In another verse, Thiruvalluvar says that a learned man notices that the world is happy because he is well read. And this serves as an impetus for him to read more. There are two types of knowledge — that which we need for managing daily life, and spiritual knowledge. Thirumoolar says that there was a time when he had not understood the meaning of Self. When he did, his previous state of ignorance vanished. In another verse in his Tirumandiram, Thirumoolar says that as long as a man has no self-realisation, he gets caught in worldly life. Once he understands the nature of the atma, he acquires divinity. Thus, while we need to acquire knowledge that helps us tackle the everyday problems of life, and to make a living, this alone is not enough. For the atma to attain liberation, one must also pay attention to spiritual knowledge. Learning and reading must continue throughout life and must not be time bound.
