Tirukkural-On Virtue-Social Cooperation-Kural 215

Add as a preferred source on Google

When the good man, who knows and does his duty to his fellowmen, acquires wealth,It is like the village drinking-water pond getting filled up by rain.

Such a development is an occasion for joy for the whole village community. For the tank, exclusively meant for drinking water, would keep the water obtained from the purest of all sources, i.e., the rain, from going waste and would serve the needs of the people of the village, according to their requirements, for months to come. These 'uoorunis' as the name implies, are the water sources that feed the villages. There are such drinking water ponds even now in Ramnad and Madurai districts of Tamil Nadu. Kalluruni, Karuppayee uruni are names of villages derived from the uoorunis of the village. Peraurani is another example from Tanjore district.

Just as the uooruni gets its supply of water from unpolluted sources, the good man, who loves all humanity, gathers his wealth from untainted sources, through unquestionable means and holds it in trust for all the village and also distributes it according to the needs of all concerned. The idea here is much broader than the concept of 'Paziyanji paathoon' (i.e.) faultless earning and generous sharing, postulated in the chapter on guest service. The phrase 'Ulakavaam' epitomizes such a good man's philosophy of life, which is amplified in Kural 399 thus:
Thaamin puruva thulakkin purakandu
Kaamuruvar katrarindhaar

A more recent expression is the well-known statement of Vallalar based on Thirumoolar's Thirumanthiram.
'Yaam petra inbam paeruha ivaiyagam'

Let all the world get the happiness that I have had the privilege to enjoy.

The idea in this present kural is also found enshrined in the following lines of Agananuru:
Aenrool viyan kulam nirayaveesip
Perum paeyal pozhindha yaemavaikarai
Palloar uvandha uvahai

(Aganaanooru 42: 9 -11)

In this context one is also reminded of the felicitous expression of Apparswamigal describing the benevolent rich man as the full-to-the brim village lake:
'Aeri niraindhanaya selvan kandaai'

(Appar : Maraikaadu 5)