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Kural No. 548 · Wealth (Porul) · Ch 55

The Right Sceptre

செங்கோன்மை
Original Kural · ஓலைச்சுவடி
எண்பதத்தான் ஓரா முறைசெய்யா மன்னவன்
தண்பதத்தான் தானே கெடும்.

Enpadhaththaan Oraa Muraiseyyaa Mannavan / Thanpadhaththaan Thaane Ketum

Classical English couplet — “Hard of access, nought searching out, with partial handThe king who rules, shall sink and perish from the land”

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Choose from 26 languages · narrated with native voice
A
Simple English Meaning
AI-assisted

What it says in plain words

“A ruler must be easy to approach, examine complaints, and act fairly. Without this, the ruler can fall even without an enemy.”

B
எளிய தமிழ் விளக்கம் · Simple Tamil Interpretation

The classical Tamil reading

எளிய செவ்வி உடையவனாய் ஆராய்ந்து நீதி முறை செய்யாத அரசன், தாழ்ந்த நிலையில் நின்று (பகைவரில்லாமலும் ) தானே கெடுவான்.

C
ஆழமான தமிழ் விளக்கம் · Deeper Tamil Commentary

An expanded Tamil interpretation

ஆடம்பரமாகவும், ஆராய்ந்து நீதி வழங்காமலும் நடைபெறுகிற அரசு தாழ்ந்த நிலையடைந்து தானாகவே கெட்டொழிந்து விடும்

D
Deeper English Meaning
AI-assisted

The ethical and philosophical heart

People need to bring their problems to someone who will listen. A ruler must listen, check facts, and act fairly. Without these steps, real problems remain while unfair treatment continues. Such failures can bring down a government without any outside attack.

E
Practical Example (English)
AI-assisted

In personal life, work and society

Personal
When a friend raises a concern, hear them out before deciding who was wrong.
Workplace
A manager hears a worker’s complaint and checks what happened before taking action.
Family
A parent listens to both children before settling an argument.
Society
A local council hears residents’ complaints and checks the facts before making a fair decision.
F
Modern Application (English)
AI-assisted

How to apply this today

Decision-making
Check what happened before deciding how to settle a complaint.
Integrity
Apply the same rules, even when a complaint involves someone you like.
Communication
Make it easy for people to tell you what is wrong.
Leadership
Set aside time to hear concerns and give them fair attention.
Governance
Keep complaint services easy to reach, examine cases carefully, and provide fair decisions.
G
Leadership Lesson (English)
AI-assisted

For leaders and teams

Good leaders stay open to people's concerns. They check complaints carefully and act fairly before problems grow.

H
Reflection Question (English)
AI-assisted

Something to sit with

“How could you make it easier for someone to raise a concern with you today?”

Thirukkural Wisdom

Ancient Tamil wisdom — made simple, practical and useful for the modern world, in your own language.

Disclaimer

This application provides educational explanations of the Thirukkural. English meanings and AI-assisted explanations are intended to make the text easier to understand. Classical texts can have multiple valid interpretations.

Thirukkural Wisdom for the World·Timeless Tamil couplets for global minds·© 2026
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