Written by London Swaminathan

Post No. 16,217

Date uploaded in London – 20 September 2026

Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com

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Purananuru wonders-68, Tamil Encyclopaedia 108, One Thousand Interesting Facts -Part 108

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Item 930- God in the sky-  lines 21-14/15

Hindus believed that God lives in the sky. Hindus say in day-to-day conversation “Uper wala sab dekh raha hai” – God -Up Above- is watching everything).

This Brahmin poet also confirmed it. Later day Tiru Valluvar also said it in Kural 50

He who lives his life in this world as he should, Ranks with the gods in the heaven– Kural 50

People of other religions also copied Hindus.

வையத்துள் வாழ்வாங்கு வாழ்பவன் வானுறையும்

தெய்வத்துள் வைக்கப் படும்-50

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Item 931- Excellent Advice – lines 22-1/4

In Tamil there is a proverb saying ‘Even Amrita in excess becomes poison’. Here the poet warns about excess in anything is not good for a ruler

Excesses of anger, lust, joy, fear, lying, kindness, harsh

treatment of criminals and other traits are hindrances

in this world for a just king with faultless wheel of power.

சினனே, காமம், கழி கண்ணோட்டம்,

அச்சம், பொய்ச் சொல், அன்பு மிகு உடைமை,

தெறல் கடுமையொடு பிறவும், இவ் வுலகத்து

அறம் தெரி திகிரிக்கு வழியடையாகும்;

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Item 932- Holder of Wheel= Emperor! Line 22-4-Wheel of Power

Hindus never used emperor for a great or universal ruler. They compared the ruler to Vishu who has a Boomerang like wheel. It will finish the job and returns to the sender like Australian tribal Boomerang. It is called Sudarsana Chakra (Wheel=Chakra in Sanskrit)

Chakravarti is explained as:

Chakravartin is a term used in Hindu religion for an ideal universal ruler, who rules ethically and benevolently over the entire world. Such a ruler’s reign is called sarvabhauma. It is a bahuvrīhi, literally meaning “whose wheels are moving”, in the sense of “whose chariot is rolling everywhere without obstruction”. It can also be analyzed as an ‘instrumental bahuvrīhi: “through whom the wheel is moving” in the meaning of “through whom the Dharmacakra (“Wheel of the Dharma) is turning” (most commonly used in Buddhism and Hinduism). அறம் தெரி திகிரிக்கு வழியடையாகும்;

Tamil commentator also explained whose wheel is moving. Thikiri in Tamil= Wheel. In Sanskrit they call it Ajnaa Chakra. Commanding Wheel. Strangely we have even an emperor statue holding a wheel in Indus Valley. Chakra also means Indra.

(Indra means a Ruler, a common noun, not a proper noun).

That is why all Hindus from Kashmir to Kanyakumari name their children Rajendran, Mahendran, Gajendran, Upendran, Surendran etc.

Wheel of Power is already in 14-18 as well

May you live with faultless fame like your noble ancestors who
ruled this world with oceans as borders and lands that are like
groves, with their wheels of justice decorated with ornaments
set with gems!  May you live without problems in this world!

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Item 933- lines 30-39- Offering to Royal Drums-

Tamil worshipped drums in the palace with blood offering.

“The god with rare abilities, residing in a drum, is worshipped with loud
chants by a wise man who gives offerings of blood and abundant liquor.
A black-eyed female ghoul trembles in fear beating her hands.  Ants do not
swarm on the offerings according to surprising tradition, but black-eyed
ravens and kites eat them”

Even ants and female ghosts won’t touch such offering. Only carnivorous birds will eat them- says the poet.

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Let us look at next ten verses sing by one more Brahmin Poet

பதிற்றுப்பத்து 31, *கமழ் குரல் துழாஅய்*, பாடியவர்: காப்பியாற்றுக் காப்பியனார், பாடப்பட்டவர்: களங்காய்க்கண்ணி நார்முடிச் சேரல், துறை: செந்துறைப் பாடாண் பாட்டு, தூக்கு: செந்தூக்கு, வண்ணம்: ஒழுகு வண்ணம்

This poet belongs to Kapya Gotra like Tol Kappiar. We have already seen the references in the Rig Veda and Bhagavad Gita Usanas Kavi who gave birth to words like Kapya, Kavya,  Kavi, Kavitha etc

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Item 934- Golden donations

Chera King Kalankaay Kanni Naarmudi Cheral gave the poet 40 Lakhs gold and half of his country.

The Gold mentioned here is Gold dust. Only when I saw it in the Chennai museum I understood the meaning. Gold dust is put in a sieve with minute holes. Each time you sift, the gold dust that falls on  the plate is counted. Say for example one take gives 400 gold particles it is counted as 400 gold. Then you do it the number of times to match forty hundred thousand. In short it is not golden coins, but just minute particles which can be counted. The one gold sieve I saw in the museum has 398 holes.

This king ruled for 28 years.

One more detail is available. King Nannan had a totem tree. It is Vaakai tree. Chera king cut down the tree when he defeated Nannan.

Keeping totem trees is unique to Tamil kings and chieftains.

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Item 935- description of Arundhati, Vishnu , Lakshmi – 31- 10 35 lines

The points to be noted are the details of gods; they are portrayed as found in Hindu puranas .

So the date of puranas must be anterior to 2000 year old Sangam literature.

Over 200 important details from puranas are referred to by Sangam poets.

Lines 1-10 of verse 31 give full details of worship of Vishnu and his appearance with Tulsi garland, wheel in hand, Lakshmi on his chest. Hindus’ fasting and holy dip in the ocean are also mentioned.

King’s wife is compared to the most chaste woman Arundhati in lines 1-27/28

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Item 935- mysterious philanthropist VANDAN வண்டன்

Earlier we came across a mysterious philanthropist AKKURAN;  now we have one more name Vandan வண்டன். we have no information about him. Hanging castle mystery is also repeated. Those three space stations set up by three demons were destroyed by lord Siva. But here the poet attributes that heroic deed to a Choza named Thodiththol Sembian; this mystery also remains unsolved- lines 31-18/19. Did both Siva and Choza attain similar victories or did ancient believed that Choza king and Siva are one and the same?

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Item 936- Two Important quotes echo Purananuru and Tirukkural

Two quotations are remembered here.

Verse 38- 15-16 (also 39-1/2) praised the king on two counts

1.You gather food to share it with many others;

2.You live  for others; that is, you are not selfish.

This is said in Purananuru verse 182 by a Pandya king.

Even if they get Indra’s Amrita , they won’t eat it alone; they will share it. This poem beautifully summaries Hindu values. The word Indra’s Amrita (Two Sanskrit words) in the poem show the Hindu Values.

This world exists only because some men in it, even when they might have the elixir INDRA’s AMRITA, will not drink it alone. They do not hate or fail to act even when they fear what others fear. They will give their lives for fame, but they would not take even the entire earth if it soiled their name. They are never without joy, and though they may be great, they do not use their powers for themselves but only for others. Because of them this world is. This is in the Vedas and Hindu Epics too.

Another translation of Puram 182.

“There’s a reason this world exists. Even if they get Indra’s Amrita ( the elixir of life) , they would never drink it alone; They have no hatred; They are never idle; Fearing what others fear, for righteousness, they would give their very life; However, if it’s a thing of shame, even if they were to attain the whole world with that, they would not choose that path; They are never weary; With all these glorious qualities, they are people, who spend their determined efforts not for themselves, but for others. Because such people live, this world too lives on.

உண்டால் அம்ம இவ்வுலகம்; இந்திரர்
அமிழ்தம் இயைவ தாயினும், இனிதுஎனத்
தமியர் உண்டலும் இலரே; முனிவிலர்;
துஞ்சலும் இலர், பிறர் அஞ்சுவது அஞ்சி;
புகழ்எனின் உயிருங் கொடுக்குவர்; பழியெனின்,
உலகுடன் பெறினும், கொள்ளலர்; அயர்விலர்;
அன்ன மாட்சி அனைய ராகித்
தமக்கென முயலா நோன்தாள்,
பிறர்க்கென முயலுநர் உண்மை யானே– புறநானூறு 182.

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Another quote to compare comes from Tirukkural (322)

பகுத்துண்டு பல்லுயிர் ஓம்புதல் நூலோர்

தொகுத்தவற்றுள் எல்லாந் தலை 322 குறள்

The chief of all codes ever written Is to share your food and protect all life- Kural 322

This shows great men think alike!

–subham—

Tags-40 lakhs Gold to a Poet, Purananuru wonders-68, Tamil Encyclopaedia 108, One Thousand Interesting Facts -Part 108, Item- 936