Tirukkural-On Virtue-An Open House Or Hospitality-Kural 86

By Staff

thirukkural 86
Celvirundhu ompi varuvirundhu paarthiruppan
Nalvirundhu vaanath tavarkku.

If one has fed his guests and still awaits the arrival of more, He will himself be treated as a guest by the Gods.

The good hosts who look after their guests well till they leave and again await fresh guests with enthusiasm will be fit persons for entertainment by the Gods themselves.

This reminds one of Alexander Pope's lines:

'For I, who hold sage Homer's rule the best,
Welcome the coming, speed the parting guest.

Such householders who kept an open house and were otherwise generous to a fault, are the great men, who have been made immortal in the literature of Tamil Nadu as Vallals 'Vallalgal'.

The women of old Tamilagam were particularly well-versed in guest service and it is of them Silapathikarm says,

Varuvirundhombi manaiyaram muttaap
Tunaith Tunai vaelvi payan

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