Thirukkural-On Wealth-On Ignorance-Kural-401

Men of no education holding forth to a learned audience resemble,
The uninitiated playing chess without the board.

The ignorant aspiring to participate in the counsels of the learned, without the requisite preparation for it, acquired from the great masters either personally or through their works, would be comparable to a person, who has absolutely no knowledge of the game of dice or chess, trying to play that complex game, even without a proper chequer-square or chess-board.

In this Kural, the fullness of education that a person would need, in order to take part one equal terms in the counsels of learned men, is described by the broad collection of the many books that he will have to master before he himself gets a feeling of fulfillment as regards his study of the concerned area.

Parimel Azhagar refers to the game of dice or chess as one played by persons with some knowledge and background, unlike the little ones with no learning playing the “Nelli vettu" as mentioned 'Natrinai".

“Katalai vatarangizaithuk
Kalaachch chiruvar nelli vataadum" (Natrinai, 3)

On the contrary, it should be
“Valaan aadiya mani vattu"

Further, the word (Kotti), needs some explanation. Parimel Azhagar himself quotes the following passage of Naladiar, so as to bring out the meaning:

“Pulaavaeluthir porulil varungkoatti"
(Naaladiyaar, 155)

Apparently the world “Koatti" goes to describe the distortion that would arise between the inappropriate words and their implied meaning. In common parlance too, the word “Koatti" is used very often to describe the speech and behaviour of mentally disturbed persons – indicating a meaningless discourse in an unsuitable environment.

In this chapter, Valluvar emphasises the importance of education, from a negative angle.

In most of the games of dice played in India, the pieces can be moved only on a chequered square or board. When there is no chequered board, whatever the scores, the pieces cannot be moved at all. Similarly, even if a man has valuable ideas, he would be unable to order and regulate them in his discourse, unless he has previously disciplined himself by systematic study.

(V V S Iyer in his note at the end of his book on Thirukkural)

if, therefore even a man with valuable ideas has to discipline himself by study, for a discussion with wise men, a man without the requisite knowledge and ideas has naturally to study widely and intensively before attempting to air his views before an assembly of learned men.

In his Research edition of Tirukkural, K V Jaganathan cites a parallel from Inna narpathu as below:
“Innaa, kalaadhavan koatti kolal"

The expression “Kotti kolal" has been used by Tiruvalluvar later in Kural 720 also.