The Primordial Sound and the Nature of Existence
1. Intro
KURAL 01: அகர முதல எழுத்தெல்லாம் ஆதி
பகவன் முதற்றே உலகு.
As a student unraveling the treasures of the Tamil language, I’ve discovered that every sound, every letter is a doorway to understanding—not just words, but the very essence of life. In this blog post, we dive into the first Kural of Thirukural: “Agara mudhala ezhuthellam aadhi bhagawan mudhattre ulagu”—a verse that ties the primordial sound “Ahh” to the origin of all existence. Together, we’ll explore the nature of divinity, the qualities that shape our world, and the power of language to reveal hidden truths. For me, learning Tamil isn’t just about mastering a tongue; it’s fuel for my growth as a human and a storyteller, igniting my creativity to weave narratives and build worlds. Whether you’re a fellow learner, a lover of stories, or simply curious about life’s mysteries, join me in this journey where ancient wisdom sparks modern inspiration.
2. What is “Divinity”?
Is it the God who accepts our offerings, or the God we bow to in worship? Perhaps it’s both—two faces of the same eternal truth. This duality sets the stage for a deeper exploration of the world, its essence, and the forces that shape our reality.
3. The World and Its Building Blocks
What is the world, really? At its core, it’s a collection of objects—things we see, touch, and experience. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll find that an object is nothing on its own. It’s a bundle of qualities, a coming together of attributes that define its existence. An object doesn’t possess qualities; rather, qualities give rise to the object. Strip away the qualities, and what remains? These qualities(Gunam), ancient wisdom tells us, boil down to just three.
4. Qualities
- Sattva: Goodness, purity, symbolized by white.
- Rajas: Passion, energy, painted in red.
- Tamas: Ignorance, inertia, cloaked in black.
Every object, every experience, every moment is a dance of these three forces. They colour our lives, shaping the way we perceive and interact with the world.
Where do these qualities come from? They reside in the breath we take and the food we eat—life’s most basic sustenance. Virtue fuels Sattva, effort drives Rajas, and desire stirs Tamas. It’s a cycle as old as existence itself, woven into the fabric of our being.
5. The Language of Life
Language, too, mirrors this intricate design. In Tamil, we have life letters(uyir ezhuttu)—short(kurtrezhuttu) and long(nettrezhuttu) vowels that breathe vitality into words—and body letters(mei ezhuttu)—hard(vallina), soft(mellina), and medial(idaiyina) consonants that give them structure. From a single letter, we build words; from words, an essence emerges; from essence, sentences form; and from sentences, entire essays unfold. Yet, when we share our thoughts through language, only about 40% of the meaning reaches the listener. The rest? It depends on alignment. If the recipient’s mind resonates with ours, a greater truth can break through.
6. The Illusion of Existence
Our body, senses, and the world we inhabit—all tools of experience—are illusions, or Maya. The body is an object in consciousness, while life is an object within consciousness. Maya takes many forms: pure, impure, natural (Prakriti). It’s a play of perception, a veil over the ultimate reality.
Speech itself follows this layered journey: from subtle whispers in the mind to manifest words in the air, cycling through intermediate stages—subtle, middle, manifest, and back again. There’s transformation (Parinama), where one thing becomes another irreversibly—milk turns to curd, but curd can’t return to milk. Then there’s expansion (Vriddhi), where change is reversible—cloth becomes a shirt, and a shirt can become cloth again. Speech, though, never transforms; it only expands, carrying meaning without losing its essence.
7. The Sound of Creation
At the root lies “அகரம் – அ – AGARAM,” the undistorted “Ahh,” the primal vibration birthing all language. Similarly, “ஆதி பகவன் – AADHI BHAGAWAN,” the Primordial Lord, is the source of all worlds—the unmanifest turning manifest.
8. Knowledge Through Sharing
Here’s a curious truth: we only begin to understand what we know when we share it with others. Knowledge deepens in the act of giving. To explain the unknown, we turn to similes (Uvamai)—comparisons to something familiar yet greater. “She is like Mahalakshmi,” we might say, elevating the subject beyond its ordinary form. There’s a special kind of simile, the illustrative (Yeduthu-kaattu Uvamai), and here it points to leadership. Agaram, undistorted and pure, leads all other sounds, just as the Primordial Lord leads all creation.
9. Consciousness: Artificial and Natural
Pervasion (Viyabagam) – Consciousness has limits. The pervasion of consciousness extends throughout the body and slightly beyond (aura). There are limitations to our observational powers. It is of an artificial nature.
Our consciousness is artificial, a puzzle we piece together through discovery. We grope in the dark, limited by our senses, our awareness stretching just beyond the body—an aura with boundaries. But the Lord’s consciousness? It’s natural, boundless, encompassing the universe and beyond. He is the form of knowledge itself, the leader of all artificial minds like ours. For the Lord, his pervasion is greater than the entire universe. That is why he is the leader of all artificial consciousness.
10. The Power of Names and Language
Language binds meaning to existence. Take the compound attribute name (Irupeyar-ottu Panbu-thogai): Joining two names (common name & specific name) into one. “Aadhi” (common, meaning primordial) joins “Bhagawan” (specific, meaning Lord) to create a unified whole. The elongated “E” sound (Yegaaram) emphasizes, distinguishes, draws our attention. Language doesn’t just describe—it delivers meaning to our doorstep.
11. The First God
“First God”—the Primordial Lord. From the sound “Ah” to the vastness of creation, he is the beginning, the essence, the eternal leader. In exploring these truths, we uncover not just the world, but ourselves.
12. Outro
KURAL 01: Beginning with the letter Ahh, all the sounds owe their origin to the Primordial Lord, the source of the world.
Thank you for walking with me through the depths of the first Kural. As I’ve learned in my Tamil journey, true understanding blossoms only when we share what we uncover—and this exploration has been a blessing I’m honored to pass on. The primordial sound “Ahh,” the dance of qualities, and the boundless consciousness of the Primordial Lord aren’t just philosophical musings; they’re threads for weaving richer stories, deeper connections, and a greater sense of purpose. I hope these insights stir your own curiosity and creativity. Take them, reflect on them, and share them in your own way—be it through a tale, a conversation, or a quiet moment of wonder. In the spirit of Tamil tradition, may your learning grow as you give it wings. Until our next chapter, keep seeking the sounds that echo the divine within us all.
