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TIRUKKURAL
An Abridgement of Śāstras
R. Nagaswamy
VOLUME - I
AṞATUPPĀL
4.1. BRAHMACHĀRI VRATAM
4.1.2. Bhikṣa Vandanam (Vāṉciṟappu)
Following the chapter on Akṣarābhyasa (begininng of Vedic teaching), which deals with the qualities of the teacher and the personal discipline of the student, the chapter titled vāṉ-ciṟappu meaning “Greatness of rain” is presented.
வானின் றுலகம் வழங்கி வருதலால்
தானமிழ்தம் என்றுணரற் பாற்று. — 2.1
When describing the student discipline, the Dharma Śāstras deals with the subject of food under the caption Bhikṣa. A student stays in the house of a teacher in Brahmacarya state. However, for his sustenance, he must go and collect food from neighbours or one of the householders who must support the student by giving him food as alms. The student can get the Bhikṣa from any house of three castes. The student is expected to show the food he received to the teacher and after his approval eat it. The student is thus not a burden to the teacher for his maintenance. It is an important aspect of a student’s lifestyle. This means after dealing with the commencement of learning, the Dharma Śāstras deal with food — Annam which is therefore a subject matter of treatment after initiation. Annam assumes significance. So, the second chapter of Kuṟaḷ dealing with rain follows this tradition of the Dharma Śāstras. Vaḷḷuvar deals with food which is called nectar Amṛta. This is essential and is given by rain which causes the production of Annam.
In the same manner, Taittirīya Upaniṣad deals with Annam, because it is the base of producing phonetics. Annam is obtained from water in the form of rain. Food is produced from water and water is called Annam. So, this is the order ordained by the Upaniṣad which is followed by Dharma Śāstras which in turn is followed by Kuṟaḷ. Hence, the second chapter in Tirukkuṟaḷ, vāṉ-ciṟappu in fact is the subject of Annam. Annam (food) was always called amutu. Thousands of inscriptions mention the provision of food offerings as amutu-paṭi.
All people including the Brahmacāri (student) recite the amṛtābhidānamasi (you are now fed with food) when one eats food. So, when Vaḷḷuvar uses the word amutam in the chapter on vāṉ-ciṟappu, he is emphasizing the role of rainwater in the production of food. The rain should occur regularly at appropriate times in a rhythmic cycle. Without this regularity, there will only be drought and hunger and hence can sustain or destroy a person. Without rains, even the tip of grass will not grow, even the great ocean can be dried, even god would be deprived of worship or offerings, and one cannot offer gifts or perform penance.
In verse-2.1 he praises the rains descending from the sky, as the giver of food.
வானின் றுலகம் வழங்கி வருதலால்
தானமிழ்தம் என்றுணரற் பாற்று. — 2.1
In verse 2.2, Vaḷḷuvar points out that the rain is the originator of food which subsequently becomes food (nourishment) itself. This is an Upaniṣadic passage which says āpo vā annam, water (āpo) is annam — Taittirīya Upaniṣad.
துப்பார்க்குத் துப்பாய துப்பாக்கித் துப்பார்க்குத்
துப்பாய தூஉம் மழை. — 2.2
The rain is an originator of food and itself becomes food for others. (It is water that turns into food)
விண்ணின்று பொய்ப்பின் விரிநீர் வியனுலகத்
துண்ணின் றுடற்றும் பசி. — 2.3
If rain fails to pour from the sky, there will be only drought and hunger, when the rhythm of monsoon fails there will be only hunger.
ஏரின் உழாஅர் உழவர் புயலென்னும்
வாரி வளங்குன்றிக் கால். — 2.4
If rain fails to fertilise the earth, the farmers will not be able to plow the land (food production will cease).
கெடுப்பதூஉம் கெட்டார்க்குச் சார்வாய்மற் றாங்கே
எடுப்பதூஉம் எல்லாம் மழை. — 2.5
Rains may make or destroy a man by arriving at the proper time or failing at the expected times.
விசும்பிற் றுளிவீழின் அல்லால்மற் றாங்கே
பசும்புற் றலைகாண் பரிது. — 2.6
If the rain fails to arrive at the appropriate time, even a small grass cannot sprout (even minor accomplishments cannot be attained without the presence of discipline).
நெடுங்கடலும் தன்னீர்மை குன்றும் தடிந்தெழிலி
தானல்கா தாகி விடின். — 2.7
Even a vast ocean can be dried up if the clouds do not suck the waters (rain) at an appropriate time (if there is no proper attempt to do regular work at the appropriate time, even very great work may fail).
The verses 8, 9, and 10 are important from another perspective so we may discuss them in detail.
சிறப்பொடு பூசனை செல்லாது வானம்
வறக்குமேல் வானோர்க்கும் ஈண்டு. — 2.8
If rain fails even gods in heaven will not receive special worship.
Lazarus: If the heavens dry up neither yearly festivals nor daily worship will be offered in the world to the celestials.
G.U. Pope: If heaven grows dry with feast and offering never more will men on earth heavenly one dare. (Pope, Clearly avoids the phrase “worship of gods” because it will admit worship of Hindu gods.)
VRR: If the rains were to fail there would be no more offerings and festivals to Gods.
Bala: If ever the sky should get dried, to those of heavenly sphere no oblation special or daily will be offered daily. (Bala also avoids the use of “worship of Gods” for pūcanai and seems to be influenced by Pope. Any pūcanai is not oblation, but worship)
Vāṉmīki: Daily service and special festival to the divine beings will not take place here on earth if drought sets in.
This Kuṟaḷ deserves to be viewed from another angle. Here, Vaḷḷuvar specifically mentions vāṉoṟkku ciṟappu - சிறப்பு பூசனை வானோர்க்கும். Evidently, what Vaḷḷuvar says is the worship of Hindu gods and also festivals — ciṟappu — viśeṣa pūja and pūcaṉai — pūja to Hindu gods.
In his introduction, Pope said that Vaḷḷuvar did not mention any temple worship or offering to Gods as he did not have any faith in Hindu temples. According to Pope, Vaḷḷuvar listened to the Christian faith and wrote only Christian teachings as Kuṟaḷ. (P 2-3)
This Kuṟaḷ will give a direct lie to Pope's Christian colour. Pope’s myth is directly exposed by this reference to ciṟappu pūcaṉai. This is further confirmed by the next Kuṟaḷ in which Vaḷḷuvar refers to tapas and dānas.
தானம் தவம்இரண்டும் தங்கா வியனுலகம்
வானம் வழங்கா தெனின். — 2.9
This Kuṟaḷ says that, if there is no rain, neither dānams (gifts) nor tavam (tapas - penance) will support the doer in heaven.
According to Hindu traditions, making religious gifts and penance are the pathway to redemption (mokṣa). One will not be able to either make ritual gifts or religious penances if there is no rain and will not achieve redemption.
Lazarus: If rain fails not penance and alms deed will not dwell within the spacious world. (RN: Lazarus is as close as possible to the original.)
G.U. Pope: Heaven gets watery and ceases to dispense through the wide world gifts and deeds of penance.
(RN: Here, Pope translates the word tavam as penance. According to Hindu thought tapas is observing a strict code of life to achieve something greater, not for expiation. tapas is something foreign to Christian concepts but Pope tries to equate it to the sinners)
VRR: If the rains were to fail, there would be neither alms nor penance in this wide earth.
(RN: Penance is a religious vow and alms is a religious act as per Hindu thought. It is evident that Vaḷḷuvar is speaking about religious faith which Pope is trying to suppress.)
Bala: Neither the deeds of charity nor penance will bide at all within this widest world should heavenly clouds withhold rainfalls.
Vāṉmīki: Ascetic practices and altruistic practices both would be erased in this world if the sky would not bestow its shower.
According to Hindu thought dāna and tapas are the highest stages in the path of reaching heaven. This is achieving jñāna (knowledge) and kalvi (learning), according to a verse attributed to Avvaiyār:
ஞானமும் கல்வியும் நயத்தல் அரிது
ஞானமும் கல்வியும் நயந்த காலையும்
தானமும் தவமும் தான் செயல் அரிது
தானமும் தவமும் தான் செய்வர் ஆகில்
வானவர் நாடு வழிதிறந்திடுமே.
The Hindu system lays significant emphasis on the practice of dāna (charitable giving) and tapas (rigorous self-discipline). The generous donation of one’s legally owned possessions and the undertaking strict code of self-discipline, are considered ideals within the tradition. These two actions are mentioned in this Kuṟaḷ not merely with reference to rainfall from clouds but to inculcate the spirit of the highest ideals among the learners. Hence, Parimēlaḻakar says the following in his commentary on this Kuṟaḷ:
தானமாவது அற நெறியால் வந்த பொருள்களை தக்காருக்கு உவகையோடு கொடுத்தல். தவமாவது மனம் பொறிவழி போகாது நிற்றல் பொருட்டு விரதங்களால் சுருக்கல் பெரும்பான்மை பற்றி தானம் இல்லறத்தின் மேலும், தவம் துறவறத்தின் மேலும் நின்றன.
Pope’s translation is off the mark. The last Kuṟaḷ in this category makes things even more clear.
நீரின் றமையா துலகெனில் யார்யார்க்கும்
வானின் றமையா தொழுக்கு. — 2.10
By using the word “ஒழுக்கு” - rhythm or discipline, Vaḷḷuvar points out this chapter is mainly intended to impress upon the student one can obtain great things by following oḻukkam, an orderly discipline. Thus, this chapter is connected with discipline beginning from Bhikṣa — seeking alms for food which is a way of life for a Brahmacāri.
We have seen that the first word vāṉ, given in the title, vāṉ ciṟappu is translated as rain. This is not incorrect. However, there is an alternative meaning also for consideration, where vāṉ also means space — ākāśa and Āditya — the Sun. The sun is called tejas - the effulgence. It is the sun’s rays (energy) which is responsible for drawing water from the ocean, gathering it into clouds, and causing those clouds to release rainfall. The Upaniṣad says Āditya makes the rain fall, here vāṉ can also be taken as the sun without which the world cannot survive. The Taittiriya Upaniṣad says the waters are Annam (food) - effulgence. So, āpaḥ (water) produces food and subsequently becomes food for others.
appo vānnam jyotir annādam, apsu jyotir pratiṣṭhitam
jyotiṣ āpaḥ pratiṣtithaḥ, tadetad annam anne pratiṣṭhitam
This Upaniṣadic passage is significant in two ways. First, water appears in space as an integral part of the Sun’s rays in the form of clouds. Second, the clouds shower rainfall to produce food, and by that it becomes food for others. Thus, water that produces food becomes food for others. So, the mystic Kuṟaḷ tuppārkku tuppāya tuppākki tuppārkku tuppāya tūvum maḻai is a direct translation of the same Upaniṣad.
Conider this Kuṟaḷ from the second chapter of Aṟattuppāl which reads pūcanai. Vaḷḷuvar speaks “pūja”:
சிறப்பொடு பூசனை செல்லாது வானம்
வறக்குமேல் வானோர்க்கும் ஈண்டு. — 2.8
The meaning is clear enough, if the sky fails to rain, the festivals and worship to even Gods will not take place due to drought.
The import is clear enough. Failure of rains will result in the absence of religious festivals or offerings (pūja) to Gods. It means that Vaḷḷuvar was not anti-religious. If he were so, he would not have written this Kuṟaḷ which is “a reference to religious customs”. To indicate the religious festivals and worship, he used two words, “ciṟappu” — special festival and “pūcaṉai” — daily rituals. By using the very word pūcaṉai, Vaḷḷuvar is speaking about the Hindu form of worship (Pūja) and not anything else. This directly exposes G.U.Pope’s lie of “imaginary contribution” — that Vaḷḷuvar was a Christian and he wrote Christian concepts.
Parimēlaḻakar rightly points out that the Hindu worship consists of nitya and naimittika worship called pūja, nitya pūja is daily worship and namittika is on specific occasions. This is generally called a festival. It also includes worship called for specific prayers of devotees called kāmya. Both naimittika pūja and kāmya pūja fall under special worship. So, Vaḷḷuvar uses special worship first, followed by daily prescribed worship, generally called pūja. Vaḷḷuvar mentioning these words ciṟappoṭu pūcaṉai refers to naimittika pūja and kāmya pūja as special worship and nitya pūja which pointedly shows his work is a Hindu work.
There is also another subtle suggestion. The nitya pūja also includes a special worship called nityotsava - a daily festival also known as śrībali. Besides the offering to the main deity, there are several offerings to secondary deities in everyday worship collectively called nityotsava and also special worship to all other Gods. To indicate that worship was not only to the main god but also to other gods, Vaḷḷuvar uses the term vāṉoṟkkum in the plural, that pūja consists of worship of other deities. It is an irrefutable reference to the Hindu faith.