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eṇṇeṉpa vēṉai yeḻutteṉpa vivviraṇṭuṅ / kaṇṇeṉpa vāḻu muyirkku
“The twain that lore of numbers and of letters give / Are eyes, the wise declare, to all on earth that live.”
“Two are the eyes of living kind: the one is called Numbers, and the other, Letters.”
Numeracy and literacy are the two eyes of a life equipped to understand the world.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
எண் என்ப ஏனை எழுத்து என்ப இவ்விரண்டும்= அறியாதார் எண்ணென்று சொல்லுவனவும் மற்றை எழுத்து என்று சொல்லுவனுமாகிய கலைகள் இரண்டினையும்; வாழும் உயிர்க்குக் கண் என்ப= அறிந்தார் சிறப்புடை உயிர்கட்குக் கண் என்று சொல்லுவர்
Source: Tamil Wikisource
The science of numbers and the art of letters—these two foundational disciplines are celebrated by the wise as the two living eyes of humanity.