Chapter 3 - Tamilians and Religion

I - Worship through Poetry:

We have seen so far that the groups of saints mentioned in the 10th verse of Thiruthondathogai are not foreign to the ideas expressed by Arurar in his verses elsewhere. We have not discussed at length the conception of ‘Paramanaiye Paduvar’ and 'Appalum aticcarntar’. ‘Appalum aticcarntar’ is the universal vision of Arurar and we shall bring out the significance of this conception at the end of this part of our study. ‘Paramanaiye Paduvar’ as already hinted, are the mystic saints who have sung Tevaram and we have suggested that Arurar is one of them. These have sung in Tamil and these poets have looked upon Tamil as the very form of the Lord. The later generations have considered these songs as the Tamil Vedas and the verses as Tamil mantras. This theory of the mantras and poetry has to be here studied for our understanding the mystic poets. This will also explain why the saints of Thiruthondathogai are all coming from the country where this Tamil language is spoken. From this nationalism we proceed to the universalism of Appalum aticcarntar. Certain problems relating to Thiruthondathogai are discussed as a preliminary to the study of the conception of Parama.naiye Paduvar, in this chapter. In the last chapter of this part we discuss Arurar’s toleration even with reference to his hostile sects of Jains and Buddhists.

II - Nationalism and Universalism:

The question when this Thiruthondathogai was sung by Arurar had to be raised by us at various places during our discussion of the lives of the saints included in that list. According to Periyapuranam, it was sung after the marriage with Paravai. This composition was due to the position taken by Viranmintar who concluded that even the Lord, that favoured one who did not honour the Bhaktas was to be blamed. Arurar was praying to God that he should be given the necessary capacity for singing the greatness of the Bhaktas and He answered his prayer by suggesting to him the first half of the first line of this hymn. In a few editions of Periyapuranam, some additional verses are found in this connection where it is stated that Arurar coming from the house of Paravai in his libertine form went straight to worship the Lord, whereupon Viranmintar condemned Arurar who was, therefore, overcome by grief and who could not find the Lord inside the temple, but afterwards, the Lord advised him to sing this hymn. The Sanskrit and Kannada traditions, as already noted often refer to this libertine form and the Telugu Basava Purana by Somanatha refers to this incident in these very terms. This trend in such descriptions is found in some mediaeval pseudo Siddha works which in exaggerating the intrinsic purity of fivanmuktas assert that they as svecchacarins may be appearing for all outward purposes as libertines—almost suggesting that they may be consciously so. In their enthusiasm for reform and revolt these assertions are made which may suggest that they are heretics—not bound by ordinary laws of conduct reminding us of the western Antinomian doctrine and practices where harlotry and other carnal vices are not considered sinful for the spiritual man because the spirit in him which is God is not affected by the flesh and cannot sin and because the man who is nothing cannot sin so long as the spirit which is God is in him. This cannot be the correct view. But as most of the editions of Periyapuranam do not contain these seventeen verses they must be taken to be interpolations based on the Telugu and Kannada traditions. Arurar teaches us that there is a God who transcends nature, that Dharma governs all men, that there is sin and that the acts of libertines are impurities leading to Hell, for there is suffering and enjoyment, not only in this life, but also in our after life; when the fivanmukta transcends ordinary morality, he reaches the stage of perfect goodness which is beyond our conceptions of good and evil; it is supra moral and not immoral.

III: Saints great, not by miracles alone:

But this is not the problem facing us. We found that the saints who ought to be taken as contemporaries of Arurar came to be known to Arurar only after this hymn was sung. Kotpuli, Kazharitrarivar and Eyarkon may be mentioned in this connection. Especially with reference to Eyarkon, the miraculous events took place long after this Thiruthondathogai hymn was sung. It may be contended that it is not the miracles but their greatness in the Shaivite world that appealed to Arurar and that these saints were famous even at the time of the marriage with Paravai.

IV - Are all the saints of Thiruthondathogai, contemporaries?

Another problem arises on account of the statements made in Periyapuranam. While Arurar was coming to Thiruvarur temple, he saw all the followers of Shiva of this world assembled within the grove—Tevaciriyan “When is the Lord to make me their slave?”—so prayed Arurar and the Lord explained to him the greatness of these saints and asked him to take refuge in them. He saw the great assembly at a distance and worshipped them many a time and began singing the Thiruthondathogai repeating the name of every one of these saints. This description in Periyapuranam suggests that all the saints mentioned in Thiruthondathogai were physically present on the occasion of its composition. This will make all of them contemporaries.

But it would be impossible for the 3,000 Brahmins of Tillai to have assembled there along with the other saints. It may be suggested that a few of their representatives were present in the grove (Tevaciriyan). We had already pointed out that Candesvara and Koccenkanan seemed to have become traditions by the time of this hymn. It may be contended in answer to this argument that there was a confusion in the mind of the people, a confusion which led to the identification of a later Candesvara and Koccenkanan with their namesakes of a more ancient period. Even if there was any such confusion, it could have been only because these two saints were not contemporaries of the three Tevaram poets.

Whether all these saints were contemporaries or not, one conclusion is clear that Nampiyantar and Cekkilar, if not Nampiyarurar looked upon them as forming one group. In the ‘Appalum aticcarntar’ puranam, Cekkilar distinguishes this group of saints from all other groups living before or after this group. If all of them are not contemporaries they must be taken to have lived in one particular period, probably the 6th and 7th centuries of the Christian Era responsible for the restoration of Shaivism to its old glory. This conclusion seems to be irresistible as these saints lived in the memories of the people of Arurar’s age.

V - Shaiva Sangha:

In this connection, the traditions about the Jain Sangha, the Buddhist Sangha and the great Tamil Sangha come to our mind. The name Thiruthondathogai is also very suggestive. ‘Tokai’ has been used by Campantar himself as the name of Tamil Cankam—‘"Arranri antan Maturait tokai ynkkinanum”. Then, Thiruthondathogai will mean this Shaiva Sangha or the assembly of Shaiva followers or saints. Perhaps one such assembly existed at Thiruvarur.

The name Tevaciriyan for the grove or the mantapa of the saints is also significant. Tevaciriyan means a divine teacher; a fitting name for the place where these teachers of Shaivism assembled from generation to generation up to the time of Nampiyarurar. Probably Viranmintar was the latest of the leaders of this assembly. Or, Tevaciriyan may mean the Acaryas or teachers who had attained divinity as fivanmuktas or videhamuktas. In any case, it is clear from the reference in Periyapuranam that this group forms a unique one, separated from others as belonging to a particular period of time and a particular place. This line of argument may lead one to conclude that all these saints could not have been removed from each other by any great length of time perhaps more than a century.

VI - Age of Tamil revival:

It is in this connection the fact that all these saints belong to Tamil country becomes important. The Pallava period was a great age of Sanskrit revival in the Tamil country. But that is only one half of the story. The saints like Arurar have been successfully attempting at Tamilising the people, the kings, and their tradition. The great transformation effected by Arurar in his treatment of Puranic stories had already been studied in detail. The kings themselves trying to identify themselves with Tamil by assuming Tamil titles and assimilating the Tamil tradition with their history had been already pointed out. It is in this light that we have to study Arurar’s poems.

VII - vision of universal brotherhood in Thiruthondathogai:

A study of the Thiruthondathogai hymn is very interesting. The hymn begins with the Brahmin saints of Citamparam, who, along with the Nataraja temple there, should have become so prominent as to occupy the first place during the age of Arurar. The next name mentioned is the saint from a community of potters. This juxtaposition of a potter with the Brahmins shows that the poet is going beyond caste-ridden society to give us a vision of the universal brother-hood—the Tontakkulam of Periyalvar. The following table will show the caste-war distribution of the saints of this Thiruthondathogai. Every one of the innumerable castes of South India could feel honoured by their contribution of at least one saint to the growth of this brotherhood.

Tillaival Antanar — [Brahmins]
Tirunilakantar — [Potter]
Iyarpakai — [Merchant]
Ilaiyankuti Marar — [Velala]
Meypporul — [King]
Viranmintar — [Velala]
Amarniti — [Merchant]
Eripattar — [Warrior?]
Enatinatar — [Ila]
Kannappar — [Vetar (Hunter)]
Kunkiliyakkalayar — [Brahmin]
Manakkancarar — [Ve?ala / Velala?]
Arivattayar — [Vclala]
Anayar — [Ayar (Cowherd)]
Murti — [Merchant]
Muruka — [Brahmin]
Uruttirapacupati — [Brahmin]
Tirunalaippovar — [Pulaiyar]
Tirukkuripputtontar — [Washerman]
Canticar — [Brahmin]
Tirunavukkaracar — [Velala]
Kulaccinaiyar — [2]
Perumilalaikkunumpar — [King?]
Peyar (Karaikkalammaiyar) — [Merchant]
Apputi — [Brahmin]
Nilanakkar — [Brahmin]
Naminanti — [Brahmin]
Campantar — [Brahmin]
Eyarkonkalikkama — [Velala]
Tirumular — [Yogin (Cowherd?)]
Tanti — [?]
Murkka — [Velala]
Comacimanar — [Brahmin]
Cakkiyar — [Velala]
Cinappuli — [Brahmin]
Cinuttontar — [Mamatiraiyar?]
Kalaninnanivar — [King]
Kananatar — [Brahmin]
Kunnuva — [King]
Poyyatimai Illar — [Scholar?]
Pukalccolar — [King]
Naracinkamuna iyaraiyar — [King]
Atipattar — [Fisherman]
Kalikkampar — [Merchant]
Kaliyar — [Cekkar (Oilmonger)]
Cakti — [Velala]
Aiyatikalkatavarkon — [King]
Kanampullar — [ ]
Kari — [Scholar?]
Ninracirnetumanar — [King]
Vayilar — [Velala]
Munaiyatuvar — [Velala]
Kalancinkar — [King]
Itankali — [Velala]
Ceruttunai — [Velala]
Pukalttunai — [Brahmin (Adisaivar)]
Kotpuli — [Velala]
Pattaraiyppanivar — [’9]
Paramanaiye Paduvar — [9]
Cittattaiccivanpalevaippar — [Yogin?]
Thiruvarurp pirantar — [9]
Muppotum Tirumeni Tintuvar — [Brahmins]
Mulunirupuciya Munivar — [9]
Appalum aticcarntar — [9]
Pucalar — [Brahmin]
Mankaiyarkkaraci — [Queen]
Neca — [Caliyar (Weaver)]
Koccenkatcola — [King]
Tirunzlakantayalppanar — [Panar]
Cataiyar — [Brahmin]
Icaijnaniyar — [Brahmin]
Nampi Arurar — [Brahmin]

VIII - The Thiruthondathogai saints and the Tamilnad:

This fact of these saints of Thiruthondathogai being Tamilians has not been sufficiently emphasized till now. Thiruthondathogai was sung in the temples and we have specific reference to an inscription of Rajendra Cola. Nampiyantar Nampi has sung a separate verse for each one of these bhaktas and Cekkilar’s Periyapuranam gives the stories of these tontars with all epic grandeur. His Puranam, therefore, has become in a way the national epic of the Tamil Land. The incidents themselves are of no immense significance. It is the spirit that actuated the bhaktas that is really divine. Therefore, these stories have a psychological significance tracing the spiritual development of these bhaktas. The following table giving the places of birth of these bhaktas shows that all of them belong to the Tamil land.

Tillaival Antanar — [Cola, Tillai-Citamparam]
Tirunilakantar — [Cola, Tillai-Citamparam]
Iyarpakai — [Cola, Pukar]
Mara — [Cola, Ilaiyankutippati]
Viran mintar — [Cola, Cenkunram]
Meypporul — [Ceti, Tirukkdvalur]
Amarniti — [Cola, Palaiyarai]
Eripattar — [Cola, Karuvur]
Enatinatar — [Cola, Enina nur]
Kannappar — [Tontai, Thirukalathi]
Kuhkiliyakkalayar — [Cola, Thirukadaiyur]
Manakkancarar — [#, Kancarur]
Arivattayar — [Cola, Kanamankalam]
Anayar — [Melmanatu, Mankalam]
Murti — [Panti, Maturai]
Muruka — [Cola, Tlruppukalur]
Uruttirappacupati — [Cola, Tiruttalaiyur]
Tirunalaippovar — [Merkanatu, Atanur]
Tirukkuripputtontar — [Tontai, Kancipuram]
Cantlcar — [Cola, Tirucceynalur]
Tirunavukkaracar — [Tirumunaippati, Tiruvantur]
Kulacciraiyar — [Panti, Manamerkuti]
Perumilalaikkurumpar — [Milalai, Tirumilalai]
Karaikkal Ammaiyar — [Cola, Karaikkal]
Apputi — [Cola, Tinkalur]
Nilanakkar — [Cola, Cattamankai]
Naminanti — [Cola, Emapperur]
Campantar — [Cola, Cikali]
Eyarkonkalikkama — [Cola, Perumankalam]
Tirumtilar — [Cola, Cattanur]
Tanti — [Cola, Thiruvarur]
Murrka — [Tontai, Tiruverkdtu]
Comacimarar — [Cola, Tiruvampar]
Cakkiyar — [?, Cankamankai]
Cirappuli — [Cola, Akkur]
Ciruttontar — [Cola, Cenkattankuti]
Kalarirrarivdr — [Malainatu, Makdtai]
Kananatar — [Cola, Cikali]
Kurruva — [#, Kalantai]
Poyyatimai Illar — [Panti, Natural]
Pukalccolar — [Cola, Uraiyur]
Naracinkamunalyaraiyar — [Tirumunaippati, T irumunaippati]
Atipattar — [Cola, Nakappattinam]
Kalikkampar — [#, Penndkatam]
Kaliyar — [Tontai, Thiruvottiyur]
Cakti — [Cola, Varincaiyur]
Aiyatikalkatavarkon — [Tontai, Kancipuram]
Kanampullar — [#, Irukkuvelur]
Kari — [Cola, Thirukadaiyur]
Ninracirnetumarar — [Panti, Natural]
Vayilar — [Tontai, Nayilappur]
Nunaiyatuvar — [Cola, Nltur]
Kalarcinkar — [Tontai, #]
Itankali — [Konatu, Kotumpalur]
Ceruttunaiyar — [Cola, Tancai]
Pukalttunai — [#, Ceruviliputtur]
Kotpuli — [#, Nattiyattankuti]
Pattaraippanivar — [#, #]
Paramanaiye pdtuvar — [#, #]
Cittattaic civanpale vaippar — [#, #]
Tiruvarurppirantar — [Cola, Thiruvarur]
Nuppotum tirumeni tintuvar — [#, #]
Nulunirupuciya munivar — [#, #]
Appalum aticcarntar — [#, #]
Pucalar — [#, Ninravur]
Nankaiyarkkaraci — [Panti, Natural]
Neca — [#, Kampili]
Koccenkat Cola — [Cola, —]
Tirunllakanta yalppanar — [#, Erukkattampuliyur]
Cataiyanar — [Tirumunaippati, Thirunavalur]
Icainaniyar — [Tirumunaippati, Thirunavalur]
Nampi Arurar — [Tirumunaippati, Thirunavalur]

Our poet refers to the native places of some of the Saints:

Maran — [Ilaiyankuti]
Viranmintar — [Kunnai]
Kalayan — [Katavur]
Kancanan — [Kancdru]
Anayar — [Punalmankai]
Perumilalaikkurumpar — [Perumilalai]
Nilanakkar — [Cattamankai]
Comacimarar — [Ampar]
Cinuttontar — [Cenkattankuti]
Kananatar — [Kali]
Kurruva — [Kalantai]
Pukalccola — [Karuvur]
Atipattar — [Nakai]
Cakti — [Varincai]
Ninracirnetumara — [Nelvelivenrar]
Vayilar — [Mayilai]
Ceruttunai — [Tancai]
Pucalar — [Ninravur]

IX - Kampili in Tamilnad:

There are two saints who may appear to be an exception to the generalization that all the saints of the hymn are from the Tamil land. The one is Tirumular. The later day tradition states that he came from the Northern country. Arurar is silent about this. But even according to the later day tradition, the saint entered the body of a Tamilian cowherd and, therefore, he is no exception to our generalization.

The other saint is Neca Nayanar. But we will be finding ‘Kampili’ as the birth place of Neca Nayanar. This city lies on the bank of Tungabhadra. This, therefore, gives us a clue to the conception of Tamil land of the time of the Smrtis. The Smrtis speak of Krishna as the Southern boundary of the Andhras and, therefore, there is no wonder in Nampi Arurar thinking of all lands south of Tungabhadra forming part of the Tamil country and the attempts, of the Pallavas and the later Colas, were aimed at reaching that northern border. It is unfortunate that when discussing the limits of the Tamil country this aspect of the question is often forgotten. The Pallavas had their northern capital at Danyakataka and Kulottunka the Great, came from the Venki country. Therefore, in their times, it was but natural, that the Tamil country should have been thought as reaching Tuhgabhadra, if not Krsnn. Kampili is not given as the city of Neca Nayanar by Arurar himself. The city is, however, mentioned by Appar as an important holy place containing a Shiva temple.

X - Saints outside Tamilnad:

It is significant that in this list of Tontars, Nampi Arurar does not mention Markkantar, Paracuramar, Ciltar, Pdrtha and Bhagiratha, whom in other places he had mentioned with the feeling of great reverence. In the light of our statement about the birth place of Bhaktas included in Thiruthondathogai the reason for the noninclusion is very clear.

In the following hymns, he refers to some of the saints found in Thiruthondathogai along with Markkantar, Cutar, Paracuramar, Pdrtha, Bhagiratha, etc. Therefore, Nampi Arurar had no objection to combine these sets of saints. Only the scheme of Thiruthondathogai as giving a list of saints of Tamil land prevents Nampi Arurar in including the names of these saints whom Nampi Arurar had confessed had inspired him to take refuge in the Lord.

Pukalttunai Nayanar — [7:9:6; 7:19:11]
Tanti (Candesvara) — [7:17:4; 7:55:3]
Canti, Tirunavukkaraiyar & Kannappar — [7:65:2]
Canti & Kannappar — [7:88:6]
Nanacampantar — [7:62:8]
Nanacampantar & Navinukkaracar — [7:67:5; 7:78:10]
Nanacampantar, Navinukkaraiyan Nalaippovan, Cutan, Cakkiyan, Cilanti, Kannappan, and Kanampullan — [7:55:4]
Parttan & Pakiratan — [7:55:7]
Koccenkandn — [7:65:1]
Vicayan — [7:66:4; 7:53:8; 7:57-6]
Canti, Tirnavukkaraiyan & Kannappan — [7:65:2]
Tanti & Eyarkon — [7:55:3]
Antanalan (Markkantan) — [7:55:1]
Munivar (Markkantan) — [7:63:4]
Parttanar — [7:56:2; 7:76:3]
Paracuraman — [7:65:3]
Pitavuran — [7:96:6]
Naracinkamunaiyaraiyan — [7:17:11]
Curapi (Surabhi) — [7:65:4]

XI: Tamil country dear to Shiva:

Arurar feels that the Tamil country is dear to Shiva. The later day poets had emphasized this greatness of Tamil land by associating with Nataraja and Daksinamurti who are always turning to the south, that is according to them to the southern parts of the Tamil country. Arurar is very definite about Shiva favouring the Tamil or the south country: “Tennanaik kutapalin vatapalin kunapal cerata cintaiyan” — ‘He is the Lord of the south and his mind never turns to the west or the north or the east’. Our poet feels that Shiva is behind the Tamilians and their rulers. “Niraikkonta cintaiyal Nelveli venra Ninraclr Netumaran" refers to the victory of the Pantiya because Aruiar probably feels that it was a victory brought out by Shiva’s blessing on the king, a victory for the Tamilians as against the foreigners who threatened the freedom of the Tamil country. It is in this light we have to understand Arurar’s reference to Pallavas—“Pallavarkkut tiraikota mannavarai marukkam ceyyum....Peruvian' and his joy in referring to Kalarcinkan as “Katal culnta ulakelam kakkinra peruman”. Perhaps we have to interpret with reference to various chieftains and kings in his Thiruthondathogai as so many references to the great men who saved the Tamil country of Shaivism. “Kutamannaraik kuttattu venra Kotpuli” and such other references are significant from this point of view. It is, therefore, no wonder that he has grouped together the Shaivite saints of Tamil land fresh in the memory of his age as something unique in his Thiruthondathogai. It is in this light that we must read the blissful references to the various places, rivers and mountains of Tamil land occurring in his hymn, descriptions which probably showed the way to the later day poets singing Nattuppatalam, Nakarappatalam and Arruppatalam. Therefore, his descriptions of nature of Tamil land is important from this point of view apart from its supreme poetic worth. Arurar’s conception of Tamil as the very form of God may be discussed in relation to the theory of Mantra and Poetry and generally of Art.