LITERATURE-LIGHT AND DELIGHT. 71.LITERARY GREATS: SUNLIGHT AND SHADOW

LITERATURE- LIGHT AND DELIGHT

71. LITERARY GREATS: SUNLIGHT AND SHADOW

There is a saying with us that one should not enquire into the origins of rivers and great figures. Perhaps what it conveys is the popular English saying that every saint has a past, every sinner a future.

Saints condemn themselves!

In the Hindu tradition, most poet-saints condemn themselves as great sinners, comparing themselves to dogs which are considered  lowly creatures, often giving a whole list of unworthy things they had done. Superficial commentators take such things literally and conclude that they had indeed been morally bad before they were rescued by God out of his mercy.Arunagirinatha is perhaps the most glaring example in Tamil literature.

Serious students know that this is not the way to take matters. The saints are usually imputing to themselves all the bad things happening in society- the five kinds of deadly sins, the three kinds of dire attachments, womanising, drinking, murder,etc. This is just a literary style,  not to be taken literally.

Lives transformed


Through legend and history, some events are recorded as the turning point: Valmiki's encounter with the rishis before he was imparted the name of Rama, Purandaradasa's excessive attachment to wealth and God opening his eyes through his wife's devotion, Tulsidas being snubbed by his wife about his excessive attachment to her physical form, etc.

But such transformation need not necessarily be after a period of immoral conduct. In  Kalidasa's case, it was a village idiot become a great poet through the grace of the Goddess. In modern days, the great Indian mathematical genius Ramanujam said that the Goddess revealed to him the mathematical formulae in his dreams.As the poet sang, 'God moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform'. Yes, mysterious, but not arbitrary or capricious. There is surely a method- a reason, justification but we do not know.

Old idols and fallen angels

In our younger days, the leaders of the freedom movement were our idols- Sri Aurobindo,Tilak, Gandhi, Nehru, Patel, Bose, Rajaji etc. But as we grew up, and read more about them, we saw that the public image, created, magnified and spread by the popular press did not reflect the whole truth.

Take Gandhi, for instance. What I learned about Gandhi did not match the image. I understood him in four main roles: as a political leader, religious experimenter, social reformer and economic thinker. He began as an advocate of the Indian genius as the foundation of his political thinking in the Hind Swaraj, but this idea evaporated or got diluted on the way.As he plunged deeper into practical politics, he became an advocate of parliamentary democracy. He developed ideas of Satyagraha, Non-violence, etc but they did not work. We finally got Independence in spite of Gandhi, not because of him.In the process the country got divided, something I can never forgive the Congress for. They had no mandate from the people to divide the country. This was betrayal, and Gandhi's greatest failure. Gandhi as a political leader failed at crucial times-all crucial times. As a political leader,  he was plain Mr.Gandhi, not the Mahatma he is taken to be.

As a religious experimenter, Gandhi is great, though his ideas were not based on a proper or deep understanding of any formal religion. He interpreted Hinduism in terms of his superficial idea of Christianity, and he had no understanding of Islam as a religious faith or historical force. "Iswar-Allah Tere Naam" is the most idiotic formula I have heard. God is one, no doubt but that One is beyond name and form. The Muslim will never say Iswar and Allah, or its variations Ram and Rahim, Krishna and Karim are the same! It is just a fancy, and only idiotic Hindus chant such nonsense formulae.

But there is another aspect to Gandhi's religion- his spiritual quest. He was a follower of Advaita, and a sincere devotee of Rama though his Rama was not necessarily the Rama of Ayodhya, son of Dasaratha.In the 20s he had stated that Ram had occupied his heart and if any one cut it open, he would find only Ram there! Twenty years later , in the thick of public life, some one put bullets right into his heart, and he died with the name of Rama on his lips!  This one act makes him Gandhiji, the Mahatma! I fall at his feet.

His social reforms were mixed. But he was reacting to too many things, a bit more than he could chew, swallowed more than he could digest.

But as an economic thinker, he was superb! He was far ahead of his times.  At one level, he gave and implemented practical ideas of a parallel economy and showed that things could be done positively, constructively  even without political power. This aspect has not been appreciated in this country. 

But the thoughts he gave against modern civilisation,and its absurd economic base make him one of the foremost economic thinkers of modern times. People like Schumacher understood it, and developed further. Today, it has become the very foundation of alternative economics with fancy names such as: steady-state economy, sustainable economics, economy of permanence, humanistic economics, etc. This again is not understood by Indians yet. Nehru himself is the chief villain here.

The net result is that I admire Gandhi in parts. I feel that on the whole, he has been a failure. This has been a great personal disappoint for me. My mother considered Mahatma an avatar of Rama and formally worshipped him, especially on Fridays, the day of his martyrdom!

Greatness thrust upon
Greatness overlooked

Nehru was an early idol- some one we learned to adore without knowing anything about him! As I studied more, and in detail, I feel he is a thoroughly useless leader- in fact not a leader at all, but one on whom greatness has been thrust. He is totally out of my reckoning. All the ills of Independent India are wholly due to the Gandhi-Nehru duo.

Netaji Bose was good but sadly mistaken in the method he adopted to fight the British.

Sardar Patel was a giant, a man with a strong character, solid leadership qualities, sound judgement. He was always wrong when he supported Gandhi, and right when he thought and acted independently. He was giant. If India is still one nation it is due to Sardar Patel alone. He is the real father of the nation, the architect of free India. It is our misfortune that Gandhi did him injustice and made Nehru PM. It was Patel's misfortune that he had to serve under someone like Nehru, who did not have sound economic or political ideas, suffering great humiliation and insult. A kind Providence released him through death. India will remember him as along as it remains one nation.

Rajaji is a very great leader, but born in the wrong place, wrong community. The idea of the first non-cooperation movement was born in his house in Madras , when he had hosted Gandhi. Gandhi decided to  wear his typical minimum outfit when he travelled with Rajaji between Trichy and Madurai. Rajaji is the only congress leader who proved  his mettle in administration, eliciting admiration even from the British. He was the one to introduce Prohibition in India first. He was the one to introduce sales tax to compensate for the consequential revenue loss. He was the one to introduce land reform in India, favouring the tenants as against the landlords. There are so many things he did silently.  Perhaps his greatest contribution was to understand the totalitarian trends of Nehru,warn the country against the evils of the permit -licence-quota raj, and take up the cudgels against disastrous socialist policies of Nehru,and float the Swatantra Party as the true opposition, when he was at the ripe young age of 80!   Unfortunately, people feared his intellect, and forgot his heart! He was not understood fully or properly in his time, or later. It is his his ideas which are followed in a distorted, deformed, diluted dose, without due acknowledgement!

My estimation of Patel and Rajaji has grown with the years, though I still cannot digest the fact that they too had to support partition- Gandhi had pushed every one to that corner.

The point in writing this is to show that with increasing access to information and knowledge, our childhood idols fall from their pedestals. Heroes turn villains, if we keep our heads steady.

This has happened in the case of our other international leaders also- Churchill, Kennedy, for instance. It has happened in the case of sports persons too.

Golden hearts in tinsel town

I have never been an admirer of any cine-star. I used to like the great film music of the golden 50s, but was not a fan of any star, nor had seen many films: I stopped seeing films 40 years ago! Even so, the world is such that you do get some information and get to like and dislike people. I liked that Kishore Kumar defied Sanjay Gandhi, and refused to meet him in the days of the emergency. I liked that Dev Anand even floated a political outfit to oppose the Emergency! I liked that Bimal Roy ascended the platform in his native dhoti-kurta to accept the Filmfare award, when the audience of fashionable filmi people indulged in derisive laughter! I liked that Talat Mohammad gave up his own chances and asked the music directors to take Mukesh  for playback singing in Madhumati, when Mukesh was struggling! I liked when one song composed by Roshan- Rahen na rahen hum- became a big hit, and S.D.Burman rang up to congratulate him, Roshan said that  he had merely copied an old tune of Dada Burman himself- from the song 'Thandi Hawayen, lehraake aayen'- from Naujawan! And I liked even more that Burmanda replied: Arre bhai, we all copy. After all there are only 7  swaras and we always keep copying! What  examples of personal courage,humility, camaraderie, in a  known  dog-eat-dog world!

I have noticed such instances in Hollywood too. Charlton Heston said that his entire outlook and character changed after he played Moses in The Ten Commandments: he could not play normal hero roles. I liked when the following incident was reported about Clark Gable: He had longed to get a child, but his son was born posthumously. One day it seems that his spirit appeared to his son and warned him: 'My son, my son, let not Hollywood fool thee, let not Hollywood deceive thee!' ( So, Hamlet being advised by the ghost of his father is not pure fiction, after all!) I liked when actors were careful to play positive roles, to send moral messages to the audience: when Gregory Peck chose to play a cowboy to show that violence does not pay in the end, or when he played Atticus Finch, to defend a black when wrongly accused by the white residents of rape. And Peck was married to his wife for 50 years- in that fickle minded Hollywood. I liked when people questioned James Stewart how he agreed to play the role of a person prying into others' residences, in Rear Window, which violated personal privacy! And they also questioned Alfred Hitchcock how he could direct such a movie! I liked when 7 famed stars decided to work together without ego problems in The Magnificent Seven! I liked it when Clint Eastwood the hero of many Spaghetti Westerns portraying violence  decided to make amends, by producing, directing and acting in the Unforgiven to show that violence is not the right way! I liked it when it was reported that Tom Hanks is particular to play positive roles with neat messages. I liked it when Sophia Loren showed that she was not a play thing when she just stared at Marlon Brando when he was up to some mischief and made him back out! So, there are silver lines every where!

Big names- great people?

But alas! The literary world is not always good, and many authors are not men of character. It is said that if we know the detailed life of many philosophers we would not care to read their works! Bertrand Russell was one of them. I did not read Byron for a long time, knowing his life. On the contrary it moved me when I read that  Longfellow rushed to rescue his wife whose dress had caught fire, but himself got disfigured, while his wife died. Thomas Hardy had married out of love but was disappointed later. Yet when he died, he wanted his heart to be buried near the grave of his wife, who had pre-deceased him! What we read of Dickens is not always pleasing.Peter Drucker married his wife in 1934  when he was 25 and they remained married till his death at 95, 70 years later, in 2005, while his wife died at 103 in 2014! It is great when great authors and writers are also great in personal life. It is difficult to stomach when things are otherwise.

I often wonder how writers can describe bad things in such detail, with a clear conscience. They say some gory details are required by the story- but why write such a story at all? Unless your mind is already gory! And it cannot think of anything clean or good!

Sri Ramakrishna used to say that one should not act as bad characters in dramas even for fun.

 When a modern writer like Nevil Shute writes clean novels, and good novels, we feel so happy. One reason why I like the writings of Louis L'Amour is that though they are described as Westerns, they are not pulp fiction. He never advocates or glorifies violence. His heroes never resort to shooting for the fun of it, and they always feel sorry that they had to use their gun at all! And just read his nature descriptions! Show me another author who had written so much on nature over so many years in so many books, almost never repeating  them! L'Amour himself is the greatest hero of his writings. Unless the man was himself great, he could not produce such stuff, so much of such stuff! If you want to open a book and read openly in front of your children and spend an entire evening or even day, choose L'Amour without hesitation. With L'Amour, children will always want to be good, better than they are!

When unsavoury aspects of the life of so called great or famous figures are revealed, we wonder what is the use of education and knowledge, when they do not result or reflect in right conduct. Are money and fame everything? Is any method right to get them? Can good people write bad stories ?

BRAHMINS IN SANGAM LITERATURE-18. PARIPAADAL

LITERATURE-LIGHT AND DELIGHT

BRAHMINS IN SANGAM LITERATURE-18
                     Paripaadal

The Dravidian movement was essentially a movement against the perceived domination of Brahmins in education, service, the professions and public life. It was actively encouraged by the colonial powers who did not want to rely on one community in administration. Its early leaders were not all Tamilians and they were quite religious in their personal life.

In course of time, it came to be dominated by E.V.Ramasamy Naicker and turned into a distinctly anti-Brahmin  and anti-Hindu movement. But some of his educated followers  lapped  up  the unproved theories of the then emerging field of philology and  the theory of Aryan invasion, eagerly promoted by the colonial order as the basis of divide and rule strategy, and the Christian missionaries who used language as a tool of propaganda.

 They attacked Veda,Hinduism, Brahmins , Sanskrit , etc. On one side they denigrated the Puranas and Itihas as fiction; on the other, they said Ramayana showed the spread of Aryan rule in the Tamil land. Rama was condemned as Aryan invader, and Ravana was praised as the Dravidian victim. They said Dravidians were depicted as Rakshasas. None of them had read the Ramayana and knew that Ravana had Brahmin origin! And they hid the fact that Rama was in exile,  had not entered any city or township, and had not taken over any kingdom- Kishkinda was with the  Vanaras, and Lanka remained with the Rakshasas!   They denied God and religion.    

They propagated the idea of separate Dravidian land, comprising South India. But it had no takers in non-Tamil areas.Once they decided to enter the political race, they gave up some of their earlier ideas. Instead of denying God, they said there was only one God. They said they were not against Brahmins, but against Brahminism.Since they were only active in Tamil Nad, they posed themselves as the champions of Tamil language and culture. 

They had not even studied ancient Tamil literature properly, nor did they know Tamil grammar was based on Sanskrit grammar. But once they came to power, they became selective in prescribing Tamil literature for schools, eliminating references to Brahmins and Brahminical presence and influence in language, literature amd society. Sanskrit was totally removed from the school syllabus. 

The Aryan invasion theory is still taught in schools as a historical fact, though it has been established that there was no such race, and no such invasion. DNA studies have shown  that more than 95% of Indians belong to one ethnic stock, and that North Indians are not different from South Indians. Not only are our tradition, opinion of Indian scholars and Tamil literary evidence  itself ignored, even the results of latest international research and scholarship are ignored.The strong anti-Brahmin prejudice and hatred continue,though in a less open manner due to political compulsions and expediency.

One curious result of this is that many portions of Sangam literature are excluded from school studies because they contain  complimentary references to Brahmins. (It is ironical: A Brahmin, Dr.U.Ve.Swaminatha Iyer, brought the Sangam literature to light in print; but these Dravidians are busy hiding portions of it!) One such work is Paripaadal. It belongs to the famous 'Group of Eight'. It is a collection of 70 poems by different authors, of which only 22 are now available. Unlike other Sangam poems, it was sung in set tunes. The collection contains 6 poems on Vishnu, 8 on Kumara and 6 on the river Vaigai. They contain extensive references to Purana and Itihasa, and the Brahminical way of life. Parimaelazhagar has provided a commentary. On account of their devotional nature and musical elements, they seem to have been the model for the later works of Nayanmars and Alwars. Since the Puranic references are quite explicit, I will give below a gist of information about Brahmins contained in them.

ABOUT VEDA 

Naaval andhanar arumaraip poruley        1.13, 2.57

The precious Veda of the Brahmins (reveals the greatness of Vishnu)

Vaduvil kolgaiyin vuyarndhor aaindha
keduvil kaelvi                                         1.24-25

The Vedas investigated by the great Jnanis (Rishis) who were perfect (without fault)

The adjectives are noteworthy.
Vadu il kolgaiyin vuyarndhor= The exalted, who are faultless. The Tholkappiyam phrase 'nirai mozhi maandhar' may be recalled here.
kedu il kaelvi: Veda is to be learnt by hearing. So it is 'kaelvi', equivalent of Sanskrit 'Sruti'.  It is 'kedu il' ie without any shortfall or shortcoming or defect.

Maya vaimmozhi                     3.11
Andhanar arumarai                  3.14
Munnai marabin mudhumozhi     3.47
Vedatthu marai (Upanishad)       3.66
In lines 3.63-72, the poem states  that Sama Veda gives an explanation of the nature of Vishnu.

Ninnor annor andhanar arumarai        4.65

Only the Brahmins who approach you in divinity understand the Upannishads.

The word 'Andhanar' does not refer to Brahmins in general. Andhu ie Antam- is the end or conclusion. The Upanishads are Vedanta ie Veda anta= conclusion of the Veda. Those who are devoted to the study and practice of Upanishads are Andhanars. (The terms for others are: Paarppaan, Vediyar, Maraiyavar etc, each with its own distinct shade of meaning) However,  they are all 
taken to mean Brahmins in general)

Naanmarai                      9.12
Mudhumozhi                   13.40
Vaaimozhi                       13.44, 15.63
Sruti                               18.52


ABOUT BRAHMINS

Naaval andhanar                                 1.14,2.57
Viranmigu Vizhuch cheer andhanar       1.36
Andhanar kaanum varavu                     2.68
Andhanar arumarai                               3.14,.65
Aadhi andhanan                                      5.22
Paingkan paarppaan                                5.27


Vaerupadu punalena virai mannuk kalizhaip
Pulampuri andhanar kalanginar marundu     6.44-45

(This is a poem about the river Vaigai. It is flowing strong with fresh water. So weak persons are not able to enter the water. At a spot there strong young people are sporting.The water becomes tinged with the hues and smell of sandal paste, flowers and ten types of other ingredients.Consequently,)

The Brahmins, fond of their Vedas, see the water and fear that it is not pure and fit enough for their use and so avoid taking bath there and performing achamana.

Panipozhi kaaralum paarppaarum          8.52
Aravar adi thodinum                            8.67

This is interesting. This is a poem about Lord Muruga.

This contains conversation between the girl,her husband and her friend. The man left in the morning and returned  late; the wife 'smells' something ( literally)different about him and suspects that he has visited some other woman (quite common in the Sangam age). The husband denies it ,saying the smell was due to the pleasant breeze in the hill where the Lord's temple is situated and swears in the name of various things as his witness.In the process,he invokes-

panipozhi kaaralum -    the hill range with due on it
Paarppaarum -             Brahmins.

But the lady is not taken in, and tells him:
Even if you touch the feet of Brahmins, (aravar adi thodinum) do not invoke the name of the Lord, or his mount or his hill, etc!

Thus we see that there was the practice of swearing in the name of Brahmins.We also see the various ways in which Brahmins were termed or described. Here they are called 'aravar' ie those devoted to or following aram ie dharma.   It is easy to merely say Brahmin here and leave it at that. But the great sangam poets were masters of language and used words in a precise sense. Sangam Tamil, like Vedic Sanskrit, is very deep in import and cannot be interpreted in any way we like. That is why competent commentary is necessary.

Maayirum thingal marunirai aadhirai
Virinool andhanar vizhavu thodanga
Purinool andhanar polang kalam yaerppa 11.77-79

In the Hemant ritu, (in the month of Dhanur ie Maargazhi) in the Tirvaadhirai (Arudra) star, the Brahmins learned in the Agamas start the appropriate  festivities (connected with Lord Shiva, who is the Lord of this star); Brahmins learned in the Vedas carry the golden kalasa.

This is a good example of the use of language in a precise sense by Sangam poets. It takes some prior knowledge of the subject to interpret.

Maayirum refers to Hemant ritu, what in Tamil is called 'mun pani kaalam'- the season when light due starts falling early in the morning. But this ritu consists of two months- Dhanur and Makara (from mid-Nov to mid-January). How do we then take it as Dhanur? It is because of the mention of 'Aadhirai'- Arudra star: the day of this star in the Dhanur month is most famous as the day of Arudra Darshan of Lord Shiva! The poem says Brahmins have started the due festivities! It can only mean Lord Shiva's festivities even though Shiva is not mentioned by name! See what will happen if a secular ignoramus, unaware of these traditions, starts interpreting!
It is interesting to note the two kinds of Brahmins! One is devoted to Agama, which governs temple worship. Only the Brahmins specialised in the Agama can perform ritual worship in the temple which are constructed according to  and follow Agama rules.
The Vedic Brahmins do not enter into performance of temple worship, though they may recite Veda there.This practice is followed to this day in the temples following Agama.(Tantra).(In Tamil Nad, the great exception is Nataraja Temple at Chidambaram, where Agama rules are not followed and the worship is purely Vaidic.Sambandhar's Thevaram states it clearly: eg. "Katraanagu yeri ombi kaliyai vaaraame setraar vaazh Thillai Chitrambalam"
Our master Arunagirinatha sings it beautifully:

Veda noonmurai vazhuvaamey dhinam
Vaelviyaal ezhu punai moovaayira
Maenmai Vedhiyar migavey poosanai    puri kovey!
                                        (Thathu maa malar)

O Lord! whose  worship is conducted by the three thousand exalted Brahmins who conduct daily yajnas and other rituals as prescribed in the Veda, without default or deviation.

Appar Swamigal says:
Thinatthanai Vedam kunraath thillaich Chitrambalam!
Chitrambalam, where the sound of Veda does not fall short even by the amount of a small grain! (It is always full of Vedic sound)

Otherwise, Vedic Brahmins do not interfere with temple worship according to Agama. Brahmins following Agama do not conduct Vedic rituals. It is heartening that certain ancient traditions are still followed in this part of Kali yuga!

Munitthurai mudalviyar muraimai kaattap
Panippular paadip parumanal aruviyin
Voodhai voor thara vurai sirai vaedhiyar
Neri nimir nudangkazhal paeniya sirappin
Thaiyal magalir eerani pular thara
Vaiyai ninakku madai vaaiththanru   11.82-87

Shown the correct way to observe the austerities by the elderly  Brahmin ladies, (the young maiden) took their ceremonial bath in the river, early in the morning, when due was still falling. But because of the cold winds blowing, they reached the shore where the Brahmins were performing yajna with Agni, so that they could dry their wet clothes! O Vaigai! May the Ahuti that the Brahmins offer in the Agni be for you!

This is the famous 'Paavai nonbu'- the vrata observed by young maiden in the Dhanur month, in the olden days, praying for the blessing of obtaining good husbands! This is sung by Andal in Tirupppavai, Manikkavachaka in Thiruvembaavai, and also occurs in Bhagavatam!

Iru pirappu iru peyar yeera nenjatthu
Oru peyar andhanar aaran amarndhoyey    14.27-28

You like the dharmic observances of the Brahmins who have attained two births, and hence assumed two names and are endowed with compassionate hearts!


ALLIED MATTERS

Naal vagai yoozhi                        3.80
The four yugas 

Maurpirap parukkum maasil saevadi     3.2

The Lord's Feet which destoys the possibility of rebirth for devotees  (On Vishnu)

........Pagaivar ivar ivar nattor ennum
Vagaiyum vundo                                    3.57-58

(O Lord!) Do you ever have such categories like 'this is my foe, this is my friend'? (God has no friends or enemies-He is same to all!) See Gita!

      ............................ninakku
Matrorum ilar, kaelirum ilar  yenum
Vaetrumai yanradhu potrunarp periney    4.53-55

By the nature of jivas, it appears as if some are your friends, some foes; this is just an appearance- by Your nature, they are not true.

    
This is a splendid reflection of the Gita: 9.29

Samoham sarva bhuteshu 
na Me dweshyo asti na priya:
Ye bhajanti thu Maam bhaktyaa
Mayi thae thaeshu chaapyaham.

I am the same to all beings. To Me none is hateful or dear. But those who worship Me with devotion- they are in Me and I too am in them.

Manakkoll  ninanakkena vadivu vaerilaiyey!   4.56

You assume the form the devotee thinks of. Apart from this, You do not have a form of your own!


This too is an exact reflection of the Gita.4.11

Ye yataa Maam prapadhyantey
thaams thathaiva bhajaamyaham
Mama vartmaanu varthanthee
manushyaa: Partha sarvasa:

In whatever way men worship Me, in the same way do I fulfil their desires.O Partha, it is My path that men tread in various ways.

It is made clear in our Sastras that God takes form for the sake of devotees. Since God is considered Omnipotent by all believers, why shoud His form be restricted? Those idiots who criticise Hindus for having too many Gods and Goddesses should first understand that the One God (Ekam Sat) can take any number of forms or names (bahudha) for the sake of devotees! God is One, His (Her) forms are Infinite.

Ninnir seeriya nin thaal inaiyavai  
Your feet are greater than You!             4.62

This is a tremendous line, to be read with 3.2 above.
In the Bhakti literature, the Feet of the Lord are highly valued.This is a common Hindu tradition. Thiruvalluvar writes about the Feet of God in 7 out of 10 kurals in the very first section, in praise of God!

And remember that Paripaadal was composed much before Bhakti movement took root in Tamil land!

Evvayinoyum neeyey                      4.70

You are present, You have filled everywhere!
This is the exact meaning of the word Vishnu. See the very second name in Vishnu Sahasranama! Also, the most common prayer to Vinayaka: Suklaam baratharam Vishnum!

Azhidha appadivatthu ayariyorum
Marupirappu illenum madavorum saeraar
Ninnizhal                                         5.75-77

These idiots, who believe that this birth alone is true, and there is no rebirth- they will not reach Your Feet.


Sirappinull vuyar paagalum
Pirappinull izhibaagalum
Yaenor nin valatthinadhey                  5.19-21

To obtain good birth due to good karma, and to  get lowly births due to bad karma- this is subject to Your order.

(Karma is jada-insentient. It yields fruit as the Ordainer has ordered.)

...............amaindha kazhalin nizhalavai
Irumai vinaiyumila                              13.47-48

Devotees who worship You- they are freed from both (good and bad ) karmas. 
It is a fundamental Hindu principle that even good karma is bad- it is like a golden chain; it binds.To avoid rebirth, both karmas should go. That is what happens to devotees.

Mudhanmaiyin igandha kaalamum       13.24-25

In the beginningless time

Hindu belief is that Time is anaadi- ie without beginning!

Annaiyena ninaiyi ninnadi thozhudhanem
Anmaann adukka irainjinem vaazhtthinem
Munnum munnum yaan sei thavap payatthaal.
                                                        13.61-63

On account of the austerities we observed in previous births, we have obtained the fortune to offer obeissance to Your Feet with our hands, and to praise you and pray, repeatedly!

Ninaimin maandheer!                       15.29
O men, meditate!

.............nin pugazh yaetthi
Ani nedung kunram paadudhum thozhudhum
Avai, yaamum yen sutramum paravudhum
Yema vaigal peruga yaaam yenavey     17.51-54


O Lord of Thirupparangkunram! 
We with our relatives have not resorted to praising men in order to obtain happiness here. We  are worshipping you on this hill, desiring to be free of the pain of births!

Such are some of the orthodox Hindu ideas we come across in Paripaadal. We notice not a trace of differentiation between the devotees of Shiva and Vishnu or other Deities; in fact formal Shaivism and Vaishnavism seem to be a later phenomenon, though they are Ancient Deities. For instance, the first poem in Paripaadal is on Vishnu. And we see these lines there:

Aindhalai vuyariya anangudai arum thiral
maindhudai oruvanum madangalum nee        1.43-44

 You are the Ishwara with five heads, and the samhaara caused by Him!

Here, Vishnu Himself is praised as Shiva!

Friends! Let us not be deluded by the false propaganda indulged in by the Dravidian elements. The Sangam literature is a treasure-house of Vedic thought: there is not a single instance where the Vedic dharma is denied or contradicted. One may not agree with it now , but it is absolutely silly and idiotic to say ancient Tamil land did not have it! And Vedic thought is indigenous, not imported or foreigner- imposed like the Dravidian theory! Let us study the original Sangam literature, arm ourselves with correct information, and call the bluff of the liars!

    

BRAHMINS IN SANGAM LITERTURE-11. PURANANOORU

LITERATURE-LIGHT AND DELIGHT

BRAHMINS IN SANGAM LITERATURE-11
                Purananooru

Understanding depends upon the depth of the reader's knowledge. Valluvar says 'thottanaitthu voorum manarkeni'- the well in a sandy place yields water as it is deepened. Indirectly it implies too that the deeper you go, you get not only more but better water. Likewise, 'katranaitthu voorum arivu'- the more you learn, the more you understand. That is why the really learned people are humble.

Correct  understanding and interpretation of ancient literature depends upon how much the interpreter knows already. We see how careful the ancient interpreters are; for almost every word, they quote even more ancient authorities for they knew that every word was used in a precise sense. In modern times, this is seen in the editions of Dr.U.Ve.S.Iyer.

Does it mean that scope for interpretation of ancient literature is limited? Precisely! We can write whatever we want today and make words mean anything we like,  as Humpty Dumpty said. But for the ancients, words were sacred, and were but counters to reckon things by.

We should always remember that literature arises in a particular cultural milieu and things are said and understood in context. So many things are implied or just understood as meant, without explicit words. That is why in the olden days people always approached a learned man for understanding- not just reading.

The ancient Hindus stressed charity and giving gifts-dharma and dana.  Why? Because they knew wealth (like youth and the body) was not permanent, this wealth would not accompany one on his death and only the merit acquired by charity would help on that jouney. Pattinatthar said: even a broken needle will not accompany one on that last journey. Master Arunagirinathar said:share at least a little, like the broken rice grain; for just as your own shadow will not offer you shade from the sun, your own wealth will not help you on your last journey. Sankara reminded us: do not get proud of your wealth (or youth or reitnue); time snatches away everything in a trice. This is a sentiment running deep in our culture.  Sangam poet Vuraiyoor Mudukann Sathanaar sings of Chola King Nalangkilli. (This king fought his own brother ruling from another place. May be the poet wanted to teach him restraint)

BECOME CHARITABLE! (27)

Thaeidal vunmaiyum, perugal vunmaiyum

Maaidal vunmaiyum, pirattal vunmaiyum

Ariyaadoraiyum ariyakkaatti

Thingal puttezh teritarum vulagatthu

Vallar aayinum vallunar aayinum

Varundi vandor marungu nokki

Arula vallai aagumati.

Whatever may be the level of enlightenment of those who approach you- whether they are not aware of the truth that wealth is unsteady (it may decrease and disappear, or grow more) , that death is certain and is followed by rebirth, or they are so learned as to make people understand these truths and ascend the heavenly world adorned by the moon, or in any other state-  become compassionate and extend charity to them all.

We generally make a distinction between dana and dharma- specific giving and general charity. Dana is given to a fit person ie qualified in something, while general charity is extended without regard to the qualification of the recipient- like giving food. Here the poet is asking the king to become compassionate to all- "arula vallai aagu"! And he is subtly reminding him of his own ultimate vulnerability- inconstancy of wealth and life- whatever may be his present state of glory! He does this without causing any offence! Satyam bhruyat, priyam bhruyat- speak even truth in a pleasant way-said Manu. Tiruvalluvar is a master teacher and he can afford to be blunt:

Kooththaattu avaik kuzhaatthatrey perum chelvam

Pokkum adu vilindantru.   332.

Big crowd gathers to witness the village  magic show. And the crowd disperses as fast after the show. Riches are also like that.

Orupozhudum vaazhvadu ariyaar; karuduba

Kodiyum alla pala.          337

Man does not know whether he will live the next moment. But he entertains crores of thoughts!

Vuranguvadu polum saakkaadu vurangi

vizhippadu polum piraappu.      339

Death is like going to sleep. And (re)birth is like waking up from sleep. (One follows the other.)

Real charity comes out of a sincere realisation of some fundamental truths of life. This is what the great Sangam poets are teaching the big kings. Here comes our Nakkeerar, who has the reputation of not fearing  even the wrath of Lord Shiva!

WEALTH IS MEANT FOR CHARITY! (189)

Then kadal valaagam podumai inri

Venkudai nizhatriya orumai yorkkum

Nadunaal yaamattum pagalum thunjaan

Kadumaap paarkkum kalla oruvarkum

Vunbadu naazhi vuduppavai irandey

Piravum ellaam verokkummey

Selvatthup payaney eedal

Thuippom eniney thappuna palavey!

Whether it is a great king solely ruling over the whole earth covered by the seas, or he is the illiterate forest dweller hunting day and night, devoid of sleep,- their food consists of a half litre of grains; their clothing consists of a piece of cloth to cover the body from waist down, and another to cover the upper part. Everything else is the same! So, the proper use of wealth is for charity.If any one thinks he alone will enjoy his wealth, he misses many things!

This is a poem of tremendous import. The basic needs of all people are the same: food, clothing and shelter. But society has made it difficult for every one to obtain these basic needs! One important aspect of all religious ethics and morality is to make people charitable. Orthodox Hindu ethics made it the obligation of every one to share his income with five claimants! Tiruvalluvar made it obligatory for every householder to support the three other orders- brahmacharies, vanaprasta, sanyasi (Kural 41).Here, Nakkeerar is advising people in general that wealth beyond meeting one's immediate requirements of food and clothing should be given away in charity.

This takes us straight to the first mantra of the very first Upanishad: Isavasyam!

Isavaasyamidam sarvam yatkincha jagatyaam jagat

Tena tyaktena bhunjitha 

maa gruda: kasya swid danam

Everything in the world- moving and unmoving is pervaded by God. Enjoy (protect yourself) by renunciation. Covet not another's wealth. (Whose indeed is wealth?)

The idea is that everything belongs to God- man cannot claim anything as his own. What is above his immediate needs should be given to others- indeed it belongs to them! Mahatma Gandhi's famous principle of Trusteeship was based on this mantra. How well the Sangam poet reflects the idea!

"Thappuna palavey"- many things will be missed. What are these things? The traditional meaning was that such a person would miss the other purusharthas. Modern writers give any meaning they like. One even says the line means that 'many people do not think in this way' ( ie they do not engage in charity!)

There is another such poem of tremendous import, which has to be studied carefully for the meaning to be understood. This is by Kaniyan Poongkunranaar.Kaniyan indicates that he was well-versed in astronomy-astrology.

ALL ARE RELATED! (192)

Yaadhum oorey yaavarum kaelir

Theedhum nanrum pirar thara vaara

Nodhalum thanidhalum avatror anna

Saadhalum pudhuvadu anrey; vaazhdhal

Inidhena mahindhanrum ilamey, munivin
Innaadhu enralum ilamey; minnodu

Vaanam thann thuli thalaiyi aanaadhu

Kalporudu irangum mallal peryaatru

Neervazhipadoom punaipol aaruyir

Muraivazhip padoom enbadhu thiravor

Kaatchiyir thelindhanam aagalin maatchiyir

Periyorai viyattal ilamey;

Siriyorai igazhthal adhaninum ilamey.

Every place is our own. Everyone is our kinsman.

The good and adverse things we experience- they are not caused by others.

Likewise our illness and its cure are not caused by others. 

Death is not new (it began with life!)

We do not take life to be all pleasant and exult; nor do we curse it as bad,under frustration..

Like the boat which is carried away by the big river which has been flooded by heavy rain accompanied by lightning, making great noise dashing against the rocks, life is carried forward along the course of some order (destiny or fate or karma). This we have understood from realised people.

So, we do not wonder at the great people; even less do we look down upon the lowly.

 This is again extraordinary poetry. The first line is quite well known. But ask the people the reason-most will draw a blank. People talk glibly of universal brotherhood. But they do not even share water or shelter. Such conviction cannot come out of mere intellectual idea. It has deeper foundation.

There are two fundamental ideas here: that life follows some unseen order (murai); that the poet has understood it (thelindhanam) from realised persons (thiravor kaatchi). Some comments are in order.

The fundamental Vedic idea is that the universe follows some definite order. It is called "Rta". This translates into destiny or fate (called Oozh in Tamil) in individual lives. Thiruvalluvar has devoted an entire chapter for this subject- kurals 371-380. Behind this is the idea that this individual Oozh is caused by one's own good and bad actions, resulting in good and bad experiences.There is an Ordainer who has so arranged things.So, one cannot blame others for one's good or ill fortune. "Vagutthaan vaguttha vagai"- as the Ordainer has ordered- says Thiruvalluvar.{ One need not be disheartened or frightened by this. Our present life is due to past karma; likewise, the future will be based on present karma; so it is in our hands to shape our future.All dharma is meant for this.)

How does the poet know this? He says he has understood (thelindhanam) from "thiravor kaatchi''. This is a tremendous expression- not at all rendered properly by any one sofar.Thiravor is rendered as great or learned peope-'saanror'. 

But what about kaatchi? Kaatchi is "kaakshi" in Sanskrit- sight. So the question arises: whose sight, what sight!

It is known that in the whole of Hindu lore, we speak of the sight of only one category of people: The Rishis! They are called "Mantra Drushtaas" - they are the ones who have "seen" the mantras. They did not invent it- but saw it as it was- like Newton saw gravity, or Einstein saw relativity, or C.V.Raman saw the "Raman Effect". (Ramanujam got his theorems in dreams.) They did not work in a laboratory or depend on any instruments. So here thiravor kaatchi can only mean the spiritual insight of the Rishis. Unless one has conviction based on spiritual insight, it is difficult to believe in any higher truth. So this poem is based on a great spiritual foundation, which is at the heart of Hindu religion.

Even the great truths of astronomy were understood in this manner. This is hinted at by another poet- Vuraiyoor Mudhukannan Sathanaar, whom we saw earlier.

DISCOVERY OF GREAT TRUTHS! (30)

Sen jnaayitruch  chelavum

An jnaayitrup parippum

Parippuch choozhnda mandilamum

Vali thiritharu dhisaiyum

Varidhu nilaiyiya kaayamum endrivai

Senralarndhu arindor pola enrum

Inaitthu enporum ularey!

The path traversed by the Sun, the way it functions, the realm lighted by it and its movement, the movement of air in that realm, the (ten) directions, the sky which seems to be suspended without any support- there are great  people here who know these things as if they have gone there and measured them!

In Hindu orthodox circles, this science is called Jyotisham- which is an integral part of Vedic discipline, called one of its angas-Vedanga. It is the Rishis who discovered these truths sitting here- as if they went out and measured them there! How nicely the poet has conveyed this! Jyotisha is not just personal predictive astrology  ridiculously displayed these days in all vulgarity by half-baked, self-styled astrologers. Just one instance of the power of ancient Jyotisha will make us marvel at its accuracy: the way the solar and lunar eclipses are predicted years and months in advance by mere mathematical calculation without resort to  any instrument ! 

In fact, our itihasas are full of   astronomical clues as to their dates- but neither our historians nor our scientists have the sense or capacity to understand and interpret them. Nor do they have the simple grace or regard for truth to accept them. But they are roguish enough to criticise what they do not know and cannot understand!

The advocates of Dravidianism belong to this category. They do not know, and do not care to learn. But they go on repeating lies and think , like Dr.Goebbels, that deliberate repetition of lies will make falsehood a truth. 

Those who are interested in truth can easily see how much of Hindu belief-Brahminical belief- is embedded in these great Sangam poems!