Bhakti Tradition in Ancient Tamilnadu

[Guest guest]

Often, people, even Tamils, are given to believe that the vedic religion was

brought by Aryans. Never mind that Aryan invasion theory itself is baseless.

And many also think that the worship of Vishnu started with Bhakti era. That is

around 5th century

CE. That is incorrect from an unbiased study of anciet literature. The most

ancient records of Tamilnadu are the Sangam literature. Dating them is

difficult, but they belong to the pre-Christian era. If you read the poetry of

those ages, it becomes evident that the roots of Bhakti tradition were deeply

established then.

Let us see the first Paripadal from the Sangam times, in praise of Vishnu. The

references and concepts are non-different from what we find in the outpourings

of the Azhwars:

"Aayiram virittha vanangudai arum thalai

Theeyumizh thiranodu mudimisai yanavara

Maayudai malar maarbin maiyilvaal valai meni

Seiyuyar panaimisai ezhil vezham yendhiya

Vaai vaangum valai naanchil oru kuzhai oruvanai"

Translation(Based on Parimelazhagar): You have [Adiseshan] with a thousand

heads, resting over your head. It is in your bosom that Lakshmi resides.

[baladeva], who has the complexion of conch shell, carrying the elephant flag,

a great army and a thick shock of hair is none but your expansion.

Then the same Paripadal goes on:

"Sevalan kodiyoi nin valavayinirutthu

Mevalut panindhamai koorum

Naavalandhanararu maraipporule"

Translation(Based on Parimelazhagar): O, the one who has Garuda in his flag, you

are the One that the vedas hail. Now compare this with what Thirumazhisai Azhwar

wrote a few centuries later:

"Sollinaal thodarcchi nee solappadum porulum nee

Sollinaal solappadaathu thondrugindra sodhi nee

Sollinaal padaikka nee padaikka vandhu thondrinaar

Sollinaal surunga nin gunangalai solla vallare"

Translation: You are the continuation of the vedas and you are the

meaning of the vedas. You are the effulgent Brahman that the the

vedas reveal, not explicitly though. How can Brahma, who came of the

vedas that you created, express your glories in mere words?

Of course, you might have also enjoyed this great poet's play of the word "sol",

to mean both "vedas" and "spoken word". Anyways, that shows that there is a

continuity of bhakti tradition from the Sangam age until the days of azhwars.

 

Let me quote from the work of Thirumazhisai Azhwar, who lived in the 6th century

CE [dates guesswork - not accepted by the Sri Vaishnavites]:"Poonilaaya

aindhumaai punar kanindra naangumaai Theenilaaya moondrumaai cirandha kaal

irandumaai Meenilaayadhu ondrumaai veru veru thanmaiyaai Neenilaaya vannam

ninnai yaar ninaikka vallare"Even though the words seem simple, the meaning is

profound. He is glorifying Thirumaal as the embodiment and source of all.

Translation: You symbolise the earth with its five qualities of sound, touch,

form, mellow [rasa] and smell. You symbolise water with its four qualities of

sound, touch, form and rasa. You symbolise fire with its three qualities of

sound, touch and form. You symbolise wind with its two qualities of sound and

touch. You symbolise the sky (space) with its one quality of sound. Now compare

this with a Sangam poetry [written before the Christian era - exact dates

unknown], Pathimoondraam [13th] Paripadal by Nallezhuniyaar, where he glorifies

Thirumaal [Vishnu]:"Suvaimai isaimai thotram naatram Muravaiyu neeye

aduporannaal Avai avai kollum karuviyum neeye" Translation [based on

Parimelazhagar]: You are what symbolises taste, sound, form, smell and touch.

You are the enjoyer through all these attributes.Then he goes on to sing:

"Mundhi yaam kooriya vaindhanullum Ondranir pottriya visumbu neeye Irandi

nunarum valiyu neeye Moondri nunarum theeyum neeye Naangi nunarum neerum neeye

Aindhudan muttriya nilanu neeye"Translation [based on Parimelazhagar]: You are

the sky that has the quality of sound, one of the five senses (qualities). You

are the wind with its two-fold qualities of sound and touch. You are the fire

known by its three-fold qualities of sound, touch and form. You are water known

by its four-fold qualities of sound, touch, form and rasa. you are the earth

known by its five-fold qualities of sound, touch, form, rasa and smell. You are

the maintaner of all living entities in all the universes.Now we can see that

not only in terms of Bhakti, but even in terms of conceptualisation and

phraseology there is a clear continuity between Sangam days and Bhakti era.

This is possible only if there had been a continuous living tradition of

Vaishnavism during Sangam days and through Bhakti era. So, Bhakti era is not

some sudden coming of religion or influence, as history tends to teach. It was

just the mature phase of what existed in the earlier Sangam era.

END**************************************************************************************************************Do

You ?

Sports - live college hoops coverage