Preface....
Introduction....
Life of Appar....
Development of the Story....
Date of Appar....
Appar as a Poet – An Eval....
Vedic Nature of Appar’s S....
Saiva Philosophy as Glean....
Siva Worship....
Music and Dance Gleaned f....
Festivals Gleaned from Te....
Other Sects....
Iconography....
Epigraphical References....
Appar in Art....
Festivals Connected with ....
Conclusion – Siva Bhakti....
Introduction
The Tevaram hymns(1) of the Saivite saints Appar, Sambandar and Sundarar, give a vivid picture of the state of Saivism in Tamil land in the seventh and eighth centuries A.D., besides the Thiruvacakam(2) of Manikkavacakar, which has to be assigned to the ninth century. Among the three Tevaram saints, both Jnanasambandar and Sundarar were born in Brahmin families and were duly ordained with Upavita at the appropriate age. They studied the Vedas and Puranic lore. One would naturally expect vedic thoughts to be reflected in their hymns. Manikkavacakar though later in time was also a Brahmin, with the title Brahmadhiraya. He was steeped in vedic tradition and took to Saiva faith later. Appar alone among the four Saiva Saints was born in a Vellala family, which, traditionally was not given to the study of Vedas. His poems should be taken to reflect popular tradition which may be considered a measuring rod to fathom the debth of Saiva devotion as understood and practiced by the common people.
It is necessary to note that the Tevaram hymns are spontaneous outpourings of devotion and were so regarded by vast majority of followers and are not polemic treatises - sastras - intended for study and practice by a chosen few. The ideas, myths, and concepts reflected in the Tevaram hymns should therefore be taken as those understood in a natural way by the laity. The third point of importance is the date. That Appar lived in the first half of the seventh century A.D. is fairly certain and that gives a firm datum for understanding the state of Saivism around 600 A.D. in Tamilnad, and also the Pan-Indian concepts reflected in these hymns, which in turn would help date many Saiva and Puranic works of North India as well.
According to Tamil tradition, Thirumular, the author of the famous text Thirumandiram,(3) was earlier than Appar, that would necessitate a review of his work, but doubs are expressed by some scholars on the date of composition of the text, as according to them, the decition, and the structure of the work and also the terminology and concepts were later. This objection does not seem to be justified. The two verses given below, are in context:
Tannir Tannai ariyum Talaimahan
Tannir annai Ariyat talaippadum
Tannir Tannai Arivilan ahidil
Tannir Tannaiyum cartarku ariyane (6212)
Tattuvam Talaikandarivar illai
Tattuvam Talaikandavar Kandilar
Tattuvam Talai ninravarku alladu
Tattuvan allan Tan Puhalurane (6733)
These verses, would be mistaken for Thirumandiram hymns, but in fact, they occur in the Tevaram hymns of Appar. Several such verses, resembling in diction, structure, and contents the Thirumandiram poems are found in Appar’s compositions. Thirumandirram could as well be a little earlier or contemporaneous with the Tevaram. However, for the preset study it is proposed to make only a brief comparative study.
Tamil has a hoary literary tradition. The vast body of its literature, from at least the first century B.C. like the Tolkappiyam, the Sangam works, the didactic work par excellence, Thirukkural, and references to several treatises on music, dance etc. and the works like Paripadal, and the twin epics Silappadhikaram and Manimekalai, leave us in no doubt about the existence of ritual treatises in Tamil at least from the first century B.C. The Paripadal,(4) refers to Virinul (the Agamas). Some excellent passages in Silappadhikaram(5) are sufficient enough to convince anyone in this regard. Appar and Sambandar very frequently refer to the Supreme as the embodiment of both Tamil and Sanskrit. There is a tradition that the Agamas were composed in the Tamil region. S.N. Dasgupta says “The Agamic Saivism belongs principally to the Tamil country”.(6) The Sivagamas or Siddhantas are supposed to have been originally written by Mahesa probably in Sanskrit. But it is said in Sivadharmottara, that these were written in Sanskrit, Prakrit and the local dialects. This explains the fact that the agamas are available both in Sanskrit and some Dravidian languages such as Tamil, Telugu and Kanarese.(7) Prof. Das gupta has also pointed out that “Banaras the principal seat of Saivism, has but a few manuscrips of importance. The important Siddhantas and Agamas, are quite numerous and most of them are in manuscripts mainly in South India(8)”. By 600 A.D. several hundred temples, dedicated to Siva and Vishnu had come into existence in Tamilnad, which were built according to prescribed texts and where the rituals were conducted as per codified manuals, the agamas. This body of literature, both in Tamil and Sanskrit should have assimilated each other’s tradition, though the former have not survived except in works like Thirumandiram. Thre is definite evidence in the agamas, showing purely Tamil ideas being incorporated in Sanskrit agamic texts. An instance is a verse from Kamikagama. Speaking about syllables (aksharas) the text divides them into vowels and consonants, the vowel is called jiva - the life and the consonant-the body-deha. It is well known that Sanskrit tradition calls vowels ‘ac’ or ‘Svara’ and consonant ‘hal’ or ‘Vyanjana’. It is the Tamil grammar Tolkappiaym (assignable to the first Century B.C. - first Century A.D.) that calls the vowel Uyir (life) and the consonant mey (body); Svarah shodasa jivakhyas, Kadayo dehavanmatah.(9)
Such assimilations require separate and detailed study. They have been dealt with here to emphasize the point that Appar has sung in the most lucid and moving style the Tamil devotional path, which is a landmark in Indian thought. It is also seen that Appar’s writing shows absolutely no sign of conflict between Tamil and Sanskrit. Both are treated alike time and again. (Only at one place he points out that Tamil is neglected not by the Vaidikas or the Saivites but by the Jains). Our study is to focus attention on Tamil Saivism in the pan-Saivaite systems, with its ramifications and evolutions, which would also be considered in their chronological perspective.
References
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1. |
Several editions of Tevaram have appeared, like the series published by the Saiva Siddhanta Mahasamajam, Madras; Tevara Thiruppadikangal of Jnanasambandar (1931), Appar 1930, Sundaar 1935. But the references in this work are from Tevara Adangalmurai, published by Mylai Ilamuruganar, Madras 1953; the number indicate the verse number. |
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2. |
Thiruvacakam of Manikkavacakar Pub. By Saiva Siddhanta Mahasamajam, Madras, 1939. |
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3. |
Thirumandiram of Thirumular, Pub. Saiva Siddhanta Mahasamajam, Madras, 1940. |
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4. |
Paripadal Ed. by Dr. U.V. Swaminatha Iyer, Madras, 1956, pp.127. |
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5. |
Silappadhikaram Edited by Dr. U.V. Swaminatha Iyer, Madras 1960. pp.510, 568. |
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6. |
Das Gupta, S.N., A history of Indian Philosophy, Delhi, (Reprint) 1975, pp.18. |
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7. |
Ibid, pp.15 |
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8. |
Ibid, pp.16 |
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9. |
Purva Kamikagama, Madras, 1975, pp.8 |