Justice As Shown in Tamil Literature

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Justice As Shown in Tamil Literature

• P.SENTHIL KUMARAN
• RESEARCH SCHOLAR
• SCHOOL OF TAMIL
• PONDICHERRY UNIVERSITY
• PONDICHERRY-14
• senthill732_at_yahoo.com

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Introduction

• Tamil Language is one of the classical and oldest
  languages in the world. The literature in Tamil
  has the tradition of more than 3000 years
• There are lots of ethical principles like love
  everyone, justice, doing no harm, protect the
  animals etc., that are discussed in Tamil
  Literature.
• This article tries to point out how the ethical
  principle Justice has been upheld in some of
  the dynasty referred in Tamil Literature.

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Justice Definition

• Justice can be defined from the sources of Tamil
  Literature as One should try to uphold the
  principles of justice in any circumstances, and
  ready to sacrifice oneself to protect the codes
  of justice at any cost.

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Cheras Dynasty

• A Chera king called Maantharan Cheral Irumporai
  had rolled over by the codes of justice.The
  people in his country had lived with joy and
  safe, because of the kings just rule and
  military power. This can be referred in
  Puranaanooru,
• Ambu thunju kadiyaranaal
• Aran thunju chengkolaiyae

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Chola Dynasty

• One day Chibi, a chola king had sat in the garden
  of his palace. Suddenly a dove had fallen down on
  his thighs with wounds. He gave the dove to the
  servants and ordered them to give treatment to
  the dove.
• After some minutes a hunter came into the garden
  and he searched the dove, which has wounded by
  him. He came to know the king has kept that dove.
  
• He came in front of the king and asked him to
  give the dove. But king Chibi did not want to
  give the dove. The hunter told that the meat of
  the dove was the only source of food for that
  day.

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• King Chibi decided to save the dove and to change
  the hunting mentality of the hunter. So, he cut
  his own flesh equal to the weight of the dove and
  gave it to the hunter.
• The hunter saw all these things and felt ashamed.
  Then he regretted himself for his violent
  actions. This can be referred in Cillappathikaram
  as,
• Ellaru cirappin imaiyavar viyappa
• Pulluru punkan theerthon (51-52)

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• The above-mentioned incident also can be
  referred in the following literary works,
• Puranaanooru (37,39,43,46)
• Kural (72, Parimaelalagar commentary)
• Kambaramayanam (657 7355)
• Kalingathupparani (93)
• Rajaraja Cholan Ulaa (5-6)
• Kulothunga Cholan Ulaa (17)
• Vikirama Cholan Ulaa (10-11)

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• A young Chola Prince son of king Manuneethi
  Cholan went around the city by a chariot. The
  people of the city gave him a warm welcome by
  beating drums and pipes.
• A calf threatened by hearing this huge sound,
  jumped and ran here and there. Finally it had
  fallen down under the wheel of the Princes
  chariot. The wheel had crushed the calf.
• King Manuneethi Cholan came to know, that the
  carelessness of his son has caused the death of
  the calf. So, he wanted to punish his son for the
  convict of the calfs murder.
• He killed his son by the same manner how the calf
  was killed. This can be referred in
  Cillappathikaram as,
• Aavin kadaimani uhuneer nenjusudath thaan than
• Arumperar puthalvanai aaliyin madithon
  (2054-55)

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• The above-mentioned incident also can be referred
  in following literary works,
• Manimegalai (322)
• Kural (547, Parimaelalagar commentary)
• Palamoli (3)
• Rajaraja Cholan Ulaa (3)
• Kulothunga Cholan Ulaa (2)
• Vikirama Cholan Ulaa (3-4)

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Pandiyas Dynasty

• Pandiyan Neduncheliyan, one of the Pandiyas
  emperors, has wrongly punished (killed) a man
  namely Kovalan for the theft of Queens anklet.
• After the death of Kovalan, his wife Kannagi came
  to the court of the king. She argued her husband
  tried to sell her anklet only and not the Queens
  one.
• The king compared the anklet of Kannagi and the
  anklet, which was taken from Kovalan. He felt
  that the two anklets are of the same pair.

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• He thought that, he had wrongly punished the
  victim Kovalan.As soon as King Pandiyan
  Neduncheliyan felt his wrong judgment, he
  suddenly fell down from the kings throne and
  died.
• This can be referred in Cillappathikaram as,
• Poncey kollan than corkaetta
• Yano arasan yanae kalvan
• Manpathai kakkum thenpulan kaaval
• Enmuthal pilaithathu kedugaven aayul
• (74-77)

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• Whenever the warriors go for war, they made an
  announcement to the people before the
  commencement of the war.
• The announcement reads like this, Cows, priests,
  animals, couples who have no child, ladies,
  patients, and aged peoples are asked to go the
  safe places, because the war will be commencing
  on such and such day.
• This can be referred in Puranaanooru,
• Aavum aaniyar parppana maakkalum
• Pendirum piniyudai yeerum paeni
• Thenpulan vaalnark karunkadan irukkum
• Ponpor puthalvarp peraatheerum
• Yemmambu kadividuthum nummaran cerminena
  (9)

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Conclusion

• The following points can be derived from this
  article,
• Justice is common to all living beings.
• One should uphold the principles of Justice in
  any circumstances.
• Each and every person should be given equal and
  fair chances to prove him or herself.

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• We try to highlight the ethical principle
  justice from the background of Tamil literature
  and Tamil culture that will help the students of
  Tamilnadu to develop their own Codes of Justice
  on the basis of their culture and tradition and
  others to take the best from it.

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