Kural #89
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Tamil text
உடைமையுள் இன்மை விருந்தோம்பல் ஓம்பா
மடமை மடவார்கண் உண்டு
Uṭaimaiyuḷ iṉmai viruntōmpal ōmpā
Maṭamai maṭavārkaṇ uṇṭu
English translation
The folly of not honoring guests is poverty amidst wealth; such foolishness exists only in the ignorant.
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Explanation
Thiruvalluvar presents a paradox: one can be wealthy in possessions yet spiritually impoverished if they neglect hospitality. This "poverty within wealth" (உடைமையுள் இன்மை) is a form of foolishness found only among the ignorant. The repetition of "மடமை மடவார்" emphasizes the depth of this foolishness - it is the folly of fools.
விளக்கம்
விருந்தோம்பல் செய்யாத செல்வம் இல்லாமை போன்றது. அறிவில்லாதவர்களே விருந்தினரை உபசரிக்காமல் இருப்பார்கள். செல்வம் இருந்தும் உபசரிக்காவிட்டால் அது மடமை. விருந்தோம்பல் அறம் காக்கும்.
Word meanings
- உடைமையுள்uṭaimaiyuḷwithin possession/amidst wealth
- இன்மைiṉmaipoverty/lack
- விருந்தோம்பல்viruntōmpalhospitality/honoring guests
- ஓம்பாōmpānot practicing/neglecting
- மடமைmaṭamaifoolishness/ignorance
- மடவார்கண்maṭavārkaṇamong the foolish/ignorant
- உண்டுuṇṭuexists/is found
Story behind this kural
In a prosperous village lived a wealthy merchant named Arun. His granaries overflowed, his coffers clinked with gold, and his home was grand. Yet, Arun rarely welcomed travelers or shared his abundance. He dined alone, guarded his wealth jealously, and considered any interruption a burden. One day, a weary traveler arrived at Arun’s gate. He pleaded for water and a moment's rest, but Arun turned him away. The traveler, undeterred, found his way to a humble cottage nearby. The poor farmer, though his own larder was meager, shared his last morsel of bread and offered a warm place by the fire. Later, a great storm struck the village. The farmer’s simple home, built on kindness, withstood the tempest. Arun’s grand house, built on isolation, crumbled. As the villagers helped the farmer rebuild, they whispered, “True riches are found not in possessions, but in the heart.”