Written by London Swaminathan
Post No. 16,385
Date uploaded in London – 8 November 2026
Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com
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Points to Ponder
Hindus were the only people who devised rules for Spies, Ambassadors, Royal symbols like Flags, Umbrellas, drums, Division of Army into Four sections, Division of seasons into Six etc. All these are in earliest Sanskrit works and Tamils being pukka Hindus, used them as such.
Spying is dealt with in detail by Chanakya (Kautilya) in Arthashastra. Even H A Popley mentioned it in his Tirukkural Book in 1931.
Ascetics as Spies is interesting! I always suspect foreign devotees in Many ashrams! Hindus must be vigilant. Even Kumarila Bhatta spied on Buddhists disguised as a Buddha Bhikshu. When Adi Sankara came to meet him, he was in the middle of slowly burning husk mountain and directed him to Mandana Mishra. It is said that he self -immolated himself to atone for the sin of not observing the Vedic Sathya/Truth!
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Tirukkural Encyclopaedia -Chapter 59- The Employment of Spies-
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Go to Project Madurai website for all Tamil books; it is free and trouble free. No advertisements; no cookies!
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Following Translations are used:
1.A Aranganatha Mudaliyar – ANM+2 ( B.L. Aranganatha iyer and R. Srinivasa Desikan), Year 1933
2.S M Diaz, I G of Police- SMD, Year 2000
3.Rev.Dr.GU Pope – GUP, Year 1886
4.Suddhananda Bharathiyar – SB
5.EVS Publishers, Singapore – EVS, Year 1986
6.H A Popley – HAP (not full book; only selected couplets) Year 1931
7.Tamil Original
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Part 77; Chapter 59 in Tirukkural Book- Tirukkural Encyclopaedia -Chapter 59- The Employment of Spies- ON INTELLIGENCE SERVICE- Detectives- ஒற்றாடல் – Espionage
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no translation is done by .H A Popley for this chapter. He has only commented on Espionage.
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581.Precious as his eyes to the sovereign are his code of laws and his band of spies- A Aranganatha Mudaliyar – ANM+2 ( B.L. Aranganatha iyer and R. Srinivasa Desikan), Year 1933
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581.The intelligence services and the literature of state-craft and laws,
Are clearly the two eyes of the king- S M Diaz, I G of Police- SMD, Year 2000
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581
These two: the code renowned and spies,
In these let king confide as eyes.
Let a king consider as his eyes these two things, a spy and a book (of laws) universally esteemed.- Rev.Dr. GU Pope – GUP, Year 1886
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581.A king should treat these two as eyes
The code of laws and careful spies- Suddhananda Bharathiyar – SB
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581.Espionage and the invaluable science of sovereignty – these two are rightly looked upon as the eyes of the sovereign- EVS Publishers, Singapore – EVS, Year 1986
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581. ஒற்றும் உரைசான்ற நூலும் இவையிரண்டும்
தெற்றென்க மன்னவன் கண்.
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582.Through a regular system of espionage, the king learns betimes all the minute affairs of his realm– ANM+2
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582.It is the function of the king to get to know immediately everything that happens,
To everybody in his kingdom, at all times- SMD, Year 2000
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582
Each day, of every subject every deed,
‘Tis duty of the king to learn with speed.
It is the duty of a king to know quickly (by a spy) what all happens, daily, amongst all men. – GUP, Year 1886
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582.All that happens, always, to all
The king should know in full detail. – SB
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582.To be in the quick know of all things that happen to all men at all times is the duty of the sovereign – EVS, Year 1986
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582. எல்லார்க்கும் எல்லாம் நிகழ்பவை எஞ்ஞான்றும்
வல்லறிதல் வேந்தன் தொழில்.
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583.Victory is not for the monarch who never knows through spies, what brews in his land– ANM+2
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583.A prince, who does not secure effective intelligence through his network of spies,
Is not likely to be successful at all in warfare- SMD, Year 2000
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583
By spies who spies, not weighing things they bring,
Nothing can victory give to that unwary king.
There is no way for a king to obtain conquests, who knows not the advantage of discoveries made by a spy. – GUP, Year 1886
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583.Conquests are not for the monarch
Who cares not for the Spy’s remark. – SB
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583.It is the duty of a leader to know quickly (through spies) all that happens daily, amongst all men– EVS, Year 1986
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583. ஒற்றினான் ஒற்றி பொருள்தெரியா மன்னவன்
கொற்றங் கொளக்கிடந்தது இல்.
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584.He is a spy who worms himself into the secrets of king’s officers, his relatives and enemies– ANM+2
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584.All the king’s men, his kith and kin and those inimical to him, should all be covered,
By a network of effective intelligence – SMD, Year 2000
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584
His officers, his friends, his enemies,
All these who watch are trusty spies.
He is a spy who watches all men, to wit, those who are in the king’s employment, his relatives, and his enemies. – GUP, Year 1886
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584.His officers, kinsmen and foes
Who watch keenly are worthy spies. – SB
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584.Able spies watch keenly the officers, kinsmen and the enemies and all for information– EVS, Year 1986
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584. வினைசெய்வார் தம்சுற்றம் வேண்டாதார் என்றாங்கு
அனைவரையும் ஆராய்வது ஒற்று.
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585.A trusty spy has auspicious air about him, defies a searching glance and has his secrets locked up in his bosom– ANM+2
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585.A good spy should not arouse any suspicion, by his own or disguised appearance;
Nor will he allow being disconnected or exposed in any context- SMD
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585
Of unsuspected mien and all-unfearing eyes,
Who let no secret out, are trusty spies.
A spy is one who is able to assume an appearance which may create no suspicion (in the minds of others), who fears no man’s face, and who never reveals (his purpose). – GUP, Year 1886
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585.Fearless gaze, suspect less guise
Guarding secrets mark the spies. – SB
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585.He is a spy who can assume an unsuspecting disguise, be fearless of gaze, and capable of keeping a secret under all circumstances – EVS, Year 1986
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585. கடாஅ உருவொடு கண்ணஞ்சாது யாண்டும்
உகாஅமை வல்லதே ஒற்று.
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586.The secret emissary goes about in the garb of an ascetic through the nooks and corners of king’s realm, pries into all secrets, and never throws of his mask even under the worst of tortures– ANM+2
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586.Spies disguised as sanyasis and holy men, may easily secure access and information from unlikely sources,
And protect, guard their vital secrets even under extreme coercion- SMD
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586
As monk or devotee, through every hindrance making way,
A spy, whate’er men do, must watchful mind display.
He is a spy who, assuming the appearance of an ascetic, goes into (whatever place he wishes), examines into (all, that is needful), and never discovers himself, whatever may be done to him. – GUP, Year 1886
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586.Guised as monks they gather secrets
They betray them not under threats. – SB
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586.Spies disguise themselves as ascetics to gather secrets; they do not betray secrets under any threat – EVS, Year 1986
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586. துறந்தார் படிவத்த ராகி இறந்தாராய்ந்து
என்செயினும் சோர்விலது ஒற்று.
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587.Behold the man who can draw out hidden secrets and whose information is precise, clear and unconfused; he is a man born for the work of intelligence– ANM+2
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587.Good spies develop inside sources for hidden information which they should verify,
And present fully confirmed, as unconfused intelligence – SMD, Year 2000
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587
A spy must search each hidden matter out,
And full report must render, free from doubt.
A spy is one who is able to discover what is hidden and who retains no doubt concerning what he has known. – GUP, Year 1886
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587.A spy draws out other’s secrets
Beyond a doubt he clears his facts. – SB
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587.He is a real spy who draws out secrets from others and clears his facts before reporting– EVS, Year 1986
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587. மறைந்தவை கேட்கவற் றாகி அறிந்தவை
ஐயப்பாடு இல்லதே ஒற்று.
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588.To spy upon a spy is to get at the correct information– ANM+2
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588.The information secured by one spy should be counter checked,
With intelligence procured by independently by another spy- SMD, Year 2000
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588
Spying by spies, the things they tell
To test by other spies is well.
Let not a king receive the information which a spy has discovered and made known to him, until he has examined it by another spy. – GUP, Year 1886
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588.The reports given by one spy
By another spy verify– SB
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588.The reports given by one spy must be tested and verified through another spy– EVS, Year 1986
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588. ஒற்றொற்றித் தந்த பொருளையும் மற்றுமோர்
ஒற்றினால் ஒற்றிக் கொளல்.
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589.Let not one spy know the other. Let the king receive it as truth if three men tell the same– ANM+2
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589.Spies, where more than one is utilised, should not know one another,
Where three agents corroborate one another, the information is very likely true- SMD, Year 2000
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589
One spy must not another see: contrive it so;
And things by three confirmed as truth you know.
Let a king employ spies so that one may have no knowledge of the other; and when the information of three agrees together, let him receive it. – GUP, Year 1886
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589.Engage the spies alone, apart
When three agree confirm report– SB
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589.The spies must be sent one by one, apart. If three spies agree, the information shall be confirmed– EVS, Year 1986
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589. ஒற்றொற் றுணராமை ஆள்க உடன்மூவர்
சொல்தொக்க தேறப் படும்.
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590.Let no emissary be honoured in the open court, lest you should divulge your own secret – ANM+2
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590.Open recognition of the good work done by a spy is out of order,
As that will expose the man and his methods- SMD, Year 2000
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590
Reward not trusty spy in others’ sight,
Or all the mystery will come to light.
Let not a king publicly confer on a spy any marks of his favour; if he does, he will divulge his own secret. – GUP, Year 1886
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590.Give not the spy open reward
It would divulge the secret heard! – SB
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590.The spy must not be rewarded publicly. That would divulge the secret organisation – EVS, Year 1986
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590. சிறப்பறிய ஒற்றின்கண் செய்யற்க செய்யின்
புறப்படுத்தா னாகும் மறை
—–subham—-
Tags- Valluvar copied Chanakya! Tirukkural Encyclopaedia Chapter 59- ஒற்றாடல் -Spies, detectives
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