Anand Amaladass S. J.
Due credit goes to Dr. R. Balakrishnan IAS, whose talk on 19th June 2020 on “uneducated youth” (kallā ilaiñar) forms the basis for this write-up, including the title.
The Tamil heritage is a continuity from Indus valley civilisation to Keeladi which is textually attested by the Sangam corpus literature. There are enough indicators to justify this claim. It is a civilisation with some basic values, such as respect for knowledge, equality among all people, fair dealing with one another in the society etc. The root of these values comes from basic education or formation.
The popular Tamil poet Auvaiyar composed a collection 109 maxims called Ātticcūṭi, as a help to teach children the Tamil alphabets. These short expressions are easy to commit to memory. That way of teaching is not merely a rhyming scheme, but embodies a set of values that are traditionally handed over for generations. For example “Have desire to learn more” (nūl pala kal), “Never stop learning” (ōtuvatu oḻiyēl), “Learn when you are young” (ilamaiyil kal), “Do not underestimate the power of learning” (eṇṇeḻuttu ikaḻēl) etc.
This continuity finds expression in Valluvar with more nuances, where a chapter is devoted to education (ch. 40- kalvi) and another to ignorance (ch. 41- kallāmai). The poet classifies people into educated and uneducated and not rich vs. poor or higher vs. lower rank; the ignorant ones occupy the last position in society (Kural 395). Knowledge is the eye of a person (392) and that is the indestructive wealth (400). On the other hand, the ignorant are disparagingly portrayed and compared to a “barren land” (406) and a “colourfully painted clay doll.” (407). Even if they have inherited riches, they would harm themselves and others as well. (408)
The distinction between learning (kalvi from the root, kal) and knowledge (arivu — chapter XLIII) must be kept in mind. From kalvi ‘the study of books’ and kelvi ‘oral instruction’ comes arivu.
Nālatiyar 135: “Learning is a shoreless sea; the learner’s days are few; if you think calmly, you will realise that many diseases wait around you. With clear discrimination learn what is meet for you, like swan that leaves the water, drinks the milk.”
One must learn at all costs
It is good to learn even if it brings with it several hurdles and incoveniences; one must learn without resentment; knowledge is common to all; ability to learn is the criterion. The poem (Puranānūru 183) by Āriyappaṭai Kaṭantha Neṭuncheḻiyan is quite instructive on this.
“It is good to learn from a teacher,
helping him during his troubles,
giving him substantial wealth and
learning with respect, without malice.
To those born in the same womb,
a mother’s mind will be tender
toward the man who is learned.
The king will follow the path of the
learned man, and not welcome and
follow the path of a man just because
he is first born.
Among the four groups in society,
if a man from a lower group learns,
even one from an upper group will
come to him to learn with reverence.” (Translation:Vaidehi)
Youth-centric concept of formation
The children need time to play and to discover for themselves what it is to discern for themselves. This freedom comes from playing, mixing with others, their mates and not forced by parents to do what they think good for their children. Let them also choose that they want to do in life. Pirān Sāthanār’s poem (Narrinai 68) records what the heroine’s friend said to her, as the hero listened nearby.
“… Unable to play ōrai games with
friends, we are confined to our homes.
If someone can bow and tell with
strength to mother that restraining
young girls is not fair, and that it
will ruin their welfare, will she tell
us to go and play?
If she does that, we can play to our
heart’s desire in the new floods of the stream,
where small wisps of foam
come floating down with fragrant flowers.”
Happiness-index of the ancient Tamil society.
Several studies are made nowadays to measure and rank the people/nation, not by their GDP growth or IQ level, but by their “happiness” index. In the Tamil literature, there is one such poem which talks of an elderly person who is happy and content. The reason he gives for this is amazing: he is lucky to have a virtuous wife and learned children, well-behaved younger generation and just rulers; and above all there are mature and cultivated people around. The poet Picirānthayar speaks thus:(Puranānūru 191)
“If you ask me,
‘You have lived for many years.
Why is your hair not white?’,
it is because my wife is virtuous,
my children have gone far in learning,
my companions behave the way I wish
and my king protects, not doing
what should not be done.
Also, in my town there are many noble
men who are wise and have self-control!” (Trans. Vaidehi)
There is also another side to the youthfulness: there is guilless innocense, openness and spontaneity, transparence etc. But at that stage of youthful vigour, if learning is neglected, one would regret later. The Poet Thodithalai Viluthandinār sang thus (Puranānūru 243):
“Sadness is what it will be if I think about it now.
When I was young, I used to play with girls
near the cool pond as they made sand dolls
and decorated them with the flowers they plucked.
We held hands, hugged each other, I swayed when
they swayed, and we played with innocence with
nothing to hide. I would climb on a low branch
of a marutham tree with tall branches, close to the
water, and dive into the huge pond with a splash
as those on the shore would look in amazement
as I brought out a handful of sand from the bottom.
That was being an ignorant youth. Where did
that go? It’s pitiable now that I have a thick,
metal-capped walking stick and a trembling gait.
I have become too old and can just utter a few
close words between coughs. This is pathetic.” (Trans. Vaidehi)
The knowledge has a purpose
It is significant that Valluvar after praising so high the greatness of knowledge, raises a critical question to the learned. What is the worth of all knowledge, if it does not come to the aid of the suffering ones? “If you do not treat others’ grief as your own, what is the use of such great knowledge?” (aṟivinān ākuvatu unto … Kural 315). This is not just the idea of Valluvar, but he is only articulating the heritage of the Tamils in his work. A mature person (Cānrōr) is a compassionate person towards the weak, the sick, the less-privileged ones. That is what we read also in Kalittokai 139, 2–3, where it is said that it is the duty of the wise to consider the sickness of others as their own. (piṟar nōyum tannōypōl…)
About the Author:
Dr Anand Amaladass S. J. after his Ph. D in Sanskrit (1981) started teaching in Satya Nilayam Faculty of philosophy, Chennai. His publications include a book on the Dhvani theory in Indian Aesthetics (1984), and five books in German: one on the Vaishnava tradition, two on the God of Dance, Shiva, the fourth one, on the Goddess phenomenon with a translation of Abhirāmi Antāti and the fifth one on Art and Religion.(2020). The Christian Themes in Indian Art (Documentation of how the Hindus, Muslims, Parsis and Christians interpreted Christian themes in India) was published together with Gudrun Löwner (2012). His present research focuses on aesthetic spirituality and option for the least, Jesuit history in India and Tamilology.
