Upanishad in Sangam Literature; Purananuru wonders 35; Tamil Encyclopaedia- 75 (Post No.15,924)

Written by London Swaminathan

Post No. 15,924

Date uploaded in London –27 June 2026

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Picture – Lord Krishna in Yaga Fire

Purananuru wonders-35, Tamil Encyclopedia-75; One Thousand Interesting Facts -Part 75

Item 586 Taittriya Upanishad

Purananuru Verse two

Puranānūru 2, Poet Muranjiyur Mudinākanār sang to Cheraman Perunchōtru Uthiyan Cheralathan,
Your nature is like the five elements – the earth filled with sand,
the sky raised above the earth, wind that blows in the sky, fire that
sweeps up the wind, and water that differs from that fire.

Earth

Wind /Air

Sky/ Vacuum

Fire

Water

Due to Tamil prosody the order is changed from the Taittriya Upanishad which is more scientific. The same verse mentioned also Brahmins’ Four Vedas, Brahmins’ Three Fires, Himalaya and Pothiyam Mountains, Mahabharata battle and so,  we are sure the poet was well versed in Sanskrit scriptures. And his name is Mr Nagarajan!

Here is the Mantra from Taittriya Upanishad

Taittiriya Upanishad (Brahmananda Valli, Chapter 2, Section 1) of the Krishna Yajurveda

It outlines the creation of the universe, explaining how all elements and life emerged sequentially from the Supreme Brahman (the ultimate cosmic reality).

तस्माद्वा एतस्मादात्मन आकाशः सम्भूतः ।
आकाशाद्वायुः । वायोरग्निः । अग्नेरापः ।
अद्भ्यः पृथिवी । पृथिव्या ओषधयः ।
ओषधिभ्योऽन्नम् । अन्नात्पुरुषः ॥

Tasmād-vā etasmād-ātmana ākāśah sambhūtah |
Ākāśād-vāyuh | Vāyor-agnih | Agner-āpah |
Adbhyah prithivī | Prithivyā oshadhayah |
Oshadhibhyo-‘nnam | Annāt-purushah ||

“From that (Supreme) Atman, space (Akasha) was born. From space, air (Vayu). From air, fire (Agni). From fire, water (Apah). From water, earth (Prithivi). From earth, herbs and plants (Oshadhayah). From plants, food (Annam). From food, the human being (Purushah).”

Space – air—fire—water—earth- -plants—food- man .

This is what scientists also tell us. Big Bang happened in Space. Then Atmosphere (air) was formed; fire subsided and oceans formed; water receded and land appeared; plants appeared and animals and men came.

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Item 587  Origin of Vahanas and Flags

Many foreign scholars dated Hindu Puranas around Gupta Dynasty which is definitely after Sangam Tamil literature. They are wrong. Because they don’t know Tamil they bluffed and Hindu scholars of British Rule period also followed them. But the Puranic stories, Epic paintings, Hindu Vahanas, Hindu Flags are in 2000 year old Tamil literature. So Puranas are older than Sangam Tamil literature. 

Just a few examples:

Palmyra tree flag of Balarama ,

Garuda/ eagle flag of Vishnu ,

Piniukha vahana of Muruga/Skanda ,

Are mentioned by Nakkirar in verse 56.

We have got more references to fish flag of Manmata in Paripatal .

It is a well known fact that chera choza pandya also had flags with bow, tiger and fish pictures.

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Picture – Rama Duta Anjaneya in Yaga Fire

Item 588 Vishnudasan praised

Yaagaas , Yajnaas = Fire sacrifices

n Purananuru 166, poet Avur Mulan kizar praises one Brahmin called Vinnan Dayan.

Vinnan Daayan is the tamilized Sanskrit name Vishnu dasa. Poets surname shows that he was from the caste of agriculturists.

He got gifts, probably, after attending the Yajna . This shows that even non Brahmins attended yagas and received prizes.

The verse begins with a praise for Lord Shiva. He says Vishnu dasa was a great devotee of Lord Shiva whose mouth is always reacting Vedas .

He praised Brahmins mastered Four Vedas And Six ancillary subjects. We know that it includes grammar, astrology, etymology etc.

He also said Brahmins rejected the atheists’ argument and established One Dharma.

While praising Brahmins like this he says Vishnu dasa came in the family of who did 21 types of Yagas.(see the explanation at the bottom)

This is the one which helps us to understand RV I-164-3.

Dirgatamas, the blind poet of Rig Veda, used lots of numbers.

He says

THE SEVEN WHO ON THE SEVEN WHEELED CAR ARE MOUNTED HORSES, SEVEN IN TALE, WHO DRAW THEM ONWARD.

SEVEN SISTERS UTTER SONGS OF PRAISE TOGETHER, IN WHO THE NAMES OF THE SEVEN COWS ARE TREASURED… RV 1-164-3

Commentators interpreted the Seven as seven swaras of music, seven meters in

Prosody, seven rays of sun etc.

The three sevens may mean 3×7 Yagas. The Vedic hymn might have meant two types of cows like the Tamil poem.

Here is another mantra with Number Seven,

KNOWING THE LAW, THE SEVEN STRONG FLOODS FROM HEAVEN, FULL OF GOOD THOUGHT, DISCERNED THE DOORS OF THE RICHES.

SARAMA FOUND THE CATTLE S FIRM BUILT PRISON WHERE BY THE RACE OF MAN IS STILL SUPPORTED – RV 1-72-8.

Here also the seven floods from heaven is not explained satisfactorily.

Three Sevens are all not explained by the Vedic commentators.

So we have to review all the sevens in the verses. Sangam Tamils commentaries may help us to clear the vagueness.

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Picture- Hindu Women gathering flowers for Gods.

Item 589

27 Yagas in Purananuru

What is 3 X 7 ?

In the commentary of Puram 166,

The doyen of Tamil literature Dr U V Swaminatha Iyer listed all the 21 yagas..

They are broadly divided into three sevens and they are

Soma Yajnas 7

Havir yajnas 7

Paga Yajna  7.

(I have given all the 21 names in my Tamil article.)

What is  2 X 7 ?

And in another Tamil line of the verse two (2×7)  sevens come. These are ghee made from the milk of seven domestic cows and ghee made from the milk of seven wild cows.

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Item 590

Special Dress for Yaga in Puram 166

Later the poet added that the Brahmin ladies who assisted Vishnu dasa wore special head ornaments and the gentleman wore deer skin.

Sangam Age Tamils were very familiar with the Himalayas and the Ganges river because of Kalidasa’s works. Of the 1500 images and similes of Kaliadsa, Sangam poets have used at least 200 similes. Avur Mulankizar wished the king to live a “long life like the Himalayas”.

When he praised the wife of Vishnu dasa he praised their chastity and their beauty. He added two interesting points also,

She is a woman of few words.

And she did what he said.

Here we are reminded of the saying of Greek philosopher Democritus, who said,

FEWSNESS OF WORDS IS AN ORNAMENT TO A WOMAN- Democritus.

Vishnudasa performed the Yagas, Fire Ceremonies, where

His use of Ghee (clarified butter) shamed Water

His lot of Yagas shamed the Numbers

His Spread of fame shamed the Earth

(such was his great ness, says the poet.)

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Tags- Purananuru wonders-35, Tamil Encyclopedia-75, One Thousand Interesting Facts ,Part 75, Flags, Vahanas, Yagas, Tattriya Upanishad, item 590

To be continued ……………………….

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