Vedanta in Tamil - from Aranericcharam

 You may tell me that since I am interested in Vedantic thoughts and methodology, I wish to see such being reflected everywhere, in ancient Tamil literature and culture. But how can you account for a work like Aranericcharam expressing beautifully the whole process of Vedantic analysis in a simple venba?

'There is no God replacing one's own Self

If you can realise the Self shedding off the mind;

What! you have just to learn to behold

through Texts and Logic

And understand both the here and the hereafter

And be able to surrender oneself to the Grace;

Such is wisdom.'

(translation mine, Aranericcharam venba)

The original -

’தன்னொக்கும் தெய்வம் பிறிதில்லை தான்தன்னைப்

பின்னை மனமறப் பெற்றானேல் - என்னை

எழுத்தெண்ணே நோக்கி இருமையும் கண்டாங்கு

அருட்கண்ணே நிற்பது அறிவு.’

You have to think twice before having second thoughts about the hoary heritage of Vedantic analysis in Tamil.

Again from Aranericcharam -

A dark way going before. To cross, you need a torch. In our days we need batteries for the torch. But when the venba was written, oil or ghee was needed. To get ghee you need milk. And milk is a medicine curing your ailments. So the poet while talking about the torch, is able to talk the whole ethics of liberation.

'Dark indeed in the nature of this world!

Dispelling darkness the handy torch

is one's own learning and wisdom;

Ghee needed for the flame is compassion and grace;

Milk, out of which ghee is obtained,

such milk-white should be the conduct and ethical behaviour

Then surely one can transcend the sorrow

and reach the Transcendent.'

(translation mine; Aranericcharam)

‘இருளே உலகத் தியற்கை இருளகற்றும்

கைவிளக்கே கற்ற அறிவுடைமை கைவிளக்கின்

நெய்யே தன்நெஞ்சத் தருளுடைமை நெய்யமைந்த

பால்போல் ஒழுக்கத் தவரே பரிவில்லா

மேலுலகம் எய்து பவர்.’

Why this world's nature is conceived as that of darkness? Because in this world the real abstract principle is not evident to perception and you have to go through a process of understanding and cogitation to arrive at the sustaining principles. 'To see' according to Vedantic parlance is not this optical function but the ability to visualize the distant and hidden abstract principle. That is why such a process was called 'darsana', a term literally having all to do with opthalmic connotations.

Srirangam Mohanarangan

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