Holy Kural with Commentary by "Phd" Siva

#KROM 71. "Help of a Wealthy Great Soul - Gold Medal!" Wealth of a great soul will help others like an unfailing medicinal herb. மருந்தாகித் தப்பா மரத்தற்றால் செல்வம் பெருந் தகையான்கண் படின்.  217 marundhaagith thappaa maratthaRRaal selvam perun thagaiyaankaN paDin. In this final Kural of the trio, the focus is on the "soul" ("Guru") quality of the giver. The soul quality is chiefly composed of all-encompassing qualities of wisdom, love, service, and bliss and can expand in these aspects infinitely without any limit. The medicinal herbs, cited in the simile, typically grow in wild terrains with less or no care offered in their growth. Also, commonly, all parts of the bush (branches, leaves, fruit, etc.) have medicinal value and are used in making different forms of medicines. While taking less or nothing from its surroundings in the form of care or maintenance, the unfailing life-giving herb exemplifies the ultimate act of "self-offering...

#KROM 70. "Help Offered By An Efficient Giver - A Silver Medal!" Wealth possessed by a noble, efficient person will be as beneficial to others like a bounteous fruit-bearing tree, at a townsquare, for its citizens. பயன்மரம் உள்ளூர்ப் பழுத்தற்றால் செல்வம் நயன் உடையான்கண் படின்.  216 payanmaram uLLUrp pazhutthaRRaal selvam nayan uDaiyaankaN paDin. The focus is on the "energy" ("mother") aspect of the giver, in this second Kural of the trio. The fruit-bearing tree, mentioned in the simile, exhibits its efficiency and usefulness in converting less-accessible forms of energy (sunlight, water, nutrients, etc.) into a more readily usable form of energy (food). In the act of giving, the tree sheds part of its body as fruit while, thankfully, possessing the regenerative ability for its prolonged use with periodic yields. Although not a must, a certain amount of care and maintenance help the tree to function at its best efficiency. In contrast with ot...

#KROM 69. "Help of A Broadminded Soul - A Bronze Medal!" A broadminded, high-thinking person using his wealth willingly for the betterment of the world is like a pond full of water serving the needs of its surroundings! ஊருணி நீர் நிறைந்தற்றே உலகு அவாம் பேரறிவாளன் திரு.  215 UruNi neer niRaindhaRRE ulagu avaam pEraRivaaLan thiru. (UruNi = pond; avaam = willingly; thiru = wealth) In a set of three Kurals, Sri Valluvar has given three wonderful similes to illustrate the help offered by philanthropists of different characteristics. All three extol the use and greatness of the giver while attributing different shades ("good-better-best") based on the relative degree of their involvement and sacrifice in the act of giving. The first of the trio focuses on the "intelligence" ("father") aspect of the giver. Correspondingly, the use of pond in the metaphor indicates the rating of "good" for the giver's involvement and sacrifi...