Dr.R.Nagaswamy
#A0522D
Why worship in Sanskrit
{An over enthusiatic Government Officer in charge of Temple administration issued an order that Sanskrit should be removed from all Tamil nadu temples and only Tamil should be used in worship. This led some one to go to the court challenging the instructions. The modern selfseeking pseudo Tamil scholars started a vigourous campaign agaist Sanskrit and protests fasts in Temple premises which became a great agitation of no sense. What was sought to be done was to destroy two thousand years of cultural tradition without knowing the true nature of worship. This article of mine published by "THE HINDU" brought all parties to senses and the agitation subsided. R.N}
A controversy now rages as to whether archana offerings in temples should be in Sanskrit or Tamil. According to reports, the debate was sparked by someone going to court pleading that only Sanskrit should be allowed because temple worship is controlled by the Agamas which prescribe only Sanskrit. Opposed to this there are those who say Tamil alone should be allowed. In the process, Sanskrit is portrayed as the enemy of the Tamils. Another report seems to suggest that the issue in the court is not between Sanskrit and Tamil but whether a professedly secular government should interfere with the mode of worship in Hindu temples. Whatever be the case the controversy has been taken to the streets. From an antalysis of history it seems both the sides are arguing without an understanding of the ancient traditions and scriptures.
Let me say at the outset that the protagonists of "Sanskrit archanas" seem to be in the wrong. The Kamikagama, the foremost agama among the 28 Saiva agamas, is mainly used as the authority in most temples of Tamil Nadu. It deals with temple rituals and daily worship in the chapter on Archananga vidhi and states how worship should be conducted. It prescribes the use of Tamil also.
Uurdhvam dramida bhaashaanqam gaanam nrittam tadaapi vaa
Samskritaad anapabhramsam naanaa svara samanvitam
tat ashtaadasa bhaashottham gaanam vaa parikalpayet
"Then music and dance in Tamil followed by Sanskrit without colloquial expressions may be used as a part of the worship. In addition the 18 languages could be used and music recited."
This position is again repeated in the same agama at a later stage. Thus it is evident that the use of Tamil in worship is prescribed in the Agamas. They even go a step further and suggest that all the 18 languages could be used, including foreign languages. Agamas are the most catholic treatises within the time frame they were compiled. The Vaishnavites rightly say that their tradition has been giving equal importance to both Tamil and Sanskrit for over 1000 years and that long before the present politicians came on the scene they had given precedence to Tamil. The daily Prabhandam recitations in the Vaishnavite temples are a feast to the ears. None of the present protagonists of Tamil archana has extended a helping hand to this declining tradition.
The true devotees of both the Saiva and Vaishnava sects claim, with some justice, that they were far ahead of the modern self-seeking politico-religious leaders. All temple worship is meant for the prosperity of the people. The archanas are based on the efficacy of sacred sounds and the ritual vibrations they create. Sanskrit (Vedic mantras) that has been used for the past 4000 years has perfected this resommce through centuries. Tamil did not lag behind. The Saiva and Vaishnavite saints who lived mostly between the 6th and 9th centuries handed down to us the then existing beliefs and customs. Saint Appar belonging to the Vellala agricultural class, sings again and again that God is the essence of the Vedas and the embodiment of mantra and tantra. He also says that the God is none other than the Tamil and Sanskrit languages. Similarly, the Alvars proclaim that God is Tamil and Sanskrit. No one today could claim he is a better devotee than these noble saints. After all, both the Saiva and Vaishnava saints were deeply rooted in the Sanskrit agamas but have sung excellent poems in Tamil. To the ancient saints there was absolutely no conflict between the two languages.
It is clear that those who swear by any one language have no faith either in their own tradition or scriptures. The saints have clearly said that both Vedic mantras and Tamil should and could be used and that is confirmed by the agamic tradition. Also the agamas and the saints tell us, in no uncertain terms, that all languages emanated from the same Supreme God and hence, the question of superiority of one over the other does not arise. What was important was sincerity of devotion as in the case of Kannappan or Nandanar or Thiruppanaalvar, whom the Hindu society worship as gods to this day. The moment the conflict between the languages is brought within the portals of the temples, Godhood ceases to manifest for, according to agamas, God manifests only where there is no mire but only in the place which is pure as a crystal, be it in an image or a symbol. It is clear that any devotee can claim to be a follower of his religion only when he accepts both Sanskrit and Tamil and what is more alll the 18 lamguages of India and more precisely, all languages of the world. Our temples should continue to use both the Vedic mantras and Tamil as has hitherto been done, following in the footsteps of our saints.
The protagonists of the Tamil archanas weakened their case by aligning themselves with rank atheists. It is wrong to champion atheism as the product of modern revolutionaries. Atheism has been in existence from time immemorial. The money-spinning, miracle-promising babas and avatars of modern times have helped to spread atheism even among the theists. While the atheists have their right to hold their views, they could leave it to the faithful to settle their own differences. The Government has done well to follow devotees to choose the language they want for the archanas.
It is not known whether any hidden oral order exists as claimed by some. But it must also be said against the present agitators that none of them bestowed any thought on the resonance and efficacy of the rhythmic sound and got Tamil archanas ready. An attempt was made by government-sponsored agencies with men, influential in the Government, but with little sensitivity to resonance and sanctity of the sound. With the result, the attempt seems to have failed. It is not surprising, for the motivation was hatred towards a particular language rather than love for all languages.
The archana should have a structure and flow beautifully so that both the priest and the devotee could commit the words to memory in a musical form, so that the mere hearing brings divine joy. The forced culling of words and phrases from the poems of the saints will not constitute a sweet archana. There are enough phrases in the works of our saints which could be selected but these should be left to the learned and devout and not to the Government-sponsored agencies. There could even be more than four or five different archanas to the same god. In due course the most rhythmic one will capture the hearts of the devotees. The Mahabharata and the Puranas have even two or three archanas to the same God. The compilation of the Sahasranama or Ashtottara is too highly technical exercise that requires a thorough knowledge of the religious ethos, philosophy, music and deep devotion as seen from the beautiful Lalitha Sahasranama and Vishnu Sahasranama. Further, sufficient time should be given, for the priests to learn, assimilate and translate these into religious consciousness.
The Government could lend a helping hand by keeping itself strictly away from this controversy in true secular spirit as was done by the British in the 19th century. History would prove that the compilers of the agamas were more prudent and that by the close of the 21 st century, English archanas would have also been included in the temples.
Dr. R. Nagaswamy, former Vice-Chancellor,
SriChandrasekharendra Saraswathi Visva Mahavidyalaya. Kanchipuram