Book Title: Indian Antiquary Vol 62
Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications
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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[ SEPTEMBER, 1933
Let us now turn our attention to the vast treasures of Tamil literature of South India, and try to find out whether the Tamil literary tradition has anything to corroborate the above statements and to throw fresh light on the topic under discussion. The Tolkáppiyam, which cannot be later than fourth century B.C., has a significant expression, arumuraiválttu, or in praise of six deities or persons. Perhaps Ilanko-Adigal follows this custom it one ex. amines carefully the opening lines of that epic, the Silappadikáram. The author of the Silappadikaram mentions these six in the following order: moon, sun, rains, world, sages and the king of the land. (Canto T, II. 1 ff.) It is of particular interest to note that the Tamil classic of the second century A.D. begins with an invocation to the moon god. (See M. Raghava Aiyangar's Tolká ppiya Poruladhikúra Araicci, 2nd ed., p. 129, note.) According to the celebrated commentator Naccinarkkiniyar, the Vallivälttu is the hymn in praise of Valli or the moon. (See the gloss on Tolk. Puratt. sútra, 33.) It will thus appear that from the time of the grammarian Tolkappiyanar, if not earlier, the moon came to be recognised by tho Tamils as one among their different deities, and a place of high honour is given by the prince-poet Ilanko Adiga! to the moon (tingal). But what is more important and most interesting is the unmistakable reference to a temple of moon. The tamil expression for that temple is Nilákkottam (Canto IX, 1. 13), which existed in ancient Puhâr or Kâvêripattanam. Here is an explicit statement of the existence of a temple dedicated to the moon which cannot be disputed. According to Ktesias (400 B.C.) there were temples dedicated to the sun and moon, ac a distance of 15 days' journey from Mount Abu, After quoting this authority Mr. C. V. Vaidya further remarks: "There was a temple of the moon at Prabhåsa." (History of Mediæval India, vol. I, p. 255.) These evidences bear ample testimony to the existence of moon temples in India and moon worship both in the north and the far south.
Though the temples of the moon have disappeared, the worship of the moon still continues. A relic of the old custom which is frequently referred to in the Sangam works and later Tamil literature goes by the name of Piraitoļutal, literally, the worship of the moon. (See Kuruntogai, stanza 807. Irayanar Ahapporul, sútra 7, p. 67 and the stray but rare stanza quoted in the same page : Naladiyar, stanza 176: See also the Perumtogai collection of M. Raghava Alyangar, p. 32.) Here is a stanza praising the moon, technically entitled devapáni. That this class of poems existed is seen from the comment of Arumpadavurai Acáriyar on the line 37, Canto VI of the Silappadi kdram.)
In this connection the Tirukkovai, which deals with Ahapporul, is worthy of note. The Tirukkovoi, of Manikkavá akar of the ninth century A.D. belongs to the high class works on Hindu mysticism which ordinarily seem to be texts on love poetry. (See author's Studies in Tamil Literature and History, pp. 99-101.) The stanza (67) gives a glimpse of social life in ancient Tamil land. It was a custom with the ancient Tamils, and this is current even now, to watch the moon rising on the second day after the new moon day. This seeing of the moon is religious in character and tantamount to the worship of the moon. The maid waiting on the lady love, innocent of the fact that her mistress had already enjoyed, though secretly, her husband's company, urges her to come out and pay her respects to the moon. But the mistress refuses to worship the deity, thus giving a sure hint that she had her own husband, who is to her all god. Incidentally we are introduced to a great truth and its practice in the Tamil land that chaste women do not worship any god except their own husbands, whom they worsbip as their god. It may be well to bear in mind that this was the great maxim taught by Tiruvalluvar in his thought-provoking treatise the Tirukkural (see the kuralvenba,
55)
To return to the subject proper, the lunar cult was known in early Tamil India, as well as in Vedic India. There were temples dedicated to that deity, though such instances have become extinct. The worship of the moon as a planet, as a digpála and as the lord of the vegetable kingdom is still largely prevalent.
