தமிழர் சமயம்

15. DAVID SHULMAN ON VAḶUVAR

The linguistic evidence is, as usual critical. We do not see in this work the archaic features of the Tamiḻ of Saṅgam anthologies, and we do find elements, both lexical and morphological, that are first attested in the Pallava-Pāṅḍya period, or even later, including the relatively young nominal plural forms in kal. Yet the Tirukkuṟaḷ definitely found a place within the classical Tamiḻ canon as the first, most visible item in the Eighteen Minor Works, its popularity clearly attested by a heterogeneous collection of fifty-three panegyric verses on it called the Tiruvaḷḷuva-Mālai, perhaps from Cōḻa times. Moreover, we should recall that Tamiḻ had an objective mechanics of canonization. The wide-spread popular story about Tiruvaḷḷuvar's birth and literary carrier, Tiruvaḷḷuvar carittiram, says that when this low-caste (or even out-caste) poet sought the authorization of the Madurai Saṅgam for his book, the academicians told him to place the palm-leaf manuscript on the renowned Saṅgam plank floating in the Golden Lotus Tank of the temple. He did so, and the plank at once contracted itself to the site of the Manuscript, unceremoniously hurling the forty nine great poet-scholars who usually sat there into the water. The Tirukkuṟaḷ thus triumphed over all other Tamil books and ever since has been clearly "in".

This same popular account interestingly identifies the poet as the son of a Brāhmin father, Bhagavan, and a Dalit mother, Ātiyāl (the two names constitute a gloss on the opening couplet of the text). Abandoned at birth, the baby was rescued and nursedby a weaver (Vaḷḷuvan) from Mayilapur (Mylapore in Chennai) then later adopted by a Veḷḷāḷa farmer. The standard iconography makes him an honest weaver - a bona fide left-hand artisan with a pedigree, well suited to a book of universalistic textures and context free values. But he is also seen, not by chance, as a magically potent Siddha yogi and exorcist, befriended by the great Śaiva Siddha Tirumūlar; when he died, birds who pecked at his body were turned to gold. This association with esoteric yoga, sorcery, and alchemy also suits the left-hand environment; but it is tempered by the poet's biological and/or metaphysical links to both Brāhmin and Dalit communities as well as to merchants, in the form of his close friend and disciple Elelasimha, and however briefly, to right-hand peasant-farmers. Like his book, Tiruvaḷḷuvar thus effectively belongs to everyone, though, as black burn has shown in a thorough study, his Paraiya-Dalit nature in integral to the thick web of stories woven around him in both premodern and modern times.

“Are we, then, to assume that the putative author of the Tirukkuṟaḷ was a metrical wizard who produced one marvel after another over 1330 verses? I doubt it. Indeed, I am somewhat skeptical about the unitary nature of the book altogether, despite the traditional view reflected in the many medieval commentaries on it (most authoritative among them by Parimēlaḻakar, probably in the late thirteenth or early fourteenth century) I tend to think of it as a collection, thematically organized, of Kuṟaḷ verses that deal, first with ethics and practical wisdom, widely defined - what came to be known as nīti in later times - and then with the favoriteTamiḻ theme of loving and its vicissitudes, it makes sense to expand our discussion a little to see how this topic was treated in the Tirukkuṟaḷ. First, however, we need a moment again, to consider dating and the canon.

As mentioned earlier, this book is part of the larger set of the Eighteen Minor works, usually thought to come after the Saṅgam period proper. That would mean, in my view, that we would want to place Tiruvaḷḷuvar (as a collective person in the middle of the first millennium, or some what later). Because of several statements in the opening chapters of Tirukkuṟaḷ including the benedictions-like first decade, there is a wide-spread scholarly view that the author was a Jain. In this case, too, the left-hand, orientation of the work is preserved, the historic constituency of the Jains (and the Budddhists) was largely urban and mercantile. Whatever original framing of this work, its author appears in the Tamiḻ imagination as an iconoclast and a social rebel. At the same time he is an exemplary householder, highly idealized, perfectly submissive - wife, Vacuki (who bears the name of a great serpent; nothing in the Vaḷḷuvar story is entirely normative). The first two large sections of the Tirukkuṟaḷ — Arattuppāl on Dharma and Poruṭpāl on fortune (including Political science) — have negative things to say about courtseans (a whole chapter 92, is devoted to denouncing such women) one couplet (91.1) also says that only a fool is in love with his wife. On the other hand, love per se, is celebrated.

David Shulman in his latest book “Tamil.”

16. CONCLUSION

1. Tirukkuṟaḷ of Thiruvaḷḷuvar can be fully understood only with the knowledge of Sanskrit, as it draws heavily from Dharma Śāstras, Artha Śāstras, Kāma Śāstra, Nāṭya Śāstra and also their commentaries.
2. The detailed study reveals it is virtually a Tamil rendering of the Dharma Śāstras and should be termed Dharma Śāstras in Tamiḻ.
3. As Dharma Śāstras are derivative texts from Vedas, their ultimate sources are Vedas and so is Tirukkuṟaḷ a derivative text from Sanskrit sources.
4. Even the ancient Tamiḻ texts declare Aṟam Kaṟai Nāviṉ Nāṉmaṟai
5. The most ancient Tamiḻ grammar, Tolkāppiyam says in its Pāyiram that it was approved by Ācan of Adankodu who was a great scholar and an expert in Aṟam Kaṟai Nāviṉ Nāṉmaṟai Muṟṟiya (அறம் கறை நாவின் நான்மறை முற்றிய) an expert in four Vedas and Dharma Śāstras.
6. The early Saṅgam poems declare that the Tamiḻ faculty followed the Vedic system of life called Śrauta Smārata system also called Vaidika Dharma Mārga; which believed in the Varṇāśrama system, the four Puruṣārthas and their daily routines, the worship of devas, ṛṣis, pitṛs (tenpulatār), guests (viruntu/athiti) and other living beings (animals, birds and reptiles) called (tenpullattar ?) pañcayajñas.
Beginning from teaching Akṣaras to the children till the end of man's life they followed the Dharma Śāstras which had an obligatory force.

Like the Dharma Śāstras, the ilvāḻvān (gṛhasta) was considered the sheet anchor of the society of all other men.

The State kingship, civil administration, judicial administration, the importance of cultivators and developing economy through production of food and wealth conform to the Vedic tradition. It witnessed an orthodox emphasis for orderly society and at the same time liberal in social life maintaining a balance of human emotions and family life.

It is seen the society as evidenced by Tirukkuṟaḷ, was common with all other parts of India as gleaned from literature, inscriptions, archaeology and acts like music, dance, monumental architecture.

All these were possible by the magic band of Vaḷḷuvar's expositions, through powerful expressions, which is possible to extracts a few verses from different sections of Kuṟaḷ, the Tirukkuṟaḷ can be comprehended only in its context and deep learning and we do need masters to explain the full details like Parimēlaḻakar.

The subjective interpretations, dating, distortions may continue, but for those who have a realistic understanding of people of India, through the centuries the meanings are self evident. Hatred for anything has no place in Vaḷḷuvar's way of life. Nearly 80% of the real imports of Tirukkuṟaḷ are lost to those who oppose Sanskrit learning. It is a pity, once the full import of their meaning, then one can realize greatest contribution to universal understanding could be comprehended.

Tiruvaḷḷuvar say that the state symbolized by the righteous scepter (ceṅkōl) was rooted in the Brāhmanical texts of Vedas and Dharmas and if the rulers fail to enforce that power, the civilization will collapse.
அந்தணர் நூற்கும் அறத்திற்கும் ஆதியாய்
நின்றது மன்னவன் கோல். — 55.3
ஆபயன் குன்றும் அறுதொழிலோர் நூன்மறப்பர்
காவலன் காவான் எனின். — 56.10
It is the duty of the rulers to protect Vedic systems and the Dharmic law for an orderly progressive society. So Vaḷḷuvar holds antaṇarṉūl is the Dharma Śāstras of Brāhmins.

The caste system was not created by the Brāhmins, but they themselves were one among the created, which resulted from natural evolution from different professions in the Vedic period.
The Brāhmins were allotted the profession of maintenance of law, especially at the rural areas.

Brāhmins were expected to keep absolute impartiality, integrity and treat all sections with affection and grace. Their main way of life was to study Vedas and the law books and also simplicity and magnanimity in dealing with men and matters. They were not considered Brāhmaṇas if they do not conform to the above obligatory codes. Aṟam was their profession.
அந்தணர் என்போர் அறவோர்மற் றெவ்வுயிர்க்குஞ்
செந்தண்மை பூண்டொழுக லான். — 3.10
This is mentioned by Manu in his Dharma Śāstra.
विद्वद्भिः सेवितः सद्भिः नित्यमद्वेषरागिभिः ।
हृदयेनभ्यनुज्ञातो यो धर्मः तन् निबोधत ॥ (II. 1)
Such men are called Śiṣṭas or Śuddha Śila Sadācāras. Only men of such conduct will be allowed in the village assembly. Manu says that even one such men will do; even if there are one thousand Brāhmins will not be allowed if they do not have such qualification. Clearly birth alone did not give any status in society. It is in time with what is said by Kṛṣṇa in Gīta, cātur varṇyam mayā sṛṣṭam guṇa karma vibhāgataḥ.It is evident Vaḷḷuvar had the respect to such Brāhmaṇas, as Manu, Buddha, others had.

The second part of the Aṟattuppāl deals with married life, which is the most important in the society. There were some Dharma Śāstra authors who held, this as the only stage in life (gṛhasta āśrama) and rejected the other three stages of studentship (brahmacharya), penance (tapas) and ascetics (sanyāsi) as irrelevant. But Manu and Vaḷḷuvar and majority of the Dharma Śāstra writers hold on to the four fold stages of āśrama but agree that the householder's life as the important.

The house holder supports the other three āśramas.

The house holder performs the ritual - tarpaṇa with water to devas, ṛṣis and dead ancestors. The house holder is obliged to offer feeding (yajñas) to five classes of beings - devas, ṛṣis, pitṛs, athiti (guests) and all other living beings (bhūta yajñas). This is called the five great sacrifices (pañca mahā yajña) (aimpulatār ōmpal) daily. Different kinds of marriages are mentioned. The man marries legally a women mainly for two reasons.
1. Enjoy the pleasures of conjugal union.
2. Beget children for the continuity of lineage.
The third part of the Aṟattuppāl deals with penance and tapas. In Kuṟaḷ the two aspects, the tapas and turavu (ascetics) are clubbed together in under one heading. But the Dharma Śāstras deal with them under separate headings. The sequence of brahmacarya, gṛhasta, tapsya and sanyāsa is same in all the Dharma Śāstras showing the unmistakable unity of Sanskrit and Tamiḻ tradition. This is followed by Rājanīti in both Manu and Kuṟaḷ. Kuṟaḷ treats however the Rājanīti under a separate volume called Poruṭppāl while Manu includes Rājanīti also in the same grouping as Studentship and Married life.

Kuṟaḷ treats State, Kingship, Civic administration, Judicial administration etc. The Dharma Śāstras treatment of the subjects are the same ideology of the state symbolised the Sceptre of the ruler, was mainly to enforce the Dharma Śāstras.
அந்தணர் என்போர் அறவோர்மற் றெவ்வுயிர்க்குஞ்
செந்தண்மை பூண்டொழுக லான். — 3.10
The third volume of the Kuṟaḷ on Kāmattuppāl is slightly different import unlike the Dharma and Artha volumes. This chapter doesnot attempt to give obligatory rites but appear as dialogues in the dramatic stage by the hero and heroine and her play mates. This being a volume on Śriṅgāra and also called Aham tradition. This change the mode of expression suits better. Secondly as the conjugal pleasures of the married man and women have already been dealt with Aṟattuppāl — under gṛhasta vrata this chapter seems to deal with extra marital pleasures especially in two forms. 1. A man going after another man's wife. 2. Going after public calls.

First is though treated it is condemned as a crime, the second though not prohibited leads to lowering down the social status on moral and ethical status.

The treatment of Aham theme in Tamiḻ tradition is brought under nāṭaka vaḻakku — dramatic style, not real but imaginative. The classic feeling as nāṭaka vaḻakku and ulakiyal vaḻakku (dramatic style and real life style) is treated in the Tamiḻ grammar, Tolkāppiyam. Majority of the ancient Saṅgam poems are in Aham style as it is called nāṭaka vaḻakku, it is clear that it is derivedfrom Nāṭya Śāstra which calls it Nāṭya Dharmi it goes without saying the Kāmattuppāl of the Tirukkuṟaḷ is based on Nāṭya Śāstra tradition.

Dr.U.Ve.Swaminatha Aiyar has written elaborately about the nāṭaka vaḻakku in his work on in Kuruntokai, and shows that Aham themes dependent on Nāṭya tradition.Thus it is clear all the three volumes of Kuṟaḷ Aṟam, Poruḷ and Kāmam are rooted in Sanskrit tradition.

We may now conclude that Kuṟaḷ is a lakṣaṇa grantha — life style of people and Saṅgam poems reveal the actual life as lived by the Tamiḻ people. For a student of ancient Tamiḻ society, Tirukkuṟaḷ furnishes the grammar of life style and the Saṅgam Poems furnishes the real life of the people.

There is one point that needs to be understood the language of the different regions may be different, but the culture will remain the same. For example, Tamiḻnadu had two different languages Centamiḻ and Koṭuntamiḻ. One cannot argue for two different cultures in these places. The Tamiḻ grammar speaks of four kinds of words that were used in Tamiḻnādu which could be used in poetry they are called iyalcol, tiricol and ticaicol and vaṭacol. One cannot postulate four different cultures within Tamiḻnadu. Similarly Dravidam is a word used to denote Tamiḻ, Telugu, Malyalam and Kannada but the core values of culture in all these regions are same. Peripheral differences will also be there in one linguistic zone but their culture remains the same. Such peripheral differences are seen in five different regions of five tiṇai, into which Tamiḻnadu was divided these core cultures one and the same. It becomes therefore evident, that language of the Northern and Tamil region are different but the core lifestyle remain the same. This Vaḷḷuvar's work Tirukkuṟaḷ, illustrates clearly the lifestyle of the Tamils and the Northern India are the same. This is what Subramanya Bharathi meant when he sang, “no doubt Mother India speaks 18 different languages, but her thought remains one.”
செப்பும் மொழி பதினெட்டு உடையாள்
எனில் சிந்தனை ஒன்று உடையாள். — பாரதியார்