The ''Yesu Matha Niragaranam'' (யேசு மத நிராகரணம், ''The Refuting the Religion of Jesus)'' is a

Tamil Tamil may refer to: People, culture and language * Tamils, an ethno-linguistic group native to India, Sri Lanka, and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka ** Myanmar or Burmese Tamils, Tamil people of Ind ...

tract against

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...

, written by Siva Prakasar. The book includes brief examples and analogies. It is a classic instance of a clash between a Semitic religion and an oriental tradition. The concept of karma and sin have crossed in the debate.

Siva Prakasar

Siva Prakasar was a Tamil philosopher, sage and poet who lived at the end of 17th century. He was also called "Siva anuputhi selvar", "Karpanai Kalangiyam", and "Thurai mangalam Sivaprakasar". A

Shaiva Siddhanta Shaiva Siddhanta () is a form of Shaivism popular in a pristine form in Tamilnadu and Sri Lanka and in a Tantrayana syncretised form in Vietnam and Indonesia (as Siwa Siddhanta). It propounds a devotional philosophy with the ultimate goal of e ...

, he contributed more than 34 books to Tamil literature.

History

The historian

Roberto de Nobili Roberto de Nobili (1577 – 16 January 1656) was an Italian priest, a member of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), who worked as a missionary in Southern India. He used novel methods to preach Christianity, adopting many local customs of India whi ...

met Prakasar and debated with him about

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...

and Christianity. After the debate, Prakasar compiled his book. No copies of the book have been found. Some writers say that Prakasar debated with Rev. Fr.

Constanzo Beschi Constantine Joseph Beschi (8 November 1680 – 4 February 1747), also known under his Tamil name of ''Vīramāmunivar'', was an Italian Jesuit priest, missionary in South India, and Tamil language littérateur. Early years Born in Castiglione ...

(alias Veera ma munivar) rather than de Nobili. S.V.S. Rathinam, a bench magistrate from Prakasar's brother

Velaiyar Velaiya Swamigal, also called Velaiyar, born during the seventeenth century, was a Saivaite spiritual writer. He was born to a Tamil-speaking family in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu. He compiled more than seven books. Family background Velaiyar was ...

's lineage, mentioned this book in his autobiography ''Naan Ungal Thoni''. He wrote that his grandfather Susai, alias Swaminatha Desikar, son of

Sundaresanar Sundaresa Desikar was a spiritual writer. He was born to a Tamil-speaking family from Mailam and settled down at Valavanur Valavanur is a panchayat town in Viluppuram district in the Indian States and territories of India, state of Tamil Nad ...

, had a palm leaflet copy.

References

{{Authority control Tamil-language literature Shaivism Hindu texts Hymns Tamil philosophy 17th-century Indian books