When someone wants to understand history in India they were given with ithihasas like Ramanyana and Mahabharatham. Once you read these two texts you will be filled with thoughts and notion of well constructed Vedic religion. Often institutions in world will make you slaves of this Vedic religion. We know in Rig Veda there are no Siva or Murugan or Vinayaka. All we know is there were 33devas and Cows and horse were sacrificed in yagas. During this period there were no Trinity in religious belief. Vedas weren't aware of temples because yagas can be moved wherever the people move. So it is clear that Vedas are alien to our ancestors and they were following a religion from which Murugan, Sivan, Vinayaka and Lakshmi were belong to. When we try to identify who are these people, our mind which is cooked with ithihasas will not answer this question. But in modern times proofs like graffiti and artifacts can add more ingredients to our debate. When we rule out Vedic thoughts and travel with history then we will land in land of Sangam era where people lived without awareness about Vedas and Devas. But we had Gnanis in community. What were the guidance for these Gnanis and what were the doctorines of these Gnanis. This will take us to Samanargals. Yes, these Gnanis of Sangam era are from Samanargals. How Samana thoughts have cooked the minds of Ancient people of Sangam era.
Silapathikaram - சமணம் - ilangovadigal
Manimegalai - புத்தர்கள் - சீதலைச் சாத்தனார்
சீவகசிந்தாமணி - சமணம் - திருதக்கதேவர்
வளையாபதி - சமணம் - unknown
குண்டலகேசி - புத்தர்கள் - நாதகுத்தனர்
These are ஐம்பெரும் காப்பியங்கள் of ancient Tamil community. When these texts were contributed by different religious background we should understand the religious acceptance of ancient Tamils.
Samanar have the credit of writing the first grammar texts in Tamil. They also pioneered the compilation of 'nigandugal' or Thesaurus in Tamil and composed the early epics. Indra Kaleeyam, Yaaparungalam, Neminatham and Nannool are some of the famous grammar texts written by the Samanargal. There is a belief that Tholkappiam is a Samanar text. Divakara Nikandu and Pingala Nikandu are 2 popular Thesaurus compiled by Samanargal. Among 5 minor epics Soolamani, Neelakesi and Yasodara Kaviyam were composed by the Samanargal. 4 of the பதினெண கீழ்க்கணக்கு நூல்கள் are attributed to the Samanargal. Madurai Kanchi which is one of the Pathu Paatu anthology speaks of a temple dedicated to Samanar god Aruhar in Madurai. Pattina palai which is also one of the Pathu Paatu anthology mentions the presence of a samanar monestry in Kaveripoompattinam. Scholars asserts that Nikandanar one of the Sangam poet was a Samanar. Another poet of the Sangam period called Ulochanaar is also said to be Samanar.
When the ancient Tamil community has these many Samanargal then Thiruvalluvar or the Tamil work must be of Samanargal. We don't know whether he is a Digambara or Svetambara. Whoever he may be now he is a Svetambara வள்ளுவம் because he wore a white cloth.
