There was a strong belief unanimously accepted by all Tamil Scholars (Hindus) that it was a sin to criticise or write a commentary on the Thiruvācakam.¹⁴⁴ Pope broke this unwritten law and wrote a few criticisms on it. He felt a thorough scientific investigation of one’s popular beliefs was essential for a true religious development. This was the Western way of probing into things and he wished to introduce the Tamil people to it.¹⁴⁵

The purpose of the translation (and its criticisms) as confessed by the author, Pope is to bring about a “closer union of the convictions and sentiments of devout men in East and West.” To his Europeans friends who had to spend their life in the Tamil country he gave very valuable advice when he said that they should not only “think in Tamil” but also “should feel in Tamil” if they were to be useful and intelligible to the Tamils.

Pope wants English pieces to be translated into Tamil even as he translated Tamil Composition into English.

The qualifications essential for a true translator are expressed by Pope. As pointed out in the opening lines of our Chapter, a translator, Pope feels should identify himself or herself with the original author and get into the exact mood and then translate.

While Pope’s translation of the “Tiruvācakam” was being printed, a commentary on it by a native scholar was published. In this work the author mentions an attempt at an English translation being made by an Englishman, thereby meaning Dr. Pope. Pope has seen this work and he has a word of praise for it. The native author was unable to explain the first four poems, says Pope. On the basis of this work, Pope was able to alter a few things in his translation though at times he did differ from the native scholar.¹⁴⁶

He gives a skeleton sketch of Māṇikkavācakar’s history and writes, “he was strange mixture of St. Paul and St. Francis of

144. Swaminatha Aiyer U.V. “Thiagarāja Chettiar Carittiram” Chap. 35.

145. P. T. Preface P. X.

146. Ibid. P. XIII