I will continue to blog on Aathichoodi (ஆத்திச்சூடி)

Many friends ask why I stopped blogging on ஆத்திச்சூடி (Aathichoodi). It is time I admit the true reason. I regularly blogged until "கடிவது மற" and then stopped it. Because, the next maxim was "காப்பது விரதம்". It is about Veganism and refrain from eating non-vegetarian dishes, as a mark of love and respect to animals. Tamil literature is replete with hortatory edicts regarding "புலால் உண்ணாமை" (veganism). Although I am not a pure vegetarian and I do have a proclivity towards it, the truth is I do like some non-vegetarian dishes too. I do savor my liking for chicken, lamb, and fish. Therefore, it will be sheer hypocrisy for me to ruminate on a maxim that I hardly cannot keep up with. It does not matter, how well I can try to follow what is being preached in the other maxims, but, how can I ruminate on this maxim, when I am already far from what is being preached? Yet, I think, I am now at a point to move forward. It is a learning exercise anyways.

As in Latin, they say, "Discere docendo." To learn is to teach. I learn more about Aathichoodi, when I blog. So, will I do hereafter, notwithstanding the fact that I am not a pure vegetarian :-).

Thank you for all your private emails.

An iPhone App for Aathichoodi (ஆத்திச்சூடி)

A friend of mine -- Mr. G Devarajan -- introduced via Internet, is doing yeoman service with iPhone Apps and Podcasts dedicated to children. When he approached me to translate Sangam Poetess Auvaiyar's (ஔவையார்) child-literature of "Aathichoodi" (ஆத்திச்சூடி), I readily agreed.

Needless to say this App has been on my iPhone for sometime now. I enthusiastically recommend the same for the Tamil Diaspora. Here it is on Apple iTunes.

I hope and wish Mr. Devarajan will consider extending the meanings to other works of Auvaiyaar like நல்வழி, மூதுரை, etc., which currently do not have meanings. If approached, I will certainly start to translate/workout the meanings for them too.

Personally, the indelible effects of these child-literary works on me are profound. யாம் பெற்ற இன்பம், பெருக இவ்வையகம்.

Liars, Lies, and Perjury - Sivavaakiyar's Song

These days, rationalists and the hoi-polloi, view certain institutions and edifices with deep distrust. Religion and Law comes to my mind immediately. In of itself, neither religion nor law is bad, but, one notices the intense repulsiveness and skepticism that is palpable when conversations turn towards these touchy topics because of the modern-day scandals, lies, and perjuries that tend to overshadow them. After all, people like Gandhi, Tolstoy, and Tagore were all Thinkers with deep religious convictions aimed towards their endless search towards Eternal Truth. Their punctilio lay in truth and Truth.

So, what is wrong?

Personally, I think, when a person is willfully perjuring, lying, and fooling before the rightful representatives of the society as in a court of law or before the sacred courts of human conscience, then such a person is not only endangering his or her own self, but, thoroughly demolishes the fundamental edifices of social-order.  Regardless of the individual stature or the games played by such charlatans -- be it before the courts of law or public-opinion -- such institutions that act on behalf of the last, average citizen, who has no clout, power, or money to stand against the thraldom of lies, should in and on his behalf act to eschew perjury at all costs. 

Every single lie of perjury has a profound consequence that affects some other individuals, families, or societies in inexplicable ways.

That's what I ruminated when I came across this wonderful song by an ancient Tamil Sithhar Sivavaakiyar. 

What is amazing about this song is its rhythmic pattern ("சந்தம்") and its intense language constructs chastising false-prophets, pranksters, charlatans and lying hypocrites.

Those, who care for truth and Truth will love this ancient poem.

"ஞானிஞானி யென்றுரைத்த நாய்கள் கோடிகோடியே

வானிலாத மழைநாளென்ற வாதிகோடி கோடியே
தானிலான சாகரத்தின் தன்மைகாணா மூடர்கள்
மூனிலாமற் கோடிகோடி முன்னறிந்த தென்பரே."

My Interpretation: 

"Many were those dogs that anointed themselves as Enlightened.
Many were those charlatans that promised rainy downpours on cloudless days.
Those ignorant that never experienced the endless oceans of Wisdom too were many,

who with shameless indolence claimed they knew the Truth even before It existed!"

Not only is this song so intense for its choice of words, but, it has a wonderful dose of sarcasm and wry humor throughout. 

In retrospect I wish I had a formal training in Tamil language. Or at least, had the opportunity to learn it as a First Language.

Yet, thanks to all my Tamil teachers at School, paramount amongst them being my Mom & Dad, who taught me in the greatest of all schools: Home.

For the Litigious, a Kamban's Perspective

Like many, I am a big fan of Kavichakravarthi ("Emperor of Poems") Kamban's Ramayanam. A rich language, Tamil, under the hands of Kamban is an assured feast for anybody, anywhere, anytime. 

As the Indian Economy grows at a healthy pace, social turmoil grows as well. Wealth and so does greed grows. An overburdened judiciary is further burdened with numerous lawsuits, some genuine, most frivolous by the litigious-minded. 

Recently, I came across the news of the Head of a leading corporate law-firm in India being ordered to be investigated for criminal extortion by a Delhi Court. One of the main plaints was that he was engaging in "proxy-litigation" to force a builder to kowtow to his demands that includes making huge payments as settlement. As quid pro quo, this Head offered the carrot of withdrawing the cases he foisted against the builder. This builder, though, immediately preferred a plaint  and the matter is now sub judice.

Every society had to undergo a "churning" as it grows from an agrarian based economy to a modern Industrial economy. Honorable Justice Markandey Katju of the Supreme Court of India used to harp on this theme repeatedly. As a result, some of these entities may indulge in frivolous lawsuits that make them feel in control, while intimidating and crushing the liberties of the individuals and organizations they go after.

This is where a poetic verse from Kamba Ramayanam, caught my attention. It is a very simple, yet, profound verse that Law Schools in India can probably teach their future Corporate Lawyers, who seem to hardly acknowledge the actual "roots" of the ancient Indian society, its ethos and charism. Unfortunately, these thoughts are often considered to be passé and are side-stepped in an unfettered quest for hegemony using the noble tools of litigious power, accented only by the greed of Rupees, Dollars, and Euros earned. Talk to them, they will say, "we are like that only!".

"யாரொடும்பகை கொள்ளலன் என்றபின்
போரொடுங்கும் புகழொடுங் காது"

This verse from Kamban exhorts, "When you desist from enmity against anybody ('யாரொடும்பகை கொள்ளலன்'), it stanches conflict, not your fame ('போரொடுங்கும் புகழொடுங் காது')." 

In other words, a little humility and shedding bellicose attitudes will go a long way to enhance the prestige and image of even litigious-minded people. 

Ultimately, it's not how many buildings that were bulldozed to ground that counts, rather, how many bridges that were built. 

Victory and Pyrrhic Victory are entirely two different things. And so is War and War of Attrition. 

Kamban could not have said it better!