Crime and Punishment (குற்றமும் தண்டனையும்)

Nip it in the bud itself ( முளையிலேயே கிள்ளி எறி)

Having established  up a system, it is essential for the CEO to ensure discipline, in the organisation. It is not realistic to assume that, all employees are embodiments of virtues. Blacksheeps are to be identified by the constant monitoring.It is of paramount importance, to eliminate such employees immediately. If the erring employee is let out unpunished, he would indulge in bigger and bigger crime that would cause great damage to the CEO himself in particular and the company in general. This aspect is brought out by a great analogy comparing a  tree with thorns to the indisciplined individual, who should be brought to books with severe punishment immediately. Any wrong doings or act of  indiscipline should be nipped in the bud. It should not be  allowed to grow even inadvertently either due to  negligence or undeserving sympathy lest it would result in total destruction of the system itself. 

This advice is applicable to the chief of private, public, Government organization or even  educational institutions at all levels. Pardoning or neglecting a small error would embolden culprits to indulge in bigger and bigger criminal activities until the whole system breaks down beyond  redemption. The couplet is given below.

 இளைதாக முள்மரம் கொல்க களையுநர்
 கைகொல்லும் காழ்த்த இடத்து (879)

  Ilaidaga Mulmaram Kolka Kalaiyunar
  Kaikollum Kaazhththa Idaththu
  
   முள்மரம் இளஞ்செடியாக இருக்கும் பொழுதே கிள்ளி எறிய  வேண்டும்.   மரமாக   வளர விட்டுவிட்டால் அது வெட்டுபவனின் கைக்கே ஊறு விளைவிக்கும்.  

A tree with thorns has to be removed while it is just a  small plant, failing

which it will harm  the  very hands that try to cut it, when it is left to grow in to strong tree.

 Judgement (தீர்ப்பு)

In the earlier kural the sage exhorted the top brass to eradicate crime in the initial stage itself. Here, he stresses the need for appropriate punishment according to severity of crime. when an act of crime is brought to the notice of the chief, he has to examine the case without any bias and hand over punishment judging the severity of the crime and showcase it as a lesson that would become a  deterrent to all from indulging in such nefarious activities in future.

Here three messages are given. One is the need for impartial detailed enquiry in to the case before arriving at judgement. Second is to punish the culprit weighing the severity of the crime.Third is to set it as an example and warn  all concerned the consequence of committing such crime, there by using the opportunity to prevent others from falling a pray to such evils. If a crime is pardoned or let off with light punishment, a wrong precedence is set, that would not only provide incentive to the criminals to commit more heinous crimes but also encourage even the uninitiated to get tempted, while demoralizing honest individuals . By taking appropriate action, the chief establishes his pragmatism in dealing with any wrongdoings and sends a stern warning to one and all. The couplet is given below.

  தக்காங்கு நாடித் தலைசெல்லா வண்ணத்தால்
  ஒத்தாங்கு ஒறுப்பது வேந்து (561)

  Thakkangu Naadi Thalaisellaa Vannaththaaal
  Oththaangu Oruppathu Venthu

  தவறை வெறுப்பு விறுப்பின்றி ஆராய்ந்து தக்க தண்டனை  வழங்கி எதிர்காலத்தில் அதுபோலுள்ள தவறுகள் நடக்கா வண்ணம் உறுதி செய்பவனே  அரசன்.    

  After examining a crime dispassionately, the king should pronounce  an appropriate punishment, so as to  prevent recurrence in future