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The Kural · Chapter

XVII: Non-Envying explained

This chapter warns against the destructive nature of envy, emphasizing that freedom from envy is essential to virtuous conduct and that envy itself brings ruin, poverty, and spiritual downfall.

What happens

This chapter warns against the destructive nature of envy, emphasizing that freedom from envy is essential to virtuous conduct and that envy itself brings ruin, poverty, and spiritual downfall.

Themes in this chapter

  • Virtue and Righteousness

    The chapter defines freedom from envy as a core part of virtuous conduct.

  • Social Harmony and Ethics

    Envy is portrayed as destructive to family and society, leading to poverty and ruin.

Characters to notice

  • Lakshmi

    Lakshmi is said to abandon the envious, leaving them to her elder sister (misfortune).

  • the Kural

    The Kural is the source of the teachings on non-envying.

Key passages

  • “Guard thyself from envious thoughts: for freedom from envy is a part of virtuous conduct.”

    Avoid envy because being free of it is essential to living a virtuous life.

    Opening couplet establishing the chapter's central theme.

  • “Envy itself is scourge enough for the envious man: for, even if his enemies spare him, his own envy will work his ruin.”

    Envy alone punishes the envious person; even without external enemies, envy destroys him from within.

    Highlights the self-destructive nature of envy.

  • “Lakshmi 13 cannot bear with the envious: she will abandon them to the care of her elder sister 14 and quit their side.”

    The goddess of prosperity cannot tolerate envy and leaves the envious to suffer poverty and misfortune.

    Uses mythological imagery to underscore the consequence of envy.

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