Thiruppugazh
Encyclopedia
Thiruppugazh is a 15th century anthology
of Tamil religious songs dedicated to Murugan
, the son of Shiva
, written by the poet-saint Arunagirinathar
. The anthology is considered one of the central works of medieval Tamil literature
, both for its poetical and musical qualities, and for its religious, moral and philosophical content.
s recorded in commentaries on the work. According to these, Arunagirinathar led a hedonistic
life as a young man. His disgust at his own conduct led him to attempt suicide by jumping off the temple tower at Tiruvannamalai
. He was saved by a stranger, who, according to legend, was Murugan
himself. Arunagirinathar was transformed, and began a long pilgrimage
, visiting the arupadai, the six temples most sacred to Murugan, and over 200 other holy shrines in India
and Sri Lanka
. At each of these, he composed songs in praise of Murugan, which are collected together in the Thiruppugazh. The majority of the songs are sung to Murugan, but there are also a few songs that sing of deeds of Siva
or the avatar
s of Vishnu
, and of the power of Parvati
. Each song ends addressing Murugan as Perumal, a term that traditionally had strong associations with Tamil Vaishnavism
.
The worship of Murugan
has strong roots in Tamil Nadu
. According to Tamil
legends, Murugan was the brave warrior who defeated the powerful demon Soorapadman, and was seen as being the epitome of youth, compassion and beauty. Arunagirinathar's songs build on this tradition, hailing Murugan as the source of all knowledge, who even gave saintly advice to his father, Lord Shiva. Murugan is described as being full of love and compassion
. Arunagirinathar says in the Thiruppugazh the songs will, by the grace of Murugan, convey the pearls of devotion
and wisdom
. The songs contain philosophical musings on God
, expressed in simple terms, placing particular emphasis on the role of God's grace
or mercy
in helping the individual deal with the troubles and ills that afflict humanity. The songs also deal with issues of morality
and living a virtuous
life on Earth, with many exhorting people to seek true happiness in God.
. The Thiruppugazh, in contrast, was written in a form of Tamil that was quite different from pure classical Tamil and, in particular, contained many loan words, particularly from Sanskrit
. Its metres
, too, are more obviously rhythmical than the stylised classical metres.
The Thiruppugazh makes extensive and deliberate use of the imagery associated with the five landscapes
of classical akam poetry. The usage is not, however, straightforward. Whereas akam poetry uses the imagery in the context of secular, sensuous love
, the Thiruppugazh uses the same imagery in the context of the longing of the individual for God. The imagery used in the following verse is illustrative of this usage:
The reference to Kuravas and hills, and the imagery of the bees making honey
from scarlet ceccai flowers, are characteristic of the kuriñci landscape. In secular poetry, the image of bees entering flowers symbolises the clandestine union of lovers, and the backdrop of the hills calls to mind the raw forces of nature. The union which Arunagirinathar uses this to symbolise, however, is that of the soul
with God, and the imagery specifically calls to mind the legend of Murugan's wooing of Valli
, the daughter of a Kurava chief. This appropriation of secular imagery to religious purposes is characteristic of the Thiruppugazh: just as it call people to turn from hedonistic pleasures to a life centred around God, it turns the language formerly used to celebrate carnal love to celebrate God.
, Arunagirinathar was one of the first to set all his compositions to music in the style of "Santham"--setting the verses within a certain length to conform with rhythm (thala). Arunagirinathar utilises certain repetitive phrases to achieve movement and colour in his poems. By combining the Tamil hard or soft consonants and long or short vowels in different ways, Arunagirinathar produces hundreds of compound rhythmic words such as, tatta, taatta, tantha, thaantha, thaiya, thanna, thaana, thanana, etc. . At the beginning of each poem in the Thiruppugazh, Arunagirinathar gives the rhythm notations.
Arunagiri's poems can be enjoyed for their literary value as well as for their devotional. Arunagirinathar has combined his poetic skill and his devotion towards Muruga with remarkable ease.
Scholars hail Thiruppugazh both as a literary masterpiece and as a work of devotion.
Arunagiri was not a born poet nor a devotee but rather started out in a different way of life and transformed himself into an erudite scholar and versatile poet. Arunagirinathar describes this in Kandhar Anuputhi) (The Adoration to God) thus: "This talent, this skill, this knowledge and this devotion, do not belong to me. These are the gifts of Muruga. It is only you, Lord Muruga, who make me sing." (Yaam Odhiya Kalviyum Em Arivum Thame Pera Velavar Thandhadhanal").
Arunagiri has woven a beautiful garland, made not of fragrant flowers (Poomalai) but of beautiful verses of Tamil and has presented it to all so that they also could offer it to the Lord and derive immense inspiration, knowledge and blessings from Him. Thiruppugazh is an ideal form of prayer, a beautiful set of songs, a panacea for all ills and above all a way of life.
Though Arunagirinathar composed Thiruppugazh, the verses written in manuscript form remained at different sources. No effort seem to have been made for many years to retrieve them and bring them to light. Perhaps, the first concrete attempt towards this end was made by Sri V.T. Subramaniam Pillai of Tiruthani. Realising the value and importance of these songs, he made thorough search and collected the songs scattered at different places. His son, 'Thanigai Mani' Sri Chengalvaraya Pillai, a great devotee of Lord Muruga, continued the task left behind by his father and brought many Thiruppugazh songs in printed format. Sri Sachidhananda Swamigal, a disciple of Saint Seshadri swamigal, took Thiruppugazh as the mission of his life and popularised them. Many others like Pamban Swamigal, Sri T.M. Krishna Swamy Iyer, Thiru Kirupananda Vaariyar, Pithukulli Sri Murugadoss who have taken the glory of Thiruppugazh to great height. Guruji Sri A.S. Raghavan of New Delhi has started a powerful Thiruppugazh movement in the 1980s which spread across India and the world. He founded the organization called "Thiruppugazh Anbargal", which has evolved a well-structured training scheme to those who aspire to learn these songs at no cost. Guruji Raghavan has set close to 500 compositions to music in various Ragam and Taalam.
"Thiruppugazhn is a Maha Mantra“said Sri Seshadri Swamigal. “Oh Arunagiri, who else can compose a word of truth as beautifully as you”, said saint Thayumanavar. “Oh Thiru Perur Kumara, as your enchanting body is adorned with garlands weaved by Arunagiri, I feel the aroma of fragrance from you”, said Chidambara Swamigal. “The songs of Thiruppugazh are so powerful that they would reverberate all over the world and kindle the light of devotion in one‘s heart”, said Arunachala Reddiyar.
"Thiruppugazh" is a musical mantra that would lead the aspirant to the path of devotion, enlightenment and bliss. Thiruppugazh is panacea for all ills. It is a powerful and effective Mantra because every verse of it contains the divine sanction of Lord Muruga," says V.S.Krishnan, a humble devotee. "It is a great privilege and blessings" he adds,"to be able to author book on a subject such as Thiruppugazh which has been hailed by great saints as an outstanding work of devotion".
While Guruji, Shri A.S. Raghavan has contributed immensely, mention should also be made of Thiruppugazh PAPA (Mumbai) who has initiated a new style of rendering and (late) Shri Rangananthan, his children and other members. The number of people learning Thirupugazh is ever on the increase with dedicated teachers like N R Ranganathan (Babu) and Shri Subramanian (Rajamani). Shri Sthanusubramaniam has also contributed to the high cause of Thiruppugazh by transliterating the Thiruppugazh songs into English for the benefit of those who could not read Tamil. Titled as Bhajamritham this is available in a book form. There are also devotees like Ramesh Iyer, Raghavan, Satish, Santosh, Suresh Iyer who join the efforts of popularising Thiruppugazh.
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
of Tamil religious songs dedicated to Murugan
Murugan
Murugan also called Kartikeya, Skanda and Subrahmanya, is a popular Hindu deity especially among Tamil Hindus, worshipped primarily in areas with Tamil influences, especially South India, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Mauritius and Reunion Island. His six most important shrines in India are the...
, the son of Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
, written by the poet-saint Arunagirinathar
Arunagirinathar
Arunagirinathar was Tamil poet who lived during the 15th century in Tamil Nadu, India. He was the creator of Tiruppugazh, a book of poems in Tamil in praise of the Hindu God Murugan. He was a member of the Isai Vellalar community....
. The anthology is considered one of the central works of medieval Tamil literature
Tamil literature
Tamil literature refers to the literature in the Tamil language. Tamil literature has a rich and long literary tradition spanning more than two thousand years. The oldest extant works show signs of maturity indicating an even longer period of evolution...
, both for its poetical and musical qualities, and for its religious, moral and philosophical content.
The work and its contents
There are no historical records of the life of Arunagirinathar, and what we know of the composition of the Tiruppugazh is largely derived from oral traditions and legendLegend
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
s recorded in commentaries on the work. According to these, Arunagirinathar led a hedonistic
Hedonism
Hedonism is a school of thought which argues that pleasure is the only intrinsic good. In very simple terms, a hedonist strives to maximize net pleasure .-Etymology:The name derives from the Greek word for "delight" ....
life as a young man. His disgust at his own conduct led him to attempt suicide by jumping off the temple tower at Tiruvannamalai
Tiruvannamalai
Thiruvannamalai is a pilgrimage Temple city and special grade municipality in Thiruvannamalai district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the headquarters of the Thiruvannamalai district. Thiruvannamalai is home to the Annamalaiyar Temple located at the foot of the Annamalai hill and...
. He was saved by a stranger, who, according to legend, was Murugan
Murugan
Murugan also called Kartikeya, Skanda and Subrahmanya, is a popular Hindu deity especially among Tamil Hindus, worshipped primarily in areas with Tamil influences, especially South India, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Mauritius and Reunion Island. His six most important shrines in India are the...
himself. Arunagirinathar was transformed, and began a long pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
, visiting the arupadai, the six temples most sacred to Murugan, and over 200 other holy shrines in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. At each of these, he composed songs in praise of Murugan, which are collected together in the Thiruppugazh. The majority of the songs are sung to Murugan, but there are also a few songs that sing of deeds of Siva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
or the avatar
Avatar
In Hinduism, an avatar is a deliberate descent of a deity to earth, or a descent of the Supreme Being and is mostly translated into English as "incarnation," but more accurately as "appearance" or "manifestation"....
s of Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
, and of the power of Parvati
Parvati
Parvati is a Hindu goddess. Parvati is Shakti, the wife of Shiva and the gentle aspect of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess...
. Each song ends addressing Murugan as Perumal, a term that traditionally had strong associations with Tamil Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu, or his associated Avatars such as Rama and Krishna, as the original and supreme God....
.
The worship of Murugan
Murugan
Murugan also called Kartikeya, Skanda and Subrahmanya, is a popular Hindu deity especially among Tamil Hindus, worshipped primarily in areas with Tamil influences, especially South India, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Mauritius and Reunion Island. His six most important shrines in India are the...
has strong roots in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
. According to Tamil
Tamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
legends, Murugan was the brave warrior who defeated the powerful demon Soorapadman, and was seen as being the epitome of youth, compassion and beauty. Arunagirinathar's songs build on this tradition, hailing Murugan as the source of all knowledge, who even gave saintly advice to his father, Lord Shiva. Murugan is described as being full of love and compassion
Compassion
Compassion is a virtue — one in which the emotional capacities of empathy and sympathy are regarded as a part of love itself, and a cornerstone of greater social interconnection and humanism — foundational to the highest principles in philosophy, society, and personhood.There is an aspect of...
. Arunagirinathar says in the Thiruppugazh the songs will, by the grace of Murugan, convey the pearls of devotion
Devotion
Devotion, devotional, or devotee may refer to:Religion:* devotional song* Devotional literature* Anglican devotions* Catholic devotions**Devotional medal* Bible study — called "devotion" or "devotional" by some Christian denominations...
and wisdom
Wisdom
Wisdom is a deep understanding and realization of people, things, events or situations, resulting in the ability to apply perceptions, judgements and actions in keeping with this understanding. It often requires control of one's emotional reactions so that universal principles, reason and...
. The songs contain philosophical musings on God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
, expressed in simple terms, placing particular emphasis on the role of God's grace
Divine grace
In Christian theology, grace is God’s gift of God’s self to humankind. It is understood by Christians to be a spontaneous gift from God to man - "generous, free and totally unexpected and undeserved" - that takes the form of divine favour, love and clemency. It is an attribute of God that is most...
or mercy
Mercy
Mercy is broad term that refers to benevolence, forgiveness and kindness in a variety of ethical, religious, social and legal contexts.The concept of a "Merciful God" appears in various religions from Christianity to...
in helping the individual deal with the troubles and ills that afflict humanity. The songs also deal with issues of morality
Morality
Morality is the differentiation among intentions, decisions, and actions between those that are good and bad . A moral code is a system of morality and a moral is any one practice or teaching within a moral code...
and living a virtuous
Virtue
Virtue is moral excellence. A virtue is a positive trait or quality subjectively deemed to be morally excellent and thus is valued as a foundation of principle and good moral being....
life on Earth, with many exhorting people to seek true happiness in God.
Language and style
Early mediaeval Tamil religious poems were written in a language and style that followed the pattern of classical Tamil literatureSangam literature
Sangam literature refers to a body of classical Tamil literature created between the years c. 600 BCE to 300 CE. This collection contains 2381 poems composed by 473 poets, some 102 of whom remain anonymous The period during which these poems were composed is commonly referred to as the Sangam...
. The Thiruppugazh, in contrast, was written in a form of Tamil that was quite different from pure classical Tamil and, in particular, contained many loan words, particularly from Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
. Its metres
Meter (poetry)
In poetry, metre is the basic rhythmic structure of a verse or lines in verse. Many traditional verse forms prescribe a specific verse metre, or a certain set of metres alternating in a particular order. The study of metres and forms of versification is known as prosody...
, too, are more obviously rhythmical than the stylised classical metres.
The Thiruppugazh makes extensive and deliberate use of the imagery associated with the five landscapes
Sangam landscape
The Sangam landscape is the name given to a poetic device that was characteristic of love poetry in classical Tamil Sangam literature. The core of the device was the categorisation of poems into different tiṇais or modes, depending on the nature, location, mood and type of relationship...
of classical akam poetry. The usage is not, however, straightforward. Whereas akam poetry uses the imagery in the context of secular, sensuous love
Love
Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...
, the Thiruppugazh uses the same imagery in the context of the longing of the individual for God. The imagery used in the following verse is illustrative of this usage:
I do not wish to dwell in this illusory body,
built of the sky, water, earth, air, fire and desires.
Enlighten me, that I may praise the glory of your holy name
in the wise, beautiful Tamil tongue,
O Lord of the celestial heavens
who protects the Kurava woman of the sweet, child-like words
who wields the spear which destroyed the majestic hill
and wears a garland of scarlet flowers
where bees dance seeking honey. (Song 1304)
The reference to Kuravas and hills, and the imagery of the bees making honey
Honey
Honey is a sweet food made by bees using nectar from flowers. The variety produced by honey bees is the one most commonly referred to and is the type of honey collected by beekeepers and consumed by humans...
from scarlet ceccai flowers, are characteristic of the kuriñci landscape. In secular poetry, the image of bees entering flowers symbolises the clandestine union of lovers, and the backdrop of the hills calls to mind the raw forces of nature. The union which Arunagirinathar uses this to symbolise, however, is that of the soul
Soul
A soul in certain spiritual, philosophical, and psychological traditions is the incorporeal essence of a person or living thing or object. Many philosophical and spiritual systems teach that humans have souls, and others teach that all living things and even inanimate objects have souls. The...
with God, and the imagery specifically calls to mind the legend of Murugan's wooing of Valli
Valli
Valli is a Goddess and the divine consort of the prominent Hindu God Murugan, according to Hindu mythology. She represents the "Ichha Shakti" , and Goddess Deivayanai depicts "Kriya Shakthi" , and the Vel embodies "Gnana Shakthi" .Valli in Tamil language means a creeper and is also used as a title...
, the daughter of a Kurava chief. This appropriation of secular imagery to religious purposes is characteristic of the Thiruppugazh: just as it call people to turn from hedonistic pleasures to a life centred around God, it turns the language formerly used to celebrate carnal love to celebrate God.
Musical poems
The poet Arunagirinathar represents a remarkable blend of Tamil literary genius, devotion to Murugan and musical expertise. Although music had always been an integral part of the Tamil religious hymns such as TevaramTevaram
The Tevaram denotes the first seven volumes of the Tirumurai, the twelve-volume collection of Tamil Saivite devotional poetry. All seven volumes are dedicated to the works of the three most prominent Tamil poets - Campantar , Appar and Cuntarar...
, Arunagirinathar was one of the first to set all his compositions to music in the style of "Santham"--setting the verses within a certain length to conform with rhythm (thala). Arunagirinathar utilises certain repetitive phrases to achieve movement and colour in his poems. By combining the Tamil hard or soft consonants and long or short vowels in different ways, Arunagirinathar produces hundreds of compound rhythmic words such as, tatta, taatta, tantha, thaantha, thaiya, thanna, thaana, thanana, etc. . At the beginning of each poem in the Thiruppugazh, Arunagirinathar gives the rhythm notations.
Arunagiri's poems can be enjoyed for their literary value as well as for their devotional. Arunagirinathar has combined his poetic skill and his devotion towards Muruga with remarkable ease.
Scholars hail Thiruppugazh both as a literary masterpiece and as a work of devotion.
Arunagiri was not a born poet nor a devotee but rather started out in a different way of life and transformed himself into an erudite scholar and versatile poet. Arunagirinathar describes this in Kandhar Anuputhi) (The Adoration to God) thus: "This talent, this skill, this knowledge and this devotion, do not belong to me. These are the gifts of Muruga. It is only you, Lord Muruga, who make me sing." (Yaam Odhiya Kalviyum Em Arivum Thame Pera Velavar Thandhadhanal").
Arunagiri has woven a beautiful garland, made not of fragrant flowers (Poomalai) but of beautiful verses of Tamil and has presented it to all so that they also could offer it to the Lord and derive immense inspiration, knowledge and blessings from Him. Thiruppugazh is an ideal form of prayer, a beautiful set of songs, a panacea for all ills and above all a way of life.
Popularity of Thiruppugazh
The word "Thiru Pugazh" (Tamil) means hailing the glory of God. As all devotional works hail the glory of God, they all come under the category of 'Thiru Pugazh' (Glory to God). However, only the works of Arunagirinathar have got the name "Thiruppugazh" because he alone succeeded, to a great extent, in describing the glorious qualities of the Lord vividly, completely and comprehensively.Though Arunagirinathar composed Thiruppugazh, the verses written in manuscript form remained at different sources. No effort seem to have been made for many years to retrieve them and bring them to light. Perhaps, the first concrete attempt towards this end was made by Sri V.T. Subramaniam Pillai of Tiruthani. Realising the value and importance of these songs, he made thorough search and collected the songs scattered at different places. His son, 'Thanigai Mani' Sri Chengalvaraya Pillai, a great devotee of Lord Muruga, continued the task left behind by his father and brought many Thiruppugazh songs in printed format. Sri Sachidhananda Swamigal, a disciple of Saint Seshadri swamigal, took Thiruppugazh as the mission of his life and popularised them. Many others like Pamban Swamigal, Sri T.M. Krishna Swamy Iyer, Thiru Kirupananda Vaariyar, Pithukulli Sri Murugadoss who have taken the glory of Thiruppugazh to great height. Guruji Sri A.S. Raghavan of New Delhi has started a powerful Thiruppugazh movement in the 1980s which spread across India and the world. He founded the organization called "Thiruppugazh Anbargal", which has evolved a well-structured training scheme to those who aspire to learn these songs at no cost. Guruji Raghavan has set close to 500 compositions to music in various Ragam and Taalam.
"Thiruppugazhn is a Maha Mantra“said Sri Seshadri Swamigal. “Oh Arunagiri, who else can compose a word of truth as beautifully as you”, said saint Thayumanavar. “Oh Thiru Perur Kumara, as your enchanting body is adorned with garlands weaved by Arunagiri, I feel the aroma of fragrance from you”, said Chidambara Swamigal. “The songs of Thiruppugazh are so powerful that they would reverberate all over the world and kindle the light of devotion in one‘s heart”, said Arunachala Reddiyar.
"Thiruppugazh" is a musical mantra that would lead the aspirant to the path of devotion, enlightenment and bliss. Thiruppugazh is panacea for all ills. It is a powerful and effective Mantra because every verse of it contains the divine sanction of Lord Muruga," says V.S.Krishnan, a humble devotee. "It is a great privilege and blessings" he adds,"to be able to author book on a subject such as Thiruppugazh which has been hailed by great saints as an outstanding work of devotion".
While Guruji, Shri A.S. Raghavan has contributed immensely, mention should also be made of Thiruppugazh PAPA (Mumbai) who has initiated a new style of rendering and (late) Shri Rangananthan, his children and other members. The number of people learning Thirupugazh is ever on the increase with dedicated teachers like N R Ranganathan (Babu) and Shri Subramanian (Rajamani). Shri Sthanusubramaniam has also contributed to the high cause of Thiruppugazh by transliterating the Thiruppugazh songs into English for the benefit of those who could not read Tamil. Titled as Bhajamritham this is available in a book form. There are also devotees like Ramesh Iyer, Raghavan, Satish, Santosh, Suresh Iyer who join the efforts of popularising Thiruppugazh.
External links
- Full text of the anthology (pdf) from Project MaduraiProject maduraiProject Madurai is a voluntary initiative to publish free versions of ancient Tamil literature on the Internet. Texts are published in both TSCII and Unicode formats. The project was led by Dr. K. Kalyanasundaram, Lausanne, Switzerland and Dr. P. Kumar Mallikarjunan, Blacksburg, Va, USA Project...
- Thiruppugazh in Tamil and English with meaning from Kaumaram website.