Kural Chronicles

KURAL 211

ARATHUPAAL

ILLARAVIYAL

ADHIKAARAM 22: OPPURAVU ARITHAL – KNOWING YOUR DUTY TO SOCIETY

கைம்மாறு வேண்டா கடப்பாடு மாரிமாட்டு
என்ஆற்றுங் கொல்லோ உலகு.

Kaimmaaru vaendaa kadappaadu maarimaatu

Enaatrum kolloa ulagu

Do your duty to society without expecting anything in return. If the rains were to seek recompense, what could the world give back?

Kaimmaaru: favour in return;  Vaendaa: do not want;  Kadappaadu: duty ;  Maari: rains ;  Ennaatrum: what can you give ;  Ulagu: world

Rain clouds are formed by condensation and deposition. That’s the science of it. It collects water, drop by drop, from the atmosphere and the earth’s surface itself, to form a huge cloud. After all the laborious processes, does it keep all the water to itself? No, it falls back on earth as rain. Does it expect anything in return? And if it were to expect something in return, what could we give ? Where would we be?

Similarly, hard earned wealth is not meant to be hoarded. Your duty is to give  back to society without expecting recompense. Be as noble as the rain.  (What a perfect example. Valluvar once again astounds.)

I remember here Avvaiyar’s verse from her compilation NALVAZHI. She says

“There are only two castes in the world. Those who give to others are of noble birth, the upper caste; those who do not are low born.”

Categorically, unequivocally, plainly put.