513. Choosing the Treasurer

"Minister! Our Treasurer wants to retire on account of old age. We need to appoint a new person in his place. Whom do you recommend?" asked King Keerthiverma.

"Your Majesty! It had been a practice to appoint a wealthy person to this post. But I feel that we should appoint a person on considerations of of his merit, rather than on considerations of his wealth. If you accept my suggestion, we may appoint a suitable person based on certain criteria" said the Minister.

"What could be those criteria?"

"Your Majesty! A person holding the position of the country's Treasurer should be a man of wisdom. The Treasurer has the responsibility to impose and collect taxes from the people. He has the discretion to give tax exemptions to some people on compassionate grounds. Therefore he should have the sense of discrimination to decide whom he should be strict with and whom he should treat with compassion. Moreover, since the Treasurer will be handling a large quantity of funds, he should be a person free from greed."

"How do we identify such a person?"

"I have assessed the people working in the palace on the basis of these attributes and shortlisted three people who have passed my assessment. Your Majesty may choose one among them as the Treasurer."

"Let the two of make the selection together. Ask the three of them to come to my court tomorrow."

After the King and the Minister had interviewed the three shortlisted candidates one by one, the King told the Minister, "I find that all the three candidates hail from poor families!"

"Yes, Your Majesty! As I had mentioned to you earlier, it had been a practice to appoint a wealthy person as the Treasurer, perhaps on the premise that a wealthy person won't be tempted to misappropriate money from the Treasury. But I suggested to you that it would be more appropriate to appoint the Treasurer on considerations of his merit rather than on considerations of his wealth" said the Minister in a subdued tone, apprehending that the King had not found his idea acceptable.

"Yes. I have accepted your idea. I mentioned this fact only to point out that unlike in the past, this time, the Treasurer will be a man hailing from a poor family. I think that the third candidate would be the best choice. What do you think?"

"Your Majesty! I feel proud and elated you have chosen the same person that I have considered the best among the three!" said the Minister, feeling excited.

"We will appoint that person as the Treasurer, then. Some wealthy people who have been expecting to get this coveted post will feel disappointed. But that can't be helped" said the King, laughing heartily.

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 52
Assessing Before Acting

Verse 513 (in Tamil):

anbu aRivu thERRam avAvinmai innAngum
nangu udaiyAn kattE theLivu.

Meaning:

Choose men, who are endowed with love, wisdom, clear vision and freedom from greed.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'mannarin thErvu' by the same author.)

Verse 514 (Soon)
Verse 512