Tirukkural last part

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Let us continue with Reading Last part of TIRUKKURAL written by Tiruvalluvar. This one also a Treasure to Sanathana Dharma Same like Neetisara ,Arthasastra and Viduraniti. If anyone miss to read or interest to read Neetisara , Arthasastra and Vidura niti and Tirukkural pls mail to me , I will send again to you. I request you to spread this values as much as you can .

Tirukkural Last Part 7

 

 

A Prosperous Nation

The requisites for a prosperous State are industrious producers, good and learned men forming the elite, and high-minded men of wealth.

[Note: An industrious labour force, knowledge and wealth are the elements that make a prosperous State.]

A State should be free from too many groups and divisions and from anti-social, destructive elements, and from murderous offences that disturb the king¢s peace.

A State may have everything mentioned in this chapter, yet if it has not the right kind of ruler, they will all come to nothing.

Fortifications

Fortifications are as important for the prince who, confident of his strength, sets out on an aggressive operation, as to the cautious who are satisfied with self-defence.

A good fortress should have a moat with water during all seasons, and an esplanade, with hills and dense forests around.

The fortress wall, it has been laid down, should be high, broad, strong, and built so as to be difficult of attack by enemy¢s machines.

[Note: there is a long list of defence machines to be found in Silappadikaaram, Adaikkalakkadai chapter.]

The length to be defended must not be too great, but there must be ample space inside, and the fort must in all respects be such as to dishearten the enemy.

The fortress must have good natural defences, and plenty of food resources inside, and afford scope for the garrison to attack the enemy from inside without exposing themselves.

Though good in every respect, a fort is yet not dependable unless it has a good garrison that will rise to the occasion and knows how to fight in its defence.

A fort should be built so as to be difficult of being taken by siege, or by storm, or through the betrayal of traitors.

[Note: The importance of a good commander is pointed out]

All the excellences of the fort come to nothing if the commander is not a man of ability.

A Well Filled Exchequer

There is nothing so effective as wealth, which has the quality of giving worth even to worthless men.

Wealth leads to dharma as well as happiness in this life if it is acquired with discrimination in the right way and without doing evil.

Wealth that can be got by discarding compassion (on the part of the acquirer) and without love (on the part of those who part with it) is not to be sought, but should be spurned.

[Note: ¡Arul¢ and ¡Anbu¢ are here used to express respectively, tenderness of feeling proceeding from and towards the acquirer. Applied to the king, this verse condemns cruel exactions.]

Besides the fraction, often stated as a sixth, that is levied as a tax by the king from out of produce or income, the following belong to the royal coffers: ownerless property such as treasure-trove and escheat, transit duties on imports and on internal traffic, and what is gained in war.

The chief advantage of wealth is the security it gives.

A man of wealth may venture on any action, in that splendid security with which a man looks on an elephants¢ battle from the top of a hill. He enjoys all the pleasures of adventure and of triumph without anxiety as to possible reverses.

Make wealth, for there is no other munitions of war so effective. There is no sharper sword with which to cut the pride and confidence of the enemy.

Efficiency in Action

[Note: We have here couplets dealing with the principles to be observed by an efficient minister.]

Efficiency essentially consists in a resolute mind; other things come thereafter.

Two principles of action have been authoritatively accepted in politics. One, do not undertake action that cannot be successful; the other, if anything goes wrong in the course of an undertaking, do not be perturbed, but face difficulties boldly.

Success in a great undertaking lies in so ordering one¢s action that the disclosure of the plan coincides with its fulfilment, i.e., before it is disclosed it should have been accomplished. Premature disclosure leads to the creation of insurmountable impediments.

Anyone can formulate plans, but it is only exceptional men that are able to carry their plans to fulfilment.

Some men there are in whom an imposing appearance is coupled with great strength of mind and action even like the little axle-pin that keeps the wheels of the great chariot in place. Appearances can be deceptive. Do not judge men by the unimpressiveness of their external form.

Plan with a clear brain, and when once you have decided and launched on an undertaking, be firm and unmoved by difficulties, and dilatoriness in action.

Other things are of no avail, if one does not aim at efficiency in action. He who does not cultivate this cannot make his mark in the world.

The Offensive

[Note: This chapter of Kural devoted to aggressive action by princes displays remarkable practical wisdom, and indicates a long history of operational experience.]

Decisions should be taken after thorough consideration. But once a decision is taken there should be no hesitation in action.

There are some operations that should be lengthened out in time; prolong them accordingly. There are some that demand promptness; do not be dilatory in such.

Aggressive action, wherever it is feasible, is good. Where it is not likely to be successful, try other means to attain your object.

To undertake an aggressive operation and to abandon it without completing the discomfiture of the enemy is most harmful. Both ineffectual aggression and the incomplete removal of causes of enmity are unsafe, like fire that is not fully extinguished. You may expect trouble to grow in course of time.

Before launching an operation, all the five elements that will make for success or defeat should be thoroughly considered and not left untackled, i.e., equipment, strength of forces, the favourableness or the opposite of time and place, and the nature of the operation.

[Note: ¡irul theera¢ denotes that the consideration should be so thorough as to remove all doubts. Literally the phrase means until all darkness is dispelled.]

What has to be done to attain the end in view, the difficulties that may arise in the course of the operation and the measure of lasting gain that will finally accrue by success in the operation, should all be considered before undertaking it.

[Note: It is well not to be aggressive if you doubt your strength to carry it out or to overcome the difficulties likely to arise; also, if on dispassionate consideration no great ultimate advantage appears to follow from it. Weigh the ultimate gain as against the cost of the attempt and the amount of opposition to be met with before resolving on such operations.]

Even after all these considerations, one should consult those who have actually gone through such operations themselves and who therefore possess intimate knowledge of them.

As one elephant is used to capture another, the experience of one action should be used to achieve success in another.

Be quicker to compose differences with enemies than even in rendering good offices to allies.

[Note: This is interpreted alternatively thus: make alliances with your opponent¢s enemies even more promptly than securing confirmation of friendships already gained. The other interpretation is: whenever you have to declare war, while it is necessary promptly to strengthen existing alliances, it is well to give even greater attention to making alliances with your enemy¢s enemies. ¡vottaar¢ is here interpreted as the enemy¢s enemies.]

If your forces are weak, you should take the first opportunity to yield and make peace before letting your men taste defeat and demoralization.==================================

Here endsTIRUKKURAL. I believe you all enjoy by reading this treasures . Try to adopt and apply as much as you can ,the morals and instructions we got from this Tirukkural ,Chanakya nitisara , Kautiliya Arthashastra and Vidura niti . to make our Bharath more prosperous and our daily life more easy and to make our life happy. Also please send this values to all as much as you can. My Sincere thanks to moderator for publish this values.

With pranam

with regards

dilip