Post No. 15,043
Date uploaded in London – 1 October 2025
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Tamil King thrashed Yavanas in Indian Ocean!
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Let us continue with Aryans in Tamil Sangam Literature:
Pathirruppaththu, one of the 18 works of Sangam literature, deals with the Chera/Kerala kings.
ARYA ஆரிய –பதிற்றுப்பத்து 11-23; பதிகம் 5-6;
There is one reference to Arya in the main book and one reference in the later addition called Pathikam; It was added as link by the compiler of the work; unfortunately we lost the first section and the last section and the remaining 8 sections give lot of information about Kerala which are not found in other 17 books.
In the second section, a brahmin poet by name Kumattur Kannanar sings about the beautiful Himalayas where Aryans doing penance. Here he meant saints/seers as Aryans. It shows that Sanskrit mantra reciting seers are known as Aryans
This section is very important for two more reasons,
For the first time in Indian literature, we see the phrase IMAYAM TO KUMARI i.e. from Himalaya to Kumari. In Sanskrit we see Aa Sethu Himachala i.e. From Setu/Dahnuskoti to Himalaya. This brahmin poet has given us a new phrase Himalaya to Kumari (Kanyakumari)!
The second important point is he described the Himalaya as in Kumarasambhava of Kalidasa. He says Kavari Deer are sleeping there peacefully dreaming about its fodder Narantham grass.
Hindus are the first in the world to describe animal dreams. Only very recently we read such reports of animals dreaming in western science journals. Tamil poems describe animal intelligence too which we see in Panchatantra stories.
கவிர்ததை சிலம்பிற்றுஞ்சும் கவரி
பரந்திலங்கருவியோடு நரந்தம் கனவும்
ஆரியர் துவன்றிய பேரிசை இமயம்
தென்னங் குமரி யோடாயிடை
மன்மீக்குறுனர் மறந்தபக் கடந்தே 17 -25
The king praised by the poet is Imayavaramban Neduncheralathan ; it means his northern border was Himalaya. He was ruling the entire land.
In the north whenever the Asvamedha horse roams unchallenged those lands come under the sway of that king who did Asvamedha. In the same way, Tamils also say that the king ruled all the land that he marched through victoriously. Satavahana kings were always friendly towards the Tamils and they helped the Tamil army to march up to the Himalaya.
Now to the Pathikam annexure:
This adds two important points about the Aryas and the Yavanas
Imayavaramban Neduncheralathan defeated the Aryan kings and engraved his bow emblem on the Himalaya. One must always remember the word Arya meant northern and not the racial word used by Max Muller gangs. Moreover, the pathikam section praised those Aryan kings as famous with great heritage.
The second point is the Chera king thrashing YAVANAs who spoke harsh words. Chera king caught them handcuffed behind their back, shaved off their hair and poured oil on their heads. This is the Hindu way of insulting and punishing criminals; just to release them he received valuable jewels and diamonds and distributed them to the folklore singers.
நயனில் வன்சொல் யவனர்ப் பிணித்து நெய்தலைப்பெய்து
கை பிற் கொளீஇ
அருவிலை நன்கலம் வயிரமோடு கொண்டு
பெருவிறல் மூதுகுர்த் தந்து பிறர்க்குதவி
****
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YAVANAS- ROMANS IN TAMIL NADU, யவன குறிப்புகள்
யவனர்- அகம் 149 ; நெடு -101 ; புறம் -56 ;பெரு-316 ;முல்லை -61; பதிற்றுப்பத்து 11-பதிகம் 5-6
Tamils called the Italians as Yavanas. There is no reference to the Greeks. Sanskrit poets and Adiyaarkku Nallaar , commentator of Tamil epic Cilappatikaram/ Silappadikaram dubbed Yavanas as Mlechchas meaning men of disgusting habits.
Dr R Nagaswamy , world famous archaeologist and historian, has written a chapter titled ROMANS IN TAMIL NADU in his book Roman Karur.
He says,
“It is seen there are six references in Sangam anthologies to Yavanas, three in Ettutokai collections and three in Pattu Pattu collections.
“Aham 149 mentions the ships of Yavanas, frequenting the port of Musiri on the banks of Periyaru , coming laden with gold and returning with pepper. Roman gold coins are found in Tamil Nadu
யவனர் தந்த வினைமாண் நன்கலம்
பொன்னொடு வந்து கறி யோடு பெயரும்
வளம்கெழு முசிறி –அகம் 149
***
The second reference comes from Puram 56. The ruler in this case Pandyan Nan maran is praised for drinking wine daily in gold cup, filled by beautiful damsels. The delicious wine was supplied by the Yavanas in well-made jars.
யவனர் நன்கலம் தந்த தண் கமழ் தேறல்
பொன்செய் புனைகலத்து ஏந்தி நாளும்
ஒண்தொடி மகளிர் மடுப்ப மகிழ் சிறந்து
அங்கு இனிது ஒழுகுமதி – ஓங்குவாழ் மாற -புறம் 56
***
The third reference is to Roman lamps in Nedunal vaadai , lines 101/2, that mentions beautiful figures holding lamps in their hands made by the Yavanas which were used as lights for illumination by the Pandyan ruler”.
(see my comment on this point at the end)
Here Dr R Nagaswamy quotes further references from Tamil epics Silappadikaram and Jivaka Chintamani.
***
In Perumpanaatruppadai also we have a reference to the lamps made by the Yavanas but the commentators identify the Yavanas with Sonakar/ Arabs, Turkians , Mlechas
யவனர் இயற்றிய வினை மாண் பாவை
கை எனது அகல் நிறைய நெய் சொரிந்து
பரூஉத்திரி கொளீஇய குரூஉ த் தலை நிமிர் எரி – பெரும்.101
***
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Mlechas
In Mullaippaatu the bed room constructed by the Yavanas is described where the dumb Mlechas were guarding.
Here also the commentator used the word Sonakar which means Arabs . The Yavanas were described as having strong body , sharp look. The word Mlecha that is used in the same passage may mean yavanas or Greeks or Romans.
Mlechar is used for foreigners.
வலி புணர் யாக்கை வண்ண கண் யவனர்
புலித் தொடர்விட்ட புனை மாண் நல் இல்
…………………
……………………உரையா நாவின்
படம்புகு மிலேச்சர் உழையர் ஆக – முல்லை 61 / 65
***
93.
CONCLUSION
In Sangam Tamil literature the word Arya meant only three things:
1.Those who come from north (India);
2.Those who don’t speak Tamil (probably Sanskrit speakers);
3.The saints/Seers/Rishis in the Himalaya who do penance.
No where there is negative or racial connotation.
***
The word Yavana meant
Yavana ships loaded with gold came to Kerala ports for barter trade. They gave gold and took black pepper in exchange.
Yavanas spoke harsh words, and they were with strong bodies.
They supplied wine to Pandya king.
They made lamps?????????????
But in only one place it meant Romans. In other places it meant people from the Middle East or Turkey.
The word got confusing interpretations. In addition to Yavana it says Tulukkar (Merchants from Turkey or Arabia)
When the word SONAKAM is interpreted it says one of the 56 countries of India and one of the 18 languages of India which eliminates Arabs, Greeks and Turke Arabs etc.
Later day meaning was horse merchants from Middle East region.
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94.
My Comments
Yavana lamps are not seen in Greek books or Roman books or Turkey books. So they meant only lamps made in North West India; Pavai Vilakku means woman holding lamps. Such lamps from ancient world are not seen by me.
–subham—
Tags- Yavanas, Arya, Roman, Greek, Sonakan, Mlecha,
Tamil and Vedas 