Employing Spies
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oṟṟiṉā ṉoṟṟip poruṭeriyā maṉṉavaṉ / koṟṟaṅ koḷakkiṭanta til.
A king who gathers reports through spies but does not examine their meaning and consequence has no other path by which to attain victory.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“By spies who spies, not weighing things they bring, / Nothing can victory give to that unwary king.”
“Behold the prince that learneth not the happenings about him by means of scouts and spies: conquests are not for him.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
ஒற்றினான் ஒற்றிப் பொருள் தெரியா மன்னவன்= ஒற்றினானே எல்லார்கண்ணும் நிகழ்ந்தவற்றை ஒற்றுவித்து அவற்றான் எய்தும் பயனை ஆராயாத அரசன்; கொற்றம் கொளக்கிடந்தது இல்= வென்றியடையக் கிடந்தது வேறொரு நெறியில்லை.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar explains that a king may send spies and learn what has occurred among all people, yet still fail if he does not examine the result or significance of those reports. For such a ruler, he says, no other route to victory remains.