Ten Medieval Commentators

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The Ten Medieval Commentators (Tamil: உரையாசிரியர்கள் பதின்மர்) were a canonical group of Tamil scholars whose commentaries on the ancient Indian didactic work of the Kural are esteemed by later scholars as worthy of critical analysis.[1] These scholars lived in the Medieval era between the 10th and 13th centuries CE. Among these medieval commentaries, the commentaries of Manakkudavar, Kaalingar, and Parimelalhagar are considered pioneer by modern scholars.[2]

Commentaries[edit]

"Valluvar is a cunning technician, who, by prodigious self-restraint and artistic vigilance, super-charges his words with meaning and achieves an incredible terseness and an irreducible density. His commentators have, therefore, to squeeze every word and persuade it to yield its last drop of meaning."

— S. Maharajan, 1979.[3]

The Kural remains the most reviewed work of the Tamil literature, with almost every scholar down the ages having written commentaries on it. Of the several hundred commentaries written on the didactic work over the centuries, the commentaries written by a group of ten medieval scholars are considered to have high literary value. The ten scholars are:[4]

Of these, only the commentaries of Manakkudavar, Paridhi, Pariperumal, Kaalingar, and Parimelalhagar are extant in their complete (or almost complete) form.[6][7] The commentaries of Dharumar, Dhamatthar, and Nacchar have survived only in fragmentary form, and those of Thirumalaiyar and Mallar are now lost completely. The oldest of these is the commentary of Manakkudavar (c. 10th century CE), which is considered to be the closest to the original text of the Kural, and is considered the cornerstone against which other medieval commentaries are compared in order to find variations in them.[8] Each commentators followed his own sense of logic in the arrangement of the chapters and the couplets within them. Researchers have found as many as 16, 20, 120, and 171 variations in the ordering of the Kural couplets by Pari Perumal, Paridhi, Parimelalhagar, and Kaalingar, respectively, with respect to the commentary by Manakkudavar.[9] According to M. Shanmugham Pillai, there are about 305 textual variations in all the commentaries combined.[10] The last of these medieval commentaries is that of Parimelalhagar, who wrote the commentary around 1271–1272 CE, as indicated in an inscription at the Varadharaja Perumal Temple at Kanchipuram.[11] Parimelalhagar's commentary is followed ever since as the standard for numbering of the Kural chapters and the couplets within each chapter.[12]

Chapter order variations[edit]

Valluvar wrote the Kural literature in three parts, namely, Book I, Book II, and Book III, containing a total of 133 chapters in all, without splitting the books further into any subdivisions.[13][14] However, later scholars from both the Late Sangam period and the medieval era divided each book into various divisions known as iyal and grouped the chapters variously under each iyal.[15] They also changed the ordering of the couplets within each chapter widely.[15][16] These variations are not standard either but vary according to different commentators.[17] While the variations in the ordering of the couplets according to various commentators are found across the work, variations in the grouping and ordering of chapters are found chiefly in the Book on Virtue (Book I).[15]

The following table lists the variations between ordering of chapters in Book I by Manakkudavar (the oldest) and that by Parimelalhagar (the latest).[15][18]

Manakkudavar's ordering Parimelalhagar's ordering
(followed today)
Chapters under subdivision “Domestic virtue”
5. Household life
6. The virtues of a wife
7. Offspring
8. Loving-kindness
9. Hospitality
10. Not lying
11. Gratitude
12. Impartiality
13. Patience
14. Right conduct
15. Not coveting another's wife
16. Refraining from anger
17. Ahimsa/Not doing harm
18. Not killing
19. Shunning meat-eating
20. Not stealing
21. Dread of evil deeds
22. Social duty
23. Generosity
24. Glory 		Chapters under subdivision “Ascetic virtue”
25. Benevolence, mercy, and compassion
26. Kindness of speech
27. Self-control
28. Austerities
29. Hypocrisy
30. Not envying
31. Not coveting another's goods
32. Not backbiting
33. Not uttering useless words
34. Impermanence
35. Self-denial
36. Realization of the truth
37. Rooting out desire 		Chapters under subdivision “Domestic virtue”
5. Household life
6. The virtues of a wife
7. Offspring
8. Loving-kindness
9. Hospitality
10. Kindness of speech
11. Gratitude
12. Impartiality
13. Self-control
14. Right conduct
15. Not coveting another's wife
16. Patience
17. Not envying
18. Not coveting another's goods
19. Not backbiting
20. Not uttering useless words
21. Dread of evil deeds
22. Social duty
23. Generosity
24. Glory 		Chapters under subdivision “Ascetic virtue”
25. Benevolence, mercy, and compassion
26. Shunning meat-eating
27. Austerities
28. Hypocrisy
29. Not stealing
30. Not lying
31. Refraining from anger
32. Ahimsa/Not doing harm
33. Not killing
34. Impermanence
35. Self-denial
36. Realization of the truth
37. Rooting out desire

The chapters "Shunning meat-eating," "Not stealing," "Not lying," "Refraining from anger," "Ahimsa," and "Non-killing", all of which originally appear under subsection "Domestic virtues" in Manakkudavar's version, appear under "Ascetic virtues" in Parimelalhagar's version. Similarly, the chapters "Kindness of speech," "Self-control," "Not envying," "Not coveting another’s goods," "Not backbiting," and "Not uttering useless words", which appear under "Ascetic virtue" in Manakkudavar's version, appear under "Domestic virtue" in Parimelalhagar's version.[15] Given these subdivisions of domestic and ascetic virtues are later additions,[19][20] both the domestic and ascetic virtues in the Book of Aṟam are addressed to the householder or commoner.[21][22][23] Ascetic virtues in the Kural, according to A. Gopalakrishnan, does not mean renunciation of household life or pursuing of the conventional ascetic life, but only refers to giving up avarice and immoderate desires and maintaining self-control that is expected of every individual.[22]

Legacy[edit]

All these commentators lived in a time that is now known among literary scholars as "the golden age of Tamil prosaic literature".[24] This era is also dubbed "the age of literary commentaries".[24]

An old Tamil poem describes all these ten commentators thus:

Original:
தருமர் மணக்குடவர் தாமத்தர் நச்சர்
பரிதி பரிமே லழகர் திருமலையர்
மல்லர் பரிப்பெருமாள் காலிங்கர் — வள்ளுவர்நூற்கு
எல்லையுரை செய்தார் இவர்[25]		 Translation:
Dharumar Manakkudavar Dhamatthar Nacchar
Paridhi Parimel alhagar Thirumalaiyar
Mallar Pariperumal Kaalingar — Wrote these
For the Book of Valluvar faithful commentaries. (Perunthogai, line 1538)[11]

See also[edit]

Citations[edit]

  1. ^ Natarajan, 2008, pp. 1–6.
  2. ^ Lal, 1992.
  3. ^ Maharajan, 2017, p. 8.
  4. ^ Vedhanayagam, 2017, pp. 7–8.
  5. ^ Chellammal, 2015, p. 134.
  6. ^ Anonymous, n.d.
  7. ^ Desikar, n.d.
  8. ^ Kovaimani & Nagarajan 2013, pp. 115–116.
  9. ^ Raja, 2017.
  10. ^ Pillai, 1971, pp. xii, 206.
  11. ^ a b Sundaram, 1990, pp. 9–10.
  12. ^ Vamanan, The Times of India, 1 November 2021.
  13. ^ Shanmukham Pillai, 1972, p. 12.
  14. ^ Zvelebil, 1973, p. 158.
  15. ^ a b c d e Aravindan, 2018, pp. 346–347.
  16. ^ Meiyappan, 2003, p. vii.
  17. ^ Desikar, 1969, p. 73.
  18. ^ Pillai, 1917, pp. iii–viii.
  19. ^ Zvelebil, 1973, pp. 158–160.
  20. ^ Aravindan, 2018, pp. 346–348.
  21. ^ Waghorne, 2004, pp. 120–125.
  22. ^ a b Gopalakrishnan, 2012, p. 144.
  23. ^ The Hindu (Tamil), 16 January 2014.
  24. ^ a b Mohan and Sokkalingam, 2011, p. 23.
  25. ^ Arunachalam, 1970.

References[edit]

  • திருக்குறள் உரைக்கொத்து [Thirukkural Uraikotthu] (in Tamil). Shri Kaasimadam, Thiruppanathal Patthippu.
  • Aravindan, M. V. (2018). உரையாசிரியர்கள் [Uraiaasiriyargal] (in Tamil) (First ed.). Chennai: Manivasagar Padhippagam.
  • G. P. Chellammal (2015). திருக்குறள் ஆய்வுக் கோவை [Tirukkural Research Compendium] (in Tamil) (1 ed.). Chennai: Manivasagar Padhippagam.
  • M. Arunachalam (1970). தமிழ் இலக்கிய வரலாறு, பதின்மூன்றாம் நூற்றாண்டு (Tamil Ilakkiya Varalaru, 13th century)[Tamil]. Chennai: The Parker, Tamil Research and Publishing Group (Revised edition, 2005).
  • Desikar, Dhandapani (n.d.). திருக்குறள் உரைவளம் [Thirukkural Urai Valam] (in Tamil). Dhandapani Desikar Patthippu.
  • A. Gopalakrishnan (2012). Tirukkural: Tiruvalluvar Karutthurai. Chidambaram: Meiyappan Padhippagam.
  • S. Maharajan (2017). Tiruvalluvar. Makers of Indian Literature (2nd ed.). New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi. ISBN 978-8126053216.
  • Lal, Mohan (1992). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Sasay to Zorgot. Sahitya Akademi. ISBN 978-81-260-1221-3.
  • S. Meiyappan, ed. (2003). திருக்குறள் மணக்குடவர் உரை [Tirukkural: Manakkudavar Commentary] (in Tamil) (1st ed.). Chennai: Manivasagar Padhippagam.
  • Natarajan, P. R. (December 2008). Thirukkural:Aratthuppaal (in Tamil) (First ed.). Chennai: Uma Padhippagam.
  • Raja, M. N. Ramasubramania, ed. (April 2017). திருக்குறள் உரைக்களஞ்சியம் [Thirukkural Uraikkalanjiyam] (in Tamil) (1 ed.). Chennai: Kotravai.
  • Pillai, M. Shanmugham (1971). Yāppu amaitiyum pāṭa vēṛupāṭum (The Prosody and Various Readings in Tirukkural) (in Tamil) (1 ed.). Chennai: University of Madras.
  • Joanne Punzo Waghorne (2004). Diaspora of the Gods: Modern Hindu Temples in an Urban Middle-Class World. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-515663-8.
  • Vamanan (1 November 2021). "Returning to the classic commentary of Thirukkural". The Times of India. Chennai: The Times Group. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  • M. Shanmukham Pillai (1972). திருக்குறள் அமைப்பும் முறையும் [The structure and method of Tirukkural] (1 ed.). Chennai: University of Madras.
  • Pillai, V. O. C. (1917). திருவள்ளுவர் திருக்குறள் மணக்குடவருரை—அறத்துப்பால் [Tiruvalluvar Tirukkural Manakkudavar Commentary—Book of Aram] (in Tamil) (First ed.). Chennai: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai.
  • Sundaram, P. S. (1990). Tiruvalluvar: The Kural (First ed.). Gurgaon: Penguin Books. ISBN 978-01-44000-09-8.
  • Vedhanayagam, Rama (2017). திருவள்ளுவ மாலை மூலமும் எளிய உரை விளக்கமும் [Tiruvalluvamaalai: Moolamum Eliya Urai Vilakkamum] (in Tamil) (1 ed.). Chennai: Manimekalai Prasuram.
  • "திருக்குறளில் இல்லாதது எதுவும் இல்லை: திருவள்ளுவர் விருது பெற்ற தைவான் கவிஞர் யூசி பேச்சு". The Hindu (Tamil) (in Tamil). Chennai: Kasturi & Sons. 16 January 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  • Kamil Zvelebil (1973). The Smile of Murugan: On Tamil Literature of South India. Leiden: E. J. Brill. ISBN 90-04-03591-5. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  • C. Dhandapani Desikar (1969). திருக்குறள் அழகும் அமைப்பும் [Tirukkural: Beauty and Structure] (in Tamil). Chennai: Tamil Valarcchi Iyakkam.
  • R. Mohan and Nellai N. Sokkalingam (2011). உரை மரபுகள் [Conventions of Commentaries]. Chidambaram: Meiyappan Padhippagam.
  • Kovaimani, M. G.; Nagarajan, P. V. (2013). திருக்குறள் ஆய்வுமாலை [Tirukkural Research Papers] (in Tamil). Tanjavur: Tamil University. ISBN 978-8170904359.
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