Learning by Listening
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kēṭpiṉuṅ kēḷāt takaiyavē kēḷviyāṟ / ṟōṭkap paṭāta cevi
“Where teaching hath not oped the learner's ear, / The man may listen, but he scarce can hear.”
“Deaf indeed though it heareth is the ear that hath not been drilled by words of instruction.”
Ears not opened and refined by wise learning remain as though deaf, even while registering physical sound.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
கேட்பினும் கேளாத் தகையவே= தம் புலமாய ஓசை மாத்திரத்தைக் கேட்குமாயினும் செவிடாம் தன்மையவேயாம்; கேள்வியால் தோட்கப்படாத செவி= கேள்வியால் துளைக்கப்படாத செவிகள்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Ears that have not been pierced and refined by the subtle teachings of learned scholars remain spiritually deaf, even though they physically register sound.