Kural #686
Last reviewed:
Tamil text
கற்றுக்கண் அஞ்சான் செலச்சொல்லிக்
காலத்தால் தக்கது அறிவதாம் தூது
Kaṟṟukkaṇ añcāṉ celaccollik
Kālattāl takkatu aṟivatām tūtu
English translation
True embassy is being learned, fearless, speaking persuasively, and knowing the appropriate timing.
Listen
Explanation
Four qualities define a successful envoy: கற்று (being learned), கண் அஞ்சான் (fearless before kings), செலச்சொல்லி (speaking persuasively), and காலத்தால் தக்கது அறிவது (knowing the right timing).
விளக்கம்
தூது அதிகாரம் அரசருக்கு தூது செல்பவர் எப்படி இருக்க வேண்டும் என்கிறது. கற்றறிந்தவராய், அஞ்சாமல், தெளிவாகப் பேசி, சரியான நேரம் அறிந்து செயல்பட வேண்டும். இதுவே ஒரு தூதின் சிறப்பு.
Word meanings
- கற்றுkaṟṟuhaving learned
- கண்kaṇeyes/presence
- அஞ்சான்añcāṉnot fearing
- செலcelapenetratingly
- சொல்லிcollispeaking
- காலத்தால்kālattālby timing
- தக்கதுtakkatuappropriate
- அறிவதுaṟivatuknowing
- ஆம்āmis
- தூதுtūtuembassy
Story behind this kural
The King of Eldoria demanded a tribute of gold from the small village of Oakhaven. Fear gripped the villagers. They chose Elara, a wise woman known for her learning and courage, as their envoy. Elara, having studied the king's laws and knowing his fondness for riddles, journeyed to the castle. Facing the king, she spoke without hesitation, her voice clear and respectful. She presented her village's plea, not with fear, but with carefully chosen words and a clever riddle about the value of shared resources. The king, initially angered, listened intently. Seeing the wisdom in her words, he paused. Just as the shadows of the late afternoon stretched long, she noticed his usual irritation had softened. Recognizing the opportune moment, she gently proposed a compromise, which the king, in his softened mood, readily accepted. Oakhaven was spared the harsh tribute, and a lasting peace was forged.