In the 1800s, a Catholic missionary, George Uglow Pope sailed to India with the purpose of showing the 'heathens' the 'true path to God'. He arrived in Tuttukodi (Tutikorin), Tamil Nadu. Pope was a proficient linguist and learnt Tamil, Samskritam and Telugu.
After translating some important Tamil works to English, providence led him to chance upon the Thiruvacakam by the Shaivite mystic, Manikkavachakar. What is so special about this work? There is a saying in Tamil about this work: "திருவாசகத்துக்கு உருகார் ஒரு வாசகத்திற்கும் உருகார்", meaning: "The one who doesn't melt for Thiruvacakam will not melt for anything".
Devotion to God is a concept that can be difficult to understand for many people. How can one be devoted to someone or something that may or may not exist? We've never seen it or heard it or tasted it or felt it. What is this God to who some are devoted? However, in societies with people who are raised religious based off faith & beliefs, you can see devotion to God. From this devotion has emerged some wonderful works of literature. Devotion is called Bhakthi in the Hindu traditions.
George Pope was a devotional person. He was raised to believe in a one true God of a different religion. However, when reading Thiruvacakam, his heart melted & he was in tears. He started speaking loftily of this text.
The missionaries were alarmed. Has George Pope converted to the heathen religion? They sent a high-ranking Church official to talk to him. The official returned & said that George hasn't converted. However, he's so much in love with this text that it is a miracle that he hasn't converted. Leave him be.
George Pope ended up making the first translation of Thiruvacakam to English. However, he carried its elements throughout his life. In his last letter & sermon before his death, he writes about Thiruvacagam & Siva Gnana Bodham.
The greatness of Thiruvacakam is that it melted the heart of someone who belonged to a different religion, different culture & different language. George Uglow Pope has been honored by the Tamil Nadu government with a statue in the Triplicane (Tiruvellikeni) beach, Chennai.
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Uglow_Pope
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMLfiE52C8g (Suki Sivam's Tamil speech on Thiruvasagam
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