Kaalingar

Kaalingar (Tamil: காலிங்கர்) (c. 12th century CE), also known as Kalingarayar, was a Tamil poet and commentator known for his commentary on the Thirukkural.[1] He was among the canon of ten medieval commentators of the Kural text most highly esteemed by scholars.[2] He was also among the five ancient commentators whose works had been preserved and made available to the Modern era, the others being Manakkudavar, Pari Perumal, Paridhi, and Parimelazhagar.

Early life

Kaalingar, also known as Kaviperumal, was born in Kaalingarayar tribe and was a farmer, soldier, and a physician. Kaalingar had great respect for Valluvar and referred to him as "Lord Valluvar" in his work.

Commentary on the Kural text

In his commentary on the Tirukkural, Kaalingar, like the other Medieval commentators, makes several changes to the chapter arrangements and the order of Kural couplets within each chapter. He gives the justification for his arrangement of the Kural chapters at the end of each chapter. For example, in Book III of the Kural (the Book of Love), Kaalingar's arrangement varies in three places.[3]

Variations in ordering of the Kural verses

The following table depicts the variations among the early commentators' ordering of, for example, the first ten verses of the Tirukkural. Note that the ordering of the verses and chapters as set by Parimelazhagar, which had been followed unanimously for centuries ever since, has now been accepted as the standard structure of the Kural text.

Kural verse beginning Manakkudavar ordering Pari Perumal ordering Paridhi ordering Kaalingar ordering Parimelazhagar ordering
அகர முதல எழுத்தெல்லாம் 1 1 1 1 1
கற்றதனால் ஆய பயன் 2 2 2 2 2
மலர்மிசை ஏகினான் மாணடி 3 3 3 3 3
வேண்டுதல் வேண்டாமை இலான் 6 6 5 7 4
இருள்சேர் இருவினையும் சேரா 7 7 6 6 5
பொறிவாயில் ஐந்தவித்தான் 8 8 7 7 6
தனக்கு உவமை இல்லாதான் 4 4 6 4 7
அற ஆழி அந்தணன் 5 5 10 9 8
கோளில் பொறியில் குணமிலவே 10 10 8 5 9
பிறவிப் பெருங்கடல் நீந்துவர் 9 9 9 10 10

It is found that there are as many as 171 variations found in the ordering of the Kural couplets by Kaalingar with respect to the commentary by Manakkudavar.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Vedhanayagam, Rama (2017). திருவள்ளுவ மாலை மூலமும் எளிய உரை விளக்கமும் [Tiruvalluvamaalai: Moolamum Eliya Urai Vilakkamum] (in Tamil) (1st ed.). Chennai: Manimekalai Prasuram. pp. 7–8.
  2. ↑ Natarajan, P. R. (December 2008). Thirukkural: Aratthuppaal (in Tamil) (First ed.). Chennai: Uma Padhippagam. pp. 1–6.
  3. ↑ Sundaram, P. S. (1990). Tiruvalluvar: The Kural (First ed.). Gurgaon: Penguin Books. p. 9. ISBN 978-01-44000-09-8.
  • Casie Chetty, Simon (1859). The Tamil Plutarch, containing a summary account of the lives of poets and poetesses of Southern India and Ceylon. Jaffna: Ripley & Strong. p. 65.

Further reading

  • M. Arunachalam (2005). Tamil Ilakkiya Varalaru, Padhinaindhaam Nootraandu [History of Tamil Literature, 15th century].
  • D. M. Vellaivaaranam (1983). Tirukkural Uraikotthu. Thiruppananthal Shri Kasimadam Publications.
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