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Chapter 55: செங்கோன்மை

On Wealth & Statecraft Kingship Chapter 55

Kural 550

செங்கோன்மை

Position 10/10

திருக்குறள்

கொலையிற் கொடியாரை வேந்தொறுத்தல் பைங்கூழ் களைகட் டதனொடு நேர்.

Kolaiyir Kotiyaarai Vendhoruththal Paingoozh Kalaikat Tadhanotu Ner

“Killing killers, the king, behold Weeds removes from cropful field”

By punishment of death the cruel to restrain,Is as when farmer frees from weeds the tender grain

Story adaptations

Read this Kural as a story

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Kural #550

The King and the Garden of Change

The story illustrates the Kural by comparing a king's judgment to a gardener pulling weeds; the goal is to remove the 'weed' (the crime/bad habit) without destroying the 'crop' (the person's life). For a king to punish criminals with death, is like pulling up the weeds in the green corn

8–14 yr 2 min