The Kural · Chapter
XXII: Complaisance explained
This chapter extols the virtue of gracious complaisance—selfless giving without expectation of return—comparing it to the rain-cloud and a fruit-bearing tree.
What happens
This chapter extols the virtue of gracious complaisance—selfless giving without expectation of return—comparing it to the rain-cloud and a fruit-bearing tree. It emphasizes that true prosperity lies in generosity, and that even ruin incurred through obliging others is honorable.
Themes in this chapter
Social Harmony and Ethics
Complaisance is presented as a foundational social virtue, where the worthy give freely for the benefit of others, fostering communal well-being.
The Vanity of Worldly Life
The chapter contrasts worldly riches with true worth, suggesting that material wealth is meaningful only when used generously, and that ruin from giving is preferable to selfish hoarding.
Characters to notice
- the Kural
The chapter is a direct excerpt from the Kural, teaching the virtue of complaisance.
Key passages
“The gracious expect no return when they oblige: how ever can the world repay the rain-cloud?”
Truly virtuous people give without expecting anything back, just as the rain-cloud pours down without seeking repayment.
This opening couplet establishes the ideal of unconditional generosity.
“If ruin cometh as a result of complaisance, it is worth courting even by selling one’s own self into slavery.”
Even if being generous leads to personal ruin, it is so valuable that one should embrace it, even if it means selling oneself into servitude.
The final couplet underscores the supreme importance of complaisance over material security.