Employing Spies
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oṟṟoṟ ṟuṇarāmai yāḷka vuṭaṉmūvar / coṟṟokka tēṟap paṭum.
Employ spies so that none knows another; when the reports of three independently assigned agents agree in result, the matter may be accepted as true.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“One spy must not another see: contrive it so; / And things by three confirmed as truth you know.”
“See that no spy knoweth the others engaged in the same work: when three reports agree, thou mayest give credence to them.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
ஒற்று ஒற்று உணராமை ஆள்க= ஒற்றரை ஆளுமிடத்து ஒருவனை ஒருவன் அறியாமல் ஆள்க; உடன்மூவர் சொல்தொக்க தேறப்படும்= அங்ஙனம் ஆண்ட ஒற்றர் மூவரை ஒருபொருள்மேல் விட்டால், அம்மூவர் சொல்லும், பயனால் ஒத்தனவாயின் அதுமெய்யென்று தெளியப்படும்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar says spies should be employed without one knowing another. When three agents independently assigned to one matter produce reports that agree in result, the matter may be accepted as true.