Elāthi (ஏலாதி)

Introduction: Literary classics abound in all languages of the word and it is indeed a pleasure to read them and appreciate how our ancestors viewed life and how every civilization differed from each other in viewing at the aims and pursuits of life in this world. The objective here is to present once a week, the best poem or sloka or verse or song I have read among the different literary works of the world. "யான் பெற்ற இன்பம் பெருக இவ்வையகம்" என்று திருமூலர் திருமந்திரத்தில் கூறியதுபோல, let everyone attain the bliss I have received in reading them.

We began with திரி (Three) kadugams containing three precepts, then moved over to நான் (Four) manikkadigai containing four, and lastly to சிறுபஞ்ச (Five) moolam containing five precepts per poem. Elāthi we take up this week contains six moral precepts in each poem. However, unlike all these works of three, four and five, this six-precept work contains not 100 poems but only 80.

As we see in the table below, Elāthi is one of the 18 minor works (பதினென்கீழ்கணக்கு நூல்கள்). And what does “Elāthi” mean? It means a mixture containing six herbal constituents which are ஏலம், இலவங்கப்பட்டை, சிறு நாவற்பூ, மிளகு, திப்பிலி and சுக்கு. Every poem in Elāthi also refers to six things (precepts, qualities, aspects) as advice for the common man. Kanimethaviyār is the author of these poems, and it is very clear from his invocation to the 24 Teerthankarās (and many references to non-killing and avoiding meat) that he must have been a Jain.

எண்	அகப்பாடல்கள்	எண்	புறப்பாடல்கள் (நீதி)	எண்	புறப்பாடல்கள் (நீதி)
1	கைந்நிலை	7	களவழி நாற்பது	13	ஏலாதி
2	ஐந்திணை ஐம்பது	8	இன்னா நாற்பது	14	ஆசாரக்கோவை
3	ஐந்திணை எழுபது	9	இனியவை நாற்பது	15	முதுமொழிக்காஞ்சி
4	திணைமொழி ஐம்பது	10	திரிகடுகம்	16	பழமொழி நானூறு
5	திணைமாலை நூற்றைம்பது	11	நான்மணிக்கடிகை	17	நாலடியார்
6	கார் நாற்பது	12	சிறுபஞ்சமூலம்	18	திருக்குறள்

I did not find Elāthi that interesting like Thirikadugam, Nāmanikkadigai or for that matter even Sirupanchamūlam. However, two verses attracted my attention for reasons mentioned below.

(1) Real beauty

“A thing of beauty is a joy for ever” wrote John Keats in his poem Endymion. It means beautiful things delight us even longer than the beautiful things themselves. Our Tamil poet Kanithamethaviyār says in his Elāthi poem 74 that the beauty that lasts forever is learning. Pazhaimaipesi (real name not known) in his blog “எழிலாய் பழமை பேச” has also posted this particular poem from elāthi stressing the significance of numbers and letters.

இடை வனப்பும், தோள் வனப்பும், ஈடின் வனப்பும்,
நடை வனப்பும், நாணின் வனப்பும், புடை சால்
கழுத்தின் வனப்பும், வனப்பு அல்ல; எண்ணோடு
எழுத்தின் வனப்பே வனப்பு. (Elāthi 74)

Neither her slender waist, nor her bamboo-like shoulders,
Neither her captivating charm, nor her swaying cat walk,
Neither her capturing bashfulness, nor her delightful neck,
          are valued as possessions by the cultured.
What is valued as beauty are only arithmetic and grammar.

[An extrapolated translation by me]

If we read only the last two lines of this poem “கழுத்தின் வனப்பும் வனப்பு அல்ல; எண்ணோடு எழுத்தின் வனப்பே வனப்பு” it sounds very much like the couplet in Thirukkural! In fact the last four words “எண்ணோடு எழுத்தின் வனப்பே வனப்பு” resembles Kural 392: “எண்ணென்ப ஏனை யெழுத்தென்ப இவ்விரண்டுங் கண்ணென்ப வாழும் உயிர்க்கு” (Translation: They say: Numbers and other one called Letters are the two eyes to live with). We see the importance of Letters and Numbers (Grammar and Arithmetic) also emphasized in many other ethical works in Tamil. Avvaiyār says in Āthichūdi (7): “எண்ணெழுத் திகழேல்” (Do not despise arithmetic and grammar). She says the same in her other work Konrai Vendan (7): “எண்ணும் எழுத்தும் கண் எனத் தகும்” (Numbers and letters are indeed as precious as one’s eyes).
 
The Saiva Siddhanta canon Thirumurai attributes these qualities to divine grace:

• எண்ணானாய்எழுத்தானாய்கடலேழானாய் (திருமுறை6-12-5)
• எண்ணும் எழுத்தும் சொல்லானாய் போற்றி (திருமுறை 6-55-7)
• எண்ணாகி எழுத்தாகி இயல்புமாகி (திருமுறை 6-83-1)
  
  

(2) Control of the senses

The next poem I have chosen talks about controlling the five senses of sight, touch, smell, taste and sound. Indian wisdom classics abound with numerous references on sense control or self control. Thiruvalluvar had devoted an entire chapter for this in his celebrated work Thirukkural (i.e.Chapter 13: அடக்கமுடைமை). Let us see the poem now:

சாவது எளிது; அரிது, சான்றாண்மை; நல்லது
மேவல் எளிது; அரிது, மெய் போற்றல்; ஆவதன்கண்
சேறல் எளிது; நிலை அரிது; தெள்ளியர் ஆய்
வேறல் எளிது; அரிது, சொல்.     (Elāthi 39)

It is easy for anyone to die,
          but not with a tag of goodness;
Easy it is to aim for a righteous life,
          but hard to maintain it with truthfulness;
Easy it is to join the order of ascetics,
          but difficult to remain an ascetic.
Easy it is to talk of controlling senses five,
          but uphill is the task of conquering them.

(Translated by me)

கிட்டத்தட்ட இதே கருத்தை மிக அருமையாக 1706–1744 ஆண்டுகளில் வாழ்ந்த தாயுமானவர் தனது தேஜோமயானந்தத்தில் இவ்வாறு நமக்கெல்லாம் எளிதாக புரிந்துகொள்ளும்விதம் எழுதியுள்ளார். இந்த செய்யுளை நான் முதன் முதலாக சுவாமி யோகானந்த பரமாஹம்ஸா எழுதிய “An Autobiography of a Yogi” என்ற நூலின் வழியாக தெரிந்துகொண்டேன்.

கந்துக மதக்கரியை வசமா நடத்தலாம்;
      கரடி,வெம்புலி வாயையும்
கட்டலாம்; ஒரு சிங்க முதுகின் மேல் கொள்ளலாம்;
      கட்செவி யெடுத்து ஆட்டலாம்;
வெந்தழலி னிரதம் வைத்து ஐந்து லோகத்தையும்
      வேதித்து விற்றுண்ணலாம்;
வேறொருவர் காணாமல் உலகத்து உலாவலாம்
      விண்ணவரை யேவல்கொளலாம்;
சந்ததமும் இளமையோ டு இருக்கலாம்; மற்றொரு
      சரீரத்தினும் புகுதலாம்;
சலமே னடக்கலாம்; கனன்மேல் இருக்கலாம்
      தன்னிகரில் சித்திபெறலாம்;
சிந்தையை அடக்கியே சும்மா இருக்கின்ற
      திறம் அரிது;

To control and secure an elephant in musth – that is possible.
To muzzle a bear, or a fierce tiger – that is possible.
To ride upon the back of the incomparable lion – that is possible.
To charm snakes, and make them dance – that is possible.
To put mercury into a furnace, transform the five base metals,
            sell them, and live from the proceeds – that is possible.
To wander the earth, invisible to everyone else – that is possible.
To command the celestials in our own service – that is possible.
To remain forever young – that is possible.
To transmigrate into another physical body – that is possible.
To walk on water, or to sit amidst flames – that is possible.
To attain supernatural powers, that know no equal - that is possible.
But the ability to control the mind, and remain still, is very difficult indeed.

(தேஜோமயானந்தம், verse 8)

[Translators: Robert Butler, T. V. Venkatasubramanian & David Godman – slightly modified]

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Sirupanchamulam

சிறுபஞ்சமூலம்

Introduction: Literary classics abound in all languages of the word and it is indeed a pleasure to read them and appreciate how our ancestors viewed life and how every civilization differed from each other in viewing at the aims and pursuits of life in this world. The objective here is to present once a week, the best poem or sloka or verse or song I have read among the different literary works of the world. "யான் பெற்ற இன்பம் பெருக இவ்வையகம்" என்று திருமூலர் திருமந்திரத்தில் கூறியதுபோல, let everyone attain the bliss I have received in reading them.

Sirupanchamūlam is yet another ethical work in the 18 minor works group of Tamil literature containing 100 quatrains in venba meter. Written by Kariyasan (காரியாசான்) sometime between 500 A.D. and 900 A.D., this work deals with various morals that would enable a householder lead a virtuous life in this world. The poet begins his work with an invocatory poem which says “After worshipping the sacred feet of the supreme being who has eradicated all the three evils namely desire, hatred and delusion, ………………. , I have composed this poem”. From this and some of the poems of ahimsa nature within Sirupanchamūlam, it is clear to us that the author was a Jain. One who has eradicated hatred, desire and delusion cannot be a creator God but only a sage who achieved these qualities by austerities and penance. 

Thirikadukam dealt with three medicaments of ethical precents, Naanmanikkadikai with four gems of ethical precepts and in Sirupanchamūlam we see five precepts being highlighted in each poem. Siru-pancha-moolam means five herbal roots. These are said to be kandangkathiri root, siruvazhuthunai root, sirumalli root, perumalli root and nerunchi root (கண்டங்கத்திரி வேர், சிறுவழுதுணை வேர், சிறுமல்லி வேர், பெருமல்லி வேர் மற்றும் நிருஞ்சி வேர்). Just like how these herbal roots cure physical ailments, so do the five precepts in every poem supposed to be a prescription for proper living. However, unlike Thirikadukam and Naanmanikkadikai, not all the poems in Sirupanchamūlam have five moral teachings (e.g. for this are 67, 68).

எண்	அகப்பாடல்கள்	எண்	புறப்பாடல்கள் (நீதி)	எண்	புறப்பாடல்கள் (நீதி)
1	கைந்நிலை	7	களவழி நாற்பது	13	ஏலாதி
2	ஐந்திணை ஐம்பது	8	இன்னா நாற்பது	14	ஆசாரக்கோவை
3	ஐந்திணை எழுபது	9	இனியவை நாற்பது	15	முதுமொழிக்காஞ்சி
4	திணைமொழி ஐம்பது	10	திரிகடுகம்	16	பழமொழி நானூறு
5	திணைமாலை நூற்றைம்பது	11	நான்மணிக்கடிகை	17	நாலடியார்
6	கார் நாற்பது	12	சிறுபஞ்சமூலம்	18	திருக்குறள்

1) Flowering and fruiting

பூவாகிக் காயாகிக் கனிந்தமரம் ஒன்று

பூவாமல் காய்க்காமல் கிடந்தமரம் ஒன்று

என்ற கண்னாதாசன் எழுதிய பாடலை ஏற்கனவே ஔவையார் எழுதிய ‘நல்வழி’ என்ற நூலைப்பற்றி நான் முன்பு எழுதியபோது குறிப்பிட்டது நினைவிருக்கலாம். சிறுபஞ்சமூலத்தில் வரும் இரு செய்யுள்களை படித்தபொழுதும் எனக்கு இந்த திரைப்படப் பாடல்தான் நினைவுக்கு வந்தது. 

Let us see those poems now….

பூவாது காய்க்கும் மரம் உள; நன்று அறிவார்,
மூவாது மூத்தவர், நூல் வல்லார்; தாவா,
விதையாமை நாறுவ வித்து உள; மேதைக்கு
உரையாமைச் செல்லும் உணர்வு. (22)

There are trees that fruit without flowering;

          Similarly there are erudite who, without growing old, become intellectual.

There are seeds which germinate without being sown by men;

          There are also ingenious who can imbibe knowledge without being instructed.

(Translator: K.N. Chokkalingam; modified)

Ficus glomerata (அத்தி)

The question is if there are any trees that fruit without flowering. Actually there is none. However there are trees that seed without flowering. All the primitive trees like spruce, pine and oak are non-flowering and they are called “Gymnosperms” which mean ‘naked seeds” in Greek. In other words, their seeds are without a fleshy covering which we call the “fruit” and therefore called ‘naked’. While these non-flowering plants are largely restricted to the temperate environments (a good exception are the cycads), the flowering plants (Angiosperms) dominate everywhere particulary the tropics. There is hardly any Gymnosperm in the Tamil country that would have attracted the attention of the Tamil poets, except the Cycad which must have been quite common in the hilly Kurinchi and parts of Mullai landscapes. But cycads do not fruit, but only seed.

If there are no fruiting trees that do not flower, what does then the author of the poem Kariyasan refer to? Elsewhere in Tamil literature, we see species like fig and jack being referred as trees that fruit without flowering. Poet Kariyasan is ideed referring to these species under the family Moraceae whose members include jacks, figs and mulberry. Contrary to what people believed (or even laymen of the present), these plants also flower but these are composite and minute and thus not visible to the nake eye. It is not a surprise that our ancestors have failed to note this phenomenon.

Now let us go the next poem:

பூத்தாலும் காயா மரம் உள; நன்று அறியார்,
மூத்தாலும் மூவார், நூல் தேற்றாதார்; பாத்திப்
புதைத்தாலும் நாறாத வித்து உள; பேதைக்கு
உரைத்தாலும் செல்லாது, உணர்வு.   (23)

Like trees that do not fruit in spite of flowering;

          there are also people who remain immature in intellect despite growing up.

Like seeds that do not sprout even when sown,

          there are also fools who cannot comprehend even when instructed.

(Translator: K.N. Chokkalingam; modified)

Here the poet says that there are trees that do not fruit in spite of flowering! But this is true? These are plants where both male and male trees are separate and these are called Dioecious plants. The ones bearing the male flowers are called Andreoecious plants and those bearing only the female flowers are called Gynoecious. Our Papaya (பப்பாளி or Carica papaya) tree is a good example. However Papaya came from South America and the ancient Tamils wouldn’t have known about Papaya during their times. Their reference to non-fuiting flowering trees could be to some of the local species of trees or plants. Dioecious plants constitute only 6-7% of all plant species (*) and are therefore rare (an Indian examples: Mallotus philippensis கபிலப்பொடி மரம்).

Pazhamozhi Nanuru, another ethical treatise of the same era, has a poem (No. 94) which is word by word, almost identical to the poem 23 from Sirupanchamoolam. Such parables of plants germinating, flowering and fruits are found in literature outside India as well. Alluding to the early death of his disciple, Yen Yuen (, Confucius said: "There are seedlings that do not bear flowers. There are flowers that do not bear fruits" (Analects 9:21).

2) Architects of the animal world

தூக்கணாங்குருவி கூடு
தூங்கக் கண்டான் மரத்திலே
சும்மாப் போன மச்சானுக்கு
என்ன நினைப்போ மனசிலே


இது வானம்பாடி என்ற படத்துக்காக நம்ம கண்ணதாசன் எழுதிய மற்றுமொரு பாடல். The reason why I like the next poem is not only because of the reference to the nest of weaver birds in it, but also many species of insects. The lac insect, honeybees, silkworm and stem boring beetles and all have their own skills that are unique to them. One species cannot emulate the other as these are skills honed by them for generations and each would not aspire to imitatate the other or even boast others of their own skills. They simply go through their business of engineering their nests, silken threads, honeycomb and the like as a matter of rotune. Had our Tamil poets been born in the temperate countrysides of Europe or North America, the dam building beaver would have found a place in the following poem. The poet could have used termite hills also here. Sangam literature has many references on termite hills and how sloth bears go with the business of demolishing them to feed on the termites (e.g. Natrinai 325).

வான் குரீஇக் கூடு, அரக்கு, வால் உலண்டு, நூல் புழுக்கோல்,
தேன் புரிந்தது, யார்க்கும் செயல் ஆகா; - தாம் புரீஇ,
வல்லவர் வாய்ப்பன என்னார்; ஓரோ ஒருவர்க்கு
ஒல்காது, ஓரொன்று படும்.   (27)

Nests woven by weaver birds; lac produced by bugs;

Silken threads produced by worms; trails left by stem borers;

Hives crafted by honey bees; no one can imitate these crafts.

Each of these is a craftsmanship of the respective species.

So do men, endowed with expertise in a particular vocation,

          never claim mastery in other disciplines.

The poet here to point out that even tiny low insects are capable of producing amazing artifacts which man cannot emulate. That being the case, it is futile for anyone to claim mastery in areas which are the realm of expertise of others.

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