शिवज्ञानबोध (मेय्कण्डार - शैव सिद्धान्त का आधारभूत दार्शनिक सूत्र ग्रन्थ)

SIVAGNANA BOTHAM.
and Religion and Philosophy of about the same period.
Doctor Pope in referring to the Tamil Kural observes, "In
this great and ancient language, there exists among much
else, that is interesting and valuable, an ethical treatise,
not surpassed (as far as I know) by anything of the kind in
any literature." And in pages 3 and 4 of his paper, he
discusses the Siddhanta doctrine of the three Padarthas,
Pathi, Pasu and Pasa, on which this Ethics is based. And
in the end, the Rev. Doctor is forced to confess, even after
making all sorts of reservations and qualifications that "it
is evident from what has been said above, we have in South-
ern India, the outlines at least of a doctrine of ethics, which
in a Christian point of view is nearly unexceptionable."
And he is good enough to add, 'to meet thoughtful Hindus
in a spirit of dogmatic antagonism, or to treat them with
contempt or to speak of them as the perishing heathen is
absolutely unfitting. We have even something to learn
from Hinduism.' But the deeply implanted prejudice
lingers, and it leads him to say that truth found in the
Kural must have been derived from a Christian source.
The Rev. G. M. Cobban is more generous in this respect.
He says, "First I think we should insist on the cordial
recognition of these truths, and cheerfully acknowledge
their kinship to Christianity, for all truth is akin. The
Hindu poet knows what to say of it. He says 'the heart is
made pure by the truth.' If I am asked whence these truths
came, I would say from Heaven, from Him who is the Truth.
But, whether they are the direct gifts of God to the Hindus,
or whether as boulders, they have drifted and have travelled
to India, I cannot tell; the evidence on this point is in-
complete. If any urge that, although Hindus recognize
their authority, they are uninspired, and not really authori-