Written by London swaminathan
Date: 17th August 2016
Time uploaded in London: 9-16 AM
Post No.3069
Pictures are taken from various sources; thanks for the pictures.
Tirukkural, the Veda of the Tamils, is a book of great value to the Tamils. Foreign writers who translated it into English and other European languages said it is like the Bible for the Tamils. Though the author TIRU VALLUVAR has written a lot of common things acceptable to all the four oriental religions Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, his 1330 couplets mostly reflect Hindu thoughts.
Some people tried to show him as a Buddhist or a Jain and those theories were exploded because of his reference to GOD and “the god who lives in the heaven”(Kural/Couplet 50)
More over Tiruvalluvar supports death sentence (550) and violence against the misers (1077 and 1078), he was the Chanakya of the Tamil speaking world. So he cannot be a Jain.
For the forty or fifty years I have been quoting his couplets on moral themes in my articles and speeches. I used to wonder whether he was a Vaishnavite or a Saivite. My research shows that he was a Vaishnavite because of his references to Vishnu and his incarnation and Goddess Lakshmi in more couplets. Next comes his references to Vedic Gods Inrda and Yama. Of the Vedic Gods, Yama was his favourite. He gets more references than others. Siva was mentioned only indirectly. But his first ten couplets in praise of God, he makes general references to God in form. He refers to the FEET OF GOD in most of the couplets. So out and out he was a Hindu.
He was a master of Sanskrit as well. He used the Sanskrit words Dhanam and Tavam/Tapas in more than one couplet. Above all, he structured his book on the Hindu values: Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha. Since the Tamils do not write separately on Moksha, he has included it in the Dharma section.
In hundreds of Kurals/couplets, he refers to Vedas and Vedic customs, which I am not using here.
All the books that were published until 75 years ago, described Tiruvalluvar as a poet born to a Brahmin and a low caste woman. Dravidian political parties hid this information in later editions of the book and gave him a new date 31 BCE. Tamil Linguistics show that he lived in 4th or 5th century CE.
Let us look at the references to Hindu Gods in Tirukkural, the Tamil Veda:–
Trivikrama/Vamana Avatar – Kural Couplet 610
Adi Bhagawan – Kural 1
Amrita -64, 82, 720, 1106
Yama – 269, 326, 765, 1083, 1085
Pitrs/departed souls- 43 (who live in southern direction)
Brahma- 1062
Indra – 25
Krishna/Vishnu -1103 (Lotus Eyed)
Lakshmi (lotus seated)- 179, 519, 617, 920
Alakshmi- 617, 936 (Lakshmi’s sister)
Maya/charmer man- 1258 (may be Krishna of Gopis)
Couplet 377 refers to Brahma, as the man who writes fate on every one’s head. But commentators translate the word as GOD.
Couplet 580 refers to Siva drinking poison.
“Men of refined courtesy accept even a cup of poison and look cheerfully calm.”
I quoted this in my research article written in 1997 (in London Tamil Magazine Megam) and commented it may be a reference to Socrates or Siva. But Tamil saint Manikka vasakar used this epithet for Lord Siva. So I conclude that it is an indirect reference to Lord Siva drinking poison when the milky ocean was churned to get the Amrita/ambrosia.
Since more remarks point towards a person who worships Vishnu and Lakshmi, I conclude that Tiruvalluvar was a Vishnu Bhakta.
The Opening Ceremony took place on 13th May 1996. Dr L M Singhvi, High Commissioner of India in grey suit is at left extreme, Dr Stuart Blackburn in grey suit is in the middle and I am (London Swaminathan, author of this article) at the far right in the picture. Location: SOAS, University of London.
Please read my old articles on Tiru Valluvar and Tirukkural:-
Strange Link between Lord Shiva, Socrates and Thiruvalluvar, posted on 18 September 2011
Albert Einstein and Thiruvalluvar, Post No. 749 dated 17th December 2013.
Buddha and Tamil Saint on Good thoughts!, Post No 717 dated 21 November 2013
Who was Tiruvalluvar?, 24-7-2013
Tamil Merchant who dumped Gold into Sea, Post No. 1239; Dated 17th August 2014.
வள்ளுவன் ஒரு சம்ஸ்கிருத அறிஞன், 5 நவம்பர் 2012
திருவள்ளுவர் பற்றிய பழைய புத்தகம் (Post No. 2532) , 12 -2-2016
திருவள்ளுவர் யார்?, Post No. 748 dated 17th December 2013.
ஏலேல சிங்கன் கதை!, கட்டுரை எண்:– 1238; தேதி 17 ஆகஸ்ட் 2014.
அவ்வையார், வள்ளுவர் பற்றிய அதிசய தகவல்கள்! 14-11-2015
–subham–
Tamil and Vedas 
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