THE TIRUKKURAL OF TIRUVALLUVAR
SECTION - 22
VERSES 211 TO 220
ø窵õô÷¨êùª
The Social
Good
éæëªëè×
îôúªìè æìçªçèÌ
ëèõ¨ëèìªÌ
211
öäªäè÷ª×§ª
âæèùªîùè
ãùÆ ?
ëèõ¨ëèìªÌ
| torrrential rains |
Like the clouds
that have no recompense
for conferring
the blessing of
rain on all living beings
the sources of the
noble minded to society
too can have no recompense (211).
êèóè÷ª÷¨êÐ
êåÐê âçèÕâóùªùèåÐ
êæÐæèõÐæÐÆ
212
îôóèúªéë
âòáªê÷ª âçèÕìªÌ
âçèÕâóùªùèëª
| all the wealth |
êæÐæèõÐæÐÆ
| to the deserving |
âçèÕìªÌ
| for the purpose
of |
The wealth that
is produced by the effort
of the deserving
is only for
producing the social good
(212).
µêÐîê
ÓùæêÐÊëª ¼úªÌëª
âç÷ùõ¨îê
213
ø窵õô¨äª
åùªù ç¨÷
âç÷ùª
íõ¨Ê Ö
| O! not equal
to |
Nothing in this
world or any higher one
can equal the value of
social service
(213).
øêÐê
ê÷¨ôèäª ãá¨õÐôèȪôèäª
ë÷ªé÷áèäª
214
âòêÐêèÕóª
éôæÐæçª çÌëª
ãá¨õÐ
ôèȪôèäª
| truly lives |
ë÷ªé÷áèäª
| one who does
not |
He truly lives who
lives for social harmony ; one who does
not,
is as good as dead (214).
$
ÃÕú¨
å©õÐå¨é÷åÐ
ê÷ªî÷ ãùæôèëª
215
îçõ÷¨
ôèóäª ê¨Õ
å©õÐ
å¨é÷åÐÊ í÷ª×
| filled with water |
íôèëª
| as desired by
(for its welfare) |
îçõÐ
í÷¨ôèóäª
| extremely wise |
The wealth of
the wise who live for
social welfare is like
the village
pond brimful of water (215).
çáäªëõëª
ãóªñõÐçª çÇêÐê÷ª÷èùª
âòùªôëª
216
åáÄéì
áèäªæúª çïäª
çÇêÐê÷ª÷èùª
| ripe with fruit |
åáäª
ãéìáèäª æúª
| devoted to doing
good |
The wealth of the
man devoted to the social good
is like the
village tree bearing
plenty of fruits (216).
ëÕåÐêèæ¨êÐ
êçªçè ëõêÐê÷ª÷è÷ª
âòùªôëª
217
âçÕåÐêéæ
áèäªæúª çïäª
ëõêÐÊ
í÷ª× Íùª
| like a sturdy
tree |
âçÕåÐ
êéæáèäª æúª
| with the generous
and magnanimous |
The wealth of
man devoted to the social
good is like medicines
for all ills
from all parts of the
medicinal tree (217).
¬ìä¨ùª
çÕôêÐÊëª ø窵õô¨÷ª
âæèùªæèõÐ
218
æìä÷¨
æèìªò¨ áôõÐ
¬ìäª
¬ùª |
when not in affluent |
æìäª
í÷¨ |
realising one's responsibility |
The wise who
strive for social good
will continue
to do so
even when their wealth declines
(218).
åáÄéìáè
åùªÔõÐåÐêèäª
Íêùª
âò±ëªå©õ
219
âòáªáè
êéëæùè ôè×
åáäª
ãéìáèäª
| one devoted to
doing good |
âò±ëª
å©õÐéë |
assistance that could
be given |
íéëæùè
Í× |
state of feeling for it |
The misery of
poverty is felt by the man who
is devoted
to the social good
when he is unable to contribute to
it (219).
ø窵õô¨
äèùªôÕ§ îæìä¨äª
íþâêèÕôäª
220
ô¨÷ª×æÐîæèóª
êæÐæ ÊéìêÐÊ
ø窵õô¨äèùª
| by giving help |
ôÕëª
îæÌ öä¨ùª
| should there
be disadvantage |
ô¨÷ª×æÐ
îæèóª |
even by selling (oneself) |
The social good
is worth embracing even if
it brings
ruin to the
one engaged in it (220).
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