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Post No. 16,258
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74Purananuru wonders-74, Tamil Encyclopaedia 114, One Thousand Interesting Facts -Part 114
Let us take one more book from Ten Idylls; it is called Madurai Kanchi (maduraik kaanchi).
Mangudi maruthan (maangudi maruthan) composed it and it is the longest book in the Ten Idylls, called Paththup Paattu.
(don’t confuse it with Pathitrup pathththu, Ten Times Ten, part of Eight Anthologies, called Ettuth Thokai).
This longest poem with 782 lines praises Madurai city and its king Nedunchezian. He is the second Pandya king with the same name, ruled Madurai in second century CE.
item 979- boy king- and a poet
Nedunchezian became a king when he was a teenager. And the Chera and Choza kings, taking advantage of it, invaded Pandya kingdom. But Pandya king gained a brilliant victory over these great kings at a place called Thalaialanganam (Thalali Aalankaanam). Modern-day Thalaiyalangadu, located about 15–18 km northwest of Thiruvarur on the Kumbakonam–Thiruvarur road in Tamil Nadu.
Nedunchezhian defeated a massive allied coalition consisting of the Chera king (Maanthrancheral), the Chola king (Cholan Perunarkilli), and five minor or confederate kings who underestimated him because of his youth.
In my research I have compared him with a king in Thiru vilayadal puranam who took power after his father Veera Pandya was killed by a tiger.
The poem has two words in the title: Madurai and Kanchi; Kaanchi here means a genre in which the instability of life is mentioned. This means that the king should remember it and do good things in his life. So the poem is partly didactic. Poet reminds this by quoting what Nedunchezian’s forefathers did.
Nedunchezian was himself a poet. His poem is in Purananuru.
***
item 980- Sun, Moon, Stars, Rain, Honey
The long poem begins with auspicious words. In Tamil and Sanskrit, the poem must with auspicious words according to o the ancient convention. Here we see sun, moon, stars, rain and sweet honey in the first ten lines. We see such beginning in post Sangam Tamil epic Silappdikaram as well.
***
item 981- Thennavan Controversy- lines 40/42
Picture: Ravana threatening Sita.
தென்னவன் பெயரிய துன் அருந்துப்பின், 40
தொல்முது கடவுள் பின்னர் மேய
Literally translated ancient god, the southern man
Two words ancient god and Tennavan are interpreted differently. Many agree that ancient God is Siva but Tennavan is interpreted as Ravana, demon King of Sri Lanka. According to the most famous commentator Nachcinarkiniyar, it is the story about Agastya, the great Rishi/sage and the Tennavan (Southern Man) is Ravana. He quoted previous commentator Ilampuranar and said this. Tennavan may mean Pandya, who rules the southern most part of India, or Yama, the God of Death in the South or Ravana. In short, it is an obscure passage. But from this interpretation we get a story of Pandya who kept Ravana away from Tamil Nadu. Nacchinarkiniyar believed that Tamil Kings ruled Tamil Land during Ramayana times. Elsewhere Nacchi. gave us valuable information of Agastya bringing 18 clans of Velirs from North India to Tamil Nadu. His story and most famous poet Kapilar’s reference to 49 generations in a Purananuru verse confirmed that this land was ruled by kings at least 1500 years before Kapilar! And Kapilar lived at least 2000 years ago.
Nacchi. Is not the first one to interprete Rishi as God. We have more proofs to say Rishis/Sages are gods in Kali 93-11, Silampu.11-5, Seevaka Chintamani.96, 1124 and in Periya Alvar poems
Nacchi. gives more information about the Ravana- Pandya peace agreement in another place. U Ve Sa. added later day references about the Veena competition between Agastya and Ravana. ( I have given the details in my articles in this blog)
***
item 982- gory metaphor-lines 24-42
Here the poet described what happened in the battlefield. The female ghosts danced and drank the blood of dead elephants.
The corpses rose and danced with them.
Oven/ hearth was made with the heads of dead kings; an expert demon cooked and boiled the blood of dead kings, stirred it with ladles made up of dead soldiers’ hands.
She served the cooked food to strong victorious brave warriors.
It reminds us of Mayans of South America and Gond Tribals of Middle India who did ceremonial human sacrifices.
No wonder Draupadi wanted Duryodana’s blood as hair oil for her dishevelled hair!
**
item 983- Paddy Town- Tall Ships- lines 75-88
The poet gives good information of the king capturing a port named after rice (saaliyur), where large ships with tall masts are anchored.
Researchers say that it is Nellore in Andhra Pradesh. Here we get information about ships that bring gold from foreign countries.
The king won many places between Himalayas and Kanyakumari.
Though Tamils boast of such victories we have no historical records of such victories!
On the contrary we have Guptas defeating southern kings, Kharavela defeating southern kings from their inscriptions!
lines 119-130 described his victory at Thalai Aaalankaanam.
He defeated Chera, Choza Kings and five chieftains. Also Paratavar (fishermen) in the South.
***
item 984- line 108- Venus again!
Hindus, particularly Tamil Hindus of Sangam age, mentioned that even if Venus travels in wrong direction, rain will never fail in the land of a just king. We have following references in Purananuru.
வெள்ளி திசை மாறினும்: புறநானூறு 35 – இலங்கு கதிர் வெள்ளி தென்புலம் படரினும், புறநானூறு 117 – தென் திசை மருங்கின் வெள்ளி ஓடினும், புறநானூறு 388 – வெள்ளி தென் புலத்து உறைய, புறநானூறு 389 – வெண்பொன் போகுறு காலை, மதுரைக்காஞ்சி 108 – வரும் வைகல் மீன் பிறழினும், பட்டினப்பாலை 1 – வயங்கு வெண்மீன் திசை திரிந்து தெற்கு ஏகினும்
Someone must go through astronomical records to find out the relation between Venus and drought
***
Item 985- Destruction is justified- lines 125- 147
The reason for the disappearance of historical records, historical buildings is the utter destruction of enemy lands carried out by victorious king. This is justified by Sangam poets and Tolkappiar.
Pandya king stayed for years in enemy land. Before that he burnt down the entire town. Plundering the enemy towns also was justified.
The booty was distributed to soldiers and bards.
For the arson and robbery, commentators quoted Tolkappiyam Puraththinai Sutras 8 and 12.
***
item 986- Moon Worship in Lines 193-196
Hindus worship Crescent moon. They make it a point to view it on the third day crescent moon after Amavasyai (new moon day).
This means two things: 1. The growing moon signifies positive things and growth and development and 2. It reminds Hindus Lord Siva who sports a crescent moon on his head.
Crescent moon worship is many Kuruntokai verses as well. Kuru.178, 307; Akam.239. Silampu.4-22;
In the same way, Hindus worship moon on the fourth day after full moon day (Pournami or Purnima). They fast on the whole day on Sankatahara Chaturthy (fourth day in Krishnapaksha) and eat light food after viewing the crescent moon. This is to propitiate Lord Ganesh.
***
item 987- Amrita- nectar of God- lines 197-201
Tamils were great Hindus and they mastered Hindu Puranas. From Sangam literature to later Tirukkural we come across Amrita of Devas in umpteen places. Here the poet says that even if the heaven with Amrita was offered to him he wont tell a lie. Even if the army including one from heaven come against him, he wont be scared.
***
988- Wealth of Demon Vanan- lines 202-204
தென்புல மருங்கின் விண்டு நிறைய
வாணன் வைத்த விழுநிதி பெறினும் ,
பழி நமக்கு எழுக என்னாய் விழுநிதி
ஈதல் உள்ளமொடு இசை வேட்குவையே
Even if you are offered the great
wealth of Vānan, stored in the southern
mountains, you will reject it, if it comes with
blame.
We don’t have any information about demon Vanan’s wealth . We read about Ilvala’s wealth and Mahabali’s wealth in the Puranas.
One Banasura is in the story of Krishna’s son Anirudh. But we don’t know anything about the wealthy Vana/Bana in the south.
Even U Ve Sa. Skipped it saying nothing!
***
989 Description of Madurai City and horse import- line 321-23
The poet described all kinds of landscapes and when he portrayed the coastal area, he mentions import and export.
Horse import is specifically mentioned. Immediately we are reminded of Manikkavasagar’s journey to buy horses.
***
990- line 319 and 375 – panai meen – whale or dolphin- SHIP WRECK
பரந்து ஓங்கு வரைப்பின் வன்கைத் திமிலர்
கொழு மீன் குறைஇய துடிக்கண் துணியல் 320
பனைமீன் வழங்கும் வளை மேய் பரப்பின் 375
வீங்கு பிணி நோன் கயிறு அரீஇ இதை புடையூக்
கூம்பு முதல் முருங்க எற்றி காய்ந்து உடன்
கடுங்காற்று எடுப்ப கல்பொருது உரைஇ,
நெடுஞ்சுழிப் பட்ட நாவாய் போல,
இருதலைப் பணிலம் ஆர்ப்ப சினம் சிறந்து 380
In line we come across THIMILAR for fishermen. Thimingilam in Tamil means whale. So I guess they mean whale hunters. You need special kills to do it.
Tamils have a separate word for sharks. In line 375 the poet used PANAIMEEN AND THE SCENE OF A SHIP WRECK.
These lines 375-380 show whales in the mid sea . Tamil scholar U Ve Sa. ‘s cross references from later books mentioned the very word THIMINGILAM= WHALE.
Kalidasa also mentioned whales. It shows that whales were near Indian coasts 2000 years ago.
To be continued……………………………..
Tags–Purananuru wonders-74, Tamil Encyclopaedia 114, One Thousand Interesting Facts -Part 114, item 990
