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Paramārthar
Guru Stories
Constantine Joseph Beschi (8
November 1680 – 4 February 1747), also known under his Tamil name
of Vīramāmunivar
(வீரமாமுனிவர்),
was an Italian Jesuit priest,
missionary in South
India,
and Tamil language littérateur (a
literary person, esp. a writer of literary works)..-Wiky
He mastered the Tamil language and published many books with Christian
teachings in Tamil under the name Vīramāmunivar.
His narrative poem "Dembavani" is famous. In the 18th century, he
translated books such as Tirukkural, Devaram, Thiruppugazh and Athichudi
into Latin and other languages. Parmathaguru Kathas, which he wrote in
Tamil culture, adapted from the comic stories popular in Europe at that
time, were famous for their humorous nature and were translated into
many Indian languages.
Vīramāmunivar
wrote the Paramārtha
Guru stories in Tamil, steeped in humor. The naïve Guru and his five
disciples, Matti, Madaiyan, Pēthai, Mūdan, Milēcchan engage in acts,
which
Paramārtha
guru narrates in a story-form with humor. Their names are
everyday pejorative monikers in Tamil Nadu to describe people with
varying degrees of stupidity.
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| Paramartha Guru
Stories – The White Elephant is Flying 1. King Madhuranthagam's eyesight was fading. White elephant tusks should be rubbed and applied to the eyes. Doctors have said that if he did that, his eyesight would come back. 2. The king announced that if the white elephant was caught alive, he would give a town as a reward. This news reached Paramarthar and his disciples. 3. ''Gurunatha! As far as we know the elephant is black. Is there even a white elephant?'' Matti asked. 4. In the heavenly world, Indra has an elephant called Airāvatam. It is white, said Madaiyan. 5. Muttal asked, ‘’Gurudeva! Do you dare to catch that elephant.’’ 6. Immediately the Guru got angry! 7. ''You coward! Is there anything I can't do? But Indra and I have had an unending enmity since our last birth. So, I don't want to go there,'' he said, stroking his beard. 8. ''Gurudeva! I have an idea… just like whitewashing a house, what if we whitewash an elephant?'' Mandu asked. 9. ''Yes Guru! It is enough to apply lime on the elephant. A black elephant turns white!'' Mūdan jumped. 10. ''The king is blind! So, he can't detect our fraud!'' jumped Mūdan. 11. ''Aha! Each of us will be getting a town as a gift. From now on we are all little kings!'' Matti rolled in the mud in a joyous mood. 12. ''Bale, Bale! Now your brain is working fine!'' Paramarthar praised. 13. Then he took his disciples and went to the elephant driver (Mahout). 14. ''Rent out your elephant for just one day. We give the necessary money,'' Matti requested. Mahout also came along. 15. The elephant driver, who was eager for money, also agreed. 16. After it was dark, Madaiyan brought lime pot by pot. 17. Muttal took it and poured it over the elephant, as if anointing it. 18. Mandu took some lime and in fear, smeared it on the elephant's mouth. 19. Paramartha also drew the white lines with his hand stick. 20. ''Master! The elephant is black but the ivory is white, so if the elephant is white then the ivory must be black?'' asked the Mahout. 21. ''Yes! You are right!'' Muttal rubbed the charcoal from the stove and smeared it on the tusks. 22. ''The king should believe that it was caught from heaven. So, two wings should be built,'' said Paramarthar. 23. Mudan immediately implemented the Guru's idea. 24. Work came to a finish. The guru who came around the elephant and called it was amazing! This is the elephant of Indra Loka! He touched its trunk and bowed. 25. The next day, the crowd in front of the palace was jubilant. The king with his entourage of ministers also came to see the white elephant. 26. The king saw the elephant in the open field and was amazed! ''Where did you catch this elephant from?'' he asked. 27. Madu lied, ''we went searching until we reached Devaloka!'' 28. Mudan said, ''Ayyo! The troubles we had to endure to catch it are known only to us.'' 29. When the minister asked, why were the tusks black, Muttal said, it was the appearance of a diamond-streaked ivory!’’ 30. As they were talking, suddenly a strong wind blew. Immediately the elephant's wings broke off and fell. 31. Immediately it started raining heavily. When the rainwater fell on the elephant little by little all the lime dissolved and the white elephant turned black. 32. Seeing this, the Guru and the disciples trembled in fear! 33. After a while Paramarthar's whitewash faded - Alas- The elephant turned black. They were punished as usual. 34. In the world of heaven, Indra has an elephant called Airāvatam. It is white. |