chap_4_2_1 chapter_4_1_4.html chapter_4_2_1.html chapter_4_3_1.html TIRUKKURAL An Abridgement of Śāstras R. Nagaswamy VOLUME - I AṞATUPPĀL 4.2. GṚHASTA VRATAM 4.2.1. GṚHASTA DHARMA (ILLAṞA-IYAL) இல்லறவியல்
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Ilvāḻkai — Gṛhasta Dharma consists of 1. Married life, 2. The joy of partnership, 3. Begetting children, 4. Affection, 5. Welcoming guests, 6. Sweetness in speech, 7. Cultivation of gratefulness, 8. Impartiality, 9. Modesty, 10. Observance of regularity, 11. Resist from going to other man's wife, 12. Forbearance, 13. Avoid envy, 14. Hatred, 15. No backbiting, 16. Refrain from talking about senseless things 18. Fear of evil deeds 19. Help without expecting. Tiruvaḷḷuvar in his Tirukkuṟaḷ chapter (3) on discipline provides an exact translation of this Manusmṛti verse into Tamiḻ: श्रुत्वा स्पृष्ट्वा च दृष्ट्वा च भुक्त्वा घ्रात्वा च यो नरः । न हृष्यति म्लायति सा विज्ञेयः जितेन्द्रियः ॥ சுவைஒளி யூறோசை நாற்றமென் றைந்தின் வகைதெரிவான் கட்டே யுலகு. — 3.7 cuvai is taste — oḷi is light — ūru is touch — ōcai is sound and nāṟṟam is fragrant smell. These are the great attractions that would divert student’s attention. It may be seen the Dharma Śāstra verse is exactly rendered into Tamiḻ by Vaḷḷuvar. In both instances, the verse occurs in the same context. There could be no doubt that Vaḷḷuvar derives his work from the same in Dharma Śāstra. Another example I can cite is from Poruḷ Adhikāram. Having seen some exact translations we may now examine the layout of the text. In the gṛhasta dharma dealt with by Vaḷḷuvar the first three are 1. The householder supporting the three aśramites, Brahmacāri, Vānaprasta and Sanyāsa; 2. Tarpaṇa offering to Deva, Ṛṣi, and Pitṛs. 3. Offering of pañca-mahā-yajñas to five namely, Deva, Ṛṣi, Pitṛ, Athiti, and Bhūta in succesion. It will be shown below in the sequence of 1. Support of three āśramas, 2. tarpaṇa, 3. pañca-mahā-yajñas are found in the Dharma Śāstras in the same order. The Kuṟaḷ on — இல்வாழ்க்கை இல்வாழ்வான் என்பான் இயல்புடைய மூவர்க்கும் நல்லாற்றின் நின்ற துணை. — 5.1 In this verse, Vaḷḷuvar says, that the gṛhasta (family man), a householder is one who firmly supports the journey of life of the student, the Vānaprasta, and the Sanyāsin (ascetic) who constitute the other three āśramites. Parimēlaḻakar has pointed out they are Brahmacāri, Vānaprasta and Sanyāsin who observe vow and pursue their determined life. They are supported with food and other requirements by the householder (இல்வாழ்வான்). This is clear evidence of Vaḷḷuvar supporting the three aśramas who derive support from gṛhasta. Undoubtedly, this concept is influenced by dharmasūtra. Manu’s exposition of this concept is important. He says the rain comes down from Āditya. The sun through rain produces food for all living beings. Just as all living beings depend on (live through) vāyu, so too all the āśramas flourish by the support of gṛhasta’s dharma. Because all the other three dharmas sustain through the food of knowledge (Jñāna) and they are supported by the householder, his āśrama is superior to all others. Therefore he must be adored by one who wishes to attain heaven. आदित्यात् जायते वृष्टिः वृष्टेः अन्नं ततः प्रजाः यथा वायुः समाश्रित्य वर्तन्ते सर्वे जन्तवः तथा गृहस्थं आश्रित्य वर्तन्ते सर्व आश्रमः । यस्मात् त्रयोऽस्मान् आश्रमिणो ज्ञानेन अन्नेव चान्वहं गृहस्थेनैव धार्यन्ते तस्मात् ज्येष्ठाश्रमो गृहं स सन्ध्यर्चः नित्यम् स्वर्गं अक्षयकाम्यत । (III. 76) Here it is important to draw attention to the text at the beginning of a Kuṟaḷ in the second adhikāra. “வான் இன்று உலகம்பெய்து வருதலால்” - says that as rains pour from outer space (வான்) it becomes food (அமிழ்தம்). Rain is also derived from the Sun (III. 76). Manu says that rain comes from Āditya, the sun, but Vaḷḷuvar says it from the vāṉ (sky). In the chapter on householders, the family man is expected to support the neglected, the helpless, those with disease, and the deceased with none to dispose of their body. It is almost expected as a communal responsibility to look after the abandoned and aged. There is a chapter on begetting progeny (putra prāpti) which again closely follows Dharma Śāstra. The marriage is described as prajāpatyā begetting sons which was viewed to ensure the attainment of heaven. The other chapters on gṛhasta dharma deal with the need to cultivate good habits and abstain from evil deeds. Most of these habits are as listed in the Dharma Śāstras. The last ten chapters prescribe the pure and excluded life of tapasvins, their qualities, and their lifestyle. This part also seems to be the same for vānaprasta stage, except the latter could take his wife with him to the forest. The first volume on Dharma — Aṟattuppāl is dedicated to the lifestyle of a person as an individual. The second volume on Artha — Poruṭppāl, is dedicated to the individual as a part of the society. Here, poruḷ stands for artha and so it overlaps with Artha Śāstra. It seems this book could also be considered in three parts. In the beginning, we have Rājanīti the royal rights and privileges. It is clearly a textbook of the Hindu monarch as the head of the state. This section is found as part of some Dharma Śāstra text of Manu, Yājñavalkya, and others. It emphasizes the King’s role in protecting his country from external aggression and establishing internal security. These were essential components of Royal administrative machinery and the functioning of the state. Where the king had no powers to enact law, he was to maintain the rusting age-old laws with its regional variations. One of the important functions of the king was to maintain law and order and so was the final authority on matters of punishments, called daṇḍa nīti. The Dharma Śāstras defines various characteristics of crimes and also the king’s moderate punishments. In all these matters, Vaḷḷuvar follows the texts of Manu, and Yājñavalkya and there could be no doubt that Vaḷḷuvar was a follower of the age-old legal system of the Hindus. The third book of Tirukkuṟaḷ is Kāmattuppāl on conjugal life. It deals in a dignified manner with the relationship between a man and a woman. In that, it is more on customs and manners and mostly in dialogue form. It deals more prominently with dramatic conventions than any kind of indulgence. It is broadly categorized as: So far as pre-marital love is concerned, one of the approved forms of relationship is called Gandharva in the Vedic tradition. It is brought under kaḷavu in Tamiḻ defining the agreement of men and women in secret meetings, sending messages and so on. This form is approved by the Vedic tradition, subject to the condition that it is legalized as it is known, through approved rites. The second form of marriage dealt with by Tirukkuṟaḷ is a legal marriage called Kaṟpu which is as per the Vedic rites. Kaṟpu is a Prakṛt form of Kalpita prescribed in Dharma Śāstra. The next verse in the chapter is: துறந்தார்க்கும் துவ்வா தவர்க்கும் இறந்தார்க்கும் இல்வாழ்வான் என்பான் துணை. — 5.2 Here, another group of three people are described (துறந்தார்). If we take the three mentioned here, tuṟantār represents ṛṣis. iṟantār represents dead people, and tuvvātār obviously the devas. This would show, this Kuṟaḷ speaks of tarpaṇa (liberation through water) performed to the Deva, Ṟṣi and Pitṛ. According to the Dharma Śāstras, every householder must perform this tarpaṇa, which consists of offering water accompanied by this three groups Deva, Ṟṣi and Pitṛ. The offering of tarpaṇa is meant to please these groups. This tarpaṇa should be followed by pañca-mahā-yajñas, the five great sacrifices which consist of offerings of food in the form of cooked rice rolled into a small ball to the group:
  1. Vasus, Rudras, Āditya and other Devas.
  2. The ṛṣis are Atri, Bhṛgu, Kutsa, Vasiṣṭha, Gautama, Kāśyapa and Aṅgīrasa and
  3. The pitṛ mentioned are Soma, Pitṛmān, Agni, Yama, Aṅgirasvan, and Kavyavāhana.
Each of these three forms a group to whom we do tarpaṇa. The same three are offered food daily and symbolically are called Devas, Ṛṣis, Pitṛs, Athitis and Bhutayajña. A Vedic follower is expected to offer tarpaṇa which is offering water and yajña which is offering food. Among the five Devas and Pitṛs are offered bhalis (cooked balls of rice). Athiti should be fed with cooked meals. For the Ṛṣis, the offering is done in the form of recitation of the Vedas, Purāṇas, Itihāsas. The Dharma Śāstras speak of these tarpaṇa and pañca-mahā-yajñas, in sequential order, mentioning that they must be performed daily. Vaḷḷuvar referring to these two forms of daily offerings in the second and third Kuṟaḷ beginning with illara-iyal and tenpulattār had these offerings in his mind. This would show that Vaḷḷuvar being a householder, was no doubt listing these essential rituals of the Hindus. Thus, the view of modern scholars that Vaḷḷuvar did not refer to any Hindu rituals is not correct. The third verse reads: தென்புலத்தார் தெய்வம் விருந்தொக்கல் தானென்றாங் கைம்புலத்தா றோம்பல் தலை. — 5.3 It means it is important to offer sacrifices to pitṛ (ancestors), deivam (gods), athithi (guests), okkal (all living beings), like man and tān (one's own living). This is a very important aspect of the Hindu system, that has come down from the Pre-Buddhist period. The very fact that Vaḷḷuvar emphasizes (ஓம்பல் தலை) the performance of these five sacrifices for the Gṛhasta is a pointer to the fact that Vaḷḷuvar was a follower of Hindu system. The pañca mahāyajñas are mentioned in all the Dharma Śāstras of Manu, Yājñavalkya, Gautama, Āpastamba, Bodhāyana and others. Manu Dharma gives the following as pañca-yajñas — पञ्चक्लृप्ताः महायज्ञा गृहे गृहेमेधिनाम् । अध्यापनं ब्रह्मयज्ञं पितृयज्ञः तु तर्पणम् । होमो देवो बलिः होमो नृयज्ञो अतिथिपूजनं । पञ्चैतात् यो महायज्ञान् हापयति शक्तितः । स गृहेऽपि वसन् नित्यम् सन् दोषैः न लिप्यते देव पितृ अतिथि भृत्यानाम् पितृणां च आत्मनः च यः न निर्वपति पञ्चानां उच्छवसन् न जीवति । अहुतं हुतं चैव तथ प्रहुतं एव च ब्रह्मयज्ञं हुतं प्रासितं च पञ्च यज्ञान् प्रचक्षते । (Manu.3.67) It gives the concept of pañca-yajñas, its cause and effect. K. Sundaramurti who has written a fairly good introduction to his edition of Thirkkuṟaḷ in the Thiruppantal edition, is fairly balanced and sincere writer with no prejudices. However his lack of Sanskrit knowledge does let him down in places. For example, while working a note on the Kuṟaḷ “இல் வாழ்வான் என்பான் இயல்புடய”, which praises the pivotal role of a householder, says that all commentators have taken the three mentioned in the Kuṟaḷ as Brahmacāri, Vānaprasta and Sanyasi. Sundaramurti opines that Vaḷḷuvar has taken only the Tamiḻ tradition, by categorizing householders and recluses (illaṟam and tuṟavaṟam) and also speaking about chastity (kaṟpu) and pre-martial union in romantic life (kaḷavu), and hence the view of commentators is not acceptable. The Kuṟaḷ is however very clear as it says the gṛhasta (ilvāḻvān) is the support of the other three groups. Sundaramurti has not spelled out who are the other three groups, the commentators have specifically pointed out the other three groups. The Dharma Śāstra which is followed by Tirukkuṟaḷ has also said that gṛhastas is the main support of other three āśramas. Tirukkuṟaḷ deals with the student's life, family life (gṛhasta), tapa life which is undertaking penance and the fourth is tuṟavu (Sanyāsa). (deva, ṛṣis, pitṛ tarpaṇa — Dharma Śāstra viśeṣa prakaramam V.1000) So, when Vaḷḷuvar is talking about the duties of a householder as a supporter of the other three groups, it can only refer to Brahmacāri, Tapasvi and Sanyāsi and no one else. Thus, it is evident the whole of Tirukkuṟaḷ is an abridged form of Dharma Śāstra, but expressed in a most exalted and powerful manner. We may say that Vaḷḷuvar's Tirukkuṟaḷ is the one text that made the Northern Vedic life, the most commonly accepted and followed all over Tamiḻnadu, as it was easily accessible to all in their own language. Vaḷḷuvar was the unparalleled integrator of this country, 2000 years ago, but it is a pity that his role has not been properly focused.
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