Thirukkural - The Greatest Book

Held in the highest estimation by the common people, Thiruvalluvar and his book on ethical subjects, Thirukkural, became household names. People liked the simplicity of the text as every couplet readily unravelled its meaning.

Like every other poet who craved for a wider audience, Thiruvalluvar, the bard of Universal Man, too wanted his matchless piece of poetic effort to be introduced to the learned poets and critics of the Sangam at Madurai.

Holding close to his chest the pack of cadjan leaves on which he had written his couplets with a stylus, he left Mayilai for Madurai.

The way was long. The road was hard to traverse. To make matters worse, there was a sudden shower of rain.

Thiruvalluvar darted towards a nearby banyan tree for shelter.

A few steps away from the banyan tree stood a tamarind tree. Under it stood Edaikkadar, a renowned Siddha. His eyes didn’t fail to notice the man with the cadjan leaves. He became curious. He yelled out-shouting the rain: “Hey! Bookworm! Come here under this small-leaved tree.”

Thiruvalluvar perceived the meaning behind the speaker’s words. He rushed towards the tamarind tree and stood beside Edaikkadar.

“What book is that?” asked the Siddha.
“Thirukkural…I am its author, Thiruvalluvar,” replied the poet.
“What is it all about?”
“Well! It’s about everything.”
“Everything!… Are you sure?”
“Yes! It’s about everything.”

Edaikkadar smiled mischievously. Showing him the shepherd’s crook which he had in his hand, he asked: “You have something about this?”

“Oh, yes! I have a couplet on that too.,” said the poet. Turning to the relevant leaf in his manuscript, he showed it to the Siddha.

The Siddha read:
“He, who with firmness-curb the five restrains,

Is seed for soil of yonder happy plains,” (Couplet N0 24)under the chapter heading ‘the Greatness of Ascetics’. He admired the depth of thought and moral excellence. “What’s the plan of this book?” he asked.
“First an introduction of 4 chapters that treat respectively of GOD, RAIN, VIRTUE, and ASCETICS, followed by 34 on VIRTUE, practised by both householder and the ascetic; 70 on WEALTH, earned by the state and the citizen: 25 on PLEASURE, enjoyed by unwedded lovers ending in the conjugal life; making in all 133 chapters. Each chapter contains 10 couplets. Thus there are altogether 1330 distiches in my book.”

The rain continued. The Siddha and the poet found ample time to get to know each other.

And when the rain stopped, Edaikkadar said: “Come, let us proceed. I’ll accompany you to Madurai.”

As they headed towards Madurai they met Avvai on the way. She volunteered to go with them. Edaikkadar requested Thiruvalluvar to recite all the 1330 couplets from this book.

Thiruvalluvar very gladly and willingly did.

A reading of the book eased the tediousness of covering the long distance on foot.

They reached Madurai and Avvai guided them to the Sangam. Founded by the Pandya kings, the Sangam or academy was an active institution. Legends galore speak of the existence of three Academies - the First Academy, the Middle Academy and the Last Academy - at three different periods. 549 members constituted the First Sangam with God Siva at their head. Sage Agastya, God Murugan (Lord Siva’s younger son) and Kuberan, the Lord of Treasure, formed the executive body. Patronised by 89 Kings (seven of whom were themselves poets), the First and Chief Sangam lasted, according to legend, 4400 years. During this period, 4499 poets composed a good number of poems. This Sangam was located at Madurai.

The Middle Sangam lasted for 3700 years, and 59 were its members. It was patronised by 59 Pandya Kings and the meeting place of this Academy was Kavatapuram. During this period 3700 persons composed their poems.

Patronised by 49 Kings, the last Sangam lasted for 1859 years. It consisted of 49 members. 449 poets presented their poems and Uttara Madurai (North Madurai, the modern city of Madurai) was the meeting place.

The Academy acted as a literary censor of new poetical works and the able members of the Academy put the works to severe criticism before they approved it. The members of the Academy were established poet-critics and so they expected a certain standard in the works of the newcomers too.

The Academy prided itself on its possession of a Sangappalakai, a sacred plank of solid diamond presented by God Siva. It floated on the Golden Lotus Pond and allowed none but the flawless scholar or work to occupy it. Not more than a span in size the scared plank loomed large to accommodate all faultless poets, regardless of their number and contracted itself whenever the unworthy poets tried to sit on it.

As the Age of Thiruvalluvar is still a bone of contention, one can’t be sure to which Sangam he went. Was it the first or the last, for both of them were located at Madurai? But let us be content knowing that he went to the Academy.

When Edaikkadar, Avvai and Thiruvalluvar entered the Academy, its members seated on the sacred plank were busily engaged in composing poems.

The academicians whose ears were tuned to hearing only longer poems simply riffled through the leaves of Thirukkural and commented: "Too short to be called poems… Hence it doesn’t deserve a hearing in this busy academy."

Dejected by such a blatant rejection, Thiruvalluvar decided to leave. But Edaikkadar and Avvai recommended his case by speaking highly of the brevity of the choicest of moral epigrams. "Oh, you ignoramuses! This book I would say is a semi-perforated mustard seed into which the poet has emptied the contents of the seven seas," commended Edaikkadar. "I would substitute an atom in the place of the mustard seed," recommended Avvai.

The academicians pretended they were too busy to listen to such balderdash.

"Doesn’t matter if you are not ready to listen to the couplets. But give the poet a chance to lay his book on the Sangapalakai," requested Avvai.
The learned pundits very reluctantly agreed.

As Thiruvalluvar moved near the plank, it loomed large to accommodate the work. No sooner did the poet lay the book on it than the plank contracted itself to the size of the book leaving the learned academicians afloat in the Golden Lotus Pond.

The scholars reached the bank one after the other. Cleansed of their ego, they bowed in all humility before Thiruvalluvar and listened to the recitation of his work with rapt attention.

Thiruvalluvar finished reciting his couplets. Everyone on the Academy inspired by the greatest book ever written exhausted the subject of the poet’s excellence with every variety of hyperbole.

The sacred plank too vanished from everyone’s sight. Perhaps it suggested to them that no other book as great as Thirukkural could be composed in the years to come.

The Academy too was closed down. The academicians who were all along under the impression that there were none to equal them in all the seven worlds went back to their respective villages to mind their family businesses.

P Raja, a renowned writer from Puducherry