Jain Journal 2002 07

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 54

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Jain Journal: Vol. XXXVII, No. 1 July 2002 religious establishment) has left a permanent mark on the cultural life of the Tamil people. The term pallichanda (grant of a village to a Jaina monastry or temple), found in several inscriptions and literary works indicates the wide practice of the vow of gift or charity (dāna) by house holders. The great Śilappadikāram (Topic of the Anklet) by Ilamgo Adigal is richly nurtured in the Jaina atmosphere, with Kuvanti, one of the principle characters, as a Jaina nun Kovalam as a Śrāvaka, is an avowed attempt at often inculcating the sublime Jaina doctrine of non-violence. The Tirukkural, the most valued product in Tamil literature and claimed as World-Classic, is replete with the Jain principle doctrine like non-violence, vegetarianism etc, with notable stress on social virtues like truth, compassion, charity and with highlighting the greatness of ascetics and duties of the house holders to himself and to the society at large, to the extent that its author, Tiruvalluvar, is claimed and accepted by many scholars as a Jaina by faith and also Elācārya, a disciple of the renwoned Acārya Kundakunda.
At this point, I would like to take into consideration the question of the correct account of the author of this Classic, manily his sect, which has been for long controversial and much discussed issue among scholars for the last several decades :
The author of the Kural is known as Tiruvalluvar, "tiru" (=Śri) being an honorific prefix. But very little is known about this great and noble poet-philosopher. Some say he was associated with Madurai region, others say he belonged to Mylapore near Madras. In some places a Valluvar is shown as a product of a Brahmin by a low-caste woman. The term Valluvar also referes to the King's servant announcing the royal proclamations to the public, sitting on an elephant and beating a drum. Whatsoever could be the indicative meaning of the term Valluvar, Tiruvalluvar was a great personage of saintly and catholic dignity, with deep insight into human phychology and behaviour, sincerely nursing humanitarian values, ever breathing goodness and goodwill and zealously catering noble thoughts to the people at large.
Scholars hold different opinions regarding Tiruvalluvar's religious faith. Some just remark that he was a great eclatic ethico-social reformer addressing mankind at large. Prof. A. Chakravarti tried to