Thirukkural with the Times explores real-world lessons from the classic Tamil text ‘Thirukkural’. Written by Tamil poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar, the Kural consists of 1,330 short couplets of seven words each. This text is divided into three books with teachings on virtue, wealth, and love and is considered one of the great works ever on ethics and morality. The Kural has influenced scholars and leaders across social, political, and philosophical spheres.
Motivational speaker, author and diversity champion Bharathi Bhaskar explores the masterpiece.
As I stood before a sea of ambitious faces at the Young Entrepreneur School (YES) conclave, I witnessed the burning flame of aspiration in their eyes. Each participant carried dreams of building the next Amazon, Google, Meta or Apple – giants that began as mere saplings, nourished by nothing but their founders’ unwavering vision.
These dreamers embodied three distinct phases of the entrepreneurial odyssey.
The first wave consisted of those grappling with the age-old dilemma: to jump or not. Their entrepreneurial spirit yearned to break free but family and friends often played devil’s advocate.
The second group had already taken the plunge, securing partners and promoters but found themselves navigating treacherous waters. Some quietly cast wistful glances at their ‘settled’ peers, drawing bittersweet comparisons.
The third category had ventured too deep to turn back, like ancient armies burning bridges behind them to eliminate retreat as an option. Their journey was testament to entrepreneurship‘s essence of risk-taking, creativity and opportunity-seeking in uncharted territories.
I shared two inspiring tales that capture the essence of entrepreneurial resilience. The first was of a humble dhoti seller who began by carrying his wares on his head. Each day, he faced brutal rejection from the first shop in the bazaar, yet he persisted. When questioned, he revealed that though he was dismissed each day, seeing the owner’s face before he started his venture turned out to be his good luck charm! This simple but intelligent stance transformed his tormentor into an ally, laying the foundation for what would become an apparel empire.
The second story featured a sweet shop owner who faced an annual exodus of master chefs during Diwali season. Rather than following the conventional path of higher pay or competitive poaching, he standardised his processes to such perfection that anyone could replicate his sweets’ excellence, while keeping the ingredients secret. This innovative solution eliminated his dependency on expensive expertise.
These modern tales of enterprise echo the ancient wisdom of Thiruvalluvar, who dedicated an entire chapter to entrepreneurial guidance – Therindhu Vinayaadal (Look before you leap) – which offers timeless principles, from understanding profit mechanisms to choosing knowledgeable partners.
His principles, though centuries old, resonate deeply with modern business wisdom.
Thiruvalluvar’s wisdom extends beyond mere profit-making. He warns against rushing into ventures without proper feasibility studies and advocates for careful planning before challenging competitors. Perhaps most remarkably, he stresses the importance of authentic employee recognition, cautioning against hollow praise and undeserved bonuses – a principle that modern management studies are fully embracing only now.
“Aatrin Varundha Varuththam Palar Nindru
Potrinum Poththup Padum”
“The enterprise, not backed by ethical means, will fall
Though many may stand to uphold it”
From Enron to Satyam, each fallen giant serves as a testament to Thiruvalluvar’s ancient warning about the perils of unethical business practices.
The entrepreneurial journey remains one of life’s most challenging battlegrounds. True victory, however, lies in choosing the path of ethics, even when it means taking the longer, harder road. For it is in this choice that entrepreneurs transform from mere businesspeople into true leaders who leave lasting legacies of positive change.
The young entrepreneurs before me represented not just India’s economic future, but its moral compass in commerce. As they embark on their respective journeys, their commitment to ethical business practices will be their guiding star through the storms of entrepreneurship.
This post was originally published on here
