Tirukkural-On Virtue-On The Blessing Of Children-Kural 67

A father's first duty is to train his son to fit into a pre-eminent place in society. The stress is on education and culture. Only by these standards, will his position in the society of learned men be determined.

That is the reason why the Sangam poetess Ponmudiar said, 'Saandraon Aaakudhal Thandhaikku Kadanae'. The word 'Saandraon' in the Tamil Nadu of Sangam age obviously spelt out the quintessence of all

virtue, born of education, culture and good behaviour. And it was the father's business to train the son to that state. A parallel in the Bible is as follows:

Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Naladiar says much the same in the following lines:
Yeccham yena oruvan makkattku seivana
Vicchai mattralla pira