Lack of Learning
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vilaṅkoṭu makka ḷaṉaiya rilaṅkunūl / kaṟṟārō ṭēṉai yavar
“Learning's irradiating grace who gain, / Others excel, as men the bestial train.”
“How much better are men than beasts? Even so much are the learned better than those that have not cared for instruction.”
As humans stand above animals, so those learned in illuminating works stand above the unlearned.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
விலங்கொடு மக்கள் அனையர்= விலங்கோடு நோக்க மக்களை எத்துணை நன்மையுடையார் அத்துணைத் தீமையுடையர்; இலங்கு நூல் கற்றாரோடு ஏனையவர்= விளங்கிய நூலைக் கற்றாரோடு நோக்கக் கல்லாதவர்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
As human beings are elevated in dignity and understanding above beasts, so are those who have mastered illuminating works elevated above the unlearned.