9. Cherishing Guests

Chapter. 9. Cherishing Guests
Kural-81
All household cares and course of daily life have this in view.
Guests to receive with courtesy, and kindly acts to do.
Meaning : The whole design of living in the domestic state and laying up (property) is (to be able) to exercise the benevolence of hospitality.
Kural-82
Though food of immortality should crown the board,
Feasting alone, the guests without unfed, is thing abhorred.
Meaning : It is not fit that one should wish his guests to be outside (his house) even though he were eating the food of immortality.
Kural-83
Each day he tends the coming guest with kindly care;
Painless, unfailing plenty shall his household share.
Meaning : The domestic life of the man that daily entertains the guests who come to him shall not be laid waste by poverty.
Kural-84
With smiling face he entertains each virtuous guest,
'Fortune' with gladsome mind shall in his dwelling rest.
Meaning : Lakshmi with joyous mind shall dwell in the house of that man who, with cheerful countenance, entertains the good as guests.
Kural-85
Who first regales his guest, and then himself supplies,
O'er all his fields, unsown, shall plenteous harvests rise.
Meaning : Is it necessary to sow the field of the man who, having feasted his guests, eats what may remain ?
Kural-86
The guest arrived he tends, the coming guest expects to see;
To those in heavenly homes that dwell a welcome guest is he.
Meaning : He who, having entertained the guests that have come, looks out for others who may yet come, will be a welcome guest to the inhabitants of heaven.
Kural-87
To reckon up the fruit of kindly deeds were all in vain;
Their worth is as the worth of guests you entertain.
Meaning : The advantages of benevolence cannot be measured; the measure (of the virtue) of the guests (entertained) is the only measure.
Kural-88
With pain they guard their stores, yet 'All forlorn are we,' they'll cry,
Who cherish not their guests, nor kindly help supply.
Meaning : Those who have taken no part in the benevolence of hospitality shall (at length lament) saying, "we have laboured and laid up wealth and are now without support."
Kural-89
To turn from guests is penury, though worldly goods abound;
'Tis senseless folly, only with the senseless found.
Meaning : That stupidity which excercises no hospitality is poverty in the midst of wealth. It is the property of the stupid.
Kural-90
The flower of 'Anicha' withers away, If you do but its fragrance inhale;
If the face of the host cold welcome convey, The guest's heart within him will fail.
Meaning : As the Anicham flower fades in smelling, so fades the guest when the face is turned away.