PART II. WEALTH - The Essentials of a State

Chapter. 74. The Land

Kural - 731
Where spreads fertility unfailing, where resides a band,
Of virtuous men, and those of ample wealth, call that a 'land'
A kingdom is that in which (those who carry on) a complete cultivation, virtuous persons, and merchants with inexhaustible wealth, dwell together.

Kural - 732
That is a 'land' which men desire for wealth's abundant share,
Yielding rich increase, where calamities are rare.
A kingdom is that which is desire for its immense wealth, and which grows greatly in prosperity, being free from destructive causes.

Kural - 733
When burthens press, it bears; Yet, With unfailing hand
To king due tribute pays: that is the 'land'
A kingdom is that which can bear any burden that may be pressed on it (from adjoining kingdoms) and (yet) pay the full tribute to its sovereign.

Kural - 734
That is a 'land' whose peaceful annals know,
Nor famine fierce, nor wasting plague, nor ravage of the foe.
A kingdom is that which continues to be free from excessive starvation, irremediable epidemics, and destructive foes.

Kural - 735
From factions free, and desolating civil strife, and band
Of lurking murderers that king afflict, that is the 'land'.
A kingdom is that which is without various (irregular) associations, destructive internal enemies, and murderous savages who (sometimes) harass the sovereign.

Kural - 736
Chief of all lands is that, where nought disturbs its peace;
Or, if invaders come, still yields its rich increase.
The learned say that the best kingdom is that which knows no evil (from its foes), and, if injured (at all), suffers no diminution in its fruitfulness.

Kural - 737
Waters from rains and springs, a mountain near, and waters thence;
These make a land, with fortress' sure defence.
The constituents of a kingdom are the two waters (from above and below), well situated hills and an undestructible fort.

Kural - 738
A country's jewels are these five: unfailing health,
Fertility, and joy, a sure defence, and wealth.
Freedom from epidemics, wealth, produce, happiness and protection (to subjects); these five, the learned, say, are the ornaments of a kingdom.

Kural - 739
That is a land that yields increase unsought,
That is no land whose gifts with toil are bought.
The learned say that those are kingdom whose wealth is not laboured for, and those not, whose wealth is only obtained through labour.

Kural - 740
Though blest with all these varied gifts' increase,
A land gains nought that is not with its king at peace.
Although in possession of all the above mentioned excellences, these are indeed of no use to a country, in the absence of harmony between the sovereign and the sujects.

Chapter. 75. The Fortification

Kural - 741
A fort is wealth to those who act against their foes;
Is wealth to them who, fearing, guard themselves from woes.
A fort is an object of importance to those who march (against their foes) as well as to those who through fear (of pursuers) would seek it for shelter.

Kural - 742
A fort is that which owns fount of waters crystal clear,
An open space, a hill, and shade of beauteous forest near.
A fort is that which has everlasting water, plains, mountains and cool shady forests.

Kural - 743
Height, breadth, strength, difficult access:
Science declares a fort must these possess.
The learned say that a fortress is an enclosure having these four (qualities) viz., height, breadth, strength and inaccessibility.

Kural - 744
A fort must need but slight defence, yet ample be,
Defying all the foeman's energy.
A fort is that which has an extensive space within, but only small places to be guarded, and such as can destroy the courage of besieging foes.

Kural - 745
Impregnable, containing ample stores of food,
A fort for those within, must be a warlike station good.
A fort is that which cannot be captured, which abounds in suitable provisions, and affords a position of easy defence to its inmates.

Kural - 746
A fort, with all munitions amply stored,
In time of need should good reserves afford.
A fort is that which has all (needful) things, and excellent heroes that can help it against destruction (by foes).

Kural - 747
A fort should be impregnable to foes who gird it round,
Or aim there darts from far, or mine beneath the ground.
A fort is that which cannot be captured by blockading, assaulting, or undermining it.

Kural - 748
Howe'er the circling foe may strive access to win,
A fort should give the victory to those who guard within.
That is a fort whose inmates are able to overcome without losing their ground, even abler men who have besieged it.

Kural - 749
At outset of the strife a fort should foes dismay;
And greatness gain by deeds in every glorious day.
A fort is that which derives excellence from the stratagems made (by its inmates) to defeat their enemies in the battlefield.

Kural - 750
Howe'er majestic castled walls may rise,
To craven souls no fortress strength supplies.
Although a fort may possess all (the above-said) excellence, it is, as it were without these, if its inmates possess not the excellence of action.

Chapter. 76. Way of Accumulating Wealth

Kural - 751
Nothing exists save wealth, that can
Change man of nought to worthy man.
Besides wealth there is nothing that can change people of no importance into those of (some) importance.

Kural - 752
Those who have nought all will despise;
All raise the wealthy to the skies.
All despise the poor; (but) all praise the rich.

Kural - 753
Wealth, the lamp unfailing, speeds to every land,
Dispersing darkness at its lord's command.
The imperishable light of wealth goes into regions desired (by its owner) and destroys the darkness (of enmity therein).

Kural - 754
Their wealth, who blameless means can use aright,
Is source of virtue and of choice delight.
The wealth acquired with a knowledge of the proper means and without foul practices will yield virtue and happiness.

Kural - 755
Wealth gained by loss of love and grace,
Let man cast off from his embrace.
(Kings) should rather avoid than seek the accumulation of wealth which does not flow in with mercy and love.

Kural - 756
Wealth that falls to him as heir, wealth from the kingdom's dues,
The spoils of slaughtered foes; these are the royal revenues.
Unclaimed wealth, wealth acquired by taxes, and wealth (got) by conquest of foes are (all) the wealth of the king.

Kural - 757
'Tis love that kindliness as offspring bears:
And wealth as bounteous nurse the infant rears.
The child mercy which is borne by love grows under the care of the rich nurse of wealth.

Kural - 758
As one to view the strife of elephants who takes his stand,
On hill he's climbed, is he who works with money in his hand.
An undertaking of one who has wealth in one's hands is like viewing an elephant-fight from a hill-top.

Kural - 759
Make money! Foeman's insolence o'ergrown
To lop away no keener steel is known.
Accumulate wealth; it will destroy the arrogance of (your) foes; there is no weapon sharper than it.

Kural - 760
Who plenteous store of glorious wealth have gained,
By them the other two are easily obtained.
To those who have honestly acquired an abundance of riches, the other two, (virtue and pleasure) are things easy (of acquisition).

Chapter. 77. The Excellence of an Army

Kural - 761
A conquering host, complete in all its limbs, that fears no wound,
Mid treasures of the king is chiefest found.
The army which is complete in (its) parts and conquers without fear of wounds is the chief wealth of the king.

Kural - 762
In adverse hour, to face undaunted might of conquering foe,
Is bravery that only veteran host can show.
Ancient army can alone have the valour which makes it stand by its king at the time of defeat, fearless of wounds and unmindful of its reduced strength.

Kural - 763
Though, like the sea, the angry mice send forth their battle cry;
What then? The dragon breathes upon them, and they die!
What if (a host of) hostile rats roar like the sea ? They will perish at the mere breath of the cobra.

Kural - 764
That is a host, by no defeats, by no desertions shamed,
For old hereditary courage famed.
That indeed is an army which has stood firm of old without suffering destruction or deserting (to the enemy).

Kural - 765
That is a 'host' that joins its ranks, and mightily withstands,
Though death with sudden wrath should fall upon its bands.
That indeed is an army which is capable of offering a united resistance, even if Yama advances against it with fury.

Kural - 766
Valour with honour, sure advance in glory's path, with confidence;
To warlike host these four are sure defence.
Valour, honour, following in the excellent-footsteps (of its predecessors) and trust-worthiness; these four alone constitute the safeguard of an army.

Kural - 767
A valiant army bears the onslaught, onward goes,
Well taught with marshalled ranks to meet their coming foes.
That is an army which knowing the art of warding off an impending struggle, can bear against the dust-van (of a hostile force).

Kural - 768
Though not in war offensive or defensive skilled;
An army gains applause when well equipped and drilled.
Though destitute of courage to fight and strength (to endure), an army may yet gain renown by the splendour of its appearance.

Kural - 769
Where weakness, clinging fear and poverty
Are not, the host will gain the victory.
An army can triumph (over its foes) if it is free from diminution; irremediable aversion and poverty.

Kural - 770
Though men abound, all ready for the war,
No army is where no fit leaders are.
Though an army may contain a large number of permanent soldiers, it cannot last if it has no generals.

Chapter. 78. Military Spirit

Kural - 771
Ye foes! stand not before my lord! for many a one
Who did my lord withstand, now stands in stone!
O my foes, stand not before my leader; (for) many are those who did so but afterwards stood (in the shape of) statues.

Kural - 772
Who aims at elephant, though dart should fail, has greater praise.
Than he who woodland hare with winged arrow slays.
It is more pleasant to hold the dart that has missed an elephant than that which has hit hare in the forest.

Kural - 773
Fierceness in hour of strife heroic greatness shows;
Its edge is kindness to our suffering foes.
The learned say that fierceness (incontest with a foe) is indeed great valour; but to become a benefactor in case of accident (to a foe) is the extreme (limit) of that valour.

Kural - 774
At elephant he hurls the dart in hand; for weapon pressed,
He laughs and plucks the javelin from his wounded breast.
The hero who after casting the lance in his hand on an elephant, comes (in search of another) will pluck the one (that sticks) in his body and laugh (exultingly).

Kural - 775
To hero fearless must it not defeat appear,
If he but wink his eye when foemen hurls his spear.
Is it not a defeat to the valiant to wink and destroy their ferocious look when a lance in cast at them (by their foe) ?

Kural - 776
The heroes, counting up their days, set down as vain
Each day when they no glorious wound sustain.
The hero will reckon among wasted days all those on which he had not received severe wounds.

Kural - 777
Who seek for world-wide fame, regardless of their life,
The glorious clasp adorns, sign of heroic strife.
The fastening of ankle-ring by those who disire a world-wide renown and not (the safety of) their lives is like adorning (themselves).

Kural - 778
Fearless they rush where'er 'the tide of battle rolls';
The king's reproof damps not the ardour of their eager souls.
The heroes who are not afraid of losing their life in a contest will not cool their ardour, even if the king prohibits (their fighting).

Kural - 779
Who says they err, and visits them scorn,
Who die and faithful guard the vow they've sworn?
Who would reproach with failure those who seal their oath with their death ?

Kural - 780
If monarch's eyes o'erflow with tears for hero slain,
Who would not beg such boon of glorious death to gain?
If (heroes) can so die as to fill with tears the eyes of their rulers, such a death deserves to be obtained even by begging.

Chapter. 79. Friendship

Kural - 781
What so hard for men to gain as friendship true?
What so sure defence 'gainst all that foe can do?
What things are there so difficult to acquire as friendship ? What guards are there so difficult to break through by the efforts (of one's foes) ?

Kural - 782
Friendship with men fulfilled of good Waxes like the crescent moon;
Friendship with men of foolish mood, Like the full orb, waneth soon.
The friendship of the wise waxes like the new moon; (but) that of fools wanes like the full moon.

Kural - 783
Learned scroll the more you ponder, Sweeter grows the mental food;
So the heart by use grows fonder, Bound in friendship with the good.
Like learning, the friendship of the noble, the more it is cultivated, the more delightful does it become.

Kural - 784
Nor for laughter only friendship all the pleasant day,
But for strokes of sharp reproving, when from right you stray.
Friendship is to be practised not for the purpose of laughing but for that of being beforehand in giving one another sharp rebukes in case of transgression.

Kural - 785
Not association constant, not affection's token bind;
'Tis the unison of feeling friends unites of kindred mind.
Living together and holding frequent intercourse are not necessary (for friendship); (mutual) understanding can alone create a claim for it.

Kural - 786
Not the face's smile of welcome shows the friend sincere,
But the heart's rejoicing gladness when the friend is near.
The love that dwells (merely in the smiles of the face is not friendship; (but) that which dwells deep in the smiles of the heart is true friendship.

Kural - 787
Friendship from ruin saves, in way of virtue keeps;
In troublous time, it weeps with him who weeps.
(True) friendship turns aside from evil (ways) makes (him) walk in the (good) way, and, in case of loss if shares his sorrow (with him).

Kural - 788
As hand of him whose vesture slips away,
Friendship at once the coming grief will stay.
(True) friendship hastens to the rescue of the afflicted (as readily) as the hand of one whose garment is loosened (before an assembly).

Kural - 789
And where is friendship's royal seat? In stable mind,
Where friend in every time of need support may find.
Friendship may be said to be on its throne when it possesses the power of supporting one at all times and under all circumstances, (in the practice or virtue and wealth).

Kural - 790
Mean is the friendship that men blazon forth,
'He's thus to me' and 'such to him my worth'.
Though friends may praise one another saying, "He is so intimate with us, and we so much (with him)"; (still) such friendship will appear mean.

Chapter. 80. Investigation in forming Friendships

Kural - 791
To make an untried man your friend is ruin sure;
For friendship formed unbroken must endure.
As those who are of a friendly nature will not forsake (a friend) after once loving (him), there is no evil so great as contracting a friendship without due inquiry.

Kural - 792
Alliance with the man you have not proved and proved again,
In length of days will give you mortal pain.
The friendship contracted by him who has not made repeated inquiry will in the end grieve (him) to death.

Kural - 793
Temper, descent, defects, associations free
From blame: know these, then let the man be friend to thee.
Make friendship (with one) after ascertaining (his) character, birth, defects and the whole of one's relations.

Kural - 794
Who, born of noble race, from guilt would shrink with shame,
Pay any price so you as friend that man may claim.
The friendship of one who belongs to a (good) family and is afraid of (being charged with) guilt, is worth even purchasing.

Kural - 795
Make them your chosen friend whose words repentance move,
With power prescription's path to show, while evil they reprove.
You should examine and secure the friendship of those who can speak so as to make you weep over a crime (before its commission) or rebuke you severely (after you have done it) and are able to teach you (the ways of) the world.

Kural - 796
Ruin itself one blessing lends:
'Tis staff that measures out one's friends.
Even in ruin there is some good; (for) it is a rod by which one may measure fully (the affection of one's) relations.

Kural - 797
'Tis gain to any man, the sages say,
Friendship of fools to put away.
It is indead a gain for one to renounce the friendship of fools.

Kural - 798
Think not the thoughts that dwarf the soul; nor take
For friends the men who friends in time of grief forsake.
Do not think of things that discourage your mind, nor contract friendship with those who would forsake you in adversity.

Kural - 799
Of friends deserting us on ruin's brink,
'Tis torture e'en in life's last hour to think.
The very thought of the friendship of those who have deserted one at the approach of adversity will burn one's mind at the time of death.

Kural - 800
Cling to the friendship of the spotless one's; whate'er you pay.
Renounce alliance with the men of evil way.
Continue to enjoy the friendship of the pure; (but) renounce even with a gift, the friendship of those who do not agree (with the world).

Chapter. 81. Familiarity

Kural - 802
Familiar freedom friendship's very frame supplies;
To be its savour sweet is duty of the wise.
The constituents of friendship are (things done through) the right of intimacy; to be pleased with such a right is the duty of the wise.

Kural - 803
When to familiar acts men kind response refuse,
What fruit from ancient friendship's use?
Of what avail is long-standing friendship, if friends do not admit as their own actions done through the right of intimacy ?

Kural - 804
When friends unbidden do familiar acts with loving heart,
Friends take the kindly deed in friendly part.
If friends, through the right of friendship, do (anything) without being asked, the wise will be pleased with them on account of its desirability.

Kural - 805
Not folly merely, but familiar carelessness,
Esteem it, when your friends cause you distress.
If friends should perform what is painful, understand that it is owing not only to ignorance, but also to the strong claims of intimacy.

Kural - 806
Who stand within the bounds quit not, though loss impends,
Association with the old familiar friends.
Those who stand within the limits (of true friendship) will not even in adversity give up the intimacy of long-standing friends.

Kural - 807
True friends, well versed in loving ways,
Cease not to love, when friend their love betrays.
Those who have (long) stood in the path of affection will not give it up even if their friends cause (them) their ruin.

Kural - 808
In strength of friendship rare of friend's disgrace who will not hear,
The day his friend offends will day of grace to him appear.
To those who understand that by which they should not listen to (tales about) the faults of their friends, that is a (profitable) day on which the latter may commit a fault.

Kural - 809
Friendship of old and faithful friends,
Who ne'er forsake, the world commends.
They will be loved by the world, who have not forsaken the friendship of those with whom they have kept up an unbroken long-standing intimacy.

Kural - 810
Ill-wishers even wish them well, who guard.
For ancient friends, their wonted kind regard.
Even enemies will love those who have never changed in their affection to their long-standing friends.