -
Freedom from faults is wealth; watch heedfully
'Gainst these, for fault
is fatal enmity.
Guard against faults as a matter (of great consequence; for) faults
are a deadly enemy.
Kural -
His joy who guards not 'gainst the coming evil day,
Like straw before the
fire shall swift consume away.
The prosperity of him who does not timely guard against
faults, will perish like straw before fire.
Kural -
Faultless the king who first his own faults cures, and then
Permits himself
to scan faults of other men.
What fault will remain in the king who has put away his
own evils, and looks after the evils of others.
Kural -
Who leaves undone what should be done, with niggard mind,
His wealth shall
perish, leaving not a wrack behind.
The wealth of the avaricious man, who does not
expend it for the purposes for which he ought to expend it will waste away and not
continue.
Kural -
The greed of soul that avarice men call,
When faults are summed, is worst
of all.
Griping avarice is not to be reckoned as one among other faults; (it stands
alone -
Kural -
Never indulge in self-
Nor deed desire that yields no
gain of good.
Kural -
If, to your foes unknown, you cherish what you love,
Counsels of men who
wish you harm will harmless prove.
If (a king) enjoys, privately the things which
he desires, the designs of his enemies will be useless.
Chapter. 45. Seeking the Aid of Great Men
Kural -
As friends the men who virtue know, and riper wisdom share,
Their worth
weighed well, the king should choose with care.
Let (a king) ponder well its value,
and secure the friendship of men of virtue and of mature knowledge.
Kural -
Cherish the all-
Whose skill the present ill
removes, from coming ill defends.
Kural -
To cherish men of mighty soul, and make them all their own,
Of kingly treasures
rare, as rarest gift is known.
To cherish great men and make them his own, is the
most difficult of all difficult things.
Kural -
To live with men of greatness that their own excels,
As cherished friends,
is greatest power that with a monarch dwells.
So to act as to make those men, his
own, who are greater than himself is of all powers the highest.
Kural -
The king, since counsellors are monarch's eyes,
Should counsellors select
with counsel wise.
As a king must use his ministers as eyes (in managing his kingdom),
let him well examine their character and qualifications before he engages them.
Kural -
The king, who knows to live with worthy men allied,
Has nought to fear
from any foeman's pride.
There will be nothing left for enemies to do, against him
who has the power of acting (so as to secure) the fellowship of worthy men.
Kural -
What power can work his fall, who faithful ministers
Employs, that thunder
out reproaches when he errs.
Who are great enough to destroy him who has servants
that have power to rebuke him ?
Kural -
The king with none to censure him, bereft of safeguards all,
Though none
his ruin work, shall surely ruined fall.
The king, who is without the guard of men
who can rebuke him, will perish, even though there be no one to destroy him.
Kural -
Who owns no principal, can have no gain of usury;
Who lacks support of
friends, knows no stability.
There can be no gain to those who have no capital; and
in like manner there can be no permanence to those who are without the support of
adherents.
Kural -
Than hate of many foes incurred, works greater woe
Ten-
Chapter. 46. Avoiding mean Associations
Kural -
The great of soul will mean association fear;
The mean of soul regard mean
men as kinsmen dear.
(True) greatness fears the society of the base; it is only the
low -
Kural -
The waters' virtues change with soil through which they flow;
As man's
companionship so will his wisdom show.
As water changes (its nature), from the nature
of the soil (in which it flows), so will the character of men resemble that of their
associates.
Kural -
Perceptions manifold in men are of the mind alone;
The value of the man
by his companionship is known.
The power of knowing is from the mind; (but) his character
is from that of his associates.
Kural -
Man's wisdom seems the offspring of his mind;
'Tis outcome of companionship
we find.
Wisdom appears to rest in the mind, but it really exists to a man in his
companions.
Kural -
Both purity of mind, and purity of action clear,
Leaning no staff of pure
companionship, to man draw near.
Chaste company is the staff on which come, these
two things, viz, purity of mind and purity of conduct.
Kural -
From true pure-
To men of pure companionship
belong no evil deeds.
Kural -
Goodness of mind to lives of men increaseth gain;
And good companionship
doth all of praise obtain.
Goodness of mind will give wealth, and good society will
bring with it all praise, to men.
Kural -
To perfect men, though minds right good belong,
Yet good companionship
is confirmation strong.
Although they may have great (natural) goodness of mind, yet
good society will tend to strengthen it.
Kural -
Although to mental goodness joys of other life belong,
Yet good companionship
is confirmation strong.
Future bliss is (the result) of goodness of mind; and even
this acquires strength from the society of the good.
Kural -
Than good companionship no surer help we know;
Than bad companionship nought
causes direr woe.
There is no greater help than the company of the good; there is
no greater source of sorrow than the company of the wicked.
Chapter. 47. Acting after due Consideration
Kural -
Expenditure, return, and profit of the deed
In time to come; weigh these-
Kural -
With chosen friends deliberate; next use the private thought;
Then act.
By those who thus proceed all works with ease are wrought.
There is nothing too difficult
to (be attained by) those who, before they act, reflect well themselves, and thoroughly
consider (the matter) with chosen friends.
Kural -
To risk one's all and lose, aiming at added gain,
Is rash affair, from
which the wise abstain.
Wise men will not, in the hopes of profit, undertake works
that will consume their principal.
Kural -
A work of which the issue is not clear,
Begin not they reproachful scorn
who fear.
Those who fear reproach will not commence anything which has not been (thoroughly
considered) and made clear to them.
Kural -
With plans not well matured to rise against your foe,
Is way to plant him
out where he is sure to grow!
One way to promote the prosperity of an enemy, is (for
a king) to set out (to war) without having thoroughly weighed his ability (to cope
with its chances).
Kural -
'Tis ruin if man do an unbefitting thing;
Fit things to leave undone will
equal ruin bring.
He will perish who does not what is not fit to do; and he also will
perish who does not do what it is fit to do.
Kural -
Think, and then dare the deed! Who cry,
'Deed dared, we'll think,' disgraced
shall be.
Consider, and then undertake a matter; after having undertaken it, to say
"We will consider," is folly.
Kural -
On no right system if man toil and strive,
Though many men assist, no work
can thrive.
The work, which is not done by suitable methods, will fail though many
stand to uphold it.
Kural -
Though well the work be done, yet one mistake is made,
To habitudes of
various men when no regard is paid.
There are failures even in acting well, when it
is done without knowing the various dispositions of men.
Kural -
Plan and perform no work that others may despise;
What misbeseems a king
the world will not approve as wise.
Let a man reflect, and do things which bring no
reproach; the world will not approve, with him, of things which do not become of
his position to adopt.
Chapter. 48. The Knowledge of Power
Kural -
The force the strife demands, the force he owns, the force of foes,
The
force of friends; these should he weigh ere to the war he goes.
Let (one) weigh well
the strength of the deed (he purposes to do), his own strength, the strength of his
enemy, and the strength of the allies (of both), and then let him act.
Kural -
Who know what can be wrought, with knowledge of the means, on this,
Their
mind firm set, go forth, nought goes with them amiss.
There is nothing which may not
be accomplished by those who, before they attack (an enemy), make themselves acquainted
with their own ability, and with whatever else is (needful) to be known, and apply
themselves wholly to their object.
Kural -
Ill-
And midmost
of unequal conflict fallen asunder riven.
Kural -
Who not agrees with those around, no moderation knows,
In self-
Kural -
With peacock feathers light, you load the wain;
Yet, heaped too high, the
axle snaps in twain.
The axle tree of a bandy, loaded only with peacocks' feathers
will break, if it be greatly overloaded.
Kural -
Who daring climbs, and would himself upraise
Beyond the branch's tip, with
life the forfeit pays.
There will be an end to the life of him who, having climbed
out to the end of a branch, ventures to go further.
Kural -
With knowledge of the measure due, as virtue bids you give!
That is the
way to guard your wealth, and seemly live.
Let a man know the measure of his ability
(to give), and let him give accordingly; such giving is the way to preserve his property.
Kural -
Incomings may be scant; but yet, no failure there,
If in expenditure you
rightly learn to spare.
Even though the income (of a king) be small, it will not cause
his (ruin), if his outgoings be not larger than his income.
Kural -
Who prosperous lives and of enjoyment knows no bound,
His seeming wealth,
departing, nowhere shall be found.
The prosperity of him who lives without knowing
the measure (of his property), will perish, even while it seems to continue.
Kural -
Beneficence that measures not its bound of means,
Will swiftly bring to
nought the wealth on which it leans.
The measure of his wealth will quickly perish,
whose liberality weighs not the measure of his property.
Chapter. 49. Knowing the fitting Time
Kural -
A crow will conquer owl in broad daylight;
The king that foes would crush,
needs fitting time to fight.
A crow will overcome an owl in the day time; so the king
who would conquer his enemy must have (a suitable) time.
Kural -
The bond binds fortune fast is ordered effort made,
Strictly observant
still of favouring season's aid.
Acting at the right season, is a cord that will immoveably
bind success (to a king).
Kural -
Can any work be hard in very fact,
If men use fitting means in timely act?
Is
there anything difficult for him to do, who acts, with (the right) instruments at
the right time ?
Kural -
The pendant world's dominion may be won,
In fitting time and place by action
done.
Though (a man) should meditate (the conquest of) the world, he may accomplish
it if he acts in the right time, and at the right place.
Kural -
Who think the pendant world itself to subjugate,
With mind unruffled for
the fitting time must wait.
They who thoughtfully consider and wait for the (right)
time (for action), may successfully meditate (the conquest of) the world.
Kural -
The men of mighty power their hidden energies repress,
As fighting ram
recoils to rush on foe with heavier stress.
The self-
Kural -
The glorious once of wrath enkindled make no outward show,
At once; they
bide their time, while hidden fires within them glow.
The wise will not immediately
and hastily shew out their anger; they will watch their time, and restrain it within.
Kural -
If foes' detested form they see, with patience let them bear;
When fateful
hour at last they spy,-
Kural -
When hardest gain of opportunity at last is won,
With promptitude let hardest
deed be done.
If a rare opportunity occurs, while it lasts, let a man do that which
is rarely to be accomplished (but for such an opportunity).
Kural -
As heron stands with folded wing, so wait in waiting hour;
As heron snaps
its prey, when fortune smiles, put forth your power.
At the time when one should use
self-
Chapter. 50. Knowing the Place
Kural -
Begin no work of war, depise no foe,
Till place where you can wholly circumvent
you know.
Let not (a king) despise (an enemy), nor undertake any thing (against him),
until he has obtained (a suitable) place for besieging him.
Kural -
Though skill in war combine with courage tried on battle-
The added
gain of fort doth great advantage yield.
Kural -
E'en weak ones mightily prevail, if place of strong defence,
They find,
protect themselves, and work their foes offence.
Even the powerless will become powerful
and conquer, if they select a proper field (of action), and guard themselves, while
they make war on their enemies.
Kural -
The foes who thought to triumph, find their thoughts were vain,
If hosts
advance, seize vantage ground, and thence the fight maintain.
If they who draw near
(to fight) choose a suitable place to approach (their enemy), the latter, will have
to relinquish the thought which they once entertained, of conquering them.
Kural -
The crocodile prevails in its own flow of water wide,
If this it leaves,
'tis slain by anything beside.
In deep water, a crocodile will conquer (all other
animals); but if it leave the water, other animals will conquer it.
Kural -
The lofty car, with mighty wheel, sails not o'er watery main,
The boat
that skims the sea, runs not on earth's hard plain.
Wide chariots, with mighty wheels,
will not run on the ocean; neither will ships that the traverse ocean, move on the
earth.
Kural -
Save their own fearless might they need no other aid,
If in right place
they fight, all due provision made.
You will need no other aid than fearlessness,
if you thoroughly reflect (on what you are to do), and select (a suitable) place
for your operations.
Kural -
If lord of army vast the safe retreat assail
Of him whose host is small,
his mightiest efforts fail.
The power of one who has a large army will perish, if
he goes into ground where only a small army can act.
Kural -
Though fort be none, and store of wealth they lack,
'Tis hard a people's
homesteads to attack!
It is a hazardous thing to attack men in their own country,
although they may neither have power nor a good fortress.
Kural -
The jackal slays, in miry paths of foot-
The elephant of
fearless eye and tusks transfixing armed men.
Chapter. 51. Selection and Confidence
Kural -
How treats he virtue, wealth and pleasure? How, when life's at stake,
Comports
himself? This four-
Kural -
Of noble race, of faultless worth, of generous pride
That shrinks from
shame or stain; in him may king confide.
(The king's) choice should (fall) on him,
who is of good family, who is free from faults, and who has the modesty which fears
the wounds (of sin).
Kural -
Though deeply learned, unflecked by fault, 'tis rare to see,
When closely
scanned, a man from all unwisdom free.
When even men, who have studied the most difficult
works, and who are free from faults, are (carefully) examined, it is a rare thing
to find them without ignorance.
Kural -
Weigh well the good of each, his failings closely scan,
As these or those
prevail, so estimate the man.
Let (a king) consider (a man's) good qualities, as well
as his faults, and then judge (of his character) by that which prevails.
Kural -
Of greatness and of meanness too,
The deeds of each are touchstone true.
A
man's deeds are the touchstone of his greatness and littleness.
Kural -
Beware of trusting men who have no kith of kin;
No bonds restrain such
men, no shame deters from sin.
Let (a king) avoid choosing men who have no relations;
such men have no attachment, and therefore have no fear of crime.
Kural -
By fond affection led who trusts in men of unwise soul,
Yields all his
being up to folly's blind control.
To choose ignorant men, through partiality, is
the height of folly.
Kural -
Who trusts an untried stranger, brings disgrace,
Remediless, on all his
race.
Sorrow that will not leave even his posterity will come upon him chooses a stranger
whose character he has not known.
Kural -
Trust no man whom you have not fully tried,
When tested, in his prudence
proved confide.
Let (a king) choose no one without previous consideration; after he
has made his choice, let him unhesitatingly select for each such duties as are appropriate.
Kural -
Trust where you have not tried, doubt of a friend to feel,
Once trusted,
wounds inflict that nought can heal.
To make choice of one who has not been examined,
and to entertain doubts respecting one who has been chosen, will produce irremediable
sorrow.
Chapter. 52. Selection and Employment
Kural -
Who good and evil scanning, ever makes the good his joy;
Such man of virtuous
mood should king employ.
He should be employed (by a king), whose nature leads him
to choose the good, after having weighed both the evil and the good in any undertaking.
Kural -
Who swells the revenues, spreads plenty o'er the land,
Seeks out what hinders
progress, his the workman's hand.
Let him do (the king's) work who can enlarge the
sources (of revenue), increase wealth and considerately prevent the accidents (which
would destroy it).
Kural -
A loyal love with wisdom, clearness, mind from avarice free;
Who hath these
four good gifts should ever trusted be.
Let the choice (of a king) fall upon him who
largely possesses these four things, love, knowledge, a clear mind and freedom from
covetousness.
Kural -
Even when tests of every kind are multiplied,
Full many a man proves otherwise,
by action tried!
Even when (a king) has tried them in every possible way, there are
many men who change, from the nature of the works (in which they may be employed).
Kural -
No specious fav'rite should the king's commission bear,
But he that knows,
and work performs with patient care.
(A king's) work can only be accomplished by a
man of wisdom and patient endurance; it is not of a nature to be given to one from
mere personal attachment.
Kural -
Let king first ask, 'Who shall the deed perform?' and 'What the deed?'
Of
hour befitting both assured, let every work proceed.
Let (a king) act, after having
considered the agent (whom he is to employ), the deed (he desires to do), and the
time which is suitable to it.
Kural -
'This man, this work shall thus work out,' let thoughtful king command;
Then
leave the matter wholly in his servant's hand.
After having considered, "this man
can accomplish this, by these means", let (the king) leave with him the discharge
of that duty.
Kural -
As each man's special aptitude is known,
Bid each man make that special
work his own.
Having considered what work a man is fit for, let (the king) employ
him in that work.
Kural -
Fortune deserts the king who ill can bear,
Informal friendly ways of men
his tolls who share.
Prosperity will leave (the king) who doubts the friendship of
the man who steadily labours in the discharge of his duties.
Kural -
Let king search out his servants' deeds each day;
When these do right,
the world goes rightly on its way.
Let a king daily examine the conduct of his servants;
if they do not act crookedly, the world will not act crookedly
Chapter. 53. Cherishing one's Kindred
Kural -
When wealth is fled, old kindness still to show,
Is kindly grace that only
kinsmen know.
Even when (a man's) property is all gone, relatives will act towards
him with their accustomed (kindness).
Kural -
The gift of kin's unfailing love bestows
Much gain of good, like flower
that fadeless blows.
If (a man's) relatives remain attached to him with unchanging
love, it will be a source of ever-
Kural -
His joy of life who mingles not with kinsmen gathered round,
Is lake where
streams pour in, with no encircling bound.
The wealth of one who does not mingle freely
with his relatives, will be like the filling of water in a spacious tank that has
no banks.
Kural -
The profit gained by wealth's increase,
Is living compassed round by relatives
in peace.
To live surrounded by relatives, is the advantage to be derived from the
acquisition of wealth.
Kural -
Who knows the use of pleasant words, and liberal gifts can give,
Connections,
heaps of them, surrounding him shall live.
He will be surrounded by numerous relatives
who manifests generosity and affability.
Kural -
Than one who gifts bestows and wrath restrains,
Through the wide world
none larger following gains.
No one, in all the world, will have so many relatives
(about him), as he who makes large gift, and does not give way to anger.
Kural -
The crows conceal not, call their friends to come, then eat;
Increase of
good such worthy ones shall meet.
The crows do not conceal (their prey), but will
call out for others (to share with them) while they eat it; wealth will be with those
who show a similar disposition (towards their relatives).
Kural -
Where king regards not all alike, but each in his degree,
'Neath such discerning
rule many dwell happily.
Many relatives will live near a king, when they observe that
he does not look on all alike, but that he looks on each man according to his merit.
Kural -
Who once were his, and then forsook him, as before
Will come around, when
cause of disagreement is no more.
Those who have been friends and have afterwards
forsaken him, will return and join themselves (to him), when the cause of disagreement
is not to be found in him.
Kural -
Who causeless went away, then to return, for any cause, ask leave;
The
king should sift their motives well, consider, and receive!
When one may have left
him, and for some cause has returned to him, let the king fulfil the object (for
which he has come back) and thoughtfully receive him again.
Chapter. 54. Unforgetfulness
Kural -
'Tis greater ill, it rapture of o'erweening gladness to the soul
Bring
self-
Kural -
Perpetual, poverty is death to wisdom of the wise;
When man forgets himself
his glory dies!
Forgetfulness will destroy fame, even as constant poverty destroys
knowledge.
Kural -
'To self-
Decisive wisdom sums of every
school.
Kural -
'To cowards is no fort's defence'; e'en so
The self-
Kural -
To him who nought foresees, recks not of anything,
The after woe shall
sure repentance bring.
The thoughtless man, who provides not against the calamities
that may happen, will afterwards repent for his fault.
Kural -
Towards all unswerving, ever watchfulness of soul retain,
Where this is
found there is no greater gain.
There is nothing comparable with the possession of
unfailing thoughtfulness at all times; and towards all persons.
Kural -
Though things are arduous deemed, there's nought may not be won,
When work
with mind's unslumbering energy and thought is done.
There is nothing too difficult
to be accomplished, if a man set about it carefully, with unflinching endeavour.
Kural -
Let things that merit praise thy watchful soul employ;
Who these despise
attain through sevenfold births no joy.
Let (a man) observe and do these things which
have been praised (by the wise); if he neglects and fails to perform them, for him
there will be no (happiness) throughout the seven births.
Kural -
Think on the men whom scornful mind hath brought to nought,
When exultation
overwhelms thy wildered thought.
Let (a king) think of those who have been ruined
by neglect, when his mind is elated with joy.
Kural -
'Tis easy what thou hast in mind to gain,
If what thou hast in mind thy
mind retain.
It is easy for (one) to obtain whatever he may think of, if he can again
think of it.
Chapter. 55. The Right Sceptre
Kural -
Search out, to no one favour show; with heart that justice loves
Consult,
then act; this is the rule that right approves.
To examine into (the crimes which
may be committed), to show no favour (to any one), to desire to act with impartiality
towards all, and to inflict (such punishments) as may be wisely resolved on, constitute
rectitude.
Kural -
All earth looks up to heav'n whence raindrops fall;
All subjects look to
king that ruleth all.
When there is rain, the living creation thrives; and so when
the king rules justly, his subjects thrive.
Kural -
Learning and virtue of the sages spring,
From all-
Kural -
Whose heart embraces subjects all, lord over mighty land
Who rules, the
world his feet embracing stands.
The world will constantly embrace the feet of the
great king who rules over his subjects with love.
Kural -
Where king, who righteous laws regards, the sceptre wields,
There fall
the showers, there rich abundance crowns the fields.
Rain and plentiful crops will
ever dwell together in the country of the king who sways his sceptre with justice.
Kural -
Not lance gives kings the victory,
But sceptre swayed with equity.
It is
not the javelin that gives victory, but the king's sceptre, if it do no injustice.
Kural -
The king all the whole realm of earth protects;
And justice guards the
king who right respects.
The king defends the whole world; and justice, when administered
without defect, defends the king.
Kural -
Hard of access, nought searching out, with partial hand
The king who rules,
shall sink and perish from the land.
The king who gives not facile audience (to those
who approach him), and who does not examine and pass judgment (on their complaints),
will perish in disgrace.
Kural -
Abroad to guard, at home to punish, brings
No just reproach; 'tis work
assigned to kings.
In guarding his subjects (against injury from others), and in preserving
them himself; to punish crime is not a fault in a king, but a duty.
Kural -
By punishment of death the cruel to restrain,
Is as when farmer frees from
weeds the tender grain.
For a king to punish criminals with death, is like pulling
up the weeds in the green corn.
Chapter. 56. The Cruel Sceptre
Kural -
Than one who plies the murderer's trade, more cruel is the king
Who all
injustice works, his subjects harassing.
The king who gives himself up to oppression
and acts unjustly (towards his subjects) is more cruel than the man who leads the
life of a murderer.
Kural -
As 'Give' the robber cries with lance uplift,
So kings with sceptred hand
implore a gift.
The request (for money) of him who holds the sceptre is like the word
of a highway robber who stands with a weapon in hand and says "give up your wealth".
Kural -
Who makes no daily search for wrongs, nor justly rules, that king
Doth
day by day his realm to ruin bring.
The country of the king who does not daily examine
into the wrongs done and distribute justice, will daily fall to ruin.
Kural -
Whose rod from right deflects, who counsel doth refuse,
At once his wealth
and people utterly shall lose.
The king, who, without reflecting (on its evil consequences),
perverts justice, will lose at once both his wealth and his subjects.
Kural -
His people's tears of sorrow past endurance, are not they
Sharp instruments
to wear the monarch's wealth away?
Will not the tears, shed by a people who cannot
endure the oppression which they suffer (from their king), become a saw to waste
away his wealth ?
Kural -
To rulers' rule stability is sceptre right;
When this is not, quenched
is the rulers' light.
Righteous government gives permanence to (the fame of) kings;
without that their fame will have no endurance.
Kural -
As lack of rain to thirsty lands beneath,
Is lack of grace in kings to
all that breathe.
As is the world without rain, so live a people whose king is without
kindness.
Kural -
To poverty it adds a sharper sting,
To live beneath the sway of unjust
king.
Property gives more sorrow than poverty, to those who live under the sceptre
of a king without justice.
Kural -
Where king from right deflecting, makes unrighteous gain,
The seasons change,
the clouds pour down no rain.
If the king acts contrary to justice, rain will become
unseasonable, and the heavens will withhold their showers.
Kural -
Where guardian guardeth not, udder of kine grows dry,
And Brahmans' sacred
lore will all forgotten lie.
If the guardian (of the country) neglects to guard it,
the produce of the cows will fail, and the men of six duties viz., the Brahmins will
forget the vedas.
Chapter. 57. Absence of 'Terrorism'
Kural -
Who punishes, investigation made in due degree,
So as to stay advance of
crime, a king is he.
He is a king who having equitably examined (any injustice which
has been brought to his notice), suitably punishes it, so that it may not be again
committed.
Kural -
For length of days with still increasing joys on Heav'n who call,
Should
raise the rod with brow severe, but let it gently fall.
Let the king, who desires
that his prosperity may long remain, commence his preliminary enquires with strictness,
and then punish with mildness.
Kural -
Where subjects dread of cruel wrongs endure,
Ruin to unjust king is swift
and sure.
The cruel-
Kural -
'Ah! cruel is our king', where subjects sadly say,
His age shall dwindle,
swift his joy of life decay.
The king who is spoken of as cruel will quickly perish;
his life becoming shortened.
Kural -
Whom subjects scarce may see, of harsh forbidding countenance;
His ample
wealth shall waste, blasted by demon's glance.
The great wealth of him who is difficult
of access and possesses a sternness of countenance, is like that which has been obtained
by a devil.
Kural -
The tyrant, harsh in speach and hard of eye,
His ample joy, swift fading,
soon shall die.
The abundant wealth of the king whose words are harsh and whose looks
are void of kindness, will instantly perish instead of abiding long, with him.
Kural -
Harsh words and punishments severe beyond the right,
Are file that wears
away the monarch's conquering might.
Severe words and excessive punishments will be
a file to waste away a king's power for destroying (his enemies).
Kural -
Who leaves the work to those around, and thinks of it no more;
If he in
wrathful mood reprove, his prosperous days are o'er!
The prosperity of that king will
waste away, who without reflecting (on his affairs himself), commits them to his
ministers, and (when a failure occurs) gives way to anger, and rages against them.
Kural -
Who builds no fort whence he may foe defy,
In time of war shall fear and
swiftly die.
The king who has not provided himself with a place of defence, will in
times of war be seized with fear and quickly perish.
Kural -
Tyrants with fools their counsels share:
Earth can no heavier burthen bear!
The
earth bears up no greater burden than ignorant men whom a cruel sceptre attaches
to itself (as the ministers of its evil deeds).
Chapter. 58. Benignity
Kural -
Since true benignity, that grace exceeding great, resides
In kingly souls,
world in happy state abides.
The world exists through that greatest ornament (of princes),
a gracious demeanour.
Kural -
The world goes on its wonted way, since grace benign is there;
All other
men are burthen for the earth to bear.
The prosperity of the world springs from the
kindliness, the existence of those who have no (kindliness) is a burden to the earth.
Kural -
Where not accordant with the song, what use of sounding chords?
What gain
of eye that no benignant light affords?
Of what avail is a song if it be inconsistent
with harmony ? what is the use of eyes which possess no kindliness.
Kural -
The seeming eye of face gives no expressive light,
When not with duly meted
kindness bright.
Beyond appearing to be in the face, what good do they do, those eyes
in which is no well-
Kural -
Benignity is eyes' adorning grace;
Without it eyes are wounds disfiguring
face.
Kind looks are the ornaments of the eyes; without these they will be considered
(by the wise) to be merely two sores.
Kural -
Whose eyes 'neath brow infixed diffuse no ray
Of grace; like tree in earth
infixed are they.
They resemble the trees of the earth, who although they have eyes,
never look kindly (on others).
Kural -
Eyeless are they whose eyes with no benignant lustre shine;
Who've eyes
can never lack the light of grace benign.
Men without kind looks are men without eyes;
those who (really) have eyes are also not devoid of kind looks.
Kural -
Who can benignant smile, yet leave no work undone;
By them as very own
may all the earth be won.
The world is theirs (kings) who are able to show kindness,
without injury to their affairs, (administration of justice).
Kural -
To smile on those that vex, with kindly face,
Enduring long, is most excelling
grace.
Patiently to bear with, and show kindness to those who grieve us, is the most
excellent of all dispositions.
Kural -
They drink with smiling grace, though poison interfused they see,
Who seek
the praise of all-
Chapter. 59. Detectives
Kural -
These two: the code renowned and spies,
In these let king confide as eyes.
Let
a king consider as his eyes these two things, a spy and a book (of laws) universally
esteemed.
Kural -
Each day, of every subject every deed,
'Tis duty of the king to learn with
speed.
It is the duty of a king to know quickly (by a spy) what all happens, daily,
amongst all men.
Kural -
By spies who spies, not weighing things they bring,
Nothing can victory
give to that unwary king.
There is no way for a king to obtain conquests, who knows
not the advantage of discoveries made by a spy.
Kural -
His officers, his friends, his enemies,
All these who watch are trusty
spies.
He is a spy who watches all men, to wit, those who are in the king's employment,
his relatives, and his enemies.
Kural -
Of unsuspected mien and all-
Who let no secret out, are
trusty spies.
Kural -
As monk or devotee, through every hindrance making way,
A spy, whate'er
men do, must watchful mind display.
He is a spy who, assuming the appearance of an
ascetic, goes into (whatever place he wishes), examines into (all, that is needful),
and never discovers himself, whatever may be done to him.
Kural -
A spy must search each hidden matter out,
And full report must render,
free from doubt.
A spy is one who is able to discover what is hidden and who retains
no doubt concerning what he has known.
Kural -
Spying by spies, the things they tell
To test by other spies is well.
Let
not a king receive the information which a spy has discovered and made known to him,
until he has examined it by another spy.
Kural -
One spy must not another see: contrive it so;
And things by three confirmed
as truth you know.
Let a king employ spies so that one may have no knowledge of the
other; and when the information of three agrees together, let him receive it.
Kural -
Reward not trusty spy in others' sight,
Or all the mystery will come to
light.
Let not a king publicly confer on a spy any marks of his favour; if he does,
he will divulge his own secret.
Chapter. 60. Energy
Kural -
'Tis energy gives men o'er that they own a true control;
They nothing own
who own not energy of soul.
Energy makes out the man of property; as for those who
are destitute of it, do they (really) possess what they possess ?
Kural -
The wealth of mind man owns a real worth imparts,
Material wealth man owns
endures not, utterly departs.
The possession of (energy of) mind is true property;
the possession of wealth passes away and abides not.
Kural -
'Lost is our wealth,' they utter not this cry distressed,
The men of firm
concentred energy of soul possessed.
They who are possessed of enduring energy will
not trouble themselves, saying, "we have lost our property."
Kural -
The man of energy of soul inflexible,
Good fortune seeks him out and comes
a friend to dwell.
Wealth will find its own way to the man of unfailing energy.
Kural -
With rising flood the rising lotus flower its stem unwinds;
The dignity
of men is measured by their minds.
The stalks of water-
Kural -
Whate'er you ponder, let your aim be loftly still,
Fate cannot hinder always,
thwart you as it will.
In all that a king thinks of, let him think of his greatness;
and if it should be thrust from him (by fate), it will have the nature of not being
thrust from him.
Kural -
The men of lofty mind quail not in ruin's fateful hour,
The elephant retains
his dignity mind arrows' deadly shower.
The strong minded will not faint, even when
all is lost; the elephant stands firm, even when wounded by a shower of arrows.
Kural -
The soulless man can never gain
Th' ennobling sense of power with men.
Those
who have no (greatness of) mind, will not acquire the joy of saying in the world,
"we have excercised liaberality".
Kural -
Huge bulk of elephant with pointed tusk all armed,
When tiger threatens
shrinks away alarmed!
Although the elephant has a large body, and a sharp tusk, yet
it fears the attack of the tiger.
Kural -
Firmness of soul in man is real excellance;
Others are trees, their human
form a mere pretence.
Energy is mental wealth; those men who are destitute of it are
only trees in the form of men.
Chapter. 61. Unsluggishness
Kural -
Of household dignity the lustre beaming bright,
Flickers and dies when
sluggish foulness dims its light.
By the darkness, of idleness, the indestructible
lamp of family (rank) will be extinguished.
Kural -
Let indolence, the death of effort, die,
If you'd uphold your household's
dignity.
Let those, who desire that their family may be illustrious, put away all
idleness from their conduct.
Kural -
Who fosters indolence within his breast, the silly elf!
The house from
which he springs shall perish ere himself.
The (lustre of the) family of the ignorant
man, who acts under the influence of destructive laziness will perish, even before
he is dead.
Kural -
His family decays, and faults unheeded thrive,
Who, sunk in sloth, for
noble objects doth not strive.
Family (greatness) will be destroyed, and faults will
increase, in those men who give way to laziness, and put forth no dignified exertions.
Kural -
Delay, oblivion, sloth, and sleep: these four
Are pleasure-
Kural -
Though lords of earth unearned possessions gain,
The slothful ones no yield
of good obtain.
It is a rare thing for the idle, even when possessed of the riches
of kings who ruled over the whole earth, to derive any great benefit from it.
Kural -
Who hug their sloth, nor noble works attempt,
Shall bear reproofs and words
of just contempt.
Those who through idleness, and do not engage themselves in dignified
exertion, will subject themselves to rebukes and reproaches.
Kural -
If sloth a dwelling find mid noble family,
Bondsmen to them that hate them
shall they be.
If idleness take up its abode in a king of high birth, it will make
him a slave of his enemies.
Kural -
Who changes slothful habits saves
Himself from all that household rule
depraves.
When a man puts away idleness, the reproach which has come upon himself
and his family will disappear.
Kural -
The king whose life from sluggishness is rid,
Shall rule o'er all by foot
of mighty god bestrid.
The king who never gives way to idleness will obtain entire
possession of (the whole earth) passed over by him who measured (the worlds) with
His foot.
Chapter. 62. Manly Effort
Kural -
Say not, 'Tis hard', in weak, desponding hour,
For strenuous effort gives
prevailing power.
Yield not to the feebleness which says, "this is too difficult to
be done"; labour will give the greatness (of mind) which is necessary (to do it).
Kural -
In action be thou, 'ware of act's defeat;
The world leaves those who work
leave incomplete!
Take care not to give up exertion in the midst of a work; the world
will abandon those who abandon their unfinished work.
Kural -
In strenuous effort doth reside
The power of helping others: noble pride!
The
lustre of munificence will dwell only with the dignity of laboriousness or efforts.
Kural -
Beneficent intent in men by whom no strenuous work is wrought,
Like battle-
Kural -
Whose heart delighteth not in pleasure, but in action finds delight,
He
wipes away his kinsmen's grief and stands the pillar of their might.
He who desires
not pleasure, but desires labour, will be a pillar to sustain his relations, wiping
away their sorrows.
Kural -
Effort brings fortune's sure increase,
Its absence brings to nothingness.
Labour
will produce wealth; idleness will bring poverty.
Kural -
In sluggishness is seen misfortune's lurid form, the wise declare;
Where
man unslothful toils, she of the lotus flower is there!
They say that the black Mudevi
(the goddess of adversity) dwells with laziness, and the Latchmi (the goddess of
prosperity) dwells with the labour of the industrious.
Kural -
'Tis no reproach unpropitious fate should ban;
But not to do man's work
is foul disgrace to man!
Adverse fate is no disgrace to any one; to be without exertion
and without knowing what should be known, is disgrace.
Kural -
Though fate-
Effort its labour's sure
reward will gain.
Kural -
Who strive with undismayed, unfaltering mind,
At length shall leave opposing
fate behind.
They who labour on, without fear and without fainting will see even fate
(put) behind their back.
Chapter. 63. Hopefulness in Trouble
Kural -
Smile, with patient, hopeful heart, in troublous hour;
Meet and so vanquish
grief; nothing hath equal power.
If troubles come, laugh; there is nothing like that,
to press upon and drive away sorrow.
Kural -
Though sorrow, like a flood, comes rolling on,
When wise men's mind regards
it,-
Kural -
Who griefs confront with meek, ungrieving heart,
From them griefs, put
to grief, depart.
They give sorrow to sorrow, who in sorrow do not suffer sorrow.
Kural -
Like bullock struggle on through each obstructed way;
From such an one
will troubles, troubled, roll away.
Troubles will vanish (i.e., will be troubled)
before the man who (struggles against difficulties) as a buffalo (drawing a cart)
through deep mire.
Kural -
When griefs press on, but fail to crush the patient heart,
Then griefs
defeated, put to grief, depart.
The troubles of that man will be troubled (and disappear)
who, however thickly they may come upon him, does not abandon (his purpose).
Kural -
Who boasted not of wealth, nor gave it all their heart,
Will not bemoan
the loss, when prosperous days depart.
Will those men ever cry out in sorrow, "we
are destitute" who, (in their prosperity), give not way to (undue desire) to keep
their wealth.
Kural -
'Man's frame is sorrow's target', the noble mind reflects,
Nor meets with
troubled mind the sorrows it expects.
The great will not regard trouble as trouble,
knowing that the body is the butt of trouble.
Kural -
He seeks not joy, to sorrow man is born, he knows;
Such man will walk unharmed
by touch of human woes.
That man never experiences sorrow, who does not seek for pleasure,
and who considers distress to be natural (to man).
Kural -
Mid joys he yields not heart to joys' control.
Mid sorrows, sorrow cannot
touch his soul.
He does not suffer sorrow, in sorrow who does not look for pleasure
in pleasure.
Kural -
Who pain as pleasure takes, he shall acquire
The bliss to which his foes
in vain aspire.
The elevation, which even his enemies will esteem, will be gained
by him, who regards pain as pleasure.
