This module deals with Vaishnavite thoughts and the glories of Vaishnavite religious leaders.

This lesson, the first in the module, discusses literary works prior to Vaishnavite Bhakti movement.

தொல்காப்பியம், the first of ancient Tamil literary works, presents the guidelines for Tamil literature as well as grammar. ‘திருமால் was the God of the people living in முல்லை நிலம். In Sangam literature, பரிபாடல், one of the எட்டுத்தொகை நூல்கள், sings the praises of திருமால். He is celebrated as the personification of
ஐம்பெரும்பூதங்கள் (Five Elements). He is the essence of all living things. He permeates objects which have a form as well as those that are formless, Several incarnations of திருமால் are referred to : The form of a tortoise supporting மேரு Mountain, the form of a boar to bring back நிலமகள் (the earth) from under the sea, the form of நரசிம்மன் to prove Prahalada’s words, the form of a dwarf - வாமன - to put down மகாபலி’s arrogance, the form of பரசுராமர், the form of Rama, the form of Lord Krishna and Balarama.

திருமால் is seen as the primary God of worship totally identified with Nature. People worshipped Him after a holy bath, wearing துளசி garlands. There were temples for Him. His feet help us to cross the ocean of life. Sangam literature makes references to stories from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. புறநானூறு has references to the five weapons of திருமால், namely சங்கு (the conch), சக்கரம் (the disc), கதாயுதம் (the mace), வாள்(the sword) and வில்(the bow).

There are references to திருமால் in திருமுருகாற்றுப்படை, சிறுபாணாற்றுப்படை and பெரும்பாணாற்றுப்படை of பத்துப்பாட்டு anthology. In Sangam literature there are references to திருமால்’s incarnations with specific mention of Rama and Krishna avataras. திருமால் is mentioned in கலித்தொகை and பரிபாடல் also.

There are also references to திருமால் in didactic works like திருக்குறள் and திரிகடுகம், too.

சிலப்பதிகாரம் of the second century AD., refers to temples, worship and festivels for திருமால். இளங்கோவடிகள் mentions திருவரங்கம் and திருவேங்கடம், திருமால் is the presiding deity of the dances and songs of ஆயமகளிர் (the milk maids). There is a hill named திருமால் குன்றம் (now known as அழகர்மலை). There is a reference to வாமனாவதாரம் in மணிமேகலை. In one of the chapters we find a Vaishnavite narrating the story of திருமால் to மணி மேகலை.

The worship of திருமால் was thus prevalent in ancient Tamil people’s lives as is evident from the above references in early Tamil literary works.