TIRUKKURAL, Mysticism, reading, forums, Numerology, Sun Signs, Divination

Posts: 4397 · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 2:04 am

2.1.25. Hopefulness in Trouble

621
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.

622
Though sorrow, like a flood, comes rolling on,
When wise men's mind regards it,- it is gone.
A flood of troubles will be overcome by the (courageous) thought which the minds of the wise will entertain, even in sorrow.

623
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.

624
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.

625
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).

626
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.

627
'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.

628
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).

629
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.

630
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.

2.2 Ministers of State
2.2.1. The Office of Minister of state

631
A minister is he who grasps, with wisdom large,
Means, time, work's mode, and functions rare he must discharge.
The minister is one who can make an excellent choice of means, time, manner of execution, and the difficult undertaking (itself).

632
A minister must greatness own of guardian power, determined mind,
Learn'd wisdom, manly effort with the former five combined.
The minister is one who in addition to the aforesaid five things excels in the possession of firmness, protection of subjects, clearness by learning, and perseverance.

633
A minister is he whose power can foes divide,
Attach more firmly friends, of severed ones can heal the breaches wide.
The minister is one who can effect discord (among foes), maintain the good-will of his friends and restore to friendship those who have seceded (from him).

634
A minister has power to see the methods help afford,
To ponder long, then utter calm conclusive word.
The minister is one who is able to comprehend (the whole nature of an undertaking), execute it in the best manner possible, and offer assuring advice (in time of necessity).

635
The man who virtue knows, has use of wise and pleasant words.
With plans for every season apt, in counsel aid affords.
He is the best helper (of the king) who understanding the duties, of the latter, is by his special learning, able to tender the fullest advice, and at all times conversant with the best method (of
performing actions).

636
When native subtilty combines with sound scholastic lore,
'Tis subtilty surpassing all, which nothing stands before.
What (contrivances) are there so acute as to resist those who possess natural acuteness in addition to learning ?.

637
Though knowing all that books can teach, 'tis truest tact
To follow common sense of men in act.
Though you are acquainted with the (theoretical) methods (of performing an act), understand the ways of the world and act accordingly.

638
'Tis duty of the man in place aloud to say
The very truth, though unwise king may cast his words away.
Although the king be utterly ignorant, it is the duty of the minister to give (him) sound advice.

639
A minister who by king's side plots evil things
Worse woes than countless foemen brings.
Far better are seventy crores of enemies (for a king) than a minister at his side who intends (his) ruin.

640
For gain of end desired just counsel nought avails
To minister, when tact in execution fails.
Those ministers who are destitute of (executive) ability will fail to carry out their projects, although they may have contrived aright.

2.2.2. Power in Speech

641
A tongue that rightly speaks the right is greatest gain,
It stands alone midst goodly things that men obtain.
The possession of that goodness which is called the goodness of speech is (even to others) better than any other goodness.

642
Since gain and loss in life on speech depend,
From careless slip in speech thyself defend.
Since (both) wealth and evil result from (their) speech, ministers should most carefully guard themselves against faultiness therein.

643
'Tis speech that spell-bound holds the listening ear,
While those who have not heard desire to hear.
The (minister's) speech is that which seeks (to express) elements as bind his friends (to himself) and is so delivered as to make even his enemies desire (his friendship).

644
Speak words adapted well to various hearers' state;
No higher virtue lives, no gain more surely great.
Understand the qualities (of your hearers) and (then) make your speech; for superior to it, there is neither virtue nor wealth.

645
Speak out your speech, when once 'tis past dispute
That none can utter speech that shall your speech refute.
Deliver your speech, after assuring yourself that no counter speech can defeat your own.

646
Charming each hearer's ear, of others' words to seize the sense,
Is method wise of men of spotless excellence.
It is the opinion of those who are free from defects in diplomacy that the minister should speak so as to make his hearers desire (to hear more) and grasp the meaning of what he hears himself.

647
Mighty in word, of unforgetful mind, of fearless speech,
'Tis hard for hostile power such man to overreach.
It is impossible for any one to conquer him by intrique who possesses power of speech, and is neither faulty nor timid.

648
Swiftly the listening world will gather round,
When men of mighty speech the weighty theme propound.
If there be those who can speak on various subjects in their proper order and in a pleasing manner, the world would readily accept them.

649
Who have not skill ten faultless words to utter plain,
Their tongues will itch with thousand words man's ears to pain.
They will desire to utter many words, who do not know how to speak a few faultless ones.

650
Like scentless flower in blooming garland bound
Are men who can't their lore acquired to other's ears expound.
Those who are unable to set forth their acquirements (before others) are like flowers blossoming in a cluster and yet without fragrance.

2.2.3. Purity in Action

651
The good external help confers is worldly gain;
By action good men every needed gift obtain.
The efficacy of support will yield (only) wealth; (but) the efficacy of action will yield all that is desired.

652
From action evermore thyself restrain
Of glory and of good that yields no gain.
Ministers should at all times avoid acts which, in addition to fame, yield no benefit (for the future).

653
Who tell themselves that nobler things shall yet be won
All deeds that dim the light of glory must they shun.
Those who say, "we will become (better)" should avoid the performance of acts that would destroy (their fame).

654
Though troubles press, no shameful deed they do,
Whose eyes the ever-during vision view.
Those who have infallible judgement though threatened with peril will not do acts which have brought disgrace (on former ministers).

655
Do nought that soul repenting must deplore,
If thou hast sinned, 'tis well if thou dost sin no more.
Let a minister never do acts of which he would have to grieve saying, "what is this I have done"; (but) should he do (them), it were good that he grieved not.

656
Though her that bore thee hung'ring thou behold, no deed
Do thou, that men of perfect soul have crime decreed.
Though a minister may see his mother starve; let him do not act which the wise would (treat with contempt).

657
Than store of wealth guilt-laden souls obtain,
The sorest poverty of perfect soul is richer gain.
Far more excellent is the extreme poverty of the wise than wealth obtained by heaping up of sinful deeds.

658
To those who hate reproof and do forbidden thing.
What prospers now, in after days shall anguish bring.
The actions of those, who have not desisted from doing deeds forbidden (by the great), will, even if they succeed, cause them sorrow.

659
What's gained through tears with tears shall go;
From loss good deeds entail harvests of blessings grow.
All that has been obtained with tears (to the victim) will depart with tears (to himself); but what has been by fair means; though with loss at first, will afterwards yield fruit.

660
In pot of clay unburnt he water pours and would retain,
Who seeks by wrong the realm in wealth and safety to maintain.
(For a minister) to protect (his king) with wealth obtained by foul means is like preserving a vessel of wet clay by filling it with water.