A Comparison of Naladiyar, Thirumoolar's Tamil Moovayiram and Vemanar's Songs in the Indian Moral Tradition

Abstract

The Tirukkural, Naladiyar, and Thirumoolar's Tamil Moovayiram, which emerged in Tamil Nadu, were composed to preach ethics in line with the traditional moral philosophy. The Naladi Naanuru holds a prestigious position in Tamil classical literature, after the Tirukkural. Following this, during the Pallava period, devotional literature arose to promote ethics and spread religious ideals. The ethical contemplations found in the Naladiyar, Thirumoolar's Moovayiram (which emerged during the Bhakti movement), and the verses of Vemana in Telugu advocate virtues such as upholding righteousness, truthfulness, and the indispensability of honesty. When these ethical principles are examined from a broader perspective, the underlying unity and moral approaches embedded in Indian culture become evident. Therefore, this study aims to compare and analyze the ethical messages found in the works of Naladiyar, Thirumoolar's Tamil Moovayiram and Vemana.