98.1 Greatness

 98.1 Greatness

 

Question:

            How do people differ from one another?

 

Answer:

All human beings are equal by birth, but distinctions arise only

on the basis of performance in their respective positions.                (Couplet – 952)

பிறப்பொக்கும் எல்லா உயிர்க்கும் சிறப்பொவ்வா

செய்தொழில் வேற்றுமை யான்.                                  (குறள் – 972)

 

Explanation:

During the time of Valluvar, the Vedic idea that people in the world belonged to four distinct classes had already begun to have its roots in Indian society, including Tamil society. The four classes were the priestly class (Brahmins), the warrior class (Kshatriyas), the business class (Vaisyas), and the class of laborers (Sudras). Of these four classes, the Brahmins were considered the most superior; next in the hierarchy were the Kshatriyas, the Vaisyas, and the Sudras, respectively. In addition to these four classes, there was a class of people called Panchamars who were considered untouchable and lower than the four upper classes. The class of an individual was determined by the family in which he was born, and there was no provision for migration from one class to another. Valluvar disagreed with this hierarchical structure of society and proposed that all are equal by birth. In such a class-based society, it was indeed revolutionary on the part of Valluvar to proclaim that “All are equal by birth.” 

 

In Couplet 972, Valluvar asserts that the distinction between people lies in their deeds rather than in birth. This bold rejection of hierarchical stratification of society by Valluvar was made almost 2,000 years before the Declaration of Independence by the US Continental Congress, which states, “All men are created equal.”