Learning
Tap an underlined Tamil word to explore its sound, meaning, and use.
uṭaiyārmuṉ ṉillārpō lēkkaṟṟuṅ kaṟṟār / kaṭaiyarē kallā tavar
“With soul submiss they stand, as paupers front a rich man's face; / Yet learned men are first; th'unlearned stand in lowest place.”
“Though thou hast to humble thyself before the teacher even as a beggar before a man of wealth thou yet acquirest learning: it is those that refuse to learn that are the lowest among men.”
Those who stood humbly and eagerly before teachers to learn are exalted; those who refused to learn remain base.
Ask about this Kural
Answers are drawn only from this Kural's sourced text and named commentary, and always cite what they used.
Choose a section
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
உடையார் முன் இல்லார்போல் ஏக்கற்றும் கற்றார்= "பிற்றைநிலைமுனியாது கற்றல் நன்று"2 ஆதலான், செல்வர்முன் நல்கூர்ந்தார் நிற்குமாறு போலத் தாமும் ஆசிரியர்முன் ஏக்கற்று நின்றும் கற்றார் தலையாயினார்; கல்லாதவர் கடையரே= அந்நிலைக்கு நாணிக் கல்லாதவர் எஞ்ஞான்றும் இழிந்தாரேயாவர்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Those who humbly and eagerly stood before a teacher, like the needy seeking aid before the wealthy, attain exalted wisdom; those who refuse to learn remain base.