Thirukkural-On Wealth-On Listening To The Wise-Kural-411

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The greatest wealth is earned by listening to discourses of the learned,
Which is the sublimest of all wealth.

The complete accomplishment of the process of learning among the Tamils, according to Rajaji, was acquired by 'Kalvi Kaelvi' which – implied perfecting the nuances of learning, secured by one"s own study from books and experience, through instructions from and discussions with learned men. This was also an obvious part of the old 'Gurukula" system of education, on which all higher learning and research even today could be considered as based.

V V S Iyer called the ear a most precious treasure, because it is through the ear one absorbs and internalizes the quintessence of all accumulated learning.

It was obviously on an understanding of this idea that the princes of old, whether in Greece or China or India, had their own chosen learned savants as tutors. Alexander, for instance, had Aristotle as his instructor and guide. Such an arrangement gave these chosen young men, who were destined to be rulers of their realm, an Opportunity to inter-act with the best minds of the period in the land and acquire through listening a high degree of learning, and king-becoming graces side by side.

In India too, our kings, when young, had great rishis or other learned savants, to train them for their responsibilities of state.