Devapriyaji - True History Analaysed

            Now, when King Vukkira Peruvazhuthi I was ruling at Madurai, it was not at Mylapore that St. Thomas was carrying out missionary work as Edward Jennet Robinson states, but at the southern Pandian kingdom (Maanaveera Naadu), which was one of the petit kingdoms of King Vukkira Peruvazhuthi, ruled by King Gandhappar. St. Thomas went to Mylapore only during his Second Mission in India, i.e: from 52 A.D. to 72 A.D.

        It must also be noted as Dr. K. Appadurai states that until the time of Kambar Ramayana the name of the book was known only such as “Vedam (Book of Religion), Aram (Book of Virtues), Utthara Vedam (True Religion), Deiva Nool (Divine Scripture)” and so on. And the name of its author was known such as “Eraiyanaar (God), Poyyil Pulavar (True Poet), Deiva Pulavar (Divine Poet)” and so on. For example the Tamil Epics called ‘Pura Naanooru, Chilappathikaaram, and Manimekalai’ mention the book as ‘Aram’ and the author as Poyyil Pulavar only. Dr. Appadurai very boldly asserts that the stories about the name and family of the author as ‘Thiru Valluvar’, and the name of the book as ‘Thirukkural’ are only modern stories without any traditional foundation. “In truth”, he says, “Until the time of Kambar we see that no author of Tamil Literatures, while quoting the lines and ideas of the Deiva Nool, ever mention the book as Thirukkural, or the author as Thiru Valluvar.”³

            For the subject of meditation, first he took the Old Testament of the Bible, wherein he found the construction of material he wanted to create, (i) Aram - Spiritual order: The Nature and Attributes of God, and Man’s duty towards God (Aravial = Illaram and Thuravaram), which are contained in the first five books of the Bible - the Pentateuch. (ii) Porul – Social order: The Powers and duties of the Kings (Arasial= Politcs), which are found in the books of Kings and Judges in the Bible. (iii) Inbam - Moral order. The Love and Pleasures un-opposed to holiness (Karpial= Chastity), which are written in the Canticle of Canticles in the Bible.

 

            Secondly St. Thomas meditated on the teachings of Jesus Christ in the New Testament and applied these Christian principles to the above construction of material for his book.

            Thirdly the Saint meditated on the instructions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to the twelve Apostles, and especially Her instructions to him and to his fellow Magi Kings at Bethlehem, how to govern the kingdoms in accordance with the teachings of Jesus Christ, the kingdom of God.

            King Gandhappar already knew well before he was baptized, that a king has to seek the company of wise and courageous men. But now, after listening to the instructions of Saint Thomas, he found out that the royal virtues he had already obtained were nothing before those of the Divine Saint Thomas. Therefore the King wanted to name the literature of St. Thomas as “Deiva Nool” (Divine Book) or “Doctrines of St. Thomas.”

            King Gandhappar also knew well that even from very ancient times Tamil Nadu was a constant battle ground of many wars between different religions. In these kinds of wars many scholars and poets had wasted their life time.     

            Besides, the books written in favor of one religion were not read by those who belonged to other religions; and many times they spoke ill of each other. For example, the fierce battle between the Sivaits and the Jains was a historical fact.⁴   In order that the book of St. Thomas should be read by all who belonged to various kinds of religions, and in order that those who were fighting among themselves on religious differences should accept and admire the superiority of his Deiva Nool so much, that they may one and all praise him as the prince of the poets, Gandhappar Raja requested St. Thomas not to mention the name and author of his religion in this work; and he said that it would be known if and when God would please to reveal it.

            Though a poet by birth, St. Thomas had for this purpose received divine light and many preternatural and supernatural gifts of the Holy Ghost, in his direct contact and education from Our Lord Jesus Christ, (like Sage Agasthiyar on the instruction of Lord Murugan originated the Tamil language – see Appendix II) to compose in Tamil the doctrines of Christianity in a most brilliant and unique style which surpassed all other existing Tamil literatures created by poets who were inside or outside the Tamil Sangam. In fact our Saint was not a poet belonging to the Sangam though he lived in the Sangam period.⁵

            Some details of the antediluvian kings in the “Catholic commentary on Holy Scripture”, give us astonishing evidences of the connections between the Bible and Lord Murugan (Alagar) and his disciple Agasthiar.

             In the genealogy of the Sethites it is said:

“The Babylonians similarly listed ten antediluvian kings with immensely long reigns. The first Alulim (Adam) is credited with 67,200 years, and his successor Alagar (Seth) with 72,000.”⁶

            “When we compare the Sethite list of genealogy with the Babylonian list of Berossus, we find a number of striking coincidences”. Cfr: “Enoch's Sumerian ancestors”. Source:                                                                                                   http://www.jehovahswitness.net/watchtower/bible/67655/1/Enochs-Sumerian-ancestors

Berossus                    Sumerian Equivalents              Sethite List

1. Aloros                     Alulim                                         Adam

2. Alaparos                 Alagar                                         Seth

3. Amelon                  Enmenluanna; Amelu "Man"   Enosh "Man"

4. Ammenon (?);       Ammanu "Workman"         Kenan "Metal  Worker"

5. Amegalaron           Enmengalanna                          Mahalalel

6. Daonos                   Dumuzi                                        Jared

7. Evedoranchus        Enmenduranki                           Enoch

8. Amepsinos             Ensibzianna                             Methuselah

9. Otiartes/Opartes    Uburtu                                        Lamech

10. Xisouthros             Ziusudra                                       Noah

            “The second king, Alaparos, is derived from Alalgar, the second king of the Weld-Blundell Sumerian king list, whose sage was U-an-dugga”.

            Now, if this Lord Murugan (Alagar) is none but the son of Adam and Eve, called Seth the first son after the murder of Abel by Cain, his language would have been “Tamil” according to the modern researchers like Ma. So. Victor (“Kumarikkandam” Pages 104, 105).

            And in “The Catholic Encyclopedia” Vol. 4, we find: “Tribes which certainly sprang from Noe were preceded in their earliest settlements by other tribes whose origin is unknown to us: the Dravidic tribes preceded the Arians in India.” (Page 705)

            “Again the languages of the races springing from Noe are said to be in a state of development different from that in which we find the languages of the peoples of unknown origin.” (Page 705)  

                                                                                                           

            Moreover, the third antediluvian king Enosh is likely to be associated with Melchizedek who could represent Agasthiyar as well.

            Let us continue reading from Appendix IV “The Amazing Great Pyramid-

Yogananda SRF Devotees” referred above:

           

            “The research done by Fr. Heras and Sir John Marshall the Archaeologist and other scholars into the archaeological finds at Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa point to the existence of an earlier highly developed Dravidian civilization in the deep South, which had influenced the Indus Valley Aryan civilization of the North.

            “The available historical evidence referring to the Dravidian civilization commences with the records that have come down to us of the Tamil literary writings during the past 12,000 years, which have been divided by historians into three periods, called the First Sangam period from 9600 BC to 5200 BC, spanning the Satya and Treta yugas, the Second Sangam period from 5200 BC to 1500 BC spanning the Treta and Dwapara yugas, and the Third Sangam period from 1500 BC to 600 AD spanning the Dwapara and Kali yugas”.

            “The First Sangam, which was founded and nurtured by Siddha Sri Agasthiyar, lasted for 4,400 years and had its centre in the city of Dakshina Madura in the continent of Lemuria.

            “The Second Sangam, which was also established under the patronage of Sri Agasthiyar, lasted for 3,700 years and had its centre in the city of Kavatapuram in the continent of Lemuria, after the records in the city of Dakshina Madura had gone under water.

            “The Third Sangam, also sponsored by Sri Agasthiyar, lasted for 1,800 years and had its centre at Uttara Madura, namely the modern city of Madurai, which lays north of the earlier centers, after the whole of the Lemurian continent had gone under water”.

            Ma. So. Victor in the Author’s word of his book “Kumarikkandam”:

1.        Quotes one striking principle of Dr. Ernst Haeckel:

Caption: Frontis plate with illustration from Ernst Haeckel "The History of Creation" English translation by Prof. E. Ray Lankaster 1876. "A hypothetical sketch of the monophyletic origin and of the extension of the 12 races of man from Lemuria over the Earth". While Darwin correctly suspected an African origin for mankind, Haeckel hypothesized a lost continent of Lemuria from which the various races of mankind had spread. Though there seemed little basis in geology for this supposition, it suited his own racial ideologies and would help him explain the (then) rarity of human fossils (on account of them being lost on a drowned continent). It also helped explain the anomalous distribution of Lemurs (hence the name) in the seemingly disconnected realms of Africa, Madagascar, India and Asia. We now have many early hominid fossils from Africa and explain lemur distributions with continental drift.

2.      Victor quotes what is said by V. R. Ramachandra Theetchithar in his book “Origin and spread of the Tamils”, Page 29:

            “We therefore conclude that the so called Mediterranean race had its origin in peninsular India, which was a part of the original Dravidian home which was the submerged continent and connected south India with Africa, when the Indo Gangetic basin had not probably been formed. So the Dravidian element is not to be found in Indian culture alone, but is largely traceable in Gretan, Agean, Sumerian, Babylonian, Egyptian, Phoenician and other cultures of the ancient world.”

3.       Then he gives the frontiers of Kumarikkandam in the same Chapter (Page 22):

            “Many have accepted that Kumarikkandam was in the same place where today Indian Ocean is. Indian Ocean has been comprised as its frontier nations: India in the north, South Pole in the south, Africa in the west and Indonesia and Australia in the east. In this vast spread water space was the kumarikkandam.

4.      In the same chapter (Page 24) he shows that Ceylon was the place where Adam came and settled after he had been chased out of the Paradise.

            “It is discovered by scientists that Ceylon’s Vavunia forest and its mountain region is the land most ancient. Some say that the mountain called the summit of Adam at the height of seven thousand feet was the region where the first man Adam came and settled after being cast out of the Garden of Eden. The rock there with the foot prints is a very ancient rock………For the last two thousand years it is said that the foot prints known as Thiruppaadam (Sri Pada), are the feet of Adam.”

            “Although there are no evidences available whether Adam truly lived there, evidences have now begun to appear that Adam was the man of Kumarikkandam.”

5.      Dr. E. Thurston says (Page 82)

           

     “According to Dr. Haeckel, where the Indian Ocean today is, there was a great landscape, extending from the Sunda Islands of Indonesia to Africa. Dr. Sclater is of opinion that this landscape is the Lemurian continent. This continent is the place where living beings, animals and man began to appear.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

            6.  Dr. Gream Williams says:

            “The news worthy of admiration is that India was the nation where all living beings began to appear. It is in India where wild man began the civilized life. 

            7.  According to Dr. H. G. Wells:

            “Kumarikkandam was the nursery for the development of people of the ancient world.”

            8. Dr. Ku. Mangaiyarkarasi in her Research Book called “Kumarikkandam Literary evidences and Modern Researches ” Page 106 has said that the findings of Kumarikkandam are not mere  imagination, but are attached to historical phenomenon: “From the assurance of Modern researchers regarding Lemuria, from the suggestions of  it as the place where living beings originated and from the saying that this place was in the sea attached to the land of south India, it could be strongly asserted that the confidence which the ancient Tamils possessed about the deluge and the civilization which perished in it is not a mere imagination, but is of a historical phenomenon”.

       

            Thus St. Thomas succeeded providentially to introduce in Tamil once again the one true religion of the one true God in three Persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, and updated through the teachings and merits of Jesus Christ the Son of God, into a nation which was once the birth place of the one true religion and then turned in to the nursery for the development of all kinds of religions. It is true that even the best of Scholars who wrote commentaries on the “Deiva Nool”, do not fully explain the thoughts of the author.⁷

                    St. Thomas wrote this Deiva Nool in that Tamil Character which existed in first century on Palmira leaves, and presented it first in the royal assembly of Gandhappar Raja on January 15, 35 A.D. All those who read it or heard it read, chiefly the contemporary Tamil scholars and poets, unanimously praised its incomparable and supernatural quality, its beauty of rhythm and its depth of meaning. No one had so far ventured this style of literary composition.                                                                           

            When this master piece of the Tamil world was submitted to King Karungai Volvaazh Perumpeyar Vazhuthi (Vukkira Peruvazhuthi I) or his immediate successor on the throne, to be presented in the Tamil Sangam at Madurai, as referred below in the “History of Thiru Vallavathevar”, a miracle was witnessed. The platform of the Sangam Poets discarded them all down and accepted only the Deiva Nool to be placed on it. The truth hidden in this story was known to all the Tamil scholars, so that this Nool was so regarded and established as an incomparable and unique one.⁸

            In the book called “The divine history of Thiru Valluva Naynaar” Pages 14 to 20, it is narrated:

            “In the City of Madurai of the Pandian Kingdom the poets of Tamil Sangam including Nakkeerar who were very proud of their wisdom, were wont to humiliate all the new poets who came there. Hearing this, people like Azhagananthar who were grieving over it for a long time, requested Thiruvalluva Thevar to compose a volume easy to grasp, containing the means to attain happiness in heaven and on earth, and comprising every sphere of life in the world. “Having accepted this request, Thiru Valluva Thevar fulfilled the wish of Azhagananthar and others by composing a book containing the compendium of the Bible doctrines, in one thousand three hundred and thirty short strips (Kural Venpas), explaining  the three aspects of life – Aram (spiritual order), Porul (social order) and Inbam (moral order), and comprising all that is in the world. Azhagananthar and others, feeling extremely happy over the elegance of this book, expressed their mind that by this literature they should bring down the pride of the Sangam poets.     

            “Accepting their request together with Azhagananthar and others, he travelled through the region of Edaikazhi, informing this matter to Ouwai Pirattiyar whom he met on the way, and inviting her to join him, reached the city of Madurai.

            “And then, followed by both Auwai Pirattiar and Edaikkadar, he went near the pool of golden lotus and stood in front of the forty nine Sangam Poets including Nakkeerar in order to humble their pride. Those Poets also, thinking of humiliating him in some way or other, and knowing not the consequence of it, asked of him numerous unwanted questions. And when they heard him answering their questions unhesitatingly and without offending them, they at length asked him: “which country do you belong?” To this question Thiruvalluva Thevar replied with an erudite poetry of four strips (Venpas):

            “Which country said ye, the country where I was you didn’t ask

            Do you know the details of that country - that country

            Would be a threefold desolation and in the end nothingness

            And beyond it, will come forth a country without desolation

            (that country I belong).  

            “Hearing such a supernatural answer, the Sangam Poets felt: “since there is a tremendous differences between his nature and our nature, we are not worthy of holding a conversation with him”, and said: “We have a custom; that is, to which of the book the platform we are seated gives place, that will be the Classical Tamil book. According to this custom, if this platform gives place to your book also, we will approve this book as a classical Tamil book.”

            “We will do so,” said Thiruvalluva Thevar, and he placed his book on the Sangam platform. Instantly the platform became as small as not to access the forty nine Sangam Poets, but to accept only the book of Thirukkural. Therefore the forty nine who occupied the platform fell down in to the pool of golden lotus.

            “Then the Sangam Poets, Ukkira Peruvazhuthi and others having paid their homage to Thiruvalluva Thevar, said: “It would be perfect if Agsthiya Munivar the master of Tamil language approves this most valuable book”. Thiruvalluva Thevar who used to acquiesce with the wishes of credited personalities, accepted this proposal and went down to the Pothigai Ashram, and lovingly visited Agasthiya Munivar who was residing there, and expressed the intention of his arrival there. And the latter after making a critical study of that book, was most happy to grant his whole hearted approval”.

            There is another proof to state that the real author of the Deiva Nool was St. Thomas. One of the miracles done by St. Thomas in Mylapore is attributed to Thiruvalluvar. Namely, the miraculous removal of a huge log of wood by St. Thomas narrated in the “History of St. Thomas” by M. Motha Vaz Page 47, has also been recorded as done by Thiruvalluvar in the “History of Thiruvalluva Naayanar” Page 13.

            Parimelazhagar, one considered the best among the existing commentators of this Deiva Nool, as he was a Vaishnavaite,  depends very much upon his own religion and departs from the thoughts of the author.⁹ But even he, unconsciously admits the author’s belief in the Holy Trinity in his commentary for the very first verse, and for this he is rebuked by another commentator.¹⁰ But when Parimelazhagar  says “Moovaraagia Mutharkkadavulodu,” meaning - with  the Prime God in three Persons, it signifies  the Triune God whom a Christian alone worships; and he says that the author of this Deiva Nool greets here the God whom he worships. Therefore the first verse of this Deiva Nool speaks of the Holy Trinity and the author of it must definitely be a Christian.

            Moreover, T.S. Kandasamy Muthaliar in his Research Introduction to Parimel azhagar-urai says that this Deiva Nool is incomparable in expounding the nature and fragrance of virtues. What is virtue, how to practice virtue and the purpose of it have all been perfectly explained in this Nool. And in no other book can we find apt answers to the questions about the divine virtues. And the highest form of practicing justice viz. of doing good even to the enemy is a unique teaching of this author.¹¹ Now Jesus Christ alone has taught and practiced this highest form of virtue and justice. For example, Jesus taught: “But I say to you: Love your enemies; do good to them that hate you; and pray for them that persecute and calumniate you” (Mt. 5: 44), and He practiced this teaching all His life, even while hanging on the Cross: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Lk.23: 34).

            Nakkeerar in his encomiums to this Deiva Nool appraises its author as follows:        

“What gratitude would the world render to the author who knowing everything himself, has composed in Tamil short strips (Kural Venpas), the four most important subject matters beginning with Virtue (Aram), in a way easily to be understood even by those who are ignorant of them.”¹²

            Nakkeerar had his origin from the region of the Southern Pandian kingdom Maana Veera Naadu where St. Thomas built his first church at Kanakkankudiyiruppu. This Kanakkankudiyiruppu is the place where king Gandhappar had settled his accountants called kanakkayars.  These kanakkayars were in charge of the store house called “Pandaga Saalai” of the kingdom. The father of Nakkeerar was one of these Kanakkayars belonging to the art craftsmen called “Sankaruppore”. Nakkeerar was called the son of Kanakkayar, and he proudly calls himself as from the heritage of “Sankaruppore” (Sankaruppore engal Kulam, Sankaranaar kaetu kulam? = Our heritage is to be Sankaruppore, which heritage does Sankaranaar belong?) In this connection Kakkeerar might have had some knowledge about St. Thomas as worthy of his highest encomium above.

        Hence the author of this Deiva Nool, whatever name might be attributed to him, must be a great and holy man who knew Jesus Christ and His teachings perfectly well enough to practice them himself. If an Italian Constantine Beschi (Veera Maa Munivar) could become well versed in Tamil so much as to be the first one to create the Tamil Dictionary, and to compose the famous “Thembavani,” why not an Apostle of Jesus Christ be the best and most worthy author (Deiva Pulavar) of this Deiva Nool? But for his contact with the very Son of God (Jesus Christ), the author could not have acquired the qualities admired by Nakkeerar and others.                                                             

        This tribute of God’s prerogative (Omniscience) cannot be applied to any man except to him who is inspired by and who has a specific mission from God Himself. And we know well that Jesus Christ (The True God and True Man) had sent one of His Apostles Thomas to the Pandian kingdom with a divine mission. And for this purpose He has conferred upon the Apostle His divine Power: “All Power is given to me in heaven and on earth. Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe  all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world” (Mt. 28: 18, 19, 20).

     

        Another commentator Thodithalai Vizhuthandinaar eulogizes our author saying: “This great Poet, who exposed the ineffable four subjects, seems to know even higher mysteries which are not contained in these subjects.”¹³ The disciples of Jesus Christ had a chance to live with the Son of God, and they heard Him teach all the doctrines. They saw him face to face, they heard Him speaking about hidden things and performing highest of miracles. 

        This fact is proved first by the writing of Matthias the Apostle who in his Acts “The book of Thomas the contender” has written as follows:

            “The secret words that the Savior spoke to Judas Thomas which, I, even I, Matthias, wrote down, while I was walking, listening to them speak with one another. “The savior said, “Brother Thomas while you have time in the world, listen to me, and I will reveal to you the things you have pondered in your mind,” “Now since it has been said that you are my twin and true companion, examine yourself, and learn who you are, in what way you exist and how you will come to be. Since you will be called my brother, it is not fitting that you be ignorant of yourself. And I know that you have understood because you had already understood that I am the knowledge of the truth. So while you accompany me although you are uncomprehending, you have in fact already come to know, and you will be called “the one who knows himself,” (the supreme norm prescribed by Nakkeerar, i.e:-“knowing everything himself” -Thaanae Anaithaiyum Arinthu).  For he who has not known himself has known nothing, but he who has known himself has at the same time already achieved knowledge about the depth of the all. So then, you, my brother Thomas, have beheld what is obscure to men, that is, what they ignorantly stumble against.” Now Thomas said to the lord, “Therefore I beg you to tell me what I ask you before your ascension, and when I hear from you about the hidden things, then I can speak about them.”¹⁴

            Over and above all these, St. Thomas and all the Apostles were promised the understanding of all things by the Holy Ghost: “But the Paraclete, The Holy Ghost, Whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things, and bring all things to your mind, whatsoever I shall have said to you” (Jn. 14: 26). Added to this, The Blessed Virgin Mary Who was the seat of the Eternal Incarnate Wisdom, also instructed the Apostles on the divine mysteries of the Most Holy Trinity, The Incarnation, Redemption and Hypostatic Union (the union of divinity and humanity in Jesus).¹⁵ Christianity is a supernatural religion and it contains truths which are unfathomable to human intellect. “Behold, God is great, exceeding our knowledge; the number of his years is inestimable” (Job. 36: 26). “The mind cannot rise to the contemplation of the Deity, whom nothing approaches in sublimity, unless it be entirely disengaged from the senses, and of this in the present life we are naturally incapable” (vide Summa Theologoca Ia XII-11). And therefore the author of this Deiva Nool must have had acquired supernatural knowledge about the divine mysteries. But for his actual contact with the Eternal Incarnate Wisdom itself in the way explained above, the author would not have acquired the astonishing qualifications attributed to him by Thodithalai Vizhuthandinaar.

            Thus St. Thomas had Christianized the philosophies of the Indian Vedas by indianizing his Christian thoughts without sacrificing the Christian doctrines. This has been traditionally sung in a song printed in the history of St. Thomas Mount as follows: “O our great sage! Who explained the meaning of ancient Vedas of India”¹⁶ (ð£óî ï£ì¢®ù¢ ðöñ¢ «õîé¢è÷¢ ªð£¼÷¢ õ¤÷è¢è¤ò âñ¢ ñ£ºù¤õ£!) And his contribution to the Tamil language, literature and comparative religious, moral and social ethics by his true indianization, are meritorious services that Indian Christian scholars themselves have not done for ages before or after. The influence of the Deiva Nool on the Indian literary works such as Sangam literature, Kambar Ramayanam, Tamil epics, Tirumantiram, Shivite ethics, Jeevagachintamani etc. have been analyzed for evidences of its impact on them.                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                           

        And Parimelazhagar claims the Deiva Nool as belonging to his Vaishnava religion. His claim is confirmed by Krishna Moorti: “At places, he (Parimelazhagar) refuted the points made by Sanskrit texts and highlighted the variation put forth by the Kural (Deiva Nool). His analysis of textual emendations adds to his worth.”¹⁷ 

                                                                                                                                                                     

        And moreover, in his writing about the excellence of this Deiva Nool, R. P. Sethuppillai rightly criticizes Parimelazhagar saying that it is obvious that Parimelazhagar has interpreted it forcefully or leniently according to his own thought and Philosophy. ¹⁸

         The commentaries now available are only those written approximately one thousand years after the composition of it. Therefore one cannot expect to see in these commentaries the original intention of the author. It is natural therefore for the commentators like Parimelazhagar to explain out those passages which are unknown to them according to their own cult and creed.                       

            It is unfortunate, therefore, that this masterpiece of the early Christian literature (the Doctrines of St. Thomas in Tamil), is misunderstood even by Christian Theologians and has been misinterpreted by the Indian philosophers. Thus it had been left to be handled according to their cult and belief. Hence it had to suffer the inevitable emendations and interpolations¹⁹ in accordance with their personal thoughts and cults in its text and in its cultural context. This problem would have been solved if a true Christian commentary had been available prior to the existing emended non-Christian texts and commentaries.

        agar. Page, 193. Commenting on Verse No. 501)