Thirukkural-On Wealth-On Ignorance-Kural-409

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Men with learning, even of lower birth, are of greater worth,
Than ignorant men though high-born.

Parimel Azhagar"s statement quoted in translation by K M Balasubramaniam is as follows, and is very relevant here.

“This means that the superiority of the understanding born of learning, which gets attached to the soul forever, is greater than the superiority of one"s caste which dies along with one"s body".

In this Kural, Valluvar comments on 'social status vis-avis learning", while in the previous Kural, the comments were on 'riches vis-avis learning."

A parallel from Purananuru comes to mind in this context:

“Vaetrumai therindha naarpaalulum
Keelpaal oruvan katrapin

Maerpaal oruvanum avankat padumae"(Puram, 183:8-10)