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Tirukural – Chapter 9


Chapter 9: Hospitality


Verse 84
Here the wife is preparing banana leaves upon which the meal will be set for eating. The daughter fills cups with water. Behind their happy guests enjoy conversation as they wait for lunch to be ready.


TAKA Presents the Tirukural

You can access the entire text, in Tamil and English here:
Weaver’s Wisdom




Verse 81

The whole purpose of earning wealth and maintaining
a home is to provide hospitality to guests.

Verse 82

When a guest is in the home, it is improper to hoard one’s meal,
even if it happens to be the nectar of immortality.

Verse 83

If a man cares daily for those who come to him,
his life will never suffer the grievous ruin of poverty.

Verse 84

Wealth’s Goddess dwells in the hospitable home
of those who host guests with a smiling face.

Verse 85

If a man eats only after attending to guests’ needs,
what further sowing will his fertile fields require?

Verse 86

The host who, caring for guests, watches hopefully for more,
will himself be a welcomed guest of those whose home is Heaven.

Verse 87

Charity’s merit cannot be measured by gifts given.
It is measured by measuring the receiver’s merits.

Verse 88

Those who never sacrifice to care for guests will later lament:
“We hoarded wealth, estranged ourselves, now none will care for us.”

Verse 89

The poverty of poverties is having plenty yet shunning guests.
Such senselessness is only found in senseless fools.

Verse 90

The delicate anicham flower withers when merely smelled,
but an unwelcome look is enough to wither a guest’s heart.


One Response to “Tirukural – Chapter 9”

  1. Pethuraja says:

    “AUM”!.

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