21. "ETHICAL COMMERCE THROUGH THE LENS OF THIRUKKURAL"

The Thirukkural, authored by the Tamil poet-saint Thiruvalluvar, is a revered classical Tamil text consisting of 1,330 couplets (kurals) that explore the ethical, social, economic, and political dimensions of human life. Though composed over two thousand years ago, the Thirukkural transcends time and cultural boundaries, offering timeless guidance on moral and virtuous living. Among its three major divisions—Aram (virtue), Porul (wealth), and Inbam (love or pleasure)—the Porul section, in particular, provides profound insights into governance, leadership, justice, and economic conduct, all of which are deeply relevant to the domain of ethical commerce. This paper investigates the application of Thirukkural’s ethical principles to modern business contexts, arguing that it can serve as a culturally rooted framework for responsible and sustainable commerce. By examining selected kurals on truthfulness, fair wealth acquisition, equitable leadership, just governance, and social responsibility, the study draws parallels between ancient Tamil moral philosophy and contemporary business ethics. The analysis reveals that the Thirukkural promotes a holistic view of commerce—one that integrates profit with purpose, and strategy with compassion.