Chapter 40 : Learning

Learn, what is to be learnt, with no flaws; once learnt, stand by what you learned.	391
Numbers and letters, they are known as; eyes to humans, they are.	392
Math and writing, they are known as; like eyes, they are, helping humans see and learn.	392 V2
Numbers and letters, they are known as; eyes to the living, they are.	392 V3
The erudite have eyes; the ignorant have on their faces, two gashes.	393
Elation when they meet, and nostalgia when they part, are effects of the erudite’s deeds.	394
Delight when they are met, and nostalgia when they have left, are the effects of the erudite’s deeds.	394 V2
Learned are those, who, like the poor before rich, stay humble before others, lovingly, to learn; those who thus don’t learn are lowly.	395
The learned learn by lovingly humbling themselves before others, like the poor before rich; those who thus don’t learn are lowly.	395 V2
Great are those, who learn by staying humble before others, like the poor before the rich; lowly are those who, out of pride, remain ignorant.	395 V3
Like the poor before rich, those who are ignorant and lowly, remain humble before the learned.	395 V4
Even if, like the poor before the rich, the learned stand humbly before others, they don’t become lowly; lowly are those who are ignorant.	395 V5
The learned, when they were ignorant, would’ve humble themselves like the poor, to learn; those who thus don’t learn are lowly.	395 V6
The deeper a well is dug, the more the water that springs; the more one learns, the more the wisdom it brings.	396
For the learned, every nation is their nation; and every place their place; why then, does one shun learning till death.	397
For the learned, every nation and every place is theirs; why then, doesn’t one keep learning till death.	397 V2
Learning acquired once will stand in good stead for seven births.	398
Learning acquired once will stand in good stead forever.	398 V2
Learning acquired once will stand in good stead for seven generations.	398 V3
Seeing that what they enjoy, the world enjoys too, the erudite fall more in love with learning.	399
Seeing that because of what they do with joy, the world enjoys their company, the erudite fall more in love with learning.	399 V2
Seeing that the world gets excited by what excites them, the learned fall more in love with learning.	399 V3
Seeing that the world gets excited by them, because of what excites them, the learned fall more in love with learning.	399 V4
Learning is the indestructubile, and significant, wealth; other riches are not true wealth.	400
Learning is the harmless, and significant, wealth; other riches are not true wealth.	400 V2

# 395 – This is another multi-layered kural, making different interpretations possible. Parimelazhagar (V3), Kaalingar, Manakudavar, Pariperumal (V2), Paridiyaar (V4) Vai.Mu.Ko (V5) and Kandaiyaa Pillai (V6) have all come up with interpretations, with subtle and not-so-subtle variations.

# 397 – Vai.Mu.Gopalakrishnamachariayar also gives this as a related thought in his commentary.
ஔவையார் (மூதுரை):
மன்னனும் மாசறக் கற்றோனும் சீர்தூக்கின்
மன்னனில் கற்றோன் சிறப்புடையன் – மன்னர்க்குத்
தன்தேசம் அல்லால் சிறப்பில்லை கற்றோற்குச்
சென்றஇடம் எல்லாம் சிறப்பு.

# 398 –  V3 This is based on Karunanidhi’s version. Sounds apt but I doubt if that is what Thiruvalluvar meant.

# 399 – V1 – Parimelazhagar, Kaalingar ; V2 – Manakudavar,  Pariperumal, Paridiyar ;

# 400 – V2 – Manakudavar,  Pariperumal.

 

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கல்வி

கற்க கசடறக் கற்பவை கற்றபின் நிற்க வதற்குத் தக.	391
எண்ணென்ப வேனை யெழுத்தென்ப விவ்விரண்டுங் கண்ணென்ப வாழு முயிர்க்கு.	392
கண்ணுடைய ரென்பவர் கற்றோர் முகத்திரண்டு புண்ணுடையர் கல்லா தவர்.	393
உவப்பத் தலைக்கூடி யுள்ளப் பிரிதல் அனைத்தே புலவர் தொழில்.	394
உடையார்முன் இல்லார்போல் ஏக்கற்றும் கற்றார் கடையரே கல்லா தவர்.	395
தொட்டனைத் தூறும் மணற்கேணி மாந்தர்க்குக் கற்றனைத் தூறும் அறிவு.	396
யாதானு நாடாமா லூராமா லென்னொருவன் சாந்துணையுங் கல்லாத வாறு.	397
ஒருமைக்கட்டான்கற்ற கல்வி யொருவற் கெழுமையு மேமாப் புடைத்து.	398
தாமின் புறுவ துலகின் புறக்கண்டு காமுறுவர் கற்றறிந் தார்.	399
கேடில் விழுச்செல்வம் கல்வி யொருவற்கு மாடல்ல மற்றை யவை.	400