SV: SV: SV: Kinship systems

[V.C.Vijayaraghavan]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Sudalaimuthu Palaniappan" <Palaniappa at AOL.COM>
To: <INDOLOGY at LISTSERV.LIV.AC.UK>
Sent: Saturday, October 28, 2000 7:36 PM
Subject: Re: SV: SV: SV: Kinship systems


> In a message dated 10/28/2000 4:39:25 AM Central Daylight Time,
> vijay at VOSSNET.CO.UK writes:
>
> > As far as I can see these words are the Tamil translations of the
English
> >  words Saivism and Vaishnavism. But the Tamil texts themselves were
unaware
> >  of 'ism's.
>
> I would appreciate if Vijayaraghavan could clarify the above statement. I
> would like to know if he is saying:
>
> 1. That Hindu sectarian divisions did not exist in the Tamil society
before
> the advent of the British?


No, it was not meant

> 2. Or if they did, they could not have coined these terms to identify
these
> sects.


I did not say "could not have ", I question is  when was it done and
popularised? Did the sects see themselves in these terms from when? was it
done during the period of Bhakti poetry itself, or did  it become in vogue
during latter medievel period  ? was it popularised  during 18th-19th
centuries.

The parallel I was seeking was the term Renaissance, the cultural
florescence in Italy during 14th to 16th centuries. but the term itself
became popular only in the late 18th century, long after the events




> 3. If his contention is that they could not have coined these terms, what
are
> the linguistic/sociological/religious reasons?

No, it is not my contention.


>
> 4. What were the Tamil terms that Tamils used to refer to these sects?
>
> When he says, "As far as I can see...", is it based on any specific
textual
> evidence? I would appreciate if he could give the source texts for this
> statement.

Going through the U of Cologne KWIC Concordance of Classical Tamil Texts and
searching these two words , for Saivam there was no result and for Vainavam
there was only one - in Tiruvila.

The concordance searches through these books: Tolkappiyam, Cankam,
Patinenkizkanakku, Pazamozi, Kural, Cilappatikaram, Manimekalai,
Civakacintamani, Tevaram, Nalatiyar, Kamparamayanam, Villiparatam,
Tirumantiran, Tiruvilaiyatapuranam, Periyapuranam, Kantapuranam, Tempavani.