One Thousand Interesting Facts about Ancient Tamils!
Prepared by London Swaminathan
Post No. 14,949
Date uploaded in London – 6 September 2025
Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com
Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.
this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.
tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
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Part two
15
Arudra
three stars in the middle are known as Mrgaseersha= maan thalai= deer head .
It is part of Orion constellation; its name is Betelgeuse in astronomy.
The star is associated with Lord Shiva.
Thiruvathirai is a big Shiva festival until this day.
Malayali Hindus celebrate Tiru Athirai and Tiru Onam on a grand scale, one for Shiva and one for Vishnu.
They occur exactly in six months interval .
Only these two stars have the honorific suffix Tiru in Tamil , equivalent to Sri in Sanskrit. Westerners changed it to SIR title.
Pari .8-6; 11-77; Kali.150-20
(Karaikkal ammaiyar used Arudra. She lived after Sangam Age)
ARUDRA –STAR GOD–in Astronomy
Lord Siva is associated with the star Betelgeuse in the Orion constellation and so Siva is called Mr Arudra Star; the Kalittokai poet also says he is ( golden red) like Shanbaga flower
அரும் பெறல் ஆதிரையான் அணி பெற மலர்ந்த 20
பெருந் தண் சண்பகம் போல, ஒருங்கு அவர்
பொய்யார் ஆகுதல் தெளிந்தனம்
மை ஈர் ஓதி மட மொழியோயே! –கலித்தொகை 150
It is a prominent red supergiant star in the constellation Orion. Ardra is also the name of the sixth nakshatra (lunar mansion) in Hindu astrology.
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16
Onam
Madu. 591
Tiru onam is refereed to in post Sangam books Tevaram and Divya prabandham. It is in connection with Vamana and Tri Vikrama Avatar of Vishnu. Asura King Maha Bali was sent to Paatala Loka (may be Indian ocean Island or South America)
Malayali Hindus celebrate it like Deepavali in Tamil Nadu. During Sangam age and post Sangam age, Tamils also celebrated it.
Sangam verse makes three points very clear:
Vishnu killed the demon.
It was celebrated in Tamil Nadu as well.
It is the birth star of Vishnu (see U.Ve.Sa. commentary)
Most interesting fact is that there is no record in Tamil literature to say that Maha Bali ruled Kerala . Ancient Tamil literature says Vishnu killed demons whose birth star is Onam.
கணங்கொள் அவுணர் கடந்த பொழிந்தார் மாயோன் மேய ஓணநன்னாள் – மதுரைக்காஞ்சி 591.
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Post Sangam literature
ஓணந்தான் உலகாளுமென்பார்களே , நீ பிறந்த திருவோணம் — பெரியாழ்வார், திவ்யப் பிரபந்தம்
***
16 a
Onam in Astronomy
he Onam festival is associated with the star Thiruvonam, which is the Hindu lunar mansion (nakshatra) that aligns with the constellation Aquila. In Western astronomy, this set of stars includes Altair (the brightest star in the Aquila constellation) and two other stars, Beta and Gamma Aquilae. These three stars are often depicted as the “three footprints” of the dwarf god Vamana in his Trivikrama form, which is central to the Onam legend
Onam was observed as Vamana Jayanti during the Pallava dynasty.
17
Anthanar = Brahmins
Sangam Tamil literature used words such as Anthanar, Paarppanan, Ayyar, Iru Pirappaalar (twice born) Aru tholilor = those who do six tasks. Those who keep three fires.
The word meant inward looking. Those who search for God or looking to God in heart/mind.
***
Puram 397 referred to the Six Duties of Brahmins. It is a direct translation of the Sanskrit word
अध्यापनमध्ययनं यजनं याजनं तथा ।
दानं प्रतिग्रहं चैव ब्राह्मणानामकल्पयत् ॥ 1-88॥ Manu
adhyāpanamadhyayanaṃ yajanaṃ yājanaṃ tathā |
dānaṃ pratigrahaṃ caiva brāhmaṇānāmakalpayat || 1-88 || Manu
For the Brāhmaṇas he ordained teaching, studying, sacrificing and officiating at sacrifices, as also the giving and accepting of gifts. (88).-Manu smriti
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OVER SIXTY DIRECT REFERECES ARE THERE.
They are associated with Numbers 1,2,3 and 6.
There are innumerable to brahmins. ANTHANAR meant only Brahmins because the prefix Four Vedas and Three Fires are used.
Here are some evidences: Puram 2- three fire worshippers;
Puram 6-
Pandya king will bow and respect three eyed shiva and four veda reciters brahmins.
முக் கட் செல்வர் நகர் வலம் செயற்கே!
இறைஞ்சுக, பெரும! நின் சென்னி சிறந்த
நான்மறை முனிவர் ஏந்து கை எதிரே!
வாடுக, இறைவ! நின் கண்ணி ஒன்னார்- Puram 6-
ஆன்ற கேள்வி, அடங்கிய கொள்கை,
நான் மறை முதல்வர் சுற்றம் ஆக,
மன்னர் ஏவல் செய்ய, மன்னிய
வேள்வி முற்றிய வாய் வாள் வேந்தே! Puram 26-
அணங்குஉருத் தன்ன கணங்கொள் தானை
கூற்றத் தன்ன மாற்றரு முன்பின்
தாக்குரல் கேண்மின் அந்த ணாளிர்
நான்மறை குறித்தன்று அருள்ஆ காமையின்;
அறம்குறித் தன்று பொருளா குதலின்; Puram 362
நான்மறை விரித்து, நல் இசை விளக்கும்
வாய்மொழிப் புலவீர்! கேண்மின், சிறந்தது:-Paripaatal 9
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19
Anthanar Two
Two Brahmin Gurus are referred to in Hindu scriptures.
They are Jupiter= Brhaspati and
Venus= Sukracharya.
Bruhaspati = Viyaazan in Tamil is the Guru/teacher of Devas;
Sukracharya = Velli is the Guru of Asuras.
Tamils referred to them as Brahmins Two in Kalittokai 99 and Jupiter only in Pari 11-7;
Very rarely the poets used Anthanar to mention Siva in Akam. Invocation.
20
Aathimanthi / adimanti
Daughter of Karikal choza (karikaal chozaa)
She was greatly devoted to her husband Aattanaththi and when he was washed away by river Kaveri, she followed him and recovered/ saved him through another woman named Maruthi. Maruthi committed suicide later.
Akam 45, 76, 135, 222, 236, 396
காதலற் கெடுத்த சிறுமையொடு, நோய் கூர்ந்து,
ஆதிமந்தி போல, பேதுற்று
அலந்தனென் உழல்வென்கொல்லோபொலந்தார், அகம் 45 Akananuru
வான் உற நிவந்த நீல் நிறப் பெரு மலைக்
கான நாடன் உறீஇய நோய்க்கு, என்
மேனி ஆய் நலம் தொலைதலின், மொழிவென்;
முழவு முகம் புலராக் கலி கொள் ஆங்கண்,
கழாஅர்ப் பெருந் துறை விழவின் ஆடும், 5
ஈட்டு எழில் பொலிந்த ஏந்து குவவு மொய்ம்பின்,
ஆட்டன் அத்தி நலன் நயந்து உரைஇ,
தாழ் இருங் கதுப்பின் காவிரி வவ்வலின்,
மாதிரம் துழைஇ, மதி மருண்டு அலந்த
ஆதிமந்தி காதலற் காட்டி, 10
படு கடல் புக்க பாடல்சால் சிறப்பின்
மருதி அன்ன மாண் புகழ் பெறீஇயர்,
சென்மோ வாழி, தோழி! பல் நாள்,Akam.222
21
Agni= thee in Tamil= muth thee= Three Fires
Brahmins had three types of fire in their houses.
This is referred to by Sangam poets
Ref. puram 122-3; 2-22;367-13;Murugu.181; kali.69-5
The three fires are called-
Brahmin households maintain three essential ritual fires—Garhapatya (the domestic hearth), Dakshina (the southern fire), and Ahavaniya (the sacrificial fire)—collectively known as the Tretagni. These fires are central to the Yajna (Vedic fire sacrifice) and are used in household rituals and larger sacrifices to honour deities, ensure spiritual cleansing, and represent foundational elements of existence.
The Three Fires
Garhapatya (Garhapatya): This is the household fire, used for cooking and domestic purposes. It serves as the primary source of fire, from which the other two fires are eventually lit.
Dakshina (Daksinagni, Daksina): Known as the southern fire, this fire is used for offerings and rituals intended to avert negative influences. It is never extinguished.
Ahavaniya (Ahuneyyaggi, Ahavaniya): The eastern fire, this is the main sacrificial fire where most offerings are made to the gods during a Yajna. It is kept in a square fire pit.
To identify them brahmins kept them in a geometrically designed fire pits. According to tamil scholar u.ve.sa square, triangular and semi circular fire pits are used for aahavaneeyam, dakshinaagni and gaarhapatyam
Puram 367-13;
Pari.5-42
மூன்றுவகைக் குறித்த முத்தீச் செல்வத்து
இருபிறப் பாளர் பொழுதறிந்து நுவல
ஒன்பது கொண்ட மூன்றுபுரி நுண்ஞாண்—திருமுருகாற்றுப்படை181-183
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அந்தி அந்தணர் அருங் கடன் இறுக்கும்
முத் தீ விளக்கின், துஞ்சும்
பொற் கோட்டு இமயமும், பொதியமும், போன்றே- புறம் 2
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ஒன்று புரிந்து அடங்கிய இருபிறப்பாளர்
முத்தீப் புரையக் காண்தக இருந்த
கொற்ற வெண் குடைக் கொடித் தேர் வேந்திர்!—புறம்367
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Post Sangam Tamil Epic Silappdikaram attributes up to 123456 facts to Brahmins23-67/70
One principle, twice born, three fire worshippers, four veda reciters, five yajna performers, six task doers
22
Asura /Avunar
Madu -591; kuru 1-1; murukku 59; pathir-11-4; pari.3-56; 5-7; 8-8; puram 174-1; kali.2-3
In Puram 174, poet Miss Nappasalai praised Mr Sri Krishna (in Tamil Thiru Kannan) singing about the Mahabaharata episode of Krishna causing solar eclipse by his Sudarsana wheel so that Arjuna could slay Jayadratha. It was a real solar eclipse attributed as Krishna’s miracle. There the poet says Anangudai Avunar /fearful Rakshasas hiding sun and then Mr Black (Anjana Uruvan= collyrium dark person) saving it . Here Anangu means Fearful.
(fighting took place on certain days only during ; they did not fight continuously for 18 days. So one New moon day occurred in between and the solar eclipse can happen only on New moon days/Amavasyai)
Arakkan is the tamilized form of rakshasa. It is in puram with reference to Ravana
Arakkan -puram 378-19;kali.38-3; 84-3; akam 14-1; pathi.30-27
23
Anangu
Fear evoking harming elements
Anangu in Sangam books
As God/Divine in 29 places
As Divine women in 2 places (+ 2 places in Tirukkural)
As harming spirit – 3 places
As on the chest of woman – 5 places
As living in houses 3 places
As part of Lyre/ Yaaz in Tamil – 1
In Kadamba Tree – 1
In the elephant head and tusk – 2
In the water sources – 12 places
(This is in Yaksha Prasna of Mahabharata too)
As trouble causing Skanda (Muruga)- 6 places
Kalidasa also says that women are harmed by Lod Skanda /Muruga. Sangam Tamils also mentioned it in
Natrinai- 47-8; 376-10; 386-6; Puram.299-6; Kali.52-10; Muruku-289
(for abbreviations of Tamil books, please see first part of this article)
Anangu as troubling, fear causing element is used in over 30 places in Sangam literature
In one place ,a ladylove is compared to Anangu (Surangani??) – Pari.12-57
(When I was visiting temples from Shirdi to Nasik, in one of the shrines, my wife and other women in our group were not allowed inside Skanda/ Muruga shrine. A big curtain with an announcement said-‘ No women can enter. This is Skanda/ Kartikeya shrine’. In ancient Tamil Nadu love sick women behaved strangely. Immediately their mothers says she is affected by Murugan/Skanda and invited prophesy tellers to drive the love sickness out. They sacrificed goats to the gods during the ceremony.
To be continued………………………….
tags- Ancient Tamil Encyclopaedia ,Part 2 ,1000 facts, Athimanthi, Anangu, Arudra, Betelgeuse, Anthanar, Brahmins, Asura guru, Deva guru, nymphs
Tamil and Vedas 