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TheTiruppugal (Tamil:திருப்புகழ்,Thiruppugazh,IPA/Tamil:[tiɾupːuɡaɻ], meaning 'Holy Praise' or 'Divine Glory'),[1] sometimes spelledThiruppugazh, is a 14th-centuryanthology of Tamil religious songs dedicated toMurugan (Kartikeya), the son ofShiva, written by the poet-saintArunagirinathar (Tamil:அருணகிரிநாதர்,Aruṇakirinātar,[aɾuɳaɡiɾɯn̪aːdaɾ]).[2] The anthology is considered one of the central works of medievalTamil literature, both for its poetical and musical qualities, and for its religious, moral and philosophical content.
There are no historical records of the life of Arunagirinathar, and what we know of the composition of the Thiruppugazh is largely derived from oral traditions and legends 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 atTiruvannamalai. He was saved by Murugan himself.[3] Arunagirinathar was transformed, and began a long pilgrimage, visiting theArupadai Veedu (Six Abodes of Murugan), the six temples most sacred to Murugan, and over 200 other holy shrines inIndia andSri Lanka. At each of these, he composed songs in praise of Murugan, which are collected together in the Thiruppugazh.[4] The majority of the songs are sung to Murugan, but there are also a few songs that sing of deeds ofShiva or theavatars ofVishnu, and of the power ofParvati. Almost all songs end addressing Murugan asPerumal, a term that traditionally had strong associations with TamilVaishnavism. However the literal meaning in Tamil of the word Perumal is "Great God" or "Great Man".
The worship of Murugan has strong roots inTamil Nadu. According to Tamil legends, Murugan was the brave warrior who defeated the powerful demonSurapadman,[5] 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, 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.[6] 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.
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Early medieval Tamil religious poems were written in a language and style that followed the pattern ofclassical Tamil literature. TheThiruppugazh, in contrast, was written in a form of Tamil that was quite different from pure classical Tamil. Itsmetres, too, are more obviously rhythmical than the stylised classical metres[citation needed].
The Thiruppugazh makes extensive and deliberate use of the imagery associated with thefive landscapes of classicalakam poetry. The usage is not, however, straightforward. Whereasakam 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 toKuravas and hills, and the imagery of the bees making honey from scarletceccai flowers, are characteristic of thekuriñci 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 ofValli, the daughter of a Kurava chief. This appropriation of secular imagery to religious purposes is characteristic of theThiruppugazh: just as it call people to turn from hedonistic pleasures to a life centred on God, it turns the language formerly used to celebrate carnal love to celebrate God. This was popularised by the HinduSadhuVallimalai Shri Sachchidananda Swamigal.
"Born in theMadras Presidency in the mid-1800s, Vadakkupattu Subramaniya Pillai served as a district judge. On one occasion, while traveling toChidambaram, he was captivated by the singing of Arunagirinathar's Tiruppugal hymns. This inspired him to undertake the task of compiling the Tiruppugal songs. To accomplish this, he traveled throughout South India in 1871, collecting manuscripts and handwritten copies, and published Arunagirinathar's songs in two volumes. These were released as the first edition in 1894 and the second edition in 1901.
After the passing of Vadakkupattu Subramaniya Pillai, his son, V.S. Chengalvaraya Pillai, continued his work. He dedicated himself to writing a comprehensive commentary on the Tiruppugal, complete with research notes. He devoted seven years, from 1950 to 1958, to this task and published the resulting books."
This was also composed in a simpleBhajan tune with no influence fromCarnatic music byKaraikudi S.P. Meyyapan.[citation needed]
