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Vol. XVII, No. 3
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or Śravaka), who came in close contact with a Jaina Sage holding the position of Elācārya (which is post-Upadhyaya and pre-Acarya rank in the Digambara tradition of teachers), and equipped himself with adequate knowledge of Jainism, and more particularly of the ethical discipline concerning the householder as well as the ascetic. As a fruit of such long term association as well as teachings of such teacher and his own equipment through deep study, together with keen observation round about, came out from his pen Aramdharma, of part I of the Kural, which is almost like a mini Manual of Ethical Discipline for the Householder in the main and the ascetic to some extent, highlighting his greatness, principal qualities, merits and spiritual significance etc. Moreover the impact of Tiruvalluvar's close association with and teachings of the Elācārya on him was so much effective that although a householder, he might have lived almost a saintly life and, hence, people round about the region may have called him too an Elācārya; and this phenomenon gradually seems to have settled down as an anecdote or a tradition in that area. Actually he could have been an erudite Jaina Householder and this fact gave a shape and spirit to part 1 of the Kural. In support of this theory, I would adduce in brief the following reasons and textual evidence: (All my references here are to the Humbuja Edition):
(i) By way of the Jaina mode of invocation at the beginning of the work, the opening couplet of the Tirukkural (I.1.1.) is with reference to Ati-pakavan-Adibhagavan, who could be none but Adinatha, Ādideva or Rṣabhadeva, the first TirthankaraFordmaker, who is Jitendriya-who won victory over the five senses (I. 1.7)
(ii) Further Ch.3 is devoted to highlight the greatness of Jain ascetics or renunciators (1.3.1) who have restrained their five senses, with the goad of resoluteness, and thus made themselves qualified for liberation (1.3.4); mounting the peak of renunciation, they nourish compassion or love for all the livings, tread the righteous path; and they (alone) are the true sages (1.3.9-10).
(iii) In Ch. 4 is presented an epitome of the nature of dharmarighteous conduct: That conduct which everyone ought to practise is dharma-righteous conduct; and that from which everyone ought to abstain is adharma-unrighteous conduct-exactly the Jain way of interpretation of dharma and adharma.
(iv) Ch.5 glorifies the general nature of grhastha-dharma- ethical discipline for householders. Love and righteous conduct are
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