Traditional Wisdom in Tamil Literature

By Dakshmitha G

Yaamarindha mozhigalile thamizh mozhi poal inidaavadhengum kaanom

(The language of Tamil is the sweetest out of all the languages I know)

Said Mahakavi Bharatiyar.

Tamil is one of the 6 classical languages recognised by the Indian Government and over 70 million people speak the language worldwide. While it might be one of the oldest languages, the wisdom it offers is relevant even to the modern world. It covers all sorts of genres appealing to a wide audience.

Tamil literature has been around since 1st century CE. Ancient Tamil literature was mainly set in seiyul or Poetry and prose pieces came into being only later. When we look at these various poetries of yore, we find a lot of information that both signifies the life of the people back then and at the same time, helps us enhance our own lives.

"Early childhood education begins early, even before birth" said Madeleine Kunin, author and diplomat. Education comes to a person from various sources and these don't have to be defined. One can learn something from even the most trivial of things. Education exposes a person to a variety of things and this

( Aatravum katraar arivudaiyaar agthudaiyaar

Naatrisaiyum sellatha naaduillai

annaadu

Vetrunaadu aaga thamaveaam aayinaal

Aatrunaa venduvathu il )

This excerpt from the text பழமொழி நானூறு (Pazhamozhi Naanooru) - literally translated “Proverbs 400” talks about how, when a person is highly knowledgeable and learnt, there is not a state they wouldn't have been in. Those places too will not seem alien to them and would feel homely. The piece hence enunciates the need for education and drives home the fact that great education can take one to great places.

மன்னனும் மாசறக் கற்றோனும் சீர்தூக்கின்

மன்னனின் கற்றோன் சிறப்புடையன் - மன்னற்குத்

தன்தேசம் அல்லால் சிறப்பில்லை கற்றோர்க்குச்

சென்ற இடமெல்லாம் சிறப்பு

(Mannanum maasarakk katronum

seerthookkin

Mannanin kattron sirappudaiyan -

mannarkkuth

Thandesam allal sirappillai

katrorkkuch

Chendra idamellam sirappu)

These lines from the book மூதுரை (Moodhurai) - literally “Elders’ advice” written by Avvaiyar, compares land and education. It tells that, while land might be renowned only in its country, Education is renowned and revered everywhere and that the learned are respected wherever they go.

கற்க கசடற கற்பவை கற்றபின்

நிற்க அதற்குத் தக

(Karka kasadara karpavai kattrapin

Nirka atharkuth thaga)

These famous lines from திருக்குறள் (Thirukkural) by Thiruvalluvar, tells w one to learnithout any mistakes and once you’re done learning, one should abide by that in real life too.

பூவாது காய்க்கும் மரம் உள ; நன்று அறிவார்,

மூவாது மூத்தவர், நூல் வல்லார்; தாவா,

விதையாமை நாறுவ வித்துஉள; மேதைக்கு

உரையாமை செல்லும் உணர்வு

(Poovaathu kaaikkum maram ula; nandru arivaar,

Moovaathu mooththavar, nool vallar; thaava,

Vithaiyaamai naaruva viththuUla ; methaikku

Uraiyaamai Sellum Unarvu

These lines from Kaariyaasan’s சிறுபஞ்சமூலம் (sirupanjamoolam) explains that, just like there are trees that have fruits without flowers, learned are considered elder even if they are young. Just like there are seeds that grow without it being nurtured to, the wise will understand things without requiring any explanation.

1. விருந்தோம்பல் (Virunthombal) - Hospitality:

South India is also known for its hospitality and we have quite a lot of ancient Tamil texts enunciating its importance….

விருந்தினனாக ஒருவன் வந்து எதிரின்

வியத்தல் நன்மொழி இனிது உரைத்தல்

திருந்துற நோக்கல் வருக என உரைத்தல்

எழுதல் முன் மகிழ்வன செப்பல்

பொருந்து மற்றுஅவன் தன்அருகுற இருத்தல்

போமெனில் பின் செல்வதாதல்

பரிந்துநன் முகமன் வழங்கல் இவ்வொன்பான்

ஒழுக்கமும் வழிபடும் பண்பே

(Virunthinanaaga oruvan vanthu

ethirin

Viyaththal nanmozhi inithu

uraiththal

Thirundhura nokkal varuga ena

uraiththal

Ezhuthal mun magizhvana cheppal

Porunthu matruAvan thanArugura

iruththal

Pomenil pin selvathaathal

Parinthu nan mugaman vazhangal

ivvonbaan

Ozhukkamum vazhipadum panbe)

These lines from காசிக்காண்டம் by Athiveerarama Pandiyar talks about some things that one should do when a guest comes home. It says, that one should greet them with pleasant surprise, talk kindly, look at them with a smile, invite them in the house, talk in a way that makes them happy, sit near them, walk with them till the entrance of the house when they leave, ask a few things about their wellbeing and then bid goodbye. These nine things, it says, are the disciplines of hospitality.

"கெட்டசாறு தவிடு கஞ்சி

கிருமி உண்ட மா அரைக்

கீரை வேர்தெளித்த மோர்மு

றிந்த பாகு கிண்டுமா

இட்ட சோறு கொழியல் உப்பி

டாத புற்கை ஆயினும்

எங்கும் அன்ப தாக நுங்க

இன்ப மாயி ருக்குமே

பட்ட பாத பசுவின் நெய்ப

ருப்பு முக்க னிக்குழாம்

பானி தங்கள் தாளி தங்கள்

பண்ணி கார வகையுடன்

அட்ட பாலகு ழம்பு கன்னல்

அமுத மோடும் உதவினும்

அன்பனோ டளித்தி டாத

அசனம் என்ன அசனமே"

( Kettasaaru thavidu kanji

Kirumi unda maa araik

Keeai vertheliththa moarmu

Rintha paagu kinduma

Itta soaru kozhiyal uppi

Daatha purkai aaayinum

Engum anba thaaga nunga

Inba maayi rukkume

Patta paadha pasuvin neip

Paruppu mukka nikkuzhaam

Paani thangal thaali thangal

Panni kaara vagaiyudan

Atta paalaku zhambu kannal

Amudha moadum uthavinum

Anbano daliththi daatha

Asanam enna asaname )

These beautiful lines from விவேகசிந்தாமணி ( Vivekasinthaamani ) tells us the importance of how much even the manner in which food is given in matters. It says, when one serves stale, inedible, unsalted, bug ridden food, it would still feel nice when it is served with love, but even if one gets the best of the best fruits, nuts, ghee, even nectar itself, it will not amount to anything if its not given with love.

மோப்பக் குழையும் அனிச்சம் முகந்திரிந்து

நோக்கக் குழையும் விருந்து

(Moppak kuzhaiyum anichcham muganthirinthu

Nokkak kuzhaiyum virunthu)

This is one more திருக்குறள் (Thirukkural) by Thiruvalluvar compares guests to the flower Scarlet pimpernel. This flower is quite delicate and hence even smelling it can make it wither. Hence the author compares a guest's face to this flower and explains that just like how அனிச்சம் ( scarlet pimpernel ) withers when smelt, a guest's face can wither when looked at with a frown or with displeasure.

1. நற்பண்புகள் ( Narpanbugal ) - Virtues

Parents have, from time immemorial, taught their children to uphold certain values and follow certain habits. These might be things that they learnt through experience or might be things that their parents taught them. It has always been a primary form of traditional wisdom. Let us take a look at some that Tamil literature offers..

நன்றியரிதல் பொறையுடைமை இன்சொல்லோடு

இன்னாத எவ்வுயிர்க்கும் செய்யாமை கல்வியோடு

ஒப்புரவு ஆற்ற அறிதல் அறிவுடைமை

நல்லினத் தாரோடு நட்டல் -இவையெட்டும் சொல்லிய ஆசார வித்து

( Nandriyarithal poraiyudaimai

insolloadu

Innaatha evvuyirkkum seiyaamai

kalviyodu

Oppuravu aatra arithal arivudaimai

Nallinath thaarodu nattal - ivaiyettum

Solliya aasaara viththu )

These lines from ஆசாரக்கோவை ( Aasaarakkovai ) written by Peruvaayin Mulliyaar states that, not forgetting someone's help, adjustment to situations, talking kindly, not harming others, getting educated, helping others, being wise and having a healthy friendship are 8 things that are fundamental to having a disciplined life.

ஆக்குவது ஏதெனில் அறத்தை ஆக்குக

போக்குவது ஏதெனில் வெகுளி போக்குக

நோக்குவது ஏதெனில் ஞானம் நோக்குக

காக்குவது ஏதெனில் விரதம் காக்கவே

(Aakkuvathu eathenil araththai

aakkuga

Pokkuvathu eathenil veguli pokkuga

Nokkuvathu eathenil ngyaanam

nokkuga

Kaakkuvathu eathenil viratham kakkave)

These words from யசோதரகாவியம் ( Yasodharakaaviyam ) states that if one is to do something, it should be useful ; if one is to remove any bad habits the first should be anger ; if one is to look into anything then that should educate them and if one is to continue following something their whole life it should be their virtues.

Lastly, let us look at a very famous piece that is renowned for the wisdom it offers in a simple template. While the whole piece itself is huge, we will take the first and most known lines here.

அறஞ் செய்ய விரும்பு

ஆறுவது சினம்

இயல்வது கரவேல்

ஈவது விலக்கேல்

உடையது விளம்பேல்

ஊக்கமது கைவிடேல்

எண் எழுத்து இகழேல்

ஏற்பது இகழ்ச்சி

ஐயம் இட்டு உண்

ஒப்புரவு ஒழுகு

ஓதுவது ஒழியேல்

ஔவியம் பேசேல்

( Aranj cheyya virumbu

Aaruvathu sinam

Iyalvathu karavel

Eevathu vilakkel

Udaiyathu vilambel

Ookamathu kaividel

En ezhuththu igazhel

Earpathu igazhchchi

Aiyam ittu un

Oppuravu ozhugu

Oathuvathu ozhiyeal

Owviyam pesel )

These lines are from ஆத்திசூடி (Aaththichoodi) written by Avvaiyaar and the meaning is as follows

Do Charity / Do good things

Anger should be avoided

Give what you can without hesitation

Don't prevent someone from doing charity

Don't boast of your belongings

Don't stop trying

Don't scorn education

Do not scrounge

Give food to others who ask and then eat

When in Rome do as the Romans do

Don't stop reading ( have a reading habit at all times )

Don't talk enviously

There are many more such incredible treasure troves that, when integrated into our lives, can make it so much more enjoyable and teach us a lot in the process too. It is in our hands to look for them and discover the magic behind them!

By Dakshmitha G