Tirukkural-On Virtue-Good Reputation-Kural 239

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The earth that bears men of no renown,Will itself shrink up its fruits.

This is a figurative way of saying that it is one"s duty to perform those good acts of virtue, arising out of benevolent charity, which will ensure the acquisition of fair renown to the person concerned. For, after all, everyone holds his gifts in trust for all mankind. One who does not do his duty to society that way, therefore, becomes just a burden to the earth, which, on that score, will even tend to lose its normal fruitfulness.

The opposite was said, when Valluvar indicated in Kural 55 that a good and chaste woman, who adores her husband, is one of the 'Nallars' of this world, 'Nallar" on whose account the heavens will open up and pour forth rain.