WRITTEN BY LONDON SWAMINATHAN

Post No. 13,717

Date uploaded in London – 27 September 2024                 

Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com

Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.

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tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com

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Both Judaism and Islam have prohibited eating pork and its products for thousands of years. But Christians and non-vegetarian Hindus eat pork. Tamil saint Kannappa Nayanar, who gave both of his eyes to Lord Siva, offered pork to Lord Siva. There are many references to hunting wild pigs or boar for meat. They were not considered unclean animals. In fact, there are references of raising pigs in towns.

In local legends like Tiruvilayadal Purana , we even see pigs were helped by Lord Siva.

But in general, both Hindus and Shakespeare held pigs in the lowest category of animal kingdom.

In the Merchant of Venice drama , Shakespeare shows the hatred for pigs through Shylock’s  dialogue.

Here are some references from the play:

Yes, to smell pork; to eat of the habitation which
your prophet the Nazarite conjured the devil into. I
will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you,
walk with you, and so following, but I will not eat
with you, drink with you, nor pray with you.

Explanation — Perhaps in an aside where he is thinking to himself, Shylock, a Jew, points out the differences between his culture and the Christian culture practiced by Bassanio and Antonio. Shylock expresses his revulsion to smelling and eating pork and implies that Christians should feel the same way, since Christ (“the Nazarite”) cast the spirit causing a man’s insanity into a herd of swine, which makes pigs the “habitation” of the devil.

*****

Some men there are love not a gaping pig;
Some, that are mad if they behold a cat;
And others, when the bagpipe sings i’ the nose,
Cannot contain their urine: for affection,
Mistress of passion, sways it to the mood
Of what it likes or loathes. Now, for your answer:
As there is no firm reason to be render’d,
Why he cannot abide a gaping pig;
Why he, a harmless necessary cat;

— The Duke has just asked Shylock why he would prefer a pound of flesh to 3,000 ducats and Shylock has just said he will not give a reason, but he keeps on talking anyway, comparing his “humour” (his desire for Antonio’s flesh) to other people’s unreasonable fears of cats, pigs and bagpipe playing.

****

The wretched, bloody, and usurping boar,

That spoil’d your summer fields and fruitful vines,

Swills your warm blood like wash, and makes his trough

In your embowell’d bosoms, this foul swine

Lies now even in the centre of this isle,

Near to the town of Leicester, as we learn

From Tamworth thither is but one day’s march.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

—- The Tragedy of King Richard III, Act 5, Scene 2 (1593-3).

*****

From Hindu Books

Naladiyaar

So we don’t see any hatred towards pigs or boars in general . only similarity is they are considered lower kind of  animals.

Hindu Tamils went forward with boar or wild pig hunting  and raised them at towns.

Here are two verses rom Naladiyar to show how they took care of the pigs

Good instruction thrown away on thankless people.

When you expound the way of virtue to ungrateful people, —which is like mashing up sweet mangoes for a pig in a food — trough , — those virtuous teachings lose all their force —have their point (தைல) broken (தக#) by the obtuseness of the disciple— and do not enter into, or suit his ear, — like a stake which one would drive in on the side of a hill. –Naladiyar

Here we come to know that they prepared gruel for pigs

****

ஏட்டைப் பருவத்தும் இற்பிறந்தார் செய்வன

மோட்டிடத்தும் செய்யார் முழுமக்கள் — கோட்டை

வயிரம் செறிப்பினும் வாட்கண்ணாய்! பன்றி

செயிர்வேழ மாகுதல் இன்று.- Naladiyar

Base men illiberal even in prosperity.

Worthless persons even in high estate do not the deeds that men of noble birth perform even in their poverty. Okeen-eyed maid! Men may enring and arm the boar’s tusks, but it will not even so become a warlike elephant.

*****

From Tirumanthiram of Tirumular

2918. பன்றியும் பாம்பும் பசுமுசு வானரம்

தென்றிக் கிடந்த சிறுநரிக் கூட்டத்துக்

குன்றாமை கூடித் தராசின் நிறுத்தபின்

குன்றி நிறையைக் குறைக்கின்ற வாறே. 53- Tirumular

2918: Conquer Indriyas and Reach Iruvinai-Oppu and Malapari Pakam

Pig and Snake, Cow and Monkey

Together were in the lowly Jackal herd;

Joining them not and debasing himself not,

When, in balance, deeds good and bad are equal weighed

The Jiva, tinier than crab’s-eye berry,

Its ego’s diminution saw.

****

2926. போகின்ற எட்டும் புகுகின்ற பத்தெட்டும்

ஆகிப் படைத்தன ஒன்பது வாய்தலும்

நாகமும் எட்டொடு நாலு புரவியும்

பாகன் விடாவிடில் பன்றியும் ஆமே. 61

Here we see them grouped with low class people.

2926: The Lord Drives in the Tattvas into the Infant Body

The eight constituents of Body Subtle

That ultimate leave,

The eight and ten Tattvas that sneak in,

With Purusha in them immersed,

The orifices nine,

The Kundalini that serpent-like coils,

The life breath twelve finger-measure (angula) long,

-If these, the Divine Charioteer drives not in,

Verily may the infant less than human be (say, pig).

****

Tamil  saint Tirumular supported vegetarianism like Tiru Valluvar and he cursed meat eaters that they would be biorn as pigs in their next birth.

கொன்றிலாரை கொலச் சொல்லிகூறினார்

தின்றிலாரை தினச் சொலி தெண்டித்தார்

பன்றியாய் படியில்பிறந்து ஏழ் நரகு 

ஒன்றுவார் அரன் ஆணை! இது உண்மையே!– Tirumular

Those who ask others to kill animals (for meat)

Those who force others to eat meat

Will be born as pigs and suffer in seven types of hell

This is the order by Lord Siva! True indeed!-Tirumular

****

From Tamil Book Neethi Venba

Tamil Book Neethi Venba contains didactic verses where pig is compared with the elephant .

One verse says what is the use getting so many children like piglets ? they are valuless. Lookt athe elephant which gives birth to only one calf. One must have one good child like elepant and not many like piglets.- Neethi Venba

Another verse says

Look at the elephant! When pigs are crossing their path, the elephants just negotiate and go around them; it is not that they are scared of pigs. In the same way, when ignorant people challenge the wise people, they simply avoid them and go their own way- Neethi Venba

****

Tamil Proverbs

887. ஆனை ஒரு குட்டி போட்டும் பயன்  ; பன்றி பல குட்டிப்போட்டும் பயன் இல்லை

It is of value though an elephant brings forth a single young one but the many young

ones of a pig are of no value.

One good thing is better than ten bad ones.

3777. தான் தின்னத் தவிடு இல்லை. வாரத்துக்குப் பன்றிக் குட்டியா?
He has no bran to eat, why seek a young pig to rear for hire ?

4515. பன்றிக்குட்டிக்கு ஒருசந்தி ஏது?
Does a young pig observe fasts?

4516. பன்றிக்குட்டி ஆனை ஆமா?
Will the young pig become an elephant?

4617.பன்றி பட்டால் அவனோடே, காட்டானை பட்டால் பங்கு.
If a hog be shot he takes the whole, if an elephant be shot I shall have a share.

4618. பன்றி பல குட்டி, சிங்கம் ஒரு குட்டி.
The sow has many young ones at a time, the lioness only one.

4619. பன்றி பல குட்டி போட்டு என்ன?
What, if a sow has a numerous litter?

4620. பன்றியோடு கூடிய கன்றும் மலம் தின்னும்.
A calf that goes with a pig will eat excrement.

All these show that pigs are useless, valueless and unclean animals .

(Verses and Proverbs were taken from PROJECT MADURAI website; thanks.)

–subam—

Tags – Pigs, boar, pork, swine, hog, Shakespeare, Tamil Verses, Neethi Venba, Tirumular, Naladiyar, Tamil Proverbs, Elephant,