Thirukkural-On Virtue-On Fate-Kural 376

Even with the greatest vigilance, possessions which do not belong, cannot be retained;

While what fate has decreed as one"s own, cannot be lost even in carelessness.

Here again is an avowal by the Poet of his belief in the theory of Karma. If fate does not ordain it, whatever effort one makes at safeguarding the possessions, which do not belong to one, cannot be retained at all. On the other hand, if destiny so decrees it, in spite of the worst prodigality, one"s possessions cannot be lost at all.

This, however, is not meant to discourage conscious effort at working hard to achieve prosperous results of painstaking vigilance to protect what one has, but intended only to explain apparent contradictions in the cause and effect nexus between work and results, in many cases. Valluvar"s belief in the efficacy of sustained enthusiasm and effort in such a context, are forcefully laid down in the later chapters already referred to, in Kurals 594 & 620.

Naladiar expresses the same thought as follows:

"Urar paala neekal uruvarkkum aahaa
Urar paala yaarkkum urum" (Naaladiyaar-103, 177)