The Kural · Chapter
IX: Hospitality explained
This chapter emphasizes the virtue of hospitality, portraying it as a fundamental duty of householders.
What happens
This chapter emphasizes the virtue of hospitality, portraying it as a fundamental duty of householders. It extols the practice of honoring guests and pilgrims, suggesting that such acts bring divine favor and prosperity, while neglect leads to spiritual impoverishment.
Themes in this chapter
Family Life and Duty
Hospitality is presented as a core duty of the householder, essential for a virtuous life.
Social Harmony and Ethics
The chapter underscores the ethical imperative to honor guests, fostering social cohesion and moral order.
Characters to notice
- Thiruvalluvar
Author of the Kural verses on hospitality.
- Lakshmi
Goddess of prosperity who delights to abide in the home of the hospitable.
- the Kural
The text containing the teachings on hospitality.
Key passages
“What for do the wise toil and set up homes? It is to feed the guest and help the pilgrim.”
The purpose of building a home and working is to provide hospitality to guests and aid to travelers.
Establishes hospitality as the primary purpose of domestic life.
“Behold the man who receiveth the worthy guest with his best smile: Lakshmi 12 delighteth to abide in his home.”
The person who welcomes a deserving guest with a warm smile will have the goddess Lakshmi dwell in his house.
Links hospitality to divine blessings and prosperity.
“Not to honour the pilgrim is veritable indigence in the midst of wealth: such a thing is found only with fools.”
Failing to honor a traveler is true poverty even if one is rich, and only fools behave this way.
Highlights the spiritual poverty of neglecting hospitality.