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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 – Paramartha's Bhakti 1. At the request of Paramartha, the king of Madurai entertained him and his disciples in the palace and made him stay for a day. 2. Paramarthar, who was lying on a silk mattress, was tossing, and turning without getting sleep. Among the disciples only Mandu and Mudan could not sleep. 3. “Master! Mandu said that the doctor told someone in the morning that if you walk for a while you will feel sleepy... Similarly, we can go somewhere and walk and come back. 4. Good! Let's do it like that,” said Paramartha, patting him. 5. ‘’What if we are walking in the street and the police catch us as thieves? So let's go to terrace!” Mudan said. 6. Accordingly, waking up the other disciples, everyone slowly walked away. 7. When he reached the steps to the terrace, only Matti pushed him like a disciple who surpassed the Guru and quickly climbed up. 8. Before he had gone up four steps he slipped on his foot and rolled down. The speed of the roll hit the Guru and the disciples behind him, and everyone rolled down to the bottom of the staircase. “Hey Matti! You're in a hurry!” Paramartha scolded. Everyone again. Climbing slowly, they reached the terrace. 9. It was a full moon day. So, the country and the city looked beautiful. "Wonderful, wonderful," the Guru was delighted. 10. Then Madaiyan alone screamed 11. “What? What?” hollered the Guru. 12. "It's cold," said Madan. 13. “Then just go down and lie down. We will come later,” said Paramarthar, and he went down. 14. The Guru and other disciples were looking at the beauty of the city. 15. There were a lot of police on the royal streets. Soldiers on horseback were coming this way and that. 16. Seeing those warriors, the Guru trembled. The disciples trembled at the sight of the horses. 17. Madaiyan who went down, came up again and said, “Master, I went down. There are two people. One was fat; Another had a beard and moustache. Both left the palace. Surely both must be thieves,” he said, trying to catch his breath. 18. “Really? If so, they should be caught immediately!” Paramarthar said, "Come everyone, let's go down." 19. Everyone rushed to the palace gate to see. They noticed two people, one fat and one thin, were hiding and moving fast. 20. Then the guards came running there. He said to them, “Idiots! Look, two thieves stole money and jewels from the palace. Run and catch them,” the Guru scolded angrily. 21. The soldiers ran in the direction indicated by the Guru. Paramarthar and disciples shouted, ‘’ Thief! Thief! Don't let them go, catch!’’ They chased after them. 22. By then everyone in the palace and the city woke up at the noise. Everyone ran to the street to see. 23. Horrendous riot and noises on Raja Street. Then Mudan shouted, "There...There... Catch them." 24. Paramarthar and the disciples fell upon both suspects with a thud, rolled them, held them fast. 25. The soldiers turned Paramartha and the disciples away and stared at the thieves. Immediately, “O king! Minister! Are you not?!” They were surprised. 26. “All fell at the king's feet and said, “Forgive us! It is this Guru and his disciples who say that they are thieves,” the soldiers said tremblingly. 27. Paramarthar and the disciples had no clue. They trembled in fear that they had called the king himself a thief. Enraged people went to beat the Guru and the disciples. 28. Immediately the king said, “People! Not knowing that the Minister and I were going to visit the city on a spying expedition, Paramartha Guru made a mistake. What if they were really thieves? So, I admire the disciples for their good intention of catching the thieves and Paramarthar for his royal devotion. I am exuberant to think that Paramarthar and the disciples keep vigil even at night without sleeping. For this we will celebrate a festival for them tomorrow!” He said that. 29. People shouted, ‘’long live Paramartha Guru! Long live the disciples!’’ 30. Guru and disciples were happy. |