THE TIRUKKURAL OF TIRUVALLUVAR

SECTION - 40

VERSES 391 TO 400
                                                               
æùªô¨      Education
   
æ÷ªæ   æòì÷   æ÷ªçéô   æ÷ª÷ç¨äª   391
å¨÷ªæ   íê÷ªÆêР  êæ
 
æ÷ªæ       learn
æòÌ         doubt
í÷         without
æ÷ªçéô       all that is to be learnt
æ÷ª÷ç¨äª         after learning
å¨÷ªæ         conduct
íê÷ªÆ       in tune with it
êæ       in the proper way
 
note:   It   is   interesting   to   note   that   if   the   word   ` æ÷ªæ '   is   placed
after   each   subsequent   word   in   this   couplet,   the   full   depth   of   the
import   of   this   statement   could   be   understood.   For   example,
æòì÷æÐæ÷ªæ   would   mean   learn   thoroughly   and   æ÷ª÷ç¨äª   æ÷ªæ
would   mean   `cud   chewing'   and   so   on.
 
Learn   well   all   that   is   to   be   learnt   and   then   match     that
with   your   conduct   (391).    
öúªâúäªç   Öéä   öÇêÐâêäªç   ¬ôªô¨õúªÌ몠    392
æúªâúäªç   ôèÇ몠  ãá¨õÐæÐÆ
 
öúª   öäªç         books on numbers
Öéä         the other
öÇêÐÊ    öäªç         books of letters
¬ôªô¨õúªÌ몠      these two
æúª   öäªç         are comparable to the two eyes
ôèÇ몠   ãá¨õÐæÐÆ       for living beings
 
Letters   and   numbers   are   like   the   two   eyes   that
guide   one   through   life   (392).
   
æúªÑéìáõР  öäªçôõР  æ÷ªî÷èõР  ËæêÐê¨õúªÌ      393
µúªÑéìáõР  æùªùè   êôõÐ
 
æúªÑéìáõР        those with eyes
öäªçôõР      are said to be
æ÷ªî÷èõР      the learned
ËæêÐÊ       on the face
¬õúªÌ         two
µúª         sores
ãéìáõР      those who have
æùªùèêôõР      the unlearned, it is said
 
The   eyes   are   but   two   sores   on   the   face   and   not   instruments
of   sight,   if   one   does   not   use   them   to   acquire   knowledge   (393).
   
ãôçªçêР  êéùÔï   ãóªó窠  ç¨õ¨êùª      394
íéäêÐîê   µùôõР  âêèȨùª
 
ãôçªç       having enjoyed
êéù   Ôï         company
ãóªó       the thought of meeting again
ç¨õ¨êùª       parting
íéäêÐîê       that itself
µùôõР   âêèȨùª       is the conduct of the learned

He   is   a   man   of   learning   whose   company   is   joyful,   and
from   whom   parting   causes   regret   (394).
   
ãéìáèõÐË䪠  ¬ùªùèõÐîçèùª  ÖæÐæ÷ª×§ª  æ÷ª÷èõР   395
æéìáîõ   æùªùè   êôõÐ
 
ãéìáèõР   Ë䪠        in front of the wealthy
¬ùªùèõР   îçèùª         like the poor standing respectfully
ÖæÐæ÷ª×몠        in the presence of the learned
æ÷ª÷èõР      the learned (are greater)
æéìáõР   Ö         of lowly stature
æùªùèêôõР      the unlettered

 
They   who   have   true   learning   must   have   the   humility   of
the   poor in   the   presence   of   the   wealthy.Those   who   do
 not,  will   remain in   the   poverty   of   ignorance   (395).

 
âêèìªìéäêÐÊ   Ã×몠  ëú÷ªîæú¨   ëèåÐêõÐæÐÆæР    396
æ÷ª÷éäêÐÊ   Ã×몠  í÷¨²
 
âêèìªìíéäêÐÊ       to the extent of digging
Ã×몠        will spring
ëú÷ªîæú¨         well dug in the sand
ëèåÐêõÐæÐÆ       for people
æ÷ª÷    íéäêÐÊ       to the extent of learning
Ã×몠        will spring
í÷¨²       wisdom

Water   will   flow   in   proportion   to   the   depth   of   the   well
dug in   the   sand.   Wisdom   will   flow   likewise   in   proportion
to the   depth  of  one's  learning   (396).
 
 
áèêèÄ몠  åèìèëèùª   Ãõèëèùª  öäªâäèÕô䪠   397
òèåÐÊéú±§ª   æùªùèê   ôè×
 
áèêèÄ몠              whichever region it might be
åèÌÍëªÍùª           whichever country it might be, it is his
ÃõÐÍëªÍùª            whichever place it might be, it is his
ö䪠  øÕô䪠        why, then, does one
òèëªÊéú±ëª       till death
æùªùèê    Í×       remain without acquiring knowledge
 
Not   his   own   country   or   town   but   every   country   and   town   belong
to   the   man   of   learning.   Why,   then,   does   one   waste   a   lifetime
without   learning   ?   (397)
   
øÕéëæÐæúª   êèäªæ÷ª÷   æùªô¨   øÕô÷ªÆ      398
öÇéë±ëª   Öëè窠  µéìêÐÊ
 
øÕéëæÐæúª                  in a birth
êè䪠   æ÷ª÷   æùªô¨         knowledge acquired by him
øÕô÷ªÆ                        for one
öÇéë±ëª                    for seven births
Öëè窵                         the capacity to stand by him
ãéìêÐÊ                        has
 
The   learning   one   acquires   in   a   lifetime   will   serve   him
in   many   future   lives   (398).
   
êèë¨äª   µ×ôÊ   ãùæ¨äª   µ÷§ªæúªÌ             399
æèË×ôõР  æ÷ª÷¨åР  êèõÐ
 
êè몠   ¬äªµ×ôÊ               through learning that causes joy to one
ãùÆ   ¬äªµ÷æÐæúªÌ         seeing the world (others) also enjoying
æèË×ôõР                           will desire to engage in learning further
æ÷ª×    í÷¨åÐêèõР                 the learned

The   world   will   be   attracted   to   learning   when   they   see   the
happiness   it   brings   to   the   learned   (399).  
 
îæïùª   ô¨ÇòÐâòùªô몠  æùªô¨   øÕô÷ªÆ       400
ëèìùªù   ë÷ªé÷   áéô
 
îæ̬ùª              indestructible
ô¨ÇòÐâòùªô몠    great wealth
æùªô¨                   learning
øÕô÷ªÆ              for one
ëèìùªù              not wealth
ë÷ªé÷áéô         others
 
The   value   of   learning   is   indestructible.   No   other   wealth
has   this   special   value   (400).

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