No Sanatana in Sangam literature: Tamil scholar challenges Gurumurthy's claims

In fact, he felt that Gurumurthy’s recent claims linking Sanatana Dharma and Sangam literature amount to “spreading fake narratives”.

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At a recently-held media conclave in Coimbatore, Gurumurthy had asserted that Tamil is deeply tied to Sanatana Dharma, that Tholkappiyam, the classic Tamil grammar text, talks about varna dharma, and that DMK leaders selectively embraced Thirukkural only after coming to power in the late 1960s.

Professor Arasu, known for his work on Tamil literature, history, and Dravidian thought, systematically fact-checked each of these statements.

He challenged the claim that Tholkappiyar sought validation from Vedic scholars and highlighted Periyar and DMK leaders’ efforts to popularise Thirukkural long before 1967. Arasu also refuted the suggestion that Dravidianism is devoid of ideology, stating that it is a linguistic-cultural identity, not a mere racial classification.

In theinterview, Arasu systematically broke down key historical and textual evidence to debunk what he calls “distortions and cut-paste narratives” around Tamil literature and Dravidian politics. Edited excerpts:

In a recent media conclave, RSS leader Gurumurthy said Tamil language is deeply tied to Sanatana Dharma. Are there direct or indirect references then to Sanatana Dharma in Sangam literature?

There are none. In Sangam Ilakkiyam (Sangam literature), neither the term Sanatana dharma nor varna dharma is mentioned. The word Vedam does appear a couple of times, but there is no direct or indirect reference to Sanatana Dharma as he claims. There is no rishi, no devas, and no caste hierarchy in Sangam literature.

In Sangam texts, God is often described as nature – the land, the mountains, the rain – rather than a personalised deity. Sanatana dharma, as it exists today, was historically developed by Brahmin communities to preserve social hierarchy, which they codified in Manu dharma. If one reads Sangam literature, or at least Tholkappiyam, they would not agree with Gurumurthy’s comments.

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He has probably read later-day commentaries (Paayiram) written by authors who believed in Sanatana dharma and interpreted the verses to suit their worldview. But this cannot be taken as part of the original text. Gurumurthy has failed to read Tholkappiyam and Sangam literature and, therefore, misunderstands that Tamil literary tradition does not endorse such caste divisions.

Gurumurthy also said Tholkappiyam talks about varna dharma and that Tholkappiyar got his work assessed by a scholar proficient in the four Vedas.

This is another historical distortion. Tholkappiyam never speaks of varna dharma as understood in the Sanskritic context. Sanatana dharma was created to establish Brahminical supremacy. Sangam literature and Tholkappiyam do not talk about it.

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The claim that Tholkappiyar presented his work to a four-Veda scholar is a later interpolation found in Sanskritic commentaries. There is no proof for this. It is a blatant lie, presented by Gurumurthy to an audience unlikely to challenge him.

Gurumurthy also claimed Annadurai did not write about Thirukkural until he became CM in 1967 and only then did DMK began to champion Thiruvalluvar.

This is factually incorrect and a blatant lie. Annadurai wrote about Thirukkural long before 1967. He cited it in speeches, essays, and public campaigns. More importantly, it was Periyar who first called for the widespread teaching of Thirukkural in public spaces and schools. His movement even passed a resolution that ministers of the cabinet must know Thirukkural.

Periyar organised a two-day Thirukkural conference in Chennai on January 15–16, 1948. Annadurai was the key planner of the sessions and speakers, and he even scripted a drama that was enacted during the event.

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The seating pandal was named as 'Valluvar Pandal' in the event. Several events, conferences were organised by Dravidian movements over the years. We can see the Thirukkural in government buses now.

Gurumurthy has no basic understanding of the Thirukkural or of how the Dravidian movement celebrated it as a text of self-respect, the very seed of Periyar’s ideology.

Gurumurthy further said that former CM and DMK leader M Karunanidhi wrote on the Thirukkural only in 1996 and that only three commentaries were written between 1960 and 1990s. He said this is because DMK leaders were unsure how to approach Thirukkural, which they once criticised.

This statement is completely false. Karunanidhi started writing as early as 1942 and consistently engaged with Tamil classics. There was never any confusion about the Thirukkural within the DMK. Multiple commentaries and explanatory works (Thelivuraigal) were published during this period, continuing the tradition of social reformers quoting Thiruvalluvar to challenge superstition and inequality.

The only person who has not read or written in detail about the Thirukkural and who would never take up that task, is Gurumurthy. Simply because he cannot digest the self-respect philosophy embedded in Thirukkural.

Gurumurthy argued that Dravidianism is not an ideology because ‘Dravidam’ simply means race. How do you respond?

This is a very superficial reading. The term Dravida has a deep linguistic and cultural history. Missionary-scholar Robert Caldwell identified Dravidian as a language family, not a race. Dravidian identity is tied to shared linguistic and cultural traits across Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, and Telugu regions.

Dravidian politics is not race-based but rooted in social justice, rationalism, and linguistic pride. Calling it a racial term is a deliberate misrepresentation.

In Tamil, some words often carry more than one meaning. Dravidam can mean both Dravidian people and Tamil. It is essential for Gurumurthy to study the basics of Tamil literature before making such claims in public forums.

Gurumurthy, in an exclusive interview with The Federal, reiterated his stance on the subject. Watch it here.