53.3 Cherishing the Close Ones

 53.3 Cherishing the Close Ones

Question:

Is there anything we can learn from a crow?

Answer:

Crows do not hide their prey. They invite other crows and

share their prey. So also, only those who share their

wealth will continue to prosper.                                   (Couplet- 527)

காக்கை கரவா கரைந்துண்ணும் ஆக்கமும்

அன்னநீ ரார்க்கே உள.                                               (குறள் – 527)

Explanation:

              Crows tend to caw when they see prey. Upon hearing the sound of a crow, other crows in the area come, and they all share the prey. Valluvar uses this action of the crows to remind us that we should also share our wealth with others. Although Valluvar encourages everyone to share their wealth with the deserving others through charity and philanthropy, in couplet 527, he is specifically talking about a leader and how he should reward his staff and others who help him. Often, several people contribute to someone’s success. If a king is victorious in war, that is because his advisors, generals, and soldiers helped him. Likewise, if a businessman has been successful in his ventures, he owes his success to his advisors, senior staff, and workers. To retain their loyalty and enjoy continued support, he should share his wealth with those who contributed to his success. When a crow finds food, it invites other crows to share it. Similarly, when a businessman has amassed wealth, he should share it with others. In the US, when someone starts a business and becomes successful, he shares the stocks of the business with others who have helped him and who continue to support him. For example, several employees and partners of companies like Apple, Amazon, Facebook, and Microsoft have become multi-millionaires because those who founded those companies shared their stocks with others who helped them.