The Kural

thy kingdom and to cure the ills that may befall it: set him to manage thy affairs.

Let him alone be selected for service who is endowed with kindness and intelligence and decision, and who is free from greed.

Many are the men that satisfy every test and yet alter in the actual performance of duty.

Work should be entrusted to men in consideration of their expert knowledge and capacity for patient exertion, and not of their love towards thy person.

Choose the expert and give him the work for which he is fit: see that the time is ripe for performance and then get him to begin it.

Determine first the capacity of the servant and the work for which he is fit: and then leave him in responsible charge of the same.

After thou hast decided that a man is fit for an office, make him worthy to fill it.

Behold the man who resenteth the friendly advances of the servant who is skilful at his work: Fortune will depart from him.

Let the prince oversee everything every day: for there will be nothing wrong with the country so long as there is nothing wrong with the officers of the State.

LIII

Cherishing of Kindred

521. Constancy of attachment even in adversity belongeth only unto kindred.

522. If a man is blessed with kindred whose love for him bateth not, his fortunes will never cease to grow.

523. The man who rejoiceth not in the intimacy of his kindred is like a tank without bunds: the waters of prosperity will flow away from him.

524. To gather and attach one’s kindred to oneself: that is the use and purpose of prosperity.

525. If a man have a sweet tongue and a liberal hand his kinsmen will gather round him in serried ranks.

526. Behold the man that giveth freely and entertaineth not anger: the world hath none who hath a more attached kindred than he.

527. The crow concealeth not its food selfishly from its fellows but shareth it lovingly with them: prosperity will abide only with men of a like nature.

528. It is good if the prince treateth not all his kinsmen alike but hath a graduated scale for each: for there are many that have an eye to privilege.

529. The estrangement of a kinsman is easily remedied: remove the cause of the coolness and he will come back to thee.

530. When a kinsman that hath broken with thee cometh back to thee for a reason, accept thou him, but with caution.

LIV

Guarding Against Insouciance

531. Worse than excessive rage is the unguardedness that cometh of self-complacency.

532. A false sense of security killeth glory even as indigence crusheth the understanding.

533. Glory is not for the unwatchful: that is the conclusion of every school of thinkers in the world.

534. Of what use are fortresses to the cowardly? or abundance of resources to the incautious?

535. He who faileth to guard against everything beforehand will deplore his negligence when he is surprised by disaster.

536. If thou relax not in thy vigilance at all times and against all men, there is nothing like it.

537. Nothing is impossible to the man who can bring unto his work a mind that is ever wakeful and cautious.

538. The prince shall devote himself assiduously to works that are commended by the wise: if he neglect them he will suffer in all his future births.

539. When thou art tempted to be self-complacent and elated, call to thy kind those that have perished by their supineness.

540. Verily it is easy for a man to achieve all that he desireth, provided he keepeth his purpose constantly before his mind.

LV

Just Government

541. Deliberate well and lean not to either side: be impartial and consult with the men of law: that is the way to administer justice.

542. The world looketh up to the rain-cloud for life: even so do men look up to the sceptre of the prince for protection.

543. The sceptre of the prince is the mainstay of the science of the Brahmans and of righteousness also.

544. Behold the noble prince who ruleth the people of his dominions with loving care: sovereignty will never depart from him.

545. Behold the prince who wieldeth the sceptre in accordance with the law: seasonal rains and rich harvests have their home in his land.

546. It is not the lance that bringeth victory unto the prince: it is rather his sceptre, and that provided it is straight and leaneth not to either side.

547. The prince is the protector of all his people: and him his sceptre shall guard, provided he alloweth it not ever to lean to either side.

548. Behold the prince who is not easy of access and who judgeth not causes with care: he will fall from his place and perish, even when he hath no enemy.

549. Behold the prince that guardeth his subjects from enemies both within and without: if he punish them when they go wrong it is not a blemish: it is his duty.

550. Punishing the wicked with death is like the removing of weeds from the cornfield.

LVI

Tyranny

551. Behold the prince who oppresseth his subjects and doth iniquity: he is worse than an assassin.

552. A request from him who holdeth the sceptre is like the stand and deliver of the highway robber.

553. Behold the prince who doth not oversee his administration every day and remove the irregularities therein: his sovereignty will wear away day by day.

554. Behold the thoughtless prince whose rule swerveth from the ways of justice: he will lose his kingdom and his substance also.

555. Verily it is the tears of those groaning under oppression that wear away the prosperity of the prince.

556. It is just rule that bringeth renown unto princes: and an unjust government darkeneth their glory.

557. How fareth the earth under a rainless sky? even so fare the people under the rule of a cruel prince.

558. The condition of the rich man is more galling than that of the poor under the rule of the tyrant prince.

559. The heavens will not send showers in their season if the prince swerveth from justice and right.

560. The udders of the cow will be dried up and the Brahman will forget his science