INTRODUCTION TO
THE STUDY OF TIRUVALLUVAR
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A Lecture by Prof.Avvai Duraisami Pillai
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Part – 47
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இரப்பாரை யில்லாத ஈர்ங்கண் மாஞாலம்
மரப்பாவை சென்று வந்தற்று. (60)
There are people who adopt beggary as a profession; the existence of such professional beggars is a stigma on the country and it should not be allowed to spoil the healthy development of the society. Valluvar condemns begging as beneath the human dignity- Even though begging is for a noble cause, say, of rescuing an innocent cow from death, it brings disgrace to the tongue which spells it. Some go to the extent of saying that beggary was already destined to them by the Creator himself. But Valluvar refuses to accept it and if it has been ordained already, the Creator who did it must be a fool and He must suffer and perish like the beggar ‘unto whom the wrong He has done’. But he emphasises that nothing is sweeter and more enjoyable than what is earned, let it be some watery gruel, by the sweat of one’s brow.
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