A lotus opens up its petals and shows its beauty only when the Sun rises. The Sun brings out the best in the lotus. Likewise, knowledge is the sun that dispels ignorance. It refines us, and makes us good human beings. The more you learn, the more you realise how little you know, and your thirst for knowledge only increases.

Thiruvalluvar, through an excellent example, shows us how knowledge increases with studying, said R. Narayanan in a discourse. A well provides more water the deeper you dig. Likewise, the more you study, the more your knowledge. The knowledge that you acquire is not limited by time. In fact, Thiruvalluvar says that it will be of use not only in this birth, but in seven births! Avvaiyar warns that we should not traverse in whichever path our mind tells us to. We must analyse a situation, take into consideration all the consequences of any action, and only then make a decision. Such an informed decision is possible only if a person has analytical skills, and such skills come with education.

Thiruvalluvar says that knowledge consists in controlling one’s mind, in not letting it wander and in getting the mind to focus on useful, lofty things. We hear a lot of things being said by different people, with the result that we end up being confused about what to believe and what not to believe. Thiruvalluvar says that we must not accept what people say at face value. We must analyse their words, and arrive at the truth. Fear is inevitable in the life of any human being. Thiruvalluvar says that we must know what we should be afraid of. A wise man fears that which must be feared. It is foolish not to be afraid when we must. Knowledge means knowing what we should fear.