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Part 1 was posted yesterday
Peacock in Sangam Tamil Literature
In Tamil anthology Kuruntokai (poem 24), there is a poem on peacock:
“Just now I had a look at the mountain of his where the rain poured in such heavy showers that the peacocks screeched in flocks and the grey faced monkeys with their young ones trembled in cold. Is my forehead is still of the same old state? Let me know it, my companion – 24
This is heroine’s lines about Him(hero)
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Tamil poets compared peacocks with dancing girls which we can see in Tamil anthology Akananuru poem 82. Poet describes the natural scenery.
The peacocks on the Venkai tree with all blossoms and no buds, look like ladies plucking flowers.
The Nocci leaves are in threes and are compared to the feat of the peacock—Kuru 138. We see the same in Narrinai poem 305 as well.
Monkeys form the audience wondering at the dance of the peacock appearing with the gait of a dancing girl- Akam.82
There are many pictures of playful monkeys in Kuruntokai. All of them are true to nature and artistic. A young monkey is pictured to play with and roll the eggs laid by a peacock in a rocky place.- Kuru 38
Ainkurunuru poems 294, 295, 29, 300 show peacocks in different settings and appropriate artistic comparisons are given.
Akam. 242 has another description of dancing peacock,
The peacock dancing there seems as if decorated with the gold like pollen shed by the blossoms of the Venkai trees- Akam 242
Mutaththama kanniyar gives a beautiful description of dancing peacock in long poem Porunaratruppadai (lines 211-213)
“A peacock spreads its tail and dances on the moonlight like sand dune to the tune of the humming bees which resemble the music of the flute”.
Tamil poem Cirupanatruppadai lines 14-15 describes woman’s tressesare like peacocks tails.
“Approaching his beloved wife, he bursts out to her
Oh dear! on my way the peacocks dance like you; the Mullai blossoms and spreads fragrance like your forehead and the deer looked bewildered like you; all these I saw . I thought of you and you alone , and have come fast, faster than the season itself” -Ainkurunuru 492.
The cry of the peacocks in early winter is interpreted by the heroine as a call to the lovers in separation to hasten without delay to unite themselves – Paripatal -14
The dancing peacock reminds the heroine of the beginning of the rainy season in which her lover has promised to return . in Tamil the bird is linked to the mountain region called குறிஞ்சி.
It is same in Sanskrit literature as well. The hero who goes out on business , on military campaigns or for studies should return by the rainy season. In the monsoon season , nothing happens in India for four months. Even ascetics won’t move out for Four Months Period known as Chaturmasya Vrata period.
Peacock appears in almost all famous Sanskrit woks from Vedic period. Kalidasa refers to it all his works.
Its association with Lord Skanda/ Kartikeya, rainy clouds, dancing etc is used by him.
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Indus- Sarasvati Valley
Historically speaking, it is seen on the potsherds collected in the Cemetery H at Harappa, there are designs of the peacock.
The peacock is found on both Harappan and Late Harappan (Cemetery H) pottery, the latter presumably being the burial urns being referred to. Interpretation as a representation of immortality cannot be confirmed.
Peacock parts used in medicines etc are available from Wisdom Library website given below.
Full details are available in Wisdom Library article by
Our National Bird: The Peacock its Myths and Legends
Wisdom Library
https://www.wisdomlib.org › … › October 1966
17 Mar 2022 — Kalidasa depicts Bhavani as making use of the tapestry of the peacock’s plumes, decorating her ears with them along with lilies. The …
Peacock: 4 definitions
Wisdom Library
https://www.wisdomlib.org › definition › peacock
19 Oct 2023 — The Peacock is denoted by the Sanskrit term Śikhin and is mentioned as one of the sworn enemies of Snakes (Sarpas), as taught in the Kāśyapa …
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Mayura, Mayūra, Māyūra: 36 definitions
Wisdom Library
https://www.wisdomlib.org › definition › mayura
24 Jan 2024 — Mayūra (मयूर) refers to the “peacock” as described in the 17th century Bhojanakutūhala (dravyaguṇāguṇa-kathana), and is commonly found in …
In Hinduism · In Buddhism · India history · Biology
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Tags- Peacock, Indus Valley, Harappan, Sangam Tamil, Literature, Kalidasa
Tamil and Vedas 