Kural 0418 - 🎧 கேளும் செவியே வாழும் – Listening Ears Truly Live

Kural 418: Ears are deaf without wisdom. Insights on listening, leadership, feedback, and life practices. Story & modern relevance.

💡 சிந்தனை - Insight

Key Questions

  • Universal – Why do I feel unheard even when people seem to be listening?
  • Universal – What is the difference between hearing and truly listening?
  • Universal – Why do organizations fail when they ignore feedback?
  • Scholar (Management) – How can businesses use customer feedback to prevent decline?
  • Scholar (Leadership) – Why is listening considered a leader’s greatest strength?
  • Scholar (Politics) – What happens to governments that ignore the voice of people?
  • Scholar (Business) – Why do companies lose market share if they fail to listen to customers?
  • Scholar (Neuroscience) – How does deep listening activate brain learning pathways?
  • Scholar (Philosophy) – Is wisdom possible without active listening?
  • Scholar (Spiritual) – Why do scriptures emphasize listening with devotion over ritual?

Key Insight

Thiruvalluvar: The ear that does not open to learning, though it hears sound, is as lifeless as deafness itself; only listening that absorbs wisdom gives the ear its true purpose.

📜 குறள் – Kural

குறள் 418

கேட்பினுங் கேளாத் தகையவே கேள்வியால்
தோட்கப் படாத செவி
[பொருட்பால், அரசியல், கேள்வி]

சந்தி பிரிப்பு 

கேட்பினும் கேளாத் தகையவே கேள்வியால் 
தோட்கப்படாத செவி

Transliteration

Ketpinung Kelaath Thakaiyave Kelviyaal
Thotkap Pataadha Sevi

kēṭpiṉuṅ kēḷāt takaiyavē kēḷviyāl
tōṭkap paṭāta cevi.

English Translation

Ears that do not let wisdom enter are deaf,
Though they may still hear sound

Purpose of This Kural

The purpose of this kural is to awaken us to the real function of listening — not to gather sound, but to absorb wisdom. It stresses that without learning, even the sharpest ear is hollow, reminding us that attention and openness are the gateways to knowledge.

Relevance / Need in Today’s Context

In a noisy world of constant chatter, this kural teaches the art of meaningful listening. Leaders, professionals, and individuals alike must learn to hear with understanding, for only then can growth, trust, and connection flourish.

🔤📚பதவுரை - Design of Words

(Building blocks of the verse)

பதவுரை - Word Meanings in Tamil

கேட்பினும் கேட்டல் - செவிக்குப்புலனாகுதல்; பாடங்கேட்டல்; வினாவல்; விசாரித்தல்; வேண்டுதல்; கேள்விப்படுதல்; கொடுக்கச்சொல்லுதல்; தண்டித்தல்; இரத்தல்; நோய்முதலியனநீக்குதல்; விலைகேட்டல்; ஏற்றுக்கொள்ளுதல்; பொறுத்தல்; தணிதல்; கீழ்ப்படிதல்; ஒலிஎட்டுதல்; செவியாற்கேட்குதல்; அனுமதிபெறுதல்

கேளாத் - கேளாமல் - கேட்காமல்

தகை - அழகு; அன்பு; அருள்; கவசம்; குணம்; தடை; தகுதி; பொருத்தம்; ஒப்பு; மேம்பாடு; பெருமை; நன்மை; இயல்பு; நிகழ்ச்சி; கட்டுகை; மாலை; தளர்ச்சி; தாகம்; மூச்சிழைப்பு.

தகையவே - தன்மை  உடையனவே

கேள்வியால் - கேள்வி - கேட்டல்; கற்கை; வினா; நூற்பொருளைக்கற்றறிந்தவர்; சொல்வதைக்கேட்டல்; கல்வி; சத்தம்; வேதம்; நூல்; சொல்; அறிக்கை; விசாரணை; இசைச்சுருதி; ஏலம்கேட்டல்; யாழ்.

தோட்கப்படாத - துளைக்கப்படாத

செவி - காது; கேட்கை; பாத்திரத்தின்காதுவளையம்; வீணையின்முறுக்காணி; ஓரங்குலமழை.

Unpacking Each Word — Its Meaning and Impact

கேட்பினும் (kēṭpiṉum) – even if one "hears" (to listen, inquire, allow, submit, accept, bear)
👉 Hearing here is not just sound reaching the ear—it includes inquiry, submission, or even obedience. The poet sharpens the contrast: a person may go through all these motions of “hearing,” yet nothing penetrates.

கேளாத் (kēḷāt) – not hearing (ignoring, without receiving, unheeding)
👉 The paradox: someone may appear to hear, but in truth, they remain “unhearing.” This dual layer points to superficial participation versus deep engagement.

தகையவே (takaiyavē) – possessing the quality/nature (beauty, virtue, dignity, worth, fitness, excellence)
👉 Not hearing becomes their very nature—it's not accidental neglect. The absence of receptivity itself becomes their identity. This is harsher than mere forgetfulness: it is an ingrained incapacity.

கேள்வியால் (kēḷviyāl) – by learning, knowledge, inquiry, wisdom (not just a question, but the cultivated fruit of hearing)
👉 This widens the meaning: it’s not mere sound that fails to reach, but even wisdom itself—scripture, music, profound teaching. It stresses that their deafness blocks even the noblest content.

தோட்கப்படாத (tōṭkap-paṭāta) – not pierced, not penetrated
👉 Powerful metaphor: the ear is like a shell or armor. Knowledge, no matter how sharp, cannot pierce the hardened surface. Learning remains outside, rejected.

செவி (cevi) – ear, receptacle, instrument of hearing, gateway
👉 The physical organ is named, but symbolically it is the gateway of receptivity. When the gate is shut, the city of wisdom remains empty.

Summary in Style

Outer vs. Inner Hearing – One can “hear” outwardly yet remain inwardly deaf.
Nature, not accident – Such deafness becomes a settled disposition, not a mere lapse.
Barrier to Wisdom – Even the sharpest teaching cannot pierce such an ear.
Image of Armor – The ear as a fortress wall: impervious to arrows of wisdom.

Essence:
👉 The unreceiving ear turns hearing into an empty show—knowledge cannot enter where receptivity is absent.

Contextual Understanding — Why, Where, What, When, How?

Why this Kural?
To warn that the mere act of hearing is not learning. Leadership and wisdom require receptivity, not just exposure.

Where does it apply?
  • In a king’s court: ministers who nod but do not absorb counsel.
  • In discipleship: students repeating verses but without inner opening.
  • In governance: citizens or rulers who hear grievances yet remain unmoved.
What does it contrast?
The appearance of listening (கேட்பினும்) versus the essence of listening (கேள்வி penetrating).

When is it relevant?
  • When leaders surround themselves with flattery, not truth.
  • When people consume knowledge (books, scriptures, lectures) but live unchanged.
  • In times of counsel, advice, or learning—when listening is crucial.
How does word order matter?
  • Opening with கேட்பினும் acknowledges the act of listening is there.
  • Immediately negated by கேளாத், showing futility.
  • தகையவே makes it their very nature.
  • கேள்வியால் elevates the kind of input (not trivial, but noble learning).
  • தோட்கப்படாத paints the dramatic image—knowledge strikes but fails to pierce.
  • செவி closes it with the organ itself, grounding metaphor in reality.
👉 The order mirrors a process: Act → Negation → Nature → Noble Input → Futility → Organ. A crescendo ending in a blunt, closed “ear.”

📝 பொழிப்புரை - Full Meaning

முழுப்பொருள் — Full Meaning in Tamil



செவிகள் படைக்கபட்டதே அறிவுச்செல்வத்தை கேள்வியறிவாக பெறத்தான் அதை செய்யவில்லை என்றால் அவை கேட்கும் தன்மையிருப்பினும் செவிடுகள் என்று கூறிகிறார் திருவள்ளுவர்.

கேள்விச்செல்வத்தால், அதாவது கேள்வி அறிவால் துளைக்கபடாத செவிகள் ஓசைகளைக் கேட்டாலும் கேளாதத்(/செவிட்டுத்) தன்மையைக் கொண்ட செவிகளாகவே கருதப்படும். அதாவது அறிவுச் செல்வத்தை கற்றறிந்தார் வாய்மொழியாக கேட்டறியாதவர்களின் செவிகள் அதன் உண்மை செயலை செய்யாது பயனற்று இருப்பதால் அவை வெறும் பொம்மை செவிகள். முகத்தில் அவை வெளி அமைப்பிற்காக இருக்கின்றன; உள்ளார்ந்த பயன் இல்லை.

மேலும், நமது அரசாங்கம், அலுவலகம், கடைகள், வணிகம், பொருள், தனிநபர் போன்றவற்றிற்கு பல வாய்மொழி அல்லது எழுத்துப்பூர்வமாக விமர்சனங்கள் /கருத்துகள்/feedback வரும். அவற்றை செவிகொடுத்து கேட்டு அவற்றுக்கு ஊரிய மதிப்பளித்து செயல்புரியவேண்டும். இல்லையெனில் நாளடைவில் அரசோ, அலுவலகமோ, கடைகளோ, வர்த்தகமோ, பொருளோ, தனிநபரோ நன்மதிப்பை இழந்து வளர்ச்சி குன்றும். பொலிவு இழக்கும். வணிகத்தில் (business) இதை  வாடிக்கையாளரின் குரல் (voice of customer/people) என்பர். மேலும், அன்றாடத்தில் உள்ள புதிய யோசனைகளுக்கும், போக்குகளுக்கும் (trends), அறிவியல் முன்னேற்றங்களுக்கும் செவி திறந்து வைத்து இருக்க வேண்டும்.

பி.கு: கண், காது, மூக்கு, தோல் என்று எல்லா உறுப்புகள் அளிக்கும் தகவல்களை வாங்கி அவற்றை process செய்வது மூலை. இவைகள் வெறும் கருவி மட்டுமே.

மற்ற உரைகள் — Interpretations by Other Tamil Commentators

பரிமேலழகர் உரை

கேட்பினும் கேளாத் தகையவே - தம் புலமாய ஓசை மாத்திரத்தைக் கேட்கும் ஆயினும் செவிடாம் தன்மையவேயாம், கேள்வியால் தோட்கப்படாத செவி - கேள்வியால் துளைக்கப்படாத செவிகள்.
(ஏகாரம் தேற்றத்தின்கண் வந்தது. ஓசை மாத்திரத்தான் உறுதி எய்தாமையின் 'கேளாத்தகைய' என்றும், மனத்தின்கண் நூற்பொருள் நுழைதற்கு வழியாக்கலிற் கேள்வியைக் கருவியாக்கியும் கூறினார். 'பழைய துளை துளையன்று' என்பதாம்.).

பாமரருக்கும் பரிமேலழகர் எளிய உரை - சி.இராஜேந்திரன் 

மணக்குடவர் உரை

ஓசை மாத்திரம் கேட்டனவாயினும் அதுவுங் கேளாத செவி போலும்; நல்லோர் கூறுஞ் சொற்களால் துளைக்கப்படாத செவி. இது கேள்வியில்லாதார் செவிட ரென்றது

மு.வரதராசனார் உரை

கேள்வியறிவால் துளைக்கப் படாத செவிகள், ( இயற்கையான துளைகள் கொண்டு ஓசையைக்) கேட்டறிந்தாலும் கேளாத செவிட்டுத் தன்மை உடையனவே.

சாலமன் பாப்பையா உரை

கேள்வி ஞானத்தால் துளைக்கப்படாத செவிகள் ஓசைகளைக் கேட்டாலும் அவை செவிட்டுத் தன்மையவே.

புலியூர்க் கேசிகன் உரை

கேள்வியால் துளைக்கப்படாத செவிகள், பிற ஒலிகளை எல்லாம் கேட்குமாயினும், உண்மையில் செவிடான காதுகளே ஆகும்  

குறளும் பொருளும் - பா.ராகவன் உரை 

நல்லதைக் கேட்டறியாதவர்கள் செவிடர்களே.

அவனிவன் பக்கங்கள் - அஷோக் சுப்ரமணியன் உரை

Snippets from Orator Bharathi Bhaskar

யான் தமிழ் காணொளி 

மேலும்/More

Comprehensive English Meaning & Poetic Rendering


Thiruvalluvar reminds us that the human ear was not merely crafted to register sound, but to absorb wisdom. An ear that hears words but does not let them pierce through to the mind remains as useless as one that is deaf. Just as a vessel without an opening cannot hold water, ears unreceptive to learning cannot hold knowledge. The essence lies not in hearing noise but in transforming listening into understanding.

This principle applies beyond individuals to institutions and societies. A government, a company, or even a household may appear to function, yet if feedback (Voice of Customer/People), counsel, and critique are ignored, their “ears” are closed. Such systems, like the puppet ear, exist only in form, not in function. Over time, they lose credibility, vitality, and trust. Listening is therefore not a passive act but an active bridge between growth and decline. Listening also applies to listening to trends, new ideas, new scientific advancements etc.,

At its heart, this kural is about purpose. Senses are tools, and their true value is realized only when they serve the mind in its pursuit of wisdom. Just as eyes that do not see truth are blind, ears that do not embrace knowledge are deaf. In a world filled with voices and distractions, the art of deep listening — listening to learn rather than to reply — is the foundation of enduring growth, leadership, and human connection.

Poetic Rendering 

The ear may hear but never learn,
Like hollow wood it cannot turn.
Noise may enter, wisdom denied,
Deaf to truth, though open wide.
Listen deep, let meaning flow,
Through listening, the mind will grow.

🧠 Psychological Angle

(Explore human behavior, emotions, biases, ego patterns — only if naturally relevant)
  • Active Listening & Cognitive Engagement
    Concept: In psychology, learning requires not just sensory input but cognitive processing. Hearing without comprehension is like shallow processing — information never enters long-term memory.
    Real-life example: A student who listens passively in class but does not reflect or apply forgets quickly, like ears that “hear but remain deaf.”

  • Attention as a Limited Resource (Daniel Kahneman)
    Concept: Without allocating attention, sensory input is wasted. Attention transforms hearing into meaningful learning.
    Real-life example: Scrolling on social media while a friend speaks — sound is heard, but meaning is lost.

  • Self-Efficacy (Bandura)
    Concept: Listening builds learning, which builds confidence. Ignoring wisdom reduces competence and self-belief.
    Real-life example: A new employee who actively listens learns faster and grows; one who tunes out remains insecure.

🔬 Science & Systems Parallels

(Modern scientific or systemic connections — explained only if they truly align)
  • Neuroscience – Neuroplasticity
    Continuous listening and learning strengthen brain pathways. Without learning, ears serve no adaptive value.

  • Systems Thinking – Feedback Loops
    Listening to feedback → growth; ignoring feedback → stagnation. Mirrors the kural’s warning.

  • Biology – Sensory Purpose
    Ears evolved not just to detect sound but to aid survival through communication. Ignoring meaning is like rejecting evolutionary purpose.

📚🔭 சிந்தனைவெளி - Global Parallels 

தமிழ் இலக்கியச் செல்வம் - ஒப்புமை — Parallels in Other Tamil Literary Works

இரும்பல் காஞ்சி என்ற இலக்கியத்தில், 
எய்கணை விழுத்துளை அன்றே செவித்துளை 
மையறு கேள்வி கேளாதோர்க்கே” எனப்படுகிறது.  

சீவக சிந்தாமணி (1552) இன்னும் அழுத்தமாக, 
இரும்பிற் போர்த்த 
பழுதெண்ணும் வன்மனத்தார் ஓட்டைமரச் செவியார்..
....கேளார்” என்கிறது. 

கம்பராமயாணப் சவரிப்படலத்தில் “தோட்டவர்” என்ற சொல்லைப் இதேகருத்தைச் சொல்லியிருக்கும் அழகையும் சற்று பார்ப்போம். “கேள்வியாற் செவிகள் முற்றும் 
தோட்டவர் உணர்வின் உண்ணும் 
அமுதத்தின் சுவையாய் நின்றான்” (கம்பர்.சவரி.7)
என்கிறார் கம்பர்.

Parallels from World Thought

Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics
  • “Educated men are as much superior to uneducated as the living are to the dead.”
  • Meaning: Knowledge transforms life; ears without learning resemble lifelessness, echoing the kural.
Stoics (Epictetus, Discourses)
  • “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.”
  • Meaning: Valuing listening over speaking matches the kural’s call to purposeful hearing.
Peter Drucker, The Effective Executive
  • “The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said.”
  • Meaning: Real listening goes beyond hearing; leadership thrives on attentive learning.
Steve Jobs, Stanford Commencement 2005
  • “Stay hungry, stay foolish.”
  • Meaning: Continuous openness to learning keeps ears alive to wisdom.
Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway Meeting
  • “Risk comes from not knowing what you are doing.”
  • Meaning: Without learning (through listening), decision-making is blind.
Sundar Pichai, Google
  • “As a leader, be a good listener… it is the most important trait.”
  • Meaning: Leadership rooted in listening parallels Valluvar’s wisdom.
Bhagavad Gita, 4:34
  • “Learn by approaching a wise teacher, asking questions, and serving.”
  • Meaning: Active listening to wisdom is essential for true learning.
Bible, Proverbs 18:13
  • “He who answers before listening—that is his folly and his shame.”
  • Meaning: Hearing without listening is folly, directly resonating with the kural.
Nelson Mandela
  • “A good leader can engage in a debate… knowing that at the end, he and the other side must be closer.”
  • Meaning: Mandela’s emphasis on listening before leading reflects the kural’s essence.
Andrew Huberman (Neuroscience)
  • “Attention is the currency of learning.”
  • Meaning: Just as the kural says, without deep listening, ears remain functionless.

🥁 எழுத்தாளர் ஜெயமோகனின் வெண்முரசு — Thematic Snippets from Venmurasu


🌀 Visualization & Models

(Text-based diagrams, cycles, frameworks — applied only where the kural fits a structure)



Input–Process–Output Flow
  • Input: Sounds (noise, speech, feedback)
  • Process: Active listening → Understanding → Wisdom
  • Output: Growth (individual, institutional, societal)

🧠 அகப்பயணம் – Inner Exploration

Scholar’s Questions — Valluvar’s Answers

Universal – Why do I feel unheard even when people seem to be listening?
Thiruvalluvar: You feel unheard because hearing without heart is empty; true listening means letting words pierce understanding, not just the ear.

Universal – What is the difference between hearing and truly listening?
Thiruvalluvar: Hearing catches sound, but listening receives meaning; ears unused to wisdom are deaf though open.

Universal – Why do organizations fail when they ignore feedback?
Thiruvalluvar: An ear closed to counsel weakens its host; institutions that resist listening collapse under their own deafness.

Scholar (Management) – How can businesses use customer feedback to prevent decline?
Thiruvalluvar: When the voice of the customer is honored, the ear of the enterprise becomes its safeguard against decay.

Scholar (Leadership) – Why is listening considered a leader’s greatest strength?
Thiruvalluvar: A leader who lends ears to followers builds trust; deafness at the top breeds unrest below.

Scholar (Politics) – What happens to governments that ignore the voice of people?
Thiruvalluvar: A state that hears sounds but not citizens loses its foundation; silence rises where the people are unheard.

Scholar (Business) – Why do companies lose market share if they fail to listen to customers?
Thiruvalluvar: Markets desert the deaf; the voice of the buyer sustains the seller’s ear.

Scholar (Neuroscience) – How does deep listening activate brain learning pathways?
Thiruvalluvar: Wisdom enters through attentive ears; only what pierces truly reshapes the mind.

Scholar (Philosophy) – Is wisdom possible without active listening?
Thiruvalluvar: Knowledge unlistened to is unlit fire; without deep listening, wisdom cannot ignite.

Scholar (Spiritual) – Why do scriptures emphasize listening with devotion over ritual?
Thiruvalluvar: Devotional listening waters the root; ritual without listening leaves the tree barren.

Thiruvalluvar: The ear that does not open to learning, though it hears sound, is as lifeless as deafness itself; only listening that absorbs wisdom gives the ear its true purpose.

🧠 Think With Me — Questions for Curious Young Minds (Ages 13–21)

  1. When your friend shares a story, do you listen to understand their feelings or only to reply back quickly?
    This builds empathy and helps you connect more deeply with people around you.

  2. Have you ever ignored advice from parents or teachers, and later realized they were right? What did you learn from that?
    This helps you reflect on why listening carefully can save you from repeating mistakes.

  3. Why do you think people feel happy when someone listens to them fully?
    This turns reflection into awareness of how listening creates trust and friendship.

🌿 கதைகள் - Stories

Story :The Silent Meeting Room



Once in a company, employees shared valuable feedback at monthly meetings. They spoke about problems in production, delays in supplies, and suggestions for improvement. But the CEO, though present, never acted on what he heard. He thought hearing the words was enough. Months passed; customers left, employees resigned, and losses piled up.

One day, a young manager pointed out: “Sir, your ears are open but closed to learning. We speak, but you don’t listen.” The CEO was shaken. He began to note, reflect, and act on what he heard. Slowly, trust returned, and the company revived.

Moral (Essence of the story):

Hearing is not listening; listening with action is wisdom.

Connection to Everyday Life:

In everyday life, whether at work or in family, true listening builds trust, while ignoring wisdom brings decline.

🌙 Bedtime Story: The Puppet Ears



Once there was a little boy who had two shiny puppet ears. They looked nice, but they could not listen to his teacher. The boy sat in class, hearing sounds but learning nothing. He grew sad because his friends knew stories and songs, but he did not.

One day, a wise bird told him, “Ears must open their doors to wisdom.” The boy tried hard to listen carefully. Slowly, his puppet ears turned real, and he began to understand. Soon, he could sing and tell stories like his friends.

Moral (Essence of the story):

Listening carefully helps us learn and grow.

Connection to Everyday Life:

In school and home, when we listen, we shine.

🛠️நடைமுறை - Practical Tools

Wisdom becomes powerful only when lived. This section offers simple, actionable ways to apply the kural’s insight in daily life.

Tool 1: Active Listening Journal (Communication & Relationships)

  1. What: Track daily conversations where you practiced deep listening.
  2. How: Write one instance daily, noting what you heard, how you responded, what you learned.
  3. Impact: Builds empathy, reduces miscommunication, strengthens bonds.

Tool 2: Voice of Customer (Business & Management)

  1. What: Collect and act on feedback systematically.
  2. How: Surveys, suggestion boxes, regular reviews; act visibly on at least one point each month.
  3. Impact: Builds trust, improves services, prevents decline.

Tool 3: Weekly Reflection Circle (Teams & Leadership)

  1. What: Group practice of sharing and listening without interruption.
  2. How: Each member speaks for 3 minutes; others only listen, then reflect.
  3. Impact: Creates mutual respect, surfaces hidden issues, enhances team unity.

Tool 4: Cognitive Listening Practice (Education & Learning)

  1. What: Train the brain to process what is heard.
  2. How: After lectures/podcasts, summarize key points in 3 sentences.
  3. Impact: Improves comprehension, retention, and clarity of thought.

Tool 5: Mindful Silence (Philosophical Self-Practice)

  1. What: Spend 10 minutes daily in silence, receiving sounds without reacting.
  2. How: Sit quietly, focus only on sounds, notice meaning.
  3. Impact: Cultivates presence, patience, and awareness.

Micropractice 1

  1. Before replying, pause for 3 breaths and ask, “Did I understand correctly?”

Micropractice 2

  1. Each evening, recall one thing you truly learned from listening that day.

🌸🧐💎🔍 நுட்பத்தின் இதழ்கள் — Petals of Subtle Insight (Applications in Today’s World)

Like petals of a flower, each kural opens to many meanings—this section shows its relevance through different lenses today. It’s about breadth of meaning, showing readers the range of modern applications of the kural. 

Category: Personal Virtue & Ethics
Theme: Listening transforms life and character.
Why: Teaches the virtue of humility and openness.
Audience: Students, General Public
Tags: listening, humility, wisdom
Domain: Ethics, Life Skills

Category: Leadership & Management
Theme: Listening to people strengthens leadership.
Why: Leaders who ignore voices fail; those who listen succeed.
Audience: Managers, Entrepreneurs
Tags: leadership, feedback, growth
Domain: Business, Leadership

Category: Communication & Relationships
Theme: True listening builds trust.
Why: Hearing without understanding weakens relationships.
Audience: Families, Couples, Professionals
Tags: communication, trust, empathy
Domain: Interpersonal Skills

Category: Organizational Systems
Theme: Feedback is the lifeblood of systems.
Why: Institutions that ignore feedback decay.
Audience: Companies, Governments
Tags: systems, feedback, sustainability
Domain: Organizational Development

🎭 Masks & Misuses

(How the kural could be twisted, misapplied, or ego-driven — and the balanced meaning Valluvar intended)
  1. Literal Misuse: Some assume “formal education” is the only wisdom.
    Correct: Any genuine learning — life skills, art, trade — counts.
    Example: A craftsman without a degree but with lifelong learning embodies the kural.

  2. Ego Misuse: Leaders think listening makes them weak.
    Correct: Listening is strength, not weakness.
    Example: CEOs who ignore employees face unrest; those who listen build strong teams.

  3. Condemnation Misuse: Taken as demeaning the unlearned.
    Correct: It is a wake-up call, not exclusion.
    Example: A parent encouraging children to keep learning, not ridiculing them.

🌿 முக்தாய்ப்பு - Punchline

“கேட்டு கற்றிடு – Listen and Learn.”

Growth begins when we open our ears not just to sound but to wisdom; only then do we live fully.