Vedic God Yama in Tamil Veda Tirukkural! (Post No.13,372)
Date uploaded in London – 23 JUNE 2024
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Why do Tamil Poets praise Tirukkural a ‘Tamil Veda’?- Part 6
All of us are scared of Death. Brahmins around the world pray to Yama thrice a day facing South . They also recite a Mantra for a long life of 100 years. Tiru Valluvar is no exception. He also says South is the direction where Yama loka is. He also says that we must pay obeisance to the departed souls in the South. Because Hindus are ordained to do Pancha yajna every day. On of them is to worship Pitrus/departed souls. No where in the world we such DAILY worship.
Tiru Valluvar refers to the God of Death in the Kurals/couplets 43, 269, 326, 765, 894, 1083, 1085
Tiru Valluvar is a Pukka Hindutva Guy. He follows orthodox Hinduism. An orthodox Hindu performs Pancha Yajna (Fivefold sacrifice) every day. That is, he has to supports his ancestors, his parents, guests, relations and his own family .
All around the world people support their own family and in some cases relations. But Hindus are supposed to divide their income into six parts and the sixth part should go to the king or government. Most of the Western countries follow the Hindu practice even today by taxing the people 17%.
Hinduism is unique and it says one must feed the guests and ancestors every day. In the olden days people keep the door open and shout before eating, , Is there anyone to join me in the lunch? But how do you feed the ancestors? They just pour water with sesame seeds saying the names of departed people- of seven generations. In this ceremony to propitiate the departed souls they face South and do the ceremony. In Tamil, the departed souls are called Southerners- those who live in the South. That is why Brahmins take the dead body South first (or body laid facing South). They do prayer to Yama facing south thrice a day in Sandhya Vandana.
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And Valluvar says,
It is paramount for the householder to do his fivefold duty
To his ancestors, his parents, guests, kindred and self- kural 43
(for ancestors ,Valluvar used the word Souherners)
Or
Another translation
The paramount duty of a householder is to cherish daily the manes, the gods, his guests, his relations and himself- Kural 43
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In Sanskrit slokas/couplets it is slightly different:
Deva Yajna (gods/reading the scriptures), Pitru Yajna (ancestors), Bhoota Yajna (animals and birds), Manushya Yajna (Family, relations, guests) and Rishi Yajna (supporting saints and Sanyasis)
In many families they first offer the cooked food to gods and crows. All women learn it from their mothers and grand mothers. And while doing Kolam/Rangoli in front of the houses, women use rice flour to feed the ants. Through this couplet Valluvar proved himself a Pukka Hindu.
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Other couplets/Kurals on Yama , God of Death
Those who have acquired strength asceticism have he power of overcoming even death- 269
Or
Those who achieved the strength of penance
Could even defeat the God of Death- 269
This is purely a Hindu concept. Conquering the death is in medical books and Tamil Siddhar Hymns.
Even two ancient commentators Manakkudavar and Parithiar refer to Markandeya as the example for achievement. Markandeya story is known to all Hindus.
One must clearly understand that nowhere in the world no one lived beyond 300 years in human body. Trailinga Swami of Kasi/Varanasi lived for over 300 years. What the Hindu scriptures mean is living in spiritual body. Bharatvaja Rishi lived 400 years to study the Vedas and yet he couldn’t master the Vedas, says our scriptures.
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The God of Death will not cut short the life of man who upholds the ideal of non-killing in his life- 326
Or
The Lord of Death shall not lay hands on the one
Who observes the vow of non- killing- 326
This is also a Hindu concept. No religion assures long life just because you are a vegetarian. Mahatma Gandhi said that he would live up to 120 years and he followed Ahimsa ( non killing) in word ,deed and thought. But he was assassinated even before he reached 100 years.
Tiru Valluvar was a Hindutva guy who believed that lands produce abundantly if there is rule of justice. He followed Kalidasa and Kamban who said tigers and deer will drink water from the same lake or river if there is rule of justice. In today’s world, Valluvar, Kamban and Kalidasa will be dubbed most superstitious poets.
Now Dravidian college girls are laughing at Hindutva Valluvar who said if a wife worships husband instead of God, that woman can command Rain God to pour down. One authoress criticised Valluvar saying he is past expiry date and there was a big uproar.
So what Valluvar said here about non-killing and long life would be ridiculed by the Dravidians. Two Dravidiab leaders distorted all the Kurals wherever such “out of date “ things said by Valluvar.
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That alone is an army which has the courage to meet death advancing in anger and to confront him in a body—765
Or
A good army is that , which can withstand a deadly assault
Even by Lord Yama, the God of Death-765
This is Dr S M Diaz’s translation. He was the I G of Police in Tamil Nadu
(Dr Diaz used to come to meet Swamiji Krishna in Madurai. Swamiji Krishna gave us Mantra Upadesa. Diaz’s translation of Tirukkural is one of the best translations).
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The weak who insult and offend mighty men of wisdom only invite death with their own hands- – 894
Or
The weak prince venturing to attack a mighty ruler, is like beckoning
To the God of Death to take him away- 894
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Following two Kurals are in the third and last section of Tirukkural. It is about sex and family life. Here is one man exclaiming about a beauty!
I did not know death before; now I know; he has the grace of a woman with eyes that wage unceasing war- 1083
Or
I did not know the Lord of Death before but now I guess he assumes the form
Of a beautiful maiden with large battling eyes- 1083
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Is it the Lord of Death or simply roving eyes or is she a frightened gazelle,
The artless one gives me the impression of al the three.
Or
Is it death or eyes or indeed eyes or is it a gazelle? The look of this maiden has all the three- 1085
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Death கூற்றம், கூற்று;
and God of Death/ கூற்றுவன்
One may wonder when the couplets says only ‘Death’ and not God of Death, why commentators interpret it as God of Death. In Tamil the word for death is Kuutram or Kuutru and the word for Yama is Kuuttru+van so ancient commentators use Yama wherever death is mentioned.
–subham—
Tags- Yama, God of Death, Lord, Tirukkural, superstition, Valluvar, Vedic God, Tamil Veda , Tamil Poets praise , Tirukkural , a ‘Tamil Veda’?- Part 6
Tamil and Vedas 