By S. Srinivasan, PGP 1970
Thirukkural is an ancient Tamil text written by Thiruvalluvar around 500BC-200 BC. It consists of 1330 short two-line verses or couplets (called Kural) addressing over 133 diverse life topics. The text is composed of three sections: Arathupaal (Ethics and Dharma in life), Porutpaal (Wealth accumulation and Politics), and Kamathupaal (Fulfilling life’s desires).
Also called the Tamil Vedam, the text is considered a Book of Wisdom and a Manual for Living. It provides wise and practical advice for a Student, a Teacher, a Manager, Business and Political Leaders, or for anyone aspiring to a purposeful and holistic life. What it gives is not knowledge, but timeless wisdom born out of experience, providing insights to make sound decisions and steer life effectively. You may have knowledge of “Fire,” but only wisdom tells you how to be cautious with “Fire”.
Prudent Managers aware of this carry a pocketbook of Thirukkural with them at work. However, for the uninitiated, this article aims to present a few illustrative Kurals to emphasize the importance of the Thirukkural.
The article focuses on the following areas: Wealth and Finance, Delegation and Supervision, Doing the Right Thing, Developing a Sense of Time, and lastly, Managing in Uncertainty.
Wealth and Finance
Valluvar is very profuse when it comes to Wealth and Finance. A whole chapter, titled “Porulseyalvahai” (The Acquisition of Wealth), is dedicated to this topic. The first two Kurals in this chapter are interesting:
“Porulal lavaraip porulaha seyyum
Porulallathu illai porul” (Kural: 751)
There is nothing like wealth to lend consequence to men of no consequence.
“illarai ellarum elluvar; selvarai
Ellarum seyvar sirappu” (Kural: 752)
An indigent person is treated with contempt by all, but everyone exalteth the man of substance(wealth).
His clarion call is “Amass Wealth, for there is no sharper steel to cleave your foeman’s pride” (Kural: 759).
A word of caution here, wealth must be acquired by means that are not Evil and divorced from
Mercy and Kindness. Rightful means are a must (Kural: 754). His concern is also about the purity of action (vinaithooymai). He emphasizes this point in this Kural:
“Eendral pasi kaanbhan aayinum seyyarka
Saandror pazhikkum vinai” (Kural: 656)
Let not man do those things that good men condemn, even to save the mother that bore him from
Starvation.
Kurals also touch on financial prudence. One example is Kural 478, whose meaning is as follows: Even though the income is small, it is ok when the expenditure does not expand beyond that. A man who takes no account of his measure (of wealth), nor lives within the bounds thereof, he may look like prospering, but he will perish, leaving no trace behind.
Delegation and Supervision
A popular Kural in the delegation is Kural: 517, which is quoted below:
“Idhanai idhanal ivan mudikkum endraaynthu
Ataanai avankan vidal” (Kural: 517)
Assess the capacity of the person and the work for which he is fit; then leave him to be responsible for the work.
The supervision becomes minimal and sometimes nil when the right person is doing the work. This is the right way to delegate. An earlier kural cautions that work should be entrusted to people in consideration of their expertise, knowledge, and capacity for execution only and not of their love towards you or any other factors (Kural: 515).
From Kural 513: Select a person for service who is well endowed with Kindness, Intelligence, and Clarity of Thought and who is free from greed.
Excellent HR message!
Doing the Right Thing
Managers have to do the right things, not just do things right. The philosopher-poet validates this in Kural: 675. This is an example of how good ideas survive the passage of time.
“Porul Karuvi kaalam vinai yidanodu einthum,
Irul theera ennich seyal” (Kural: 675)
Five things should be carefully considered when doing any Action: 1. Resources in hand; 2. The instruments; 3. Proper time; 4. Nature of the task; 5. Proper place for its execution. One thing to note is that, that item 4 is about the Propriety of the Action, i.e, doing what is right as per accepted rules, ethics, and law. It is one of the most important elements. Thiruvalluvar is a staunch exponent of Ethical Behavior. Naturally, if any one of them is not proper, the desired result from the Action will elude us.
He further expects us to determine the efforts necessary for completing the job, the obstacles that may arise, and the benefits/profits in the end (Kural: 676).
He also emphasizes that the way to succeed in any undertaking is to learn the secret thereof by entering into the heart of the man who is an expert in it (Kural: 677). What a discerning, analytical approach that he has developed so many years ago!
Developing a sense of time
This is not Time Management but judging the opportune moment for any activity. Thiruvalluvar terms it as “Kaalam Aridhal”. Kural 483 illustrates this:
“Aruvinai enba ulavo karuviyaan
Kaalam arindu seyin” (Kural: 483)
“Is there any such thing called impossible if you start on the enterprise with a knowledge of the right season and employ the proper means?” Valluvar asks. The timing of the start of any activity should be favorable to ensure its success, with a ceteris paribus clause if you like. So do an activity only if you sense the time is appropriate and not otherwise, e.g., new product or market launch, M&A, approaching the capital market for funds.
He elaborates this point of Timing sense further in his next Kural (Kural: 484): “You can conquer even the whole world if you choose the proper time and proper objectives.”
“Gnaalam karuthinum kaikoodum kaalam
Karuthi iddathan seyin” (Kural: 484)
Many times in real life, we overlook this point and make rash and impulsive decisions, leading to undesirable consequences. Prudent Managers can now appreciate it as an important takeaway lesson.
Managers with such foresight will know neither confusion nor hurry, will be just watching for the right opportunity (Kural: 485). Also, while facing adversaries, bend down before them when they are more powerful than you. They can be easily overthrown when you attack them at the moment when their power is on the decline (Kural: 488).
Next, if you have a got an unusual chance, do not hesitate, but straight away attempt even the impossible (Kural: 489)
Managing in Uncertainty
Uncertainty is common in business and the biggest challenge to Managers. They should be capable of effectively tiding over the situation. According to Thiruvalluvar, this depends on the quality of leadership and extensive deliberation before action.
“Agnaamai eehai arivookkam innankum
Ygnamai vendarku eyalbu.” (Kural: 382)
The above Kural explains that the Leader should never be found wanting in these four qualities: Courage, Liberality, Sagacity, and Energy. The chapter “Iraimaatchi” is about the qualification of a Leader and the scope of leadership function. The four qualities of the Leader, as stated above, when supplemented by the three virtues: Alertness, Learning, and Quickness of decision, give us a Great Leader, who is destined to rule the earth (Kural: 383). It also says that a Leader should be accessible, never harsh in words, should know how to preserve his wealth and spend it worthily, should give with grace, rule with love, and administer impartial justice.
The importance of extensive planning and deliberation before action to reduce risk is the content of Kural: 465 and Kural: 467.
“vahaiyara soozhaadu ezhudal pahaivaraip
Paathip paduppadhor aaru” (Kural: 465)
It says “to make war without planning every detail of it beforehand is only to transplant your enemy on carefully prepared soil, means a folly and an open invitation to the enemy’s victory.
“Yennith thuniga karumam; thunindhapin
Yennuvam enbathu izzhukku” (Kural: 467)
Here he says, “Decide not upon any action except after careful deliberation; He is a fool who undertakes action first and says it in his heart: ‘I shall think afterwards’.”
What wisdom & forethought of the Sage! Thirukkural is a treasure of wisdom and a source book of management lessons for Atmanirbhar Bharat.
References:
1. Thirukkural Thelivurai by Dr.M.Varadarasanar
2. Tirukkural-English Translation by Sri V.V.S.Aiyar, published by (1995) Sri RamakrishnaTapovanam, Tirupparaitturai, Trichy Dt.-639115
S. Srinivasan retired from the Institute for Financial Management & Research, Chennai, and now pursues the Vedanta course in Chennai.
