catechism of the Caiva system copying the Christian catechisms. Murdoch says “It is a strange medley.”¹³⁴ This was also translated by Foulkes.

P. Percival translated the Tamil work “Kapila Tēvar Akaval” and Avvaiyār’s “Aphorisms.” This is known from this author’s book “Tamil Proverbs”, second edition, 1874, in which he has mentioned them in the Preface. There is an analysis and a translation in English. Percival commenting on the second book (Avvaiyar’s compositions) says the aphorisms “are of unequalled brevity and beauty.”¹³⁵

Pope has written six articles in the Journal “The Light of Truth.” Three of them are about Tiruñāṉacampantar, one is about Māṇikkavācakar, one on Cēkkilḷār and the Periyapurāṇam and the other on the legend of Caṇṭēcuvara Nāyāṉar.

Some “Tēvāram hymns” of Tiruñāṉacampantar have been translated by Pope. In his view Tiruñāṉacampantar lived after Māṇikkavācakar. Modern research scholars are not unanimous about this.¹³⁶ Pope thinks though Tiruñāṉacampanta was the dearest poet of the Tamils; his compositions were not superior to those of Māṇikkavācakar. Pope writes, “His Mission” (Tiruñāṉacampantar’s) “was to teach the Ᾱkamās and all divine knowledge in the Tamil tongue. It was this, on the whole, successful cultivation of the vernacular that gave to these poets of the Tamil Renaissance their great and permanent influence.”¹³⁷ Pope feels that to translate the Tēvāram is a bit difficult despite its being a “touching elegy.” He has however translated some.¹³⁸

134. John Murdoch; “Classified Catalogue of Tamil Printed Books”, P.84

135. Percival P.; Tamil Proverbs; 1874, Preface

137. P.L.T. Vol. 1, No. 10, 1898