45.1 Securing the Friendship of Great Men
Question:
What kind of
counselors a king (leader) should
choose?
Answer:
A king (leader)
should ponder well its value and secure
the friendship
of men of virtue and mature knowledge. (Couplet – 441)
அறனறிந்து மூத்த
அறிவுடையார் கேண்மை
திறனறிந்து
தேர்ந்து கொளல். (குறள் – 441)
Explanation:
According to Valluvar, a king
(leader) should choose ethically oriented wise people as his counselors.
History has several examples of kings who have selected virtuous and wise
people as their counselors.
Akbar the Great ascended the throne of the Mogul empire of India at the young
age of thirteen. But he had an
extraordinary group of nine distinguished men who served him as his counselors,
and with their help, he could rule his empire very successfully. Other examples
of great emperors who came to power and depended on their advisors would
include Peter the Great of Russia, Queen Elizabeth I of England, Alexander the
Great of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon, and so on. The Tamil classic,
Puranaanuuru mentions that the king Athiyamaan Nedumaan Anji had Avvaiyaar as
his poet laureate, advisor, and ambassador. Also, king Paari had the famous
poet Kabilar as his confidante. These advisors have been of immense help to
their kings.
In modern-day democracies, ministers and various
other advisors keep their leaders well informed with up-to-date information and
intelligence and offer them timely advice. So, Valluvar recognizes the vital
role of wise counselors by acknowledging their importance.
No comments:
Post a Comment