Volume 8, Issue 4

உ.வே.சாமிநாதையர் பதிப்பு நிலையில் அறத்தொடு நிற்றல் (Ethical Steadfastness in the Textual Criticism of U.V. Swaminatha Iyer)

Author

Dr M.Mohanalakshmi, Assistant Professor, Department of Tamil, PSG college of Arts & Science, Coimbatore | முனைவர் மு.மோகனலட்சுமி, உதவிப்பேராசிரியர், தமிழ்த்துறை, பூ.சா.கோ கலை அறிவியல் கல்லூரி,கோயம்புத்தூர்

Abstract

At a critical juncture in the history of Tamil literature, when ancient palm-leaf manuscripts were on the verge of destruction, U.V. Swaminatha Iyer embarked on an extensive journey to recover, preserve and publish these treasures. His editorial work was not merely a mechanical process of printing; It was a profound ethical mission. This article analyses Iyer’s editorial principles through the lens of the Classical Tamil virtue known as ‘Arathodu Nitral’ (Ethical Steadfastness). The core of the study revolves around the challenges he faced in handling textual variants, fragmented scripts and interpolations. His unwavering commitment to restoring and preserving the authenticity of the original text refusing to compromise despite contemporary scholarly pressures or personal biases mirrors the steadfastness of the ‘ Arathodu Nitral’ tradition. By meticulously comparing multiple manuscripts of monumental works like Purananooru, Silappathigaram, Manimekalai and Seevagasinthamani, he established a logically sound and authentic version of the classics. In this digital era of information surplus, Swaminatha Iyer’s editorial rigor in preserving the authenticity of primary sources undoubtedly serves as a definitive ethical benchmark for future generations of scholars and researchers.

Keywords: Editorial Ethics, Original Text, Textual Criticism, Manuscriptology, Ethical Steadfastness, Classical Tamil Literature, U.V. Swaminatha Iyer.

DOI

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