Tirukkural-On Virtue-The Helpmate-Kural 52

Manaimaatci illaalkan illaayin vaalkai
Enaimaatcit thaayinum il.

If the wife lacks nobility of character, family life will become bleak;
And then wealth, status and the rest, are of no avail"

There is no real family life, when the wife does not possess the qualities needed for assisting in full measure, the performance of the duties in a good household. Not even the husband"s own virtues, of whatever degree, can make up for her lack of the wifely graces. The world we see, is so full of the tragedies that have come about on account of this very reason. Naladiar focuses attention on a case like this, as a barren desert in the midst of life when it says:

Vilaithakka Maanda Manaiyaalai Illaadhaan Iladhar
Kaandatr kariyathor kaadu.