The Conduct of Affairs
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ceyviṉai ceyvāṉ ceyaṉmuṟai yavviṉai / yuḷḷaṟivā ṉuḷḷaṅ koḷal.
The method for one undertaking a task is to take into their own understanding the thought of one who knows that task from within.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Who would succeed must thus begin: first let hin ask / The thoughts of them who throughly know the task.”
“The way to succeed in any undertaking is to learn the secret thereof from the man who is an expert in it.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
செய்வினை செய்வான் செயன்முறை= அவ்வாற்றாற் செய்யப்படும் வினையைத் தொடங்கினான் செய்யும் முறைமையாவது; அவ்வினை உள் அறிவான் உள்ளம் கொளல்= அதனது உளப்பாட்டினை அறிவான் கருத்தினைத் தானறிதல்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar says that one who begins an undertaking should learn the informed thought of a person who knows its inner nature and use it to shape the method.