Dear J,
There is a claim that Tamils wrote the Saiva Agamas in Sanskrit. Similarly, I have read that the Maraimalai Adikal held a deep conviction that Tamils who knew Sanskrit composed the Vedas and Upanishads. I recognize the potential for such an empty conceit. But the claim about the Agamas seems to be true.
Rahul Sankrityayan states that the Aryans, amazed by the systematic caste systems in south , learned that theory from the tribal people.
I would like to know your opinion.
With love,
Krishnamurthy
Dear Krishnamurthy
Numerous scholars have posited such theories. The caste system is the evolution of the hierarchy among our ancient tribes. Comparing to the north India, the south India has a very intricate and detailed tribal system. That’s why there is speculation that the caste system migrated from the south to the north, where it underwent reorganization in accordance with the varna system prevalent in the north. Many scholars have written about it.
As a creative writer and a spiritual practitioner, I rarely engage in such speculations, as I believe they are pointless. Our political preconceptions complicate our examination of this matter.
My opinion is that the Agama system originated in the south. The temple system itself belongs to the south. It was only later that it merged with the Vedic tradition. The creation of the Agamas aimed to unify and classify the thousands of methods of temple worship. Sanskrit, the connecting language of that era, served as the medium for writing the Agamas. Even today, the northern regions do not widely practice the Agamas.
Jeyamohan
