Written by London Swaminathan
Post No. 16,096
Date uploaded in London – 16 August 2026
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Points to be noted : Giving to others, giving gifts, donations to the poor or the needy or to good social causes are in all Tamil and Sanskrit books. Lot of stories in the scriptures are always told to children in the Elementary Schools.
In the Vedic school the elementary class lesson on the first day is Satyam Vada, Dharmam Chara (Do Charity), Mata Pita Guru Deivam etc.
If one gives X Y Z what that person will get in his next birth is listed in Smritis and Puranas. But Valluvar criticised it as Investment and he goes one step up and says Help the needy without expecting anything.
In Bhagavad Gita 3-12, 13 and Mahabharata story of mongoose visiting Yuthisthira’s Asvamedha Yaga and many folk stories are very popular.
(Ashwamedha Yagna performed by King Yudhishthira in the Ashwamedhika Parva of the Mahabharata, a mystical mongoose with half-golden fur and half-brown fur appeared. It mocked the massive royal sacrifice, claiming it was less meritorious than a poor Brahmin’s tiny gift of barley flour (sattu) given with total selflessness during a famine. )
In this chapter we see a few Sanskrit words Loka, Kulam, Mukham ; reference to World Above in Kural 222 (Devaloka or heaven) shows he is writing to Hindus.
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Following Translations are used:
1.A Aranganatha Mudaliyar – ANM+2 ( B.L. Aranganatha iyer and R. Srinivasa Desikan), Year 1933
2.S M Diaz, I G of Police- SMD, Year 2000
3.Rev.Dr.GU Pope – GUP, Year 1886
4.Suddhananda Bharathiyar- SB
5.EVS Publishers, Singapore- EVS, Year 1986
6.H A Popley – HAP (not full book; only selected couplets) Year 1931
7.Tamil Original
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Project Madurai website has all the Tamil books.
Part 41; Chapter 23; Giving ; ஈகை ; Charity
221.Giving alms to the needy and the poor is charity;
But all other forms of gifts are in the spirit of the barter— A Aranganatha Mudaliyar – ANM+2 ( B.L. Aranganatha iyer and R. Srinivasa Desikan), Year 1933
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221.To give to the needy alone is charity;
All the rest is investment for return- S M Diaz, I G of Police- SMD, Year 2000
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221
Call that a gift to needy men thou dost dispense,
All else is void of good, seeking for recompense.
To give to the destitute is true charity. All other gifts have the nature of (what is done for) a measured return–. Rev.Dr.GU Pope – GUP, Year 1886
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221.To give the poor is charity
The rest is loan and vanity. Suddhananda Bharathiyar- SB
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221.Giving to the poor is real charity. All other gifts are investment for returns—
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221வறியார்க்கொன்று ஈவதே ஈகைமற் றெல்லாம்
குறியெதிர்ப்பை நீர துடைத்து
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222.To beg is heinous though it may lead to heaven;
To give is noble though heaven be denied you—– ANM+2
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222.Even if it would lead to heaven, to receive charity is bad,
While without recompense of heavenly reward too, giving is good—– SMD
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222
Though men declare it heavenward path, yet to receive is ill;
Though upper heaven were not, to give is virtue still.
To beg is evil, even though it were said that it is a good path (to heaven). To give is good, even though it were said that those who do so cannot obtain heaven. – GUP
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222.To beg is bad e’en from the good
To give is good, were heaven forbid. –SB
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222.Receiving gifts is undesirable although it may be said to lead to heavenly bliss. Giving is desirable even if heavenly bliss may thereby denied–
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222. நல்லாறு எனினும் கொளல்தீது மேலுலகம்
இல்லெனினும் ஈதலே நன்று
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223.The noble begs not at other men’s doors, crying, “ I have nought”; nor do shut their gates against the indigent—– ANM+2
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223.Only the truly noble will give till it hurts,
Without pleading straitened circumstances –– SMD
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223
‘I’ve nought’ is ne’er the high-born man’s reply;
He gives to those who raise themselves that cry.
(Even in a low state) not to adopt the mean expedient of saying “I have nothing,” but to give, is the characteristic of the mad of noble birth. – GUP
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223.No pleading, “I am nothing worth,”
But giving marks a noble birth. –SB
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223.The highborn will neither ask for charity owing their poverty nor wil they refrain from giving when approached by the poor—
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223. இலனென்னும் எவ்வம் உரையாமை ஈதல்
குலனுடையான் கண்ணே உள
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224.To hear the tale of woe of a beggar is wretchedness itself; and the bountiful heart knows no gladness until it sees the joy of content sparkle in the eyes of the suppliant—– ANM+2
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224. It may be unpleasant to be begged of, but that is only till
The distress relieved face of the receiver lights up in radiance—– SMD
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224
The suppliants’ cry for aid yields scant delight,
Until you see his face with grateful gladness bright.
To see men begging from us in disagreeable, until we see their pleasant countenance. – GUP
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224.The cry for alms is painful sight
Until the giver sees him bright. –SB
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224.Until the man who begs charity is gratified, it is unpleasant for the man from whom charity is solicited—
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224. இன்னாது இரக்கப் படுதல் இரந்தவர்
இன்முகங் காணும் அளவு
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225.The greatest conquest of a saint is his conquest over he pangs of hunger, but mightier than the saintis he who appeases the hunger of another—– ANM+2
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225.Great are they who hunger’s pangs sustain
But greater those who relive hunger’s pain—– SMD
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225
‘Mid devotees they’re great who hunger’s pangs sustain,
Who hunger’s pangs relieve a higher merit gain.
The power of those who perform penance is the power of enduring hunger. It is inferior to the power of those who remove the hunger (of others). – GUP
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225.Higher’s power which hunger cures
Than that of penance which endures. –SB
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225.The ability of those who do perform penance to endure hunger is not equal that of the householder to appease the hunger of others–
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225.The strong man’s strength in hunger’s conquest lies;
But greater still the strength that others’ hunger stays– H A Popley – HAP (not full book; only selected couplets) Year 1931
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225. ஆற்றுவார் ஆற்றல் பசிஆற்றல் அப்பசியை
மாற்றுவார் ஆற்றலின் பின்
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226.To relieve the consuming hunger of the abject poor itself is sufficient riches that you can proudly garner up for the safety of your soul—– ANM+2
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226.By relieving people of their devastating hunger,
One lays by valuable possessions as investment—– SMD
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226
Let man relieve the wasting hunger men endure;
For treasure gained thus finds he treasure-house secure.
The removal of the killing hunger of the poor is the place for one to lay up his wealth. – GUP
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226.Drive from the poor their gnawing pains
If room you seek to store your gains. –SB
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226.The charity of appeasing of extreme hungerof the poor is a safe investment of the wealth one has acquired—
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226. அற்றார் அழிபசி தீர்த்தல் அஃதொருவன்
பெற்றான் பொருள்வைப் புழி
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227.Deadly hunger touches not him that always shares his bread with others—– ANM+2
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227.The man who has invariable practised the virtue of sharing his meal,
Will never be hurt by the pangs of hunger—– SMD
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227
Whose soul delights with hungry men to share his meal,
The hand of hunger’s sickness sore shall never feel.
The fiery disease of hunger shall never touch him who habitually distributes his food to others. – GUP
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227.Who shares his food with those who need
Hunger shall not harm his creed. –SB
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227.The man who is in the habit of sharing his food with others will never be afflicted with the dire disease called hunger–
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227. பாத்தூண் மரீஇ யவனைப் பசிஎன்னும்
தீப்பிணி தீண்டல் அரிது
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228.Behold the unfeeling heart that greedily piles up its wealth and perishes in the dust; it knows not the sweet joy of relieving the wretchedness of the poor—– ANM+2
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228.Delight of charity they do not know
Who hoard their wealth and lose it so–– SMD
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228
Delight of glad’ning human hearts with gifts do they not know.
Men of unpitying eye, who hoard their wealth and lose it so?
Do the hard-eyed who lay up and lose their possessions not know the happiness which springs from the pleasure of giving ? – GUP
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228.The joy of give and take they lose
Hard-hearted rich whose hoarding fails. –SB
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228.The graceless misers who hold up their wealth and eventually lose it, do not know the pleasure which the wise derive in giving to the poor what they need—
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228.The joy of charity how can the hard eyed know?
They only hoard their wealth and lose it all—HAP
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228. ஈத்துவக்கும் இன்பம் அறியார்கொல் தாமுடைமை
வைத்திழக்கும் வன்க ணவர்
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229.Bitterer than the crumbs of bread that gathered at other men’s doors is the frugal food of the miser eating alone with his heart panting for wealth ever more—– ANM+2
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229.Wretched is the man of poverty who begs; more wretched is he,
Who meanly closes the door on the hungry and eats alone—– SMD
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229
They keep their garners full, for self alone the board they spread;-
‘Tis greater pain, be sure, than begging daily bread!
Solitary and unshared eating for the sake of filling up one’s own riches is certainly much more unpleasant than begging. – GUP
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229.Worse than begging is that boarding
Alone what one’s greed is hoarding. –SB
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229.Enjoying alone the hoarded wealth , without giving others is worse than begging—
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229.The enjoyment of ones’ hoarded wealth alone
Than begging surely is is more bitter far—HAP
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229. இரத்தலின் இன்னாது மன்ற நிரப்பிய
தாமே தமியர் உணல்
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230.More poignant than death is the pang of a heart that fails in the tender acts of charity–– ANM+2
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230.Death is painful, but even that will be pleasant to one,
Who finds himself unable to relieve the distress of others—– SMD
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230
‘Tis bitter pain to die, ‘Tis worse to live.
For him who nothing finds to give!
Nothing is more unpleasant than death: yet even that is pleasant where charity cannot be exercised. – GUP
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230.Nothing is more painful than death
Yet more is pain of gift less dearth. –SB
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There is nothing more dreadful than death; but even that is desirable if one is not in a position to help the needy—
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230.It is said that nought more bitter is than Death;
But if one cannot give, even Death is sweet—HAP
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230. சாதலின் இன்னாத தில்லை இனிததூஉம்
ஈதல் இயையாக் கடை
To be continued………………….
Tags– Tirukkural Encyclopaedia, Chapter 23 , (Kural 221-230), Part 41, Chapter 23, Giving , ஈகை , Charity
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Tamil and Vedas 