Tirukkural Chapter 39 - Couplets 1,2,3 Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

Tirukkural Chapter 39 - Couplets 1,2,3

திருக்குறள் -TIRUKKURAL
அதிகாரம் 39 - இறைமாட்சி
CHAPTER 39 - ON MAJESTY
***
39/01. படைகுடி கூழ்அமைச்சு நட்பரண் ஆறும்
உடையான் அரசருள் ஏறு.

39/01. Padaikudi koozhamaichchu natlparann aarrum
Udayaan arasarull earru.

39/01. A king is like a lion when he possesses
An army, subjects, wealth, ministers, allies, fortress.
***
Raja: Who is a king, though there is no king of late?

Raman: A king should possesses
An army, subjects, ministers,
Allies, wealth and fortress, and then
He must be majestic like a lion.

Today in place of a king
There's a President
And Council of Ministers
And Parliament Members.

There are armies, citizens,
Ministers, wealth, allies,
In the place of fortress,
Secretariat Offices.

Now democratic rule,
Of the people,
For the people.
And by the people.
***
39/02. அஞ்சாமை ஈகை அறிவூக்கம் இந்நான்கும்
எஞ்சாமை வேந்தற்கு இயல்பு.

39/02. Anjaamai eegai arrivookkam innangum
Enjaamai vendharku iyalbu.

39/02. Boldness, charitable, wisdom and strength
These four makes a king naturally.
***
Raja: How a king should look like?

Raman: A King must be bold,
Must be charitable minded,
Must have wisdom in his head,
With strong heart and mind.

He must have that sagacity
To solve, with no publicity,
All problems facing him,
Anywhere, at any time.

Two step mothers claimed
One young male child,
As her own, each one said.
This had to be solved.

The King ordered his servant,
'Let the child be cut,
Give them each a piece,
What each one chooses.'

The real mother cried,
'Don't cut the child
Let her have it in full.
And bring it up well.'

She was real, he found,
And gave her the child
For the love she had
To the safety of her kid.

(Story from Solomon the Great)
***
39/03. தூங்காமை கல்வி துணிவுடமை இம்மூன்றும்
நீங்கா நிலனாள் பவற்கு.

39/03. Thoongaamai kalvi thunnvudamai immoondrum
Neengaa nilanaall pavarrku.

39/03. A King ruling his kingdom should take quick action,
Have good learning, and manly strength, all these three forever.
***
Raja: How a King ruling his kingdom should be?

Raman: He should take quick action,
Should have high education,
And have good strength of a man
To face any kind of situation.

In his court many poets
Scholars, pundits,
Clowns, ministers
Are assembled there.

So, the King should
Be highly educated
To handle all of them
In his court at prime time.

He must be strong to fight
His enemies in war front,
On the winning side
And throw them outside.
***

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Rajaram Ramachandran

Rajaram Ramachandran

Chennai born, now at Juhu, Mumbai, India
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