The Religion and Philosophy of Tevaram (Thevaram)

by M. A. Dorai Rangaswamy | 1958 | 410,072 words

This page describes “thirumaraikkadu or tirumaraikkatu (hymn 71)” from the part dealing with the Pilgrim’s progress (unto the last), which represents the development of Arurar’s Mysticism as gleaned from his hymns. The 7th-century Thevaram (or Tevaram) contains devotional poems sung in praise of Shiva. These hymns form an important part of the Tamil tradition of Shaivism

Chapter 82 - Thirumaraikkadu or Tirumaraikkatu (Hymn 71)

I

After all these upheavals, the poet’s mind begins now to flow like a calm stream in an even ground. The metrical pattern of the stanzas remind us of hymns No. 91 and 94, but the trend of this common majestic flow is different from the trotting and galloping march of the other hymns. “The place of the Lord (whose descriptions are given) is Maraikkadu of the natural beauties (described)”—This is the pattern of the stanza. Every verse ends with the phrase ‘Maraikkate’. ‘Itam’ or place coming after the genitive case thus making a genitive compound occurs usually in the second line (1, 4, 5, 6, 7) or in the first line (2, 3, 8) or in the 3rd line also (V. 8). The ninth verse is of a different pattern: “You worship this holy place of Maraikkadu”. The word Maraikkadu occurs as usual at the end of the fourth line and the words ‘you worship’ occur at the end of the second line (9).

II

As usual when our poet is calm he loves describing the puranic stories. The Lord’s company of the Mother, who is here described as ‘Ydlaip palittanna moli mankai’ (1) a phrase which has become the name of the Goddess of this place, His mat-lock (1, 5, 6, 8), His crescent moon (1, 2, 7), His exposition of the four Vedas and the angas (3), His pancavati (4), His Ganges (5, 8), His bull (6), His battle-axe (6), His garland of konrai (6), His dark throat (7), His eight shoulders (9), His three eyes (9) are all referred to. (The significance of the Pancavati had already been explained by us).

III

Our poet brings in his own personal relationship with the Lord. He calls Him, ‘Our king’ (8) and describes the Lord of Grace symbolized by the blue throat as He who ‘removing all the weeds of powerful karmas performed in the previous birth or before, saves me or accepts me as His servant’ (7). He also refers to Him as the Uttaman (4), ‘as the best man’ of words of fame, “Ural viraviya Uttaman” (4). He addresses the mind, “0, mind, that had started knowing or experiencing the Lord; O, mind, start at once for worshipping and praising without thinking of getting into doubts” (5). In two verses, he states, “We have known the place of the Lord” (3, 8).

IV

The natural description of this holy place seems to occupy a much important place in this hymn than anything else. Our poet describes, so to say, certain visions of natural beauty. In the first vision, he sees a dwarfish young monkey passing through a cocoanut garden or a grove of sword flowers. It enters through a small opening and eats the fruits of the plaintain (1). “The tidal flow of the sea reaches the garden on the sea-board; the fragrant ‘takara’ tree stands in these tidal waters. In between these trees come in the ‘makara’ and the shark perhaps to enjoy the shade of the group of ‘talai’ and ‘nulali” (2). (The makara originally a name of the shark, has developed to signify a fabulous sea animal, springing and developing thus from the imagination of sculptors whose work even in the Pallava age has given a wonderful conception of their makara especially in the arches like 'makara toranas’ on the top of niches). “The tides bring with them from the deep sea, the lustre of the pearl inside the conch and the coral reef. It looks as though they are throwing out on to the shore” (5) (perhaps in return for the enjoyment of the shade offered). “There are cocoanut trees and the tall palmyra trees on the beach. Their fruits fall down in that expanse of sand” (3) (with their peculiar sound, an experience which none can forget). This upsets the calm equanimity of the sea-life. “The frightened conches, shining oysters and the ‘valampuri’ (right twisting conch) become stumbling blocks to the ships after this fright. Stumbling on them the boats or ships get their equilibrium disturbed and they bend too much towards this holy place of Maraikkadu on the shore of the sea, suggesting the idea that the ship with the high mast worships the place as though folding up the hands right up above the crown” (3).

The description of the fourth verse is not clear especially the phrase ‘kulai cekarak kontaV. There is the noise of the sea probably because of the eastern wind, the ‘kontal’. “The big breakers of the sea rise up so high that their crown splits. The eastern wind struggles against these waves. It goes again and dashes against the shore” (4). “The great expanse of the sea which is beautiful, pushes the rare and valuable gems towards the shore so as to enable them to get on to the beach and brings the ship and the shark to be thrown on to the shore” (5). “There is the wide expanse of the sea. In between the sea and the sandy beach flow the back waters in channels, in canals. Near them stand the sword flower plant (kaitai) cool, bright and fragrant. In its blades rests the white water bird and this bird wakes up disturbed by the blue waters of the sea, dashing against the place where it rests” (6). “There is the paddy field where the paddies are grown and their ripe sheafs bend down. There rush in, the carps in that eastern sea near the extensive sand. The sea brings the conch with the bent nose and the ‘calancalam’, the emperor of the conches and throws them out on to the shore” (7). “It is a great beauty. It is full of honey bees” (8) “where the sea brings the ‘valampuri and calancalam’ conches to be thrown on to the shore” (8). “The blue waters of the sea surrounds the cool groves of the place where play the six legged bees” (9).

V

In this hymn, the poet refers to the Buddhists and the Jains and speaks of their stoutness and nakedness. He also refers to the short garment or dress. One wonders whether this reference is to the Afivakas. These had their visions wherein stood revealed to them the cause of misery of the world. Our poet begs of the followers not to think of these but to worship the Lord (9).

VI

As against these philosophies, our poet refers to his message of poetry and music by describing God as the Lord of seven musical notes (9). Our poet describes himself as the king of the people of Navalur of fertile fields surrounded by many a city of this world. He also gives his name as Aruran. He assures those servants of the Lord who would sing these garlands of Tamil that they will become full of fame growing with the earth surrounded by the water, i.e., their fame will last as long as this world. This is one of the places (See 73: 11) where our poet speaks of fame as the great ideal to be aimed by the followers of the Lord. The word ‘ventan’ as describing the Lord is significant suggesting that this hymn belongs to the period of his political pre-occupation. Fame according to Tiruvalluvar is the eternal mark left by our ephemeral life if usefully spent, thus conquering in its own way death and oblivion ever trying to smother us down. The poets live for ever through their poems which thus become embodiments of their fame. Our poet also, therefore, looks upon this fame as ideal, especially when his poetry consists of divine praises.

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