Reflecting on the Thirukkural # 222 that I read today which roughly translates thus: It may be said to be good virtue, but accepting alms is bad; there may not be a heaven as reward, but giving is good. Valluvar says that taking alms is bad even though it is considered good virtue. Is this Valluvar’s refutation of the extollment of poverty and subsistence on uncertain rewards of others? The Christian faith extolls poverty while Manu practically prescribes it as a condition for Brahmins. Without getting in to the politics of Valluvar’s faith, it is safe to conclude that he is simply conveying that one must earn his keep and not live a life depending on others to feed oneself. The second half of the kural is more puzzling. He says that giving charity does not take one to heaven and/or that such heaven may not exist. But even if such heaven were not to be the reward, it is good to perform charity. Giving should not be about earning karmic merits in the hope of attaining heaven. It should be about making this earth, a heaven. Valluvar does give a message that appears to be self-contradictory (much like Avvaiyar who gives the same two messages in two of her aathi-choodis). Receiving is bad but giving is good! If everyone adhered to these two messages, a stage would be reached where there would be no one to give to because enough would have been given to those who are below subsistence to become self-sustainable. And that indeed would be the heaven that we need not wait for to happen after our deaths! This is the dilemma that we all feel every time someone reaches out for alms. One does not have all the time in the world to find out if the person has truly tried all means to support themselves. And walking away while there are resources sitting in your pocket seems inhuman for this person could have potentially fed a hungry child. Should we give unconditionally, or should we give to make a sustainable difference? Do social security policy makers also go through the same dilemma? How do they make their choices? More at goo.gl/fwzgXI
Posted on: Sun, 31 Aug 2014 07:15:04 +0000
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