INTRODUCTION:
Thiruvalluvar was a Tamil
Poet born in Southern India. As with
many Indian Sages, there is some uncertainty concerning the details of his
life. His date of birth may have been as
early as 200 BC or as late as 800 CE.
His birthplace is usually said to be Madras where a temple has been built
in his name. One legend associates him
to Madurai, the ancient capital of the Pandya rulers who vigorously promoted
Tamil literature. Thiruvalluvar might
have spent most part of his in Madurai because it was under Pandia rulers that
many Tamil poets flourished. There are
also recent claim by Kanyakumari Historical and Cultural Research Centre (KHCRC)
that Valluvar was a king who rules Vallivaanadu in the hill tracts of
Kanyakumari District of Tamil Nadu.
Meaning of Thiruvalluvar:
The genius of the Tamil race has flowered to perfection
in this great author and the influence which his work. Since its Publication (More than 1400 years
ago) exercised over the mind, life and literature of the Tamils is Phenomenal.
The “Thiru” part of his name is an honor given to him as
a made of respect. “Valluvar” is perhaps
a respectful form of “Valluvan” Which indicated “Weaver” or “Town crier”. This in turn may refer to his caste or
occupation or may be his name.
Thirukkural:
Thirukkural is one of the
most revered works in the Tamil and he wrote it. It consists of 133 Athikarams or
Chapters. Each Athikaram consists of 10
Kurals thus making 1330 kurals (Couplets) in total. Each couplet consists of four seers in the
first line and the three seer in the second. A seer is a single or a
combination of more than one Tamil ward.
Thirukkural is divided into three sections. Section one deals with Aram doing things,
with conscience and honour. The Second
discusses Porul realities or facts. The
third dwells on Inbam the pleasure that a man and a women experience in the
course of their relationship. There is a
huge statue of Thiruvalluvar showing his first three fingures. The 133 ft denotes Thirukkural’s 133 Athikarams
and the show of there fingers, to denote the three themes Aram, Porul, and
Inbam.
A study of Thirukkural brings out certain characeristics,
which makes it immoral. These have been
listed as
1. Issues, which concern
wisdom in preference to knowledge.
2. Generalization
3. Scientific outlook.
4. Extrolling human effort
and presenting a possible ideal word.
Concept of Education:
According to him, Education is not a
luxury, of humanity nor a preserve of the classes. It is not even the so-called right of the
measure to receive the rudiments of knowledge for the smoothers running of the
rule of the classes. It is to him the
basic necessary of man as man. For he
says that the learned alone are fit to be human beings having the
qualifications necessary for membership in family and society and race. He who
is not learned is a beast though he lives as man among men he is really a
spiritual out- cart quite thrown aside beyond the pale of normal family or
society.
Purpose of Education:
The purpose of education is constant
and everlasting pursuit for knowledge.
He says that even though a person has vast learning, real knowledge of
wisdom alone will serve the purpose. Therefore,
he differentiates knowledge from learning.
Learning is useful for acquiring knowledge but mere learning alone is
not knowledge.
Acquisition of knowledge:
According to him knowledge is not a
mere accumulation of facts and figures-rather assimilation of all of them. Man has use his own reasoning and should
understand what is true and what is not true.
This kind of questioning spirit is essential and it should be used under
any circumstances.
“Though things diverse from diverse sages” lips we learn.
“Tis wisdom’s part in each the true thing to discern”
In the
reasoning advocated in their couplet, there are two important aspects.
1. Reasoning is necessary for
any person who comes across anything or hears anything.
2. Form whomsoever a
statement comes forth; reasoning is indispensible for the acquisition of real
knowledge. That is why Valluvar has used
the term “yaar” twice that too consecutively.
Valluvar narrates another aspect qualities of various things differ and
true knowledge is nothing but understanding the true nature of such things.
“Whatever thing, of whatever kind be Tis Wisdom’s part
in each the very thing to see”
Water has a quality, fire has another
and the wind has got an entirely different quality true knowledge consists in
understanding and discerning the differing qualities of various things.
Therefore knowledge can be acquired
through subjective thoughts and form the qualities of various objects.
True Knowledge:
According to him, humility and virtue are the two important facts of true
knowledge. Knowledge is a weapon by
which one saves himself from destruction and it is also the strongest fortress,
which cannot be destroyed by one’s foes.
Aims of Education:
Education is constant and everlasting
pursuit for knowledge. The foremost aim
of acquiring knowledge is to prepare a man to adapt himself to the world and
the society in which he lives. So
logically true education make a man wise makes him suitable and adaptable to
the society. So that a total well being
of the society is achieved, In short the ideal state if Valluvar consists of
persons with true education.
Subject of Study:
“Letters” and “Numerals” are the two
eyes of mankind, he says by “Letter” he means all kinds of work consisting of
letter like linguistics, prose, poetry, drama, etc.. By “Numerals” he means
mathematics which is the basis for all the post Valluvar developments.
Valluvar is conscious to the fact
that the word is constantly changing and he was conscious of such changes in
the educational field. Therefore, he says,
“Learn faultlessly what you ought to learn”.
So any subject which is useful to the students as well as to the society
can come under this purview.
Conclusion:
Thiruvalluvar’s conception of world
as living world of God as a living God, life as a living life, help us un
understanding his ideal of Education also as living ideal of education. His ideals put forth blossoms of untold
virtue and excellence for a new renaissance of the world in future.
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