preface
Mirror of Tamil and Sanskrit
R. Nagaswamy
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Author's preface
Citing extensively from ancient Saṅgam Tamiḻ works and also the ancient Tamiḻ grammar, this book establishes for the first time that Tamiḻ attained Classical status by adopting Vedic and Sanskrit traditions, especially with the help of Brahmins in the formative stages, and demonstrates that it rapidly progressed as a result of borrowing. The gods worshipped by the ancient Tamiḻs were Śiva, Viṣṇu as Kṛṣṇa, Rāma, Balarāma, Kumāra (Muruga), Indra, Varuṇa, Durgā, Kāli and others who were clearly the Vedic gods. The society was divided into Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, Śūdras and mixed castes. Most of the Tamiḻs believed in the efficacy of Vedic religion in every field of Tamiḻ life. They were guided by customs and manners prescribed in Vedic lore and performed Vedic offerings in their domestic life. All the kings like Cērās, Cōḻās, Pāṇḍyās, and the Vēḷir chieftains, including the common man performed vēḷvis.
Most Tamiḻ people including a section of Veḷḷaḷars who were called “Uyarkuṭi” the upper castes, studied the Vedas and Vedaṅgas. The fivefold division of the Tamiḻ life as kuṟiñci, mullai, marudam, neital and pālai are mentioned in Bharata’s Nāṭya Śāstra mentioned as kakhṣyas division. The judicial administration was based on the principles of Dharma-śāstra compiled by the Vedic ṛṣis like, Yājñyavalkya, Vasiṣṭa, Nārada, Manu, Bhṛahaspati and Parāsara. The civic administration was organized as mentioned in the Vedic sabhās - village assemblies of elected representatives. The Tamiḻ poetics as prescribed in Tolkāppiyam was adopted from Sanskrit sources for example phonetics, alaṅkārās like upamā, and so on. Further, the earliest readable script Brāhmi, it is shown here, was invented by Brahmins and hence called after them Brāhmi in the time of Aśoka, in the Saraswati Valley. The Tamiḻs followed the eight kinds of marriages and registration, specifically formulated by the Brāhmaṇās. The eightfold marriage system is referred to by Tolkāppiyam, in the kaṟpiyal, the chapter on chastity.
Disposal of the dead, funerary rituals, planting memorial stones, and so on are as stipulated in Sanskrit sūtras and Āgamic literature. The temple worship in ancient Tamiḻnāṭu followed the Āgamic ritual treatises. The aesthetics of music, dance, and literature and realization of the rasas are based on Bharata’s Nāṭya Śāstra. The division of poetry as aham and puṟam is essentially based on dance tradition, as śṛṅgaram (aham) and exploits (puṟam) and were meant for aha-kūttu and puṟa-kuttu. It appears that similar to all other regions of India, each area has its own unique dialect. Tamiḻ also had its own dialect, but with this difference, Tamiḻ had an advanced dialect of its own which could assimilate incoming ideas quickly and flower into a beautiful classical language. It also shows the Tamiḻ kāvyas were translated into Sanskrit. The Śaiva Nāyaṉmārs and Vaiṣṇava Āḻwārs mentioned that they rendered the Vedas and their essence into Tamiḻ. The book is truly a path-breaking exposition that places Tamiḻ and Sanskrit in proper historical and chronological perspective. In this sense, it challenges many unfounded pedestrian speculators’ assertions on Tamiḻ culture not based on any discipline but on subjective and self-seeking writings. The book calls for a deeper study of Tamiḻ literature following a multi-dimensional academic discipline and scientific approach. The book is sure to stimulate further in-depth studies in all aspects of Tamiḻ culture. The author will be very happy if any of the point raised is proved wrong based on factual material and will stand corrected. I am thankful to Ravi of Jai Ganesh Offset Printers, who has taken a great interest in seeing this book through the press.