Tamil Litrature - A vast source on Indian Culture

[Guest guest]

Dear All

 

Let me on the onset clarify that there is no separate Tamil Culture and it is

also a Vedic Culture before detailing on what I am going to write. Please read

the article and give your comments.

 

Tamil, being the other older language, has a vast resources on Vedas and Indian

culture. The Grammar book “ Agasthiyam†written by sage Agasthya is lost but

the commentary on that by a great scholar “ Tholkappiyar†is intact and can

be attributed to minimum 3rd Century BC. This book refers on Thaithriya

Upanishad. Sangam literature can be between 2nd BC to 2nd AD. The five Tamil

epics which are by both Buddhist and Jain scholars are between 3rd-5th

centuries.

 

The Bhakthi Literature of Thevaram and Divya Prabhandam are 6th -8th century

which ended the dominance of Jainism in Tamilnadu.

 

Most of the sangam and the 5 epics are on social subjects and not on religious

compared to the Sanskrit texts. The beauty lies in Social texts describing the

practice of Vedas, Yagnas and Worship practices and give more authencity to the

Indian culture. The great “ Thirukkural†talks high of Vedas.

 

Being social in nature, these literatures do have characters saying something

like the Japali of Ramayana and all these Dravidian politicians and the

missionaries quote selectively.

 

Most of the scholars here are fearing to quote even many of the texts.

Interestingly the Buddhist and Jain epics give details of the havans, Vedic

reciting, Gods, Pujas etc very clearly. For eg one Madurai Kanchi, ( 1st BC)

which is on Pandyas Madurai says “while the Cheras capital Vanchi and Cholas

capital Uraiyur wake to the sound of birds, Our Madurai wakes to the sound of

Vedas of the patasalas.â€

 

The Thevaram quotes that in 6th century AD all the 1000 shakas of Sama Vedas

were practiced in Tamilnadu. ( Now only 4 shaka of 1000 is surviving in the

whole country. Adarvan Veda was fully lost but for the Kanchi Paramacharya who

located one old pundit of one shaka of Adarv Veda and sent disciples to study.

One shaka is surviving and Thirupathi Devasthan is running classes)

 

The marriages were conducted in Vedic way. Veda practitioners were held in high

esteem. All the epigraphs in temples speak about this.

 

When North was attacked by the invaders, many came and settled here. Except for

a brief 40 years, Tamilnadu was continuously under Hindu kings till 18th

century. Even during British Tanjore, Ramnad, Pudukkottai were princely states

and the tradition continued. Hence the Tamil literature is a rich source for

Vedic traditions till the advent of the Dravidian politicians and the English

media which has the name “ Hinduâ€.

 

Hence, please do not consider “ Tamil†as a different culture and practice.

They are Vedic Culture only. Hence Tamil Sources are equally important and have

vast details on our tradition.

 

I will write atleast once in a week on these.

 

Regards

 

sankar

[Guest guest]

Dear Mr.Sankaranarayanan,

 

Very interesting article,am looking forward your writings.

 

Regards

Rajkumar

 

 

, " sankaranarayanan k.s "

<shankypriyan wrote:

>

>

> Dear All

>

> Let me on the onset clarify that there is no separate Tamil Culture and it is

also a Vedic Culture before detailing on what I am going to write. Please read

the article and give your comments.

>

> Tamil, being the other older language, has a vast resources on Vedas and

Indian culture. The Grammar book “ Agasthiyam†written by sage Agasthya is

lost but the commentary on that by a great scholar “ Tholkappiyar†is intact

and can be attributed to minimum 3rd Century BC. This book refers on Thaithriya

Upanishad. Sangam literature can be between 2nd BC to 2nd AD. The five Tamil

epics which are by both Buddhist and Jain scholars are between 3rd-5th

centuries.

>

> The Bhakthi Literature of Thevaram and Divya Prabhandam are 6th -8th century

which ended the dominance of Jainism in Tamilnadu.

>

> Most of the sangam and the 5 epics are on social subjects and not on religious

compared to the Sanskrit texts. The beauty lies in Social texts describing the

practice of Vedas, Yagnas and Worship practices and give more authencity to the

Indian culture. The great “ Thirukkural†talks high of Vedas.

>

> Being social in nature, these literatures do have characters saying something

like the Japali of Ramayana and all these Dravidian politicians and the

missionaries quote selectively.

>

> Most of the scholars here are fearing to quote even many of the texts.

Interestingly the Buddhist and Jain epics give details of the havans, Vedic

reciting, Gods, Pujas etc very clearly. For eg one Madurai Kanchi, ( 1st BC)

which is on Pandyas Madurai says “while the Cheras capital Vanchi and Cholas

capital Uraiyur wake to the sound of birds, Our Madurai wakes to the sound of

Vedas of the patasalas.â€

>

> The Thevaram quotes that in 6th century AD all the 1000 shakas of Sama Vedas

were practiced in Tamilnadu. ( Now only 4 shaka of 1000 is surviving in the

whole country. Adarvan Veda was fully lost but for the Kanchi Paramacharya who

located one old pundit of one shaka of Adarv Veda and sent disciples to study.

One shaka is surviving and Thirupathi Devasthan is running classes)

>

> The marriages were conducted in Vedic way. Veda practitioners were held in

high esteem. All the epigraphs in temples speak about this.

>

> When North was attacked by the invaders, many came and settled here. Except

for a brief 40 years, Tamilnadu was continuously under Hindu kings till 18th

century. Even during British Tanjore, Ramnad, Pudukkottai were princely states

and the tradition continued. Hence the Tamil literature is a rich source for

Vedic traditions till the advent of the Dravidian politicians and the English

media which has the name “ Hinduâ€.

>

> Hence, please do not consider “ Tamil†as a different culture and

practice. They are Vedic Culture only. Hence Tamil Sources are equally important

and have vast details on our tradition.

>

> I will write atleast once in a week on these.

>

> Regards

>

> sankar

>