Tirukkural-On Virtue-Covetousness -Kural 172

Those who seek rectitude, will not covet other"s property
Nor commit sinful acts in pursuance.

Coveting other people"s property and having recourse to similar sins is not exactly the way of aspirants to rectitude. The phrase 'Padupayan" refers to the satisfaction arising from the utlisation of coveted goods, while 'Naduvanmai" would imply the breach of justice and rectitude with special referece to right to property.

Parimelalagar, in fact, would say specifically that the 'Naduvu" referred to here, is as applied to the right of private property. The protagonists of the 'land-grab" and Naxalite movements may not agree with this view of Valluvar, but there is no gain-saying the fact, that this upholding of justice according to law for the time being in force is the only correct and acceptable standard for all time.

Short cuts of taking the law into one"s own hands bring about unforeseen, undesirable and chaotic consequences in their wake. All desirable changes by way of ceiling on lands and distribution of the excess, must therefore, come about in the constitutional way, as it has been coming over the last few decades n our country.

In fact a healthy respect for Rule of Law, later propounded as such by Dicey, is inherent in this and many other pronouncements of Valluvar as is also inherent in Aristotle"s view that Good government is Government by Law.