Written by London Swaminathan
Post No. 16,251
Date uploaded in London – 29 September 2026
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
xxxx
Purananuru wonders-72, Tamil Encyclopaedia 112, One Thousand Interesting Facts -Part 112
Pathitrup paththu (Ten Times Ten book) continued………….
Item 961- you sent the ascetic to forest
Poet Arisil Kizaar continued …
நின் வயின்
முழுது உணர்ந்து ஒழுக்கும் நரை மூதாளனை
வண்மையும், மாண்பும், வளனும், எச்சமும், 25
தெய்வமும் யாவதும் தவம் உடையோர்க்கு என
வேறுபடு நனந்தலைப் பெயரக்
கூறினை பெரும, நின் படிமையானே.
He praised the Chera king for his charity, his support to ascetics and added that you sent the old grey-haired priest to the forest. Here he used a Tamil word PADIMAIYONE படிமையானே..(line 74/28 FOR THE PRIEST/ASCETIC.
When this word came in other poems, some scholars interpreted it as Jain ascetic. But here we come across the Hindu PRIEST/ASCETIC who was sent to the forest for practising asceticism. Old commentary says it is his Prohit/priest. Hindu old men go to forest for the third stage in their life called VAANAPRASTHAM. More importantly, the Tamil word meant one who practise penance.
***
Item 962- Lion that kills big elephant and tiger- line 75/2
Kings are usually praised as tigers; even Valmiki praised Rama as a tiger among men in the first sloka of Venkateswara Suprabatham; that sloka is taken from Valmiki Ramayana (Uththishta Narsaarduula).
Narsaarduula= Tiger;
Lions are rare even in North India. At present only Gir forest in Gujarat has lions. But Tamil poets, sometimes compare kings to lions to elucidate their heroism. Here poet clearly says the king is like a lion that kills a tiger and big elephant.
The word Simhasanam/lion throne and Caesarare derived from Sanskrit word Cesa Ari= haired animal. Kesari became Caesar in Rome. Because of the confusion in pronouncing letter C, kesari became Caesar/i.
So it is interesting to see a Tamil king compared with lion in this poem.
***
Item 963- SHIP REPAIR= ELEPHANT MEDICINE- lines 76-1/9
Poet gives us two very interesting details here. The king treats the wounded elephant with medicine. It shows his love towards animals. The poet says that the king himself treated them with medicine.
And then he compared it to the merchants who repair ships! Strange indeed to see ship repairing.
Elsewhere in Sangam poems we come across the big ships owned by ancient Tamis. Their travels were confirmed by the Sanskrit inscriptions of Mula Varman and Purna Varman found deep inside the virgin forest of Borneo in Indonesia. (Varman names are found in Pandyan and Pallava Kings). The inscriptions belonged to fifth century CE.
Ancient commentator says that the merchants who sell goods repaired their ships and made them stronger.
This shows the maritime trade in the western seas 2000 years ago!
You heal the battle wounds of your herds of large-trunked
elephants with medicines, like the merchants who repair their ships
that ply the oceans
***
Item 964- Ivory cot and Gory details- lines 79-8/12
The king cut off the tusks of the enemy war elephants and left them screaming.
He made royal thrones with those ivory tusks. In those days the massacre of war elephants was praised as a heroic act. Now the world won’t accept such massacres, but strangely massacre of men in Middle East wars are accepted!
And the gory detail is that Goddess Durga in Ayirai Hills accept only Bloody Offerings!
cut off the tusks of their royal elephants as they
screamed in pain, and made an ivory seat.
May your fame flourish without blemish, like Ayirai hills where
the fear-causing goddess Kotravai resides, who did not accept
offerings other than the blood that flowed from the chests of
warriors who wore thumpai flower garlands and fought battles.
***
Item 965- Good Virtues of Chera King!
Oh great king wearing flower garlands crushed by the
embraces of your women wearing bangles!
You do not care for your life while fighting battles, you
do not brag in the midst of suppliants about the charity
you give, you honor and protect elders, and shower graces
on weak people, and even in their dreams others who fear
you do not want your good fame that has spread in all
directions. You are truthful to your words, and
courageously you have destroyed the strength of your
enemies. Your majesty! You are a man with such fine virtues
that cannot be measured.
-Vaidehi Herbert Translation is used; thanks.
***
Ninth Decad– Poet: Perunkundrūr Kizhār, King: Ilanchēral Irumporai
Item 966- unknown poet! Intro or Epilogue of Ninth Decad (Pathikam)
Poet who had composed this decad (ten verses) gives us some interesting details about two poets. Choza king Kōpperumchōzhan had a poet by name Poththi and Pandya king Ilam Pazaiyan Māran had a poet by name Viththai . We know Poththiyar in Sangam literature. But we dont know a poet named Viththai. Late commentators treated Viththai as Vidhya (education, learning) of Sanskrit origin. But old commentators show it as the name of a poet. The sentence construction in the poem also justified old commentary.
Poet: Perunkundrūr Kizhār received 32,000 gold (coins or particles) from the Chera King. He praised the Chera king for defeating the Pandya and Choza kings. This Chera king ruled for 16 years.
***
Item 967- Chatukka Bhutham Mystery- Intro of the Decad
Post Sangam Tamil epic Silappadikaram gives interesting information about magical Chathukka Bhutham meaning Squares where Bhuthas installed. According to Tamil epic
These Bhuthas kill liars, frauds, criminals, fake ascetics and those who go to bed with wives of others. Poet says this Chera king installed Chathukka Bhutham, which were brought from different locations. King did ceremonies to pacify them. We don’t know whether they really did kill wrong doers or the kings installed them to instil fear among criminals. Nowadays we install CCTV cameras and place big boards saying CCTV camera is watching you! It is doing the same work done by Chatukka Bhutham 2000 years ago.
We have to do more research on this Chatukka Bhutham. The word Bhuutham is used for five elements and ghosts or goblins.
***
Item 968- Maiyur Kizaan Mystery! Intro of the Decad
The Intro of the decad mentioned Maiyur Kizaan twice, one time as the father of the queen and a second time as the minister. There is nothing remarkable. But the old commentary says minister Maiyur Kizaan was converted into a priest who facilitated many yagas. This looks strange.
Was he a Brahmin? Because later inscriptions like Velukkudi Copper Plates of Pandya king have a Brahmin priest as Korkaik Kizaan Narkorran.
***
Item 969- lines 81-15/18 Gold Bars to Soldiers!
The king plundered enemy lands took the golden jewellery from them, melted them and made them into gold bars and gave it to the good soldiers!
Here we see the wealth of ancient Tamil Nadu where even soldiers got gold bars. And the king encouraged the army with such gifts.
***
Item 970- Prayer to God- Lines 82-1/5
Tamils were so devoted to God that they even prayed to God that enemy kings should not attack them!
In this verse 82 the king is addressed as Nilamtharu Nediyoy நிலம்தரு திருவின் நெடியோய் நின்னே. In Tolkaapiyam Paayiram (intro) also we come across நிலந்தரு திருவிற் பாண்டியன்.(Nilam Tharu Thiruvil Pandya). So we may conclude that Nilamtharu is just an epithet that goes with many kings.
***
—subham—
Tags- Purananuru wonders-72, Tamil Encyclopaedia 112, One Thousand Interesting Facts -Part 112, Ship Repairing in Ancient Kerala, Gold Bars to Good Soldiers
