Post No. 11,321
Date uploaded in London – 3 OCTOBER 2022
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Part 2
Let us look at more scenes from the Puranas (purana) as seen by the Sangam period Tamil poets.
When the world famous poet Kalidasa saw blue Yamuna and white Ganges water , he immediately remembered bluish black Krishna and white skinned Balarama. Tamils were well versed in Kalidasa (kaali daasa), who lived in the first century BCE or slightly earlier. Sangam Tamil poets used more than 200 of Kalidasa’s (out of1500) imageries. So Tamil poet also used the same simile when he saw a blue hill and white waterfall. It is in Natrinai verse 32 sung by Brahmin poet Kabilar. He was well versed in Sanskrit literature, and he was the one who used highest number of Kalidasa’s similes in Tamil. His famous Kurinjippattu (paattu) is an imitation of Meghaduta of Kalidasa. Rev.G U Pope also mentioned it.
Kabilar said,
The hill is like Maayon (Vishnu/ Krishna)
The white waterfall is like Vaaliyon (Balaraamaa)
–Natrinai verse 32
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But a more beautiful description of a scene from Bhagavata is found in Sangam book Akananuru verse 59 composed by Maruthan Ilanagan (naagan). In the same poem he used another episode from Skaantham (in Tamil Kantha Puraana) also.
First episode
An elephant bends the branches of the Yaa tree so that its female companion could easily feed herself with the leaves. The poet says it is like Krishna bending the branches of Kuruntha tree on the banks of the river Yamuna to enable the Gopikas to use its branches for hiding their semi naked bodies from the sight of Balarama who came there while they were bathing.
Balarama, elder brother of Krishna was a strict guy and Krishna new that he would not tolerate his pranks.
Tamils used a strange name for Yamuna – Tholunai. It may mean a river running near Thozu/ cattlesheds of Brindhavan or where Krishna was worship (thozu)ed by the Gopis.
The second episode in the same verse is about Lord Kartikeya (Murugan) killing the demon Surra padma (soorapathman). So Maruthan Ilanagan has brought two episodes from two puranas in one verse. Tamils were so familiar with Puranas.
Skanda/ Kartikeya killing demon Soorapathman is enacted every year during Skanda Shashti festival.in Tiruchendur , lakhs of devotees gather on the sea shore every year to watch this divine act.
To be continued………………
Tags- Sura samharam, Gopi, Krishna, Balarama, Yamuna, Bathing, Gopika
Tamil and Vedas 