Thirukkural – 68
To have their children wiser than themselves,
is pleasurable for everyone in this world.
தம்மின், தம் மக்கள் அறிவுடைமை மா நிலத்து
மன் உயிர்க்கு எல்லாம் இனிது.
When a child is wiser than its parents, it is pleasing not only to parents but to the whole world.
I have gone with Devaneya Paavaanar’s commentary. Parimel Azhagar interprets it as “Wisdom of children is pleasurable to the world, more than what it is to parents”
தம்மில் – more than themselves
தம் மக்கள் – their children
மா நிலம் – world
மன் உயிர் – humans
#ChildrensDay
Old Tamil Poetry 
True – I want all my children to be wiser than me.
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Interesting.
I didn’t know this divergent interpretations. It is one of those KuRals which I always thought was straightforward and lovely.
That the pleasure that one derives from the fact that one’s children are more knowledgeable than oneself – is something ALL living beings share.
If you we pause to think about it, it is the only only relationship where the basic human drive of ego, and ego fueled jealousy are -by design – absent. i.e in other cases, by one’s own virtue one may transcend to such a good state. Here it is the most natural feeling.
As always the Dude hits the spot.
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