Page:Gleaning Of Tamil Literature.pdf/15

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Development of Literature collection contains a number of verses-these poems were written by several scholars. Most of them deal with love, marriage and domestic harmony. The Tamil poets in some of the poems emphasised the superiority of things spiritual over the material. They sang of the glories of love and the sanctity of marriage. They were far above the considerations of caste, creed, colour or comp- lexion. They always thought of the one world and the shape of things to come. There are some references in some of these collections about 'Nandas' & 'Mouriyars' of Northern kingdom of the fourth century B. C. 15 Of the eighteen Kilkanakku, the one which is of paramount importance is Thirukkural. It is a work which the world will not willingly let die. It is an Ethical code containing 1330 couplets, each inculcating a profound truth. They are universal truths-true to all nations, all times, all passions and policies. The author of this great work is Thiruvalluvar whose parentage is not known. His real name is not known. There is another work called 'Naladiar' a book containing stanzas of four lines each. These stanzas instruct man of his duties, right behaviour, right conduct, right associ- ations and right dealings with others. These two books Kural' and 'Naladiar' written by individual