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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.
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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.
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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)
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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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.
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990- line 319 and 375 – panai meen – whale or dolphin- SHIP WRECK
பரந்து ஓங்கு வரைப்பின் வன்கைத் திமிலர் கொழு மீன் குறைஇய துடிக்கண் துணியல் 320
பனைமீன்வழங்கும் 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
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-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;
***
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.
***
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.
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 womanArundhati in lines 1-27/28
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Item 935- mysterious philanthropist VANDANவண்டன்
Earlier we came across a mysterious philanthropist AKKURAN; now we have one more name Vandanவண்டன். 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 wordIndra’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.
Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.
this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.
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Purananuru wonders-66; Tamil Encyclopaedia 106, One Thousand Interesting Facts -Part 106
Let us take one more book from Eight Anthologies (Ettuth Thokai) in Sangam Tamil Literature. It is called Pathitrup Paththu in Tamil meaning 10 X 10 songs= 100. It is an anthology, dealing with all about ancient mysterious Kerala (Chera Nadu). Many of their customs are not known in other parts of Tami Nadu. This ancient land of Tamils has created a new language called Malayalam. That itself shows it is very different from other Tamil areas. But Malayalam is the closest language to modern Tamil. Malayalam is noting but a mixture of pure Tamil and pure Sanskrit with nasal accent. strangest thing is Sanskrit is studied by the lowest castes and mastered! This book is full of mysteries. The biggest mystery is a famous poet and his wife disappeared after a Yaga (Hindu Fire Ceremony). The Yaga was performed at his request who wanted to go to heaven!(probably like Trin Shanku with his own human body)! Unfortunately two of the ten songs are missing in the book. We have very interesting details about a Chera king punishing the Yavanas (Roman pirates from Italy). At last they cried and gave diamonds and gold to Chera king and got their release. And that gold and diamonds were given to poets!
In his book ‘The Eight Anthologies’, John Ralston Marr gives detailed information about the pathikams and the poems. He identifies the rivers, forests, kingdoms, kings and towns indicated in the poems.
Poems 11 – 20 were written by poet Kumattūr Kannanār for King Imayavarampan Nedunchēralāthan, son of King Uthiyan Chēral and Queen Nallini. This king is said to have defeated the Aryans and Yavanas and carved a bow–emblem on the Himalayas.
Poems 21 – 30 were written by poet Pālai Kouthamanār for King Palyānai Selkelu Kuttuvan, the younger brother of Imayavarampan Nedunchēralāthan.
Poems 31 – 40 were written by poet Kāppiyatru Kāppiyanār for King Kalangāykanni Nārmudichēral, son of Imayavarampan Nedunchēralāthan and his queen, daughter of king Pathuman.
Poems 41 – 50 were written by poet Paranar for King Kadal Pirakōttiya Chenguttuvan, son of Imayavarampan Nedunchēralāthan and the daughter of Manakkilli, a Chōzha king. King Chenguttuvan was a contemporary of Gajabāhu of Sri Lanka (A.D. 180).
Poems 51 – 60 were written by poetess Kākkai Pādiniyār Nachellaiyār for king Ādukotpāttu Chēralāthan, son of Imayavarampan Nedunchēralāthan and his queen, a daughter of a Velāvi king.
The above five kings belonged to the Chēral Uthiyan clan.
Poems 61 – 70 were written by poet Kapilar for King Selvakadungō Vāzhiyāthan, son of King Chēran Anthuvan.
Poems 71 – 80 were written by poet Arisil Kizhār for King Perunchēral Irumporai, son of King Selvakadungo Vāzhiyāthan and his queen, daughter of Velāvi king Pathuman. This king was the victor of Thakadūr. He was the greatest of the Uthiyan kings.
Poems 81 – 90 were written by poet Perunkundrūr Kizhār for King Ilanchēral Irumporai, son of King Perunchēral Irumporai and Princess Anthuvan Chellai.
The above three kings belonged to the Irumporai clan. Both clans were related through marriages.
Let us look at the wonders. Because the first song (or book ) is missing we go to Number Two song.
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item 911 -Himalayas to Tamil Nadu
Poems 11 – 20 were written by Brahmin poet Kumattūr Kannanār for King Imayavarampan Nedunchēralāthan, son of King Uthiyan Chēral and Queen Nallini. This king is said to have defeated the Aryans and Yavanas and carved a bow–emblem on the Himalayas.
There is prayer to God. It is about Lord Siva. பதிற்றுப்பத்து கடவுள் வாழ்த்து
Prayer song is taken from most famous Tamil commentator Nachchinarkiniyar. It may not be part of Pathitruppaththu. All the qualities attributed to Lord Siva is in one beautiful verse.
The first wonder is King Imayavarampan Nedunchēralāthan ruled for 58 years, according to Pathikam attached to it. He went upto the Himalayas and carved his bow symbol on it. He made cultured Aryan kings salute him. His mother was Mrs Nallini; his father was Uthiyan Cheral.
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item 912- Punished Yavana Rouges
He arrested the harsh worded Yavanas, tied their hands behind, poured oil on their head; to release them he got precious gold and diamonds and distributed them to others. Commentators interpreted others as poets, bards, dancers and army commanders.
Two points must be noted here: when the poet described Yananas negative words are used. whenAryas mentioned appreciatory words are added. Second point is he distributed Yavana gold and diamonds to others. He did not add them to his treasury. Yavanas were the Italian pirates who did bad things in the western sea what we call now as Arabian sea, a misnomer!
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item 913- Lord Skanda Muruka and Chera King- lines 1-15
Lord Murugan (Skanda/ Kartikeyan) destroyed Sura Padman, a demon. This story is enacted on the shores of Tiru Chendur coast on Skanda Sashti day every year. Million Hindus assemble there to worship Lord Murugan. So we see 2000 years continuity in Hindu beleifs.
All Tamil Kings had Trees as totem symbols. Lord Muruga is said to have cut the Mango tree of demon Sura Padman.
In the same way Chera King cut down the Kadampa tree in the island in the Arabian sea. He used the tree to make a war drum
The pirates were occupying one of the islands of Arabian sea and were robbing all the gold ladden ships.
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Map of Chera Nadu (Kerala)
item 914- Beautiful Himalayas with Aryan Sages and Dreaming Deer
Here comes beautiful lines which explode the myth that British united India. Now and then we see some comments by Hollywood and Kollywood idiots saying British united India. From Mahabharata to Sangam Tamil literature we see repeated words Himalayas to Kanyakumari ruled or controlled by a king. Here we see it in lines 17-25
Aryan= Sages; not the racial meaning given by Foreign Gangs.
Here the poet described the dream of Kavari Deer or Yaks. I have already explained Hindus are the one who repeatedly talked about animal dreams. Now western magazines are WRITING RESEARCH ARTICLES!! As if they have discovered something new! Sangam Tamil literature, Tamil epics and Tamil Bhakti literature have hundreds of dreams.
All the Himalayan descriptions in the early strata of Purananuru and Pathitru Pathu are copied from the first ten stnzas of Kalidasa’s Kumara Sambhava.
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item 915- Blood Changed the colour of the sea Red!
Like him, you struck your enemies with your blood-tipped sword, and slaughtered them to pieces on battlefields. Blood from wounds your sword caused flowed into the sapphire- colored, dark backwaters, the color changing to that of saffron dye.
We know this as an exaggeration. But the same thing said about Charmanvati river (Chambal river) on the banks of which King Ranti Deva performing Yagas with animal sacrifice, and river water turning blood red, was used by idiots .
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Cheran Senguttuvan on March
item 916- Mars and Venus-
Line 25 is about the old belief of Hindus about the position of planet Venus.
Venus does not run toward Mars, rains fall without fail in the lands where they are needed and when they are needed
The movement of Venus as seen from earth is always noted. Here poet says if Venus moves too close to planet Mars there will be drought. In 2021 and 2015 both Venus and mars were seen close to one another from earth. Though they are millions of miles away, we see them close. More research has to be done by Hindus to see how correct they are.
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item 917- Unwoven Clothes- Silk-
The kings munificence towards the bards and dancers were explained in many words. King gave them goat meat, rice, toddy, golden ornaments and clothes not woven in the normal way (from cotton). It is silk. From this we know the poverty of the bards and the wealthy life style of the cities. Silk clothes were made from the silk worms. Poet has coined a new word Noolaak Kalingam நூலாக் கலிங்கம்in Tamil.
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Statue of Yavana
item 918- Mysterious Akkuran!
In the verse 14 the king is compared to five elements and stars and planets. He is not measurable like these elements and heavenly bodies. This comparison with planes five elements is in Manu Smriti and Valmiki Ramayana . அக்குரன் அனைய கைவண்மையையே;
The king is praised as generous as Akkuran. No details of that philanthropist are available in Hindu scriptures. Karna of Mahabharata is the greatest philanthropist in Hindu literature.
In the Mahabharata and Bhagavata Purana, Akrura is a Yadava prince and the maternal uncle of Lord Krishna. He is famously known for his righteousness and for driving the chariot that brought Krishna and Balarama to Mathura. Note the difference in spellings.
Tags – Purananuru wonders-66, Tamil Encyclopaedia 106, One Thousand Interesting Facts -Part 106, Item 918, Akkuran, Yavana
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
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Vahana
Mounts of Gods or Vehicles of Hindu Gods
They are actually the symbols of Gods; they appear on their flags as well. They have symbolic meaning. That will explain why an elephant (god Ganesh) riding on a mouse
Following is the first list of Hindu Vahanas:
1.Ganesh/Vinayaka=Mouse
2.Kartikeya/Skanda/Murugan–Peacock
3.Shiva=Bull/ Nandhi
4.Raja Rajeswari= Lion
5.Vishnu= Garuda/Eagle
6.Bhairava=Dog
7.Sastha= Horse
8.Ayyappa= Tiger
9.Sani/Saturn= Crow
10.Kalki Avatar=Horse
11.Indra= Airavata/ Elephant
12.Lakshmi= Red Lotus, Owl
13.Sarasvati=White Lotus, Swan
14.Ganga Devi= Crocodile
15.Manamatha & Rathi= Parrot
16.Kubera= Man,Parrot or Horse
17.Vishnu= 7 headed Snake/ Sesha
18.Krishna=Banyan leaf
19.Brahma= Swan
20.Kartikeya=Rhino (Vietnam)
21.Chandi= Pig
22.Sindhi saint= Fish
23.Ganda Beranda Bird= Mannarkudi Rajagopalswamy
24.Varuna= Makara (Shark or Crcodile)
25.Agni / Fire= Ram
26.Durga= Antelope
27.Marut= Deer
28.Lakshmi in Nepal=Turtle, In Bengal=owl
29.Durga= Lion or Tiger
30.Chamundi- Owl
31.Asvini Devas= Donkey (also for Indra and Agni)
32.Dead Body= Niruthi
33.Sun= 7 Horse Chariot
34.Rahu/ Shasti= Cat
35.Rathi= Pigeon
Following Vahanas are used by different temples in Tamil Nadu
36.Surya Prabha (SUN)= Northern Districts of Tamil Nadu
37.Chandra Prabha (MOON)= Northern Districts of Tamil Nadu
3.Vahana Order in Temples: 6th Day=Gaja, 8th Day=Horse Vahana
Temple Vahanas are taken out in a particular order. The Agama Shastras have stipulated some rules regarding this. For instance Ani Thirumanjana Festival at Chidamabaram Shiva Temple is celebrated in the following order:
First Day: Dwaja Arohanam (Flag Hoisting),In the night Pancha murthy procession in Manjam
Second day: Silver ChandraPrabha Vahana
Third day: Gold Surya Prabha Vahana
Fourth day: Silver Bhutavahana
Fifth Day: Silver Rishaba Vahana
Sixth day: Silver Elephant Gaja Vahana
Seventh day: Gold Kailash Vahana
Eighth day: Bhikshadanar in Gold Chariot
Ninth Day: Rathothsavam (Ratham= Big Chariot)
Tenth day: Maha Abhishekam
Eleventh day: Muthu Pallakku ( Pearl Palanquin)
Saivaite temples do elephant vahana on the sixth day of festival.
Tirupati-Tirumala Brahmorchavam Calendar:
First Day-Dwajarohan: Flag of Eagle hoisted, Pedda Sesha Vanam/many headed snake vahana;
9th day: Chakra snanam/lord’s disc is immersed in the tank and flag is lowered.
This is typical of North Tamil Nadu and Andhra temples. Surya and Chandra Prabha vahanas are absent in Southern Tamil Nadu. They replace it with other Vahanas. But 8th day is allocated for Kuthirai/Aswa/Horse vahana.
Amarasimhan’s Amarakosha (First Dictionary of Synonyms in the World) gives Vahana names as other names for Gods. This shows people were very familiar with all Vahanas and flags 2000 years ago.
Hamsa Vahana means Brahma (Swan Vehicle)
Garudadwaja means Vishnu (Eagle Flag)
Vishnuratha means Garuda (chariot of Vishnu)
Vrushadwaja means Shiva (Bull Flag)
Siki Vahana means Lord Kartikeya (Peacock Vehicle)
Megha Vahana means Indra (Cloud as Vehicle)
Havya Vahana means Agni (Fire takes all Havis/food in Yagas)
Picture of Ashta Matrika with Vahanas
5.Unusual Vahanas
Some temples have lotus (India’s national flower) as vahana for goddess Devi. Tulsi (Holy Basil plant) also used as a Vahana. Alwartirunagari near Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu, has a strange vahana –Tamarind Tree (Imli in Hindi). This is used for one of the twelve Alvars known as Nammalvar. He attained wisdom under a tamarind tree. Another unusual vahana associated with this town is Parangi Narkali (Foreign Chair).The origin of this vahana is shrouded in mystery.
Chandi Devi in Sujanaghat has got varaha (pig) as vahana which is unusual.
6.Vahanas of Ganesh
Dhumaketu (kaliyuga): Horse Vahana
Vinayakar (Kritayuga):Simha Vahana
Mayuresar (Treta yUga):Mayura Vahana
Gajananar (Dwapara Yuga): Mushika Vahana
7.Buddhist Vahanas
Buddists also have vahanas for their gods:
Vairochana- Dragon Vahana
Ratna Sambhava- Lion/simha
Amitabha—Mayura/peacock
Amoka siddhi-Eagle
Ashosabya-Elephant
8.Strange Vahanas of Temples
Several temples have unusual vahanas. It is a long list of strange things. Let us look at a few:
In the next part we will look at the Vahanas on ancient Indian coins.
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Vahana in Egypt
Also read my earlier posts:
1.Iraq: 7 Gods Procession on Vahanas
2.Deer Chariot: Rig Veda to Santa Claus
3.Hindu Vahanas around the World
4.Vahanas in Kalidasa and Tamil Literature
5.Who Rides What Vahanas?
6.உலகம் முழுதும் இந்து தெய்வ வாகனங்கள்
7.சங்கத் தமிழ் இலக்கியத்தில் வாகனங்கள்
8.வாகனங்கள் தோன்றியது எங்கே?ஏன்? எப்போது?
9.எந்தக் கடவுளுக்கு என்ன வாகனங்கள்?
10.Interesting Facts on Vahanas
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Vamana
Vāmana (वामन).—An incarnation of Mahāviṣṇu. There are ten main incarnations of Mahāviṣṇu. Of these, the incarnation of Vāmana is the fifth.
Avatar of Viṣnu. Vamana, the dwarf, appeared in the Treta Yuga. The fourth descendant of Hiranyakashyap, Bali, with devotion and penance was able to defeat Indra, the god of firmament. This humbled the other deities and extended his authority over the three worlds. The gods appealed to Vishnu for protection and he descended as the dwarf Vamana. During a yajna of the king, Vamana approached him in the midst of other Brahmins. Bali was happy to see the diminutive holy man, and promised whatever he asked. His Brahmin teacher Shukracharaya warned him not to entertain him. But Bali ignored his advice. Vamana asked for three paces of land. Bali agreed, and the dwarf then changed his size to that of a giant. He stepped over heaven in his first stride, and the netherworld with the second. Bali realized that Vamana was Vishnu incarnate. In deference, the king offered his head as the third place for Vamana to place his foot. The avatar did so and thus granted Bali immortality. Then in appreciation to Bali and his grandfather Prahlada, Vamana made him ruler of Pathala, the netherworld. Bali is believed to have ruled Kerala and Tulunadu. He is still worshiped there as the king of prosperity and recalled before the time of harvest.
Tamil Sangam literature and later Tirukkural refers to Vamana Avatara.
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Vāmana (वामन).—Name of one of the joint authors of the well-known gloss or वृत्ति (vṛtti) upon the Sutras of Panini, who lived in the seventh century A. D. It cannot be ascertained which portion of the Kasika was written by Vamana and which by his colleague जयादित्य (jayāditya). There was another famous scholar of Kashmir by name Vamana who flourished in the tenth century and who wrote an independent grammar treatise विश्रान्तविद्याधर (viśrāntavidyādhara), together with उणादि-सूत्रवृत्ति (uṇādi-sūtravṛtti) and लिङ्गानुशासन (liṅgānuśāsana).
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Vamachara
Worship of female energy. Goddess is on the left side of Lord Siva. Left belongs to Devi or Shakti.
Vāmācāra (वामाचार).—the left-hand ritual or doctrine of the Tantras; the doctrine of resorting to मांस, मद्य, मत्स्य, मैथुन (māṃsa, madya, matsya, maithuna) and मुद्रा (mudrā).
Vāmācāra (वामाचार):—[from vāma] m. the left-hand practices or doctrines of the Tantras (id est. the worship of the Śakti or Female Energy personified as the wife of Śiva, as opposed to dakṣiṇācāra .
These practices are often generally considered to be Tantric in orientation. The converse term is dakṣiṇācāra “Right-Hand Path”, which is used to refer to “orthodox” (Āstika) sects .
Arthur Avalon (the pen name of British high court judge Sir John Woodroffe) wrote and edited several seminal books on Tantric worship and Shakta philosophy. His most notable books focusing on Tantric worship, doctrine, and ritual practices include: The_Serpent_Power, Shakti and Shakta.
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Vararuchi
Vararuci (वररुचि).—A reputed ancient grammarian who is identified with Katyayana, the prominent author of the Varttikas on the Sutras of Panini. Both the names वररुचि (vararuci) and कात्यायन (kātyāyana) are mentioned in commentary works in connection with the Varttikas on the Sutras of Panini, and it is very likely that Vararuci was the individual name of the scholar, and Katyayana his family name.
Name of a grammarian (also a poet, lexicographer, and writer on medicine, sometimes identified with Kātyāyana, the reputed author of the Vārttikas or supplementary rules of Pāṇini; he is placed by some among the nine gems of the court of Vikramāditya, and by others among the ornaments of the court of Bhoja.
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Vartika
Vārtika (वार्तिक).—An additional statement which is as much authoritative as the original one to which it is appended for the purposes of correction, completion of explanation. Kātyāyana wrote about 4000 Vārttikas on the sūtras of Pāṇini’s Aṣṭādhyāyī.
According to the prominent 19th-century German Sanskrit scholar Theodor Goldstücker, the Vartika (Vāttika) of Kātyāyana was composed around the 4th century BCE. Goldstücker established this chronology by analyzing the significant linguistic and structural evolution of the Sanskrit language between the periods of the great grammarians. Goldstücker placed Pāṇini (the author of the Aṣṭādhyāyī) in the 7th century BCE (or late 8th century BCE). He argued that Kātyāyana lived at least 300 years after Pāṇini. Goldstücker argued that during the 300-year interval, grammatical forms current in Pāṇini’s time had become obsolete or incorrect, and words had assumed entirely new meanings, forcing Kātyāyana to write the Vartika to rectify and complete the rules.
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Varuna
Brahmins worship him in the daily ritual Sandhyavandana with reverential fear.
Oldest Tamil book Tolkappiam has named Varuna as the god of the Tamil community living in the coastal area.
Zoaroaster has praised him as an Asura in Zend Avesta
VEDIC GOD VARUNA is described as a spy in the Vedas. The implied meaning is ‘nothing can happen without his knowledge’. His description beats all the spies from RAW, Mossad, CIA, KGB, FBI, MI 5, MI 6, Scotland Yard and James Bond Films. After reading the Atharva Veda hymn on Varuna, even anti Hindu German Indologist Von Roth said this was The Best Description of a God in the Vedas. His omnipresence and Omnipotence are described beautifully and powerfully.
Varuna is said to count the batting of eyelids of every human being. That means he is the most advanced Super Computer; because he counts 75840 billion every day.
Following is my calculation:
Average 10 blinks per minute; X 60 minutes= 600 per hour
600X16 hours (eight hour sleep deleted from 24 hours a day)= 9600 blinks per day per person X 7.9 billion =75840 billon blinks per day in the whole world
In numbers 75840 ,000, 000,000 PER DAY
IN SHORT
VARUNA IS THE CCTV OF THE WORLD
VARUNA IS THE SUPER SPY WITH 1000 EYES
VARUNA IS THE MOST ADVANCED SUPER COMPUTER WITH BILLIONS OF CALCULATIONS EVERY MINUTE
VARUNA IS EVERY WHERE ‘UP ABOVE THE WORLD SO HIGH’ AND BOTTOM OF THE MARIANA TRENCH IN PACIFIC OCEAN, DEEPEST POINT in ocean
VARUNA IS HUMAN AND DIVINE
VARUNA IS IN EVERY WATER DROP.
HE IS THE INVISIBLE THIRD MAN IN EVERY SECRET MEETINGS.
HE HAS THE NOOSE WHICH WILL BIND EVERYONE.
HE PUNISHES ALL THE EVIL DOERS.
HE IS IN CHARGE OF THE LAW DEPARTMENT OF THE UNIVERSE
HE IS THE CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURSE OF THE UNIVERSE.
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ALL BRAHMINS WORSHIP VARUNA EVERYDAY IN THE SANDHYA VANDANA MANTRA. THEY SALUTE HIM WITH SPEACIAL MANTRA EVERY EVENING. HE IS MENTIONED IN THE BOGAZKOY INSCRIPTION DATED 1340 BCE (in Turkey)
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Here is the hymn from Atharva Veda; though there are hymns on Varuna in Rig Veda , this is the best. Not only that, it shows how powerful Hindu Gods are.
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HYMN XVI, CANTO 4, ATHARVA VEDA
On the omnipresence and omniscience of Varuna
1)The mighty Ruler of these worlds beholds as though from close
at hand,
The man who thinks he acts by stealth: all this the Gods
perceive and know.
2)If a man stands or walks or moves in secret, goes to his lying-
down or his uprising,
What two men whisper as they sit together, King Varuna knows:
he as the third is present.
3)This earth, too, is King Varuna’s possession, and the high
heaven whose ends are far asunder.
The loins of Varuna are both the oceans, and this small drop of
water, too, contains him. p. a124
4)If one should flee afar beyond the heaven, King Varuna would
still be round about him.
Proceeding hither from the sky his envoys look, thousand-eyed,
over the earth beneath them.
5)All this the royal Varuna beholdeth, all between heaven and
earth and all beyond them.
The twinklings of men’s eyelids hath he counted. As one who
plays throws dice he settles all things.
6)Those fatal snares of thine which stand extended, threefold,
O Varuna, seven by seven,
May they all catch the man who tells a falsehood, and pass un-
harmed the man whose words are truthful.
7)Varuna, snare him with a hundred nooses! Man’s watcher! let
not him who lies escape thee.
There let the villain sit with hanging belly and bandaged like a
cask whose hoops are broken.
8)Varuna sends, and drives away, diseases: Varuna is both native
and a stranger,
Varuna is celestial and is human.
9)I bind and hold thee fast with all these nooses, thou son of such
a man and such a mother.
All these do I assign thee as thy portion.
Von Roth said
There is no hymn in the whole Vedic literature which express the divine omniscience in such forcible (forceful) terms as this .
Hindus believe diseases come to one who does sinful activities in previous births. So we find diseases in this mantra.
Griffith points out that there is one statement in the Bible (Psalms 139-2-3 which can be compared to one line here in Mantra 2.
Griffith gives references in RV1-25-13; 7-87-3; 7-89-2
Mantra 7 has reference to 7,7,7=21 which is in Tamil Sangam Purananuru 166.
Six foreigners have translated this hymn:- Muir, Max Muller, Von Roth, Ludwig, Grill and Kaegi
This can be compared with Bharatiyar’s description of his poem
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Vasishtha
Brahmins worship him thrice a day in their Sandhyavandana ritual.
His wife Arundhati is worshipped by all Hindus and mentioned in 2000 year old Sangam Tamil literature many times.
Viewing Arundhati star in the night is done on the first day of a Hindu’s marriage.
Vasishtha (Sanskrit: वसिष्ठ, vasiṣṭha) is a revered Vedic sage . He is one of the Saptarishis (seven great Rishis) of India. Vasishtha is credited as the chief author of Mandala 7 of Rigveda. Vasishtha and his family are mentioned in Rigvedic verse 10.167.4, other Rigvedic mandalas and in many Vedic texts.
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POWER OF BRAHMINS IS GREATER THAN THE POWER OF RULERS: SANGAM TAMIL LITERATURE AND MAHABHARATA
The clash between the great two Vedic Rishis Vasishta and Viswamitra is a well known story. It established the supremacy of Brahmins. Both rishis/seers figure in the oldest book in the world- The Rig Veda (RV). People who are pure at heart and selfless are more powerful than the AK 47 wielding Clint Eastwoods!
This message is in both the Mahabharata, the longest epic in the world and Purananuru, the oldest anthology in 2000 year old Sangam Tamil literature.
First let us look at Mahabharata (Adi Parva, the first of the 18 Books in the Mahabharata):_
Once upon a time great king Viswamitra went out on a hunting expedition. When he and his retinue were tired, they visited the great saint Vasistha. His ashramam (House of Saints; hermitage) was in the middle of the forest. He had a beautiful cow named Nandini. It had the power of fulfilling anyone’s wishes like Kamadhenu.
Vasistha received him with great honour. He gave to Viswamitra precious jewels which were obtained from his wonder working cow Nandini. Viswamitra wondered how come this sage in the middle of the forest , could feed all his retinue and give him precious gifts. Vasishta explained that his holy cow can give anything he wished for. Viswamitra asked Vasishta to give him the cow in exchange for hundred million cows or even his kingdom. When Vasishta refused to comply with his demand Viswamitra threatened to use force. He dragged the cow and pushed it hither and thither, but she would not move. She became angry and in order to punish Viswamitra and his army, she created Pahlavas , Dravidas, Sakas,Yavanas , Kiratas and other tribes. The words of the poet Vyasa are
Shame on a Kshatriya’s strength. The strength of a Brahmins lustre is strength indeed. Determining what is strength and what is weakness, we see that, penance is the greatest strength.
This legend is found in Valmiki Ramayana as well .
Later Viswamitra went for doing Tapas(penance), but failed in first two attempts because of ego and women (Trisanku Episode and Menaka episode). When he won at the third attempt, Vasishta himself called him “Hello Mr Brahmin” (Brahma Rishi). That has become a phrase in Hindusim equal to ‘From the horse’s mouth’ in English.
The power of penance is in Purananuru, oldest portion of 2000 year old Sangam Tamil literature and later moral book Tirukkural of Tiru Valluvar
Here is the verse from Purananuru:-
Vanmiki , similar to Valmiki, the Ramayana author, has penned the verse 358 in Purananuru. Though there are very interesting information in these seven lined verse, I will highlight only one point here. If you weigh the earth and the penance, penance is so big that earth will look like an iota. Earth means earthly life that is family life, but penance is far greater than the family life. Tamil poet Vanmiki use the Sanskrit word Tavam. Tapo in Sanskrit is tamilized Tavam (P=V). here we are concerned only about the greatness of penance. It is a repetition of what is said in Mahabharat. True Brahmins are doing penance even when they are in family life. So the word Antanar is used for anyone who is inward looking, ie. God searching. Brahmin also meant the same, i.e. Brahmam seeking. So it is an echo of Mahabharata lines. Even a kshatriya like Viswamitra is called Brahmin when he competed his penance successfully.
Tiruvalluvar also elucidated the power of saints. If any one does any harm to a saint the empire will crumble like dust, he says.
“If those of rigorous penance become enraged, even Indra will crash from power and position” – Kural 899
Venthan is the Tamil word used in this couplet. It means King or Indra. Tolkaappiam used the word for Indra.
The next couplet emphasizes this point,
“Though possessed of great support, they who are exposed to the wrath of persons of exceeding penance will perish”- Kural 900.
Brahma tejo balam balam!!
Curses of Vasistha (RV 7-104)
1.Indra and Soma, burn and destroy the demon foe. Annihilate the fools, slay them and burn them up. Send downward who adds gloom to gloom. Chase them away. Pierce the voracious ones.
2.Let sin around the wicked boil like as a cauldron set amid the flames of fire. Against the foe of prayer, devourer of raw flesh, the vile fiend fierce of eye, keep your perpetual hate against cruel eyed .
My comments
This is a curse against anti god, anti -prayer gangs. The very interesting point is to throw them into cauldron in the middle of fire. Later day pictures of hell show this. Even 1400 years ago, Saivite saint Appar was thrown into a burning Lime kiln but he was saved by Lord Siva.
Another interesting point is that anti Hindu gangs were cannibals. Like Chinese eat scorpions, lizards, rats and snakes today, like the East Europeans eat horses today, there was a gang of cannibals in Vedic period. Even the Rakshasas of Sri Lanka ate human flesh. Story of Agastya show that Vatapi and Ilvalan ate human flesh. And the same story show that the forest was full of human skeletons of seers.
So the curses were thrown against the barbaric tribes.
Cruel eyed : commentators say spy or gossip mongers.
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RV.7-104-3
Indra and Soma , plunge the wicked in the depth, yes, cast them into darkness that has no support. So that none of them may ever return.
7-104-4
Hurl your deadly crushing bolt down on the wicked fiend from heaven and earth. Burn them to death
7-104-5
Let them sink without a sound.
7-104-6
Indra and Soma, I offer these prayers with wisdom. Accept my prayers; let both of you be united like two horses in the chariot.
Mantra 7
Slay the treacherous fiends; let the wicked have no bliss who evermore assails us with malignity.
Mantra 8
I pursue my way with guileless spirit; whoever accuses me with words of falsehood, may the speaker of untruth be crushed like water in the hand.
Mantra 9
Those who harm the righteous must be given to snakes or to Nirruti (Hindu goddess personifying death, decay and destruction)
Mantra 10
May he a thief or a robber, sink to destruction; both himself and offspring.
Mantra 11
May he be swept away himself and children; may all the three earths press him down beneath them.
Mantra 12
A wise man can easily distinguish the true and false.
Soma protects the true and honest
My comments
This is a good quotation. A prudent man can easily find out who is honest. Several Hindu stories in the Vikram and Vetal and Katha sarit sagara stand examples for this.
But Sayana, commentator, gives the story of Kalmashapada here. I give the story from Who is Who in the Mahabharata by Subash Mazumdar
“ Kalmashpada was a king of Ikshwaku dynasty. He once encountered Shakti, son of sage Vasistha, on a narrow forest path. The question of relative priority as to who should pass first and who should give way, led to heated argument until the king losing his temper started mercilessly whipping \shakti in a demonic raage. Thereupon Shakti collecting his spiritual strength, cursed the king would become a Rakshasa hungering for human flesh wandering the forest for 12 years.
At this juncture Visvamitra who had earlier been bested by Vaishtha and therefore wanted to please Shakti, arranged for a Rakshasa called Kinkara to enter the body of Kalmashapada. Later this curse upon the king was redoubled in force by the pronouncement of a brahmana who was erroneously served human by orders of the king.(It is in Adi Parva of Mahabharata).
The king in his rakshasa form initiated his consumption of human flesh by killing and devouring Shakti himself. Later he also killed Vaishtha’ss other sons.
Once Kalmasha pada , while in Rakshasa form, saw a brahmin couple enjoying conjugal pressure. He killed and ate the Brahmana. Thereupon the brahmana cursed that the king would also die if he ever attempted to enjoy conjugal bliss with his queen.
Years later when he wanted to kill and eat Adashyanti, widow of Shakti, Vasishta sprinkled holy water on him and the curse having ended the king expressed his lifelong indebtedness to Vasishta .
There are 25 mantras . I have covered only 12 out of 25.
To be continued……………………..
Tags- Vahana, Varuna, Vasistha, Vararuchi, Vamana, HINDU DICTIONARY IN ENGLISH AND TAMIL ; இந்து மத கலைச்சொல் அகராதி-115
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
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ஆங்கில அரிச்சுவடி வரிசையில் இப்பொழுது வி V என்னும் எழுத்தின் கீழுள்ள முக்கிய சொற்களைக் காண்போம் :
வாசஸ்பதி மிஸ்ரா (900-980 CE)
உலகத்தில் இலக்கிய அதிசயம் புரிந்தவர் வாசஸ்பதி மிஸ்ரா ஆவார் . தான் எழுதிய அத்தனை நூல்களையும் அவர் எழுதிய கால வரிசைக் கிராமத்தில் அவரே கொடுத்துள்ளார் ; எப்பொழுது ? ஆயிரம் ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்னர்! இந்திய தத்துவ முறைகளை பற்றி விளக்கியவர்களில் இவரே முதல்வர் ; இவர் ஆதி சங்கரரின் பிரம்ம சூத்திர உரைக்கு உரை எழுதியவர் அந்த நூல் பாமதி என்ப்படும்; இவர் எழுதிய நூல்களில் இதுதான் புகழ்பெற்றது. இவர் பீஹார் மாநிலத்தின் மிதிலா பிராந்தியத்தைச் சேர்ந்தவர் ; அந்த பகுதியிலிருந்து வந்ததால் சீதா தேவிக்கு மைதிலி என்றும் பெயர் .
வாசஸ்பதி மிஸ்ரா வாழ்ந்த நகரின் பெயர் வாசஸ்பதி; இவர் மனைவியின் பெயர் பாமதி . காலம் – பத்தாவது நூற்றாண்டு.
பாமதி பற்றி காஞ்சி சங்கராசார்யார் (1894-1994)
மிதிலையைச் சேர்ந்த சிறந்த அறிஞரான வாசஸ்பதி மிஸ்ரர், ஆதிசங்கரரின் பிரம்ம சூத்திர பாஷ்யத்திற்கு மிக விரிவானதொரு விளக்க உரையை (விவரணம்) எழுதத் தொடங்கினார்.அந்தத் தத்துவப் பணியில் அவர் தன்னை முற்றிலும் மறந்து, இரவும் பகலும் பல ஆண்டுகள் தீவிரமாக மூழ்கியிருந்தார். அவரது மனைவியான பாமதி, கணவரின் தியானத்திற்கும் எழுத்திற்கும் எந்தவித இடையூறும் நேராத வண்ணம், அவரிடமிருந்து எந்தவொரு உலகியல் எதிர்பார்ப்பும் இல்லாமல் பல வருடங்களாக அமைதியாகப் பணிவிடை செய்து வந்தார். அவளுக்கு ஒரு மனைவி இருக்கிறாள் என்பதைக் கூட வாசஸ்பதி மிஸ்ரர் மறந்திருந்தார். நூல் முழுமையாக எழுதி முடிக்கப்பட்ட அன்று இரவு, விளக்கு வெளிச்சத்தில் தனக்கு எண்ணெய் ஊற்றி உதவிக்கொண்டிருந்த பெண்ணைப் பார்த்து வியப்புடன், “நீ யார்?” என்று கேட்டார்.அவளோ எவ்வித வருத்தமும் இன்றி, “நான் உங்கள் மனைவி, என் பெயர் பாமதி” என்று கூறினாள். )தனது ஞானத் தேடலால் மனைவியின் வாழ்வையும் இளமையையும் கவனிக்கத் தவறிவிட்டோமே என்று வாசஸ்பதி மிஸ்ரர் வருந்தினார். அவளது அசாத்தியமான தியாகத்திற்கும், எதிர்பார்ப்பற்ற சேவைக்கும் கைமாறாக, தான் வாழ்நாளின் பெரும் பகுதியைச் செலவழித்து எழுதிய அந்த உன்னத வேதாந்த நூலுக்கு ‘பாமதி’ என்றே பெயரிட்டார். இந்த நூல் உலகம் உள்ளவரை அவளது பெயரை நிலைநிறுத்தும் என்று ஆசீர்வதித்தார். தத்துவ விளக்கம் (அவச்சேத வாதம்)’தெய்வத்தின் குரல்’ ஐந்தாம் பகுதியில், மஹா பெரியவா அத்வைதக் கோட்பாட்டை விளக்கும் போது, அத்வைதத்தில் உள்ள இரு முக்கியப் பிரிவுகளான விவரண பிரஸ்தானம் (VivaraNa Prasthaanam) மற்றும் பாமதி பிரஸ்தானம் (Bhamati Prasthaanam) ஆகியவற்றின் தத்துவ வேறுபாடுகளை எளிமையாக விளக்கியுள்ளார்: பிம்ப-பிரதிபிம்ப வாதம் (விவரண முறை): சூரியனின் ஒளி தண்ணீர்த் துளிகளில் பிரதிபலிப்பதைப் போல, ஒரே பரமாத்மா மாயையின் காரணமாகப் பல ஜீவாத்மாக்களாகத் தெரிகிறது என்பது விவரணப் பிரிவின் வாதம். [அவச்சேத வாதம் (பாமதி முறை): பாமதி பிரஸ்தானம் ‘அவச்சேத வாதம்’ (Avachchinna / Avachcheda Vaadam) எனப்படும் தத்துவத்தைக் கையாள்கிறது. ‘அவச்சேத’ என்றால் எல்லைகளுக்கு உட்பட்டது என்று பொருள். மஹா பெரியவா / காஞ்சி சங்கராசார்யார் (1894-1994)
இதற்கு ஒரு எளிய உதாரணம் தருவார்: ஆகாயம் (வெட்டவெளி) என்பது எங்கும் நிறைந்தது. நாம் ஒரு திறந்தவெளியில் பல வெற்றுப் பானைகளை வைத்தால், ஒவ்வொரு பானைக்குள்ளும் ஆகாயம் இருக்கிறது. பானைக்குள் இருக்கும் ஆகாயத்தை ‘கடா ஆகாயம்’ (பானை ஆகாயம்) என்றும், வெளியில் இருக்கும் எல்லையற்ற ஆகாயத்தை ‘மஹா ஆகாயம்’ என்றும் சொல்கிறோம்.உண்மையில் ஆகாயம் இரண்டாகப் பிரியவில்லை. பானை என்ற எல்லை (உபாதி) இருக்கும் வரைதான் உள்ளே, வெளியே என்ற பேதம் தெரிகிறது. பானை உடைந்ததும் உள்ளே இருந்த ஆகாயம் மஹா ஆகாயத்தோடு ஒன்றிவிடுகிறது.இதேபோல, மனித உடலும் மனமும் பானையைப் போன்ற எல்லைகளாகும். இந்த எல்லைகளுக்குள் கட்டுப்பட்டுக் காணும் ஆன்மாவே ‘ஜீவாத்மா’. அறியாமை நீங்கி இந்த எல்லைகள் உடையும் போது, ஜீவாத்மாவும் பரமாத்மாவும் ஒன்றே என்ற அத்வைத உண்மை புலப்படும் என்று பாமதி பிரஸ்தானம் விளக்குவதாக மஹா பெரியவா /காஞ்சி சங்கராசார்யார் (1894-1994) குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளார். அத்வைத தத்துவ உலகிற்கு வாசஸ்பதி மிஸ்ரரின் ‘பாமதி’ உரை ஒரு மிகச்சிறந்த கொடை என்றும், இல்லறத்தில் இருந்துகொண்டே தியாக உணர்வோடு ஆன்மீகப் பணிக்குத் துணைநின்ற பாமதியின் பெருமைக்கு அது ஒரு சான்று என்றும் காஞ்சி ஆச்சார்யார் போற்றியுள்ளார்.
வாசஸ்பதி மிஸ்ரா எழுதிய நூல்கள்
1) நியாய கனிகா : This is a commentary on Vidhiviveka, a Bhāṭṭa Mīmāṃsā work of Maṇḍanamiśra.
2) நியாயசூத்ரோத்தாரா : This is a compilation of the Nyāyasūtra fixing the readings of the text of the sūtras.
3)நியாய சூஸிநிபந்த : This arranges the same Nyāyasūtra.
4) நியாயவார்த்திக்க தாத்பர்ய டீகா : This work also known by its shorter and more popular name, ‘tātparyaṭīkā’, is an extensive commentary on the Nyāyavārtikā of Uddyotakara Bhāradvāja.
5) தத்வஷமீக்க்ஷ : It is generally believed to be a commentary on the Brahmasiddhi of Maṇḍanamiśra. But it has been recently suggested that this is also an independent Mīmāṃsa treatise of Vācaspati Miśra. This work is lost.
6) தத்வ பிந்து : This is also an independent Bhāṭṭa Mīmāṃsa treatise of Vācaspati Miśra.
7) சாணக்யா தத்வ கெளமுதி : This work, known briefly as Tattvakaumudī, is a brilliant commentary on the famous Sāṅkhyakārikā of Īśvarakṛṣṇa.
8) யோக தத்வ வைசாரதி known also by its shorter title Tattvavaiśāradī: This work is a commentary on the Pātañjalayogasūtrabhāṣya of Vyāsa.
9) பாமதி: The full title of this work is perhaps Śārīrakabhāṣya bhāmatī. This is the earliest known exhaustive and complete commentary on the Brahmasūtraśāṅkara-bhāṣya.
It is interesting to note that in a verse in the epilogue of the Bhāmatī Vācaspati Miśra gives a full list of his own works arranged exactly in the above order suggested by the modern researchers. In the Indian tradition Vācaspati Miśra is again perhaps the first writer to give a complete list of his works, that too in a chronological order.
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வைதேஹி – சீதாதேவியின் பெயர்; ஜனகர் ஆண்ட விதேஹ நாட்டிலிருந்து வந்தவள் என்று பொருள்; விதேஹ என்றால் தேகத்தைப் பற்றிக் கவலைப்படாமல் ஆத்ம விடுதலையைப் பற்றி தியானம் செய்பவர் என்று பொருள் . மிதிலை எரிந்திட வேதப்பொருளை வினவும் மதி ஜனகன் மதி என்று பாரதியார் புகழந்ததிலிருந்து இதை அறியலாம்.
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வைகுண்டம்
விஷ்ணுவின் இருப்பிடம் ; லெட்சுமி தேவியுடன் வாசம் செய்யும் இடம் ; வானவியல் ரீதியில் இது மகர ராசியில் உள்ளது . சம்ஸ்க்ருத மொழியில் இதற்கு கவலை இல்லாத இடம் என்று பொருள்; வைகுண்டத்தை அடைவோருக்கு நித்திய ஆநந்தம், பேரானந்தம் இருக்கும்; பிறப்பு இறப்பு என்ற கவலையே இல்லை
இந்து சமய நூல்களில் பரமபதம், விஷ்ணு லோகம் என்றும் சொல்லுவார்கள் ;அங்கே தங்க மயமான கட்டிடங்களும் ரத்தின கற்களாளான கட்டிடங்களும் தொங்கும் தோட்டங்களும் இருப்பதாக புராணங்கள் வருணிக்கின்றன .
வைகுண்ட ஏகாதசி
மாதம் தோறும் இரண்டு முறை வரும் ஏகாதசி உண்ணாவிரத நாட்களில் மிகவும் சிறப்புடையது டிசம்பர் மாதம் வரும் வைகுண்ட ஏகாதசி ஆகும்; இதற்கு முக்கோடி ஏகாதசி என்ற பெயரும் உண்டு . 2026 ஆம் ஆண்டு டிசம்பர் 20 இது வருகிறது. மார்கழி மாதத்தில் வரும் இந்த ஏகாதசியில் நாள் முழுதும் பட்டினி கிடந்து இரவு முழுதும் விஷ்ணுவைப் பற்றி கதைகளை அல்லது பாடல்களைக் கேட்டு பெருமாள் கோவில்களில் பரமபத வாசல் திறந்தவுடன் உள்ளே சென்று பெருமாளைத் தரிசிப்பது வழக்கம்; அவ்வாறு செய்தால் பிறப்பு இறப்புச் சுழலிலிருந்து விடுதலை (மோக்ஷம்/ முக்தி) பெற்று வைகுண்டத்தை அடைவார்கள் என்பது நம்பிக்கை.
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வாஜசநேயி
வாஜசநேயி சம்ஹிதை , நான்கு வேதங்களில் ஒன்றான யஜுர் வேதத்தின் (சுக்ல யஜுர் வேதம்) மந்திரத் தொகுப்பாகும். சூரிய பகவான் குதிரை (வாஜி) வடிவம் எடுத்து யக்ஞவல்கிய முனிவருக்கு இந்த வேதத்தை உபதேசித்ததால், இதற்கு ‘வாஜசநேயி சம்ஹிதை’ என்ற பெயர் வந்தது. சமஸ்கிருதத்தில் ‘வாஜி’ என்றால் அன்னம் (உணவு) அல்லது குதிரை என்று பொருள். யக்ஞவல்கியர்: சூரிய தேவனை நோக்கித் தவம் புரிந்து, அவரிடமிருந்து நேரடியாகப் பெற்ற தூய்மையான வேதம் என்பதால் இது சுக்ல யஜுர் வேதம் (வெள்ளை யஜுர் வேதம்) என்றும் அழைக்கப்படுகிறது. வாஜசநேயி சம்ஹிதை இரண்டு முக்கிய கிளைகளாகப் (சாகாக்கள்) பிரிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது: மத்யந்தின சாகா (Madhyandina Recension): வட இந்தியாவில் மிகவும் பிரபலமானது. இதில் 40 அத்தியாயங்கள், 303 அனுவாகங்கள் மற்றும் 1975 மந்திரங்கள் உள்ளன.
காண்வ சாகா (Kanva Recension): தென்னிந்தியாவில் பரவலாகப் பின்பற்றப்படுகிறது. இதிலும் 40 அத்தியாயங்கள் இருந்தாலும், 2086 மந்திரங்கள் உள்ளன. யாகங்கள் மற்றும் சடங்குகள்: தர்சபூர்ணமாஸம் (அமாவாசை, பௌர்ணமி யாகங்கள்), அக்னிஹோத்திரம், சோமயாகம், வாஜபேயம், அஸ்வமேதம் மற்றும் புருஷமேதம் போன்ற பல்வேறு வேத கால யாகங்களை நடத்துவதற்கான மந்திரங்கள் இதில் விரிவாகக் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளன.
ஈசாவாஸ்ய உபநிடதம்: இந்த சம்ஹிதையின் இறுதி அத்தியாயமான 40-வது அத்தியாயம் உலகப் புகழ்பெற்ற ஈசாவாஸ்ய உபநிடதம் ஆகும். இது ஆன்மா, தியாகம் மற்றும் பிரம்ம ஞானத்தைப் பற்றிப் பேசும் மிக முக்கியமான வேதாந்தப் பகுதியாகும்.
ருத்ராஷ்டாத்யாயி: சிவபெருமானை வழிபடும் புகழ்பெற்ற ‘ஸ்ரீ ருத்ரம்’ (நமகம், சமகம்) மந்திரங்கள் இந்த சம்ஹிதையின் 16 மற்றும் 18-வது அத்தியாயங்களில் இடம்பெற்றுள்ளன.
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வஜ்ர
கடினமான என்பது இதன் பொருள்; இந்திரனின் ஆயுதம் இதுதான் ; தீய சக்திகளை அழிப்பதற்காக ததீசி முனிவர் தன்னுடைய முதுகெலும்பினைக் கொடுத்தார்; விஷ்வகர்மா அதிலிருந்து வஜ்ராயுதத்தை உருவாக்கி இந்திரனிடம் கொடுத்தார்
வைரம் என்னும் ரத்தினைக் கல்லுக்கும் இதே பெயர்; அது வஜ்ரம் என்னும் சொல்லின் மருவு ஆகும் ; பிராமணப் பெண்கள் பேசிய பிராகிருத மொழியிலிருந்து வந்தது ; வீட்டிலுள்ள பெண்களும் கீழ்மட்ட ஊழியர்களும் கொச்சையான சம்ஸ்க்ருதம் பேசுவர் ; இந்தப் பேச்சு வழக்கினை பிராகிருதம் என்பார்கள் ; காளிதாசன் நாடகங்களிலும் பெண்களும் வேலைக்காரர்களும் மீனவர்களும் பேசிய பிராகிருத வசனங்களைக் காணலாம் .
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வாக்கியபதீயம்
வாக்கியபதீயம் (Vakyapadiya) என்பது 5ஆம் நூற்றாண்டில் வாழ்ந்த இந்திய இலக்கண அறிஞரும் தத்துவஞானியுமான பர்த்ருஹரியால் (Bhartrihari) சமஸ்கிருத மொழியில் எழுதப்பட்ட ஒரு புகழ்பெற்ற நூலாகும். இது மொழியியல் தத்துவம் (Philosophy of Language) மற்றும் சமஸ்கிருத இலக்கணத்தின் (Vyakarana) அடிப்படைக் கோட்பாடுகளை விளக்கும் மிக முக்கியமானதொரு நூல் [இந்த நூலின் முக்கிய அம்சங்கள் :1. மூன்று பிரிவுகள் (திரிகாண்டீ – Trikandi)இந்நூல் மூன்று முக்கிய காண்டங்களாகப் பிரிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது: பிரம்ம காண்டம் (Brahma-kanda): இது மொழியின் ஆன்மீக மற்றும் பிரபஞ்சத் தன்மையை விளக்குகிறது. பிரம்மமும் மொழியும் எவ்வாறு ஒன்றோடொன்று தொடர்புடையவை என்பதை இது ஆராய்கிறது. 2.வாக்கிய காண்டம் (Vakya-kanda): இது வாக்கியங்களின் அமைப்பு, அதன் அர்த்தம் மற்றும் ஒரு வாக்கியம் எவ்வாறு முழுமையான பொருளைத் தருகிறது என்பதைப் பற்றி விவரிக்கிறது. 3.பத காண்டம் (Pada-kanda): இது சொற்கள், அவற்றின் இலக்கணக் கூறுகள், பெயர்ச்சொற்கள் மற்றும் வினைச்சொற்களின் பகுப்பாய்வு போன்றவற்றை விரிவாகக் கூறுகிறது.
ஸ்போட வாதம் (Sphota Theory)
பர்த்ருஹரியின் மிக முக்கியமான பங்களிப்பு ஸ்போட (Sphota) என்ற கோட்பாடு ஆகும். இதன்படி, நாம் கேட்கும் ஒலிகள் தனித்தனியாக இருந்தாலும், அவை நம் மனதில் ஒரு முழுமையான கருத்தையோ அல்லது அர்த்தத்தையோ திடீரெனத் தோற்றுவிக்கின்றன (Bursts of sound conveying meaning). ஒரு வாக்கியத்தின் உண்மையான அர்த்தம் அதன் தனித்தனி சொற்களைக் கூட்டுவதால் வருவதில்லை, மாறாக அது ஒட்டுமொத்தமாகவே மனதில் புலப்படுகிறது என்று அவர் வாதிடுகிறார். மொழியும் அறிவும் பர்த்ருஹரியின் கூற்றுப்படி, “உலகில் மொழி வடிவம் இல்லாத அறிவு என்று எதுவுமே இல்லை”. மனிதர்களின் அனைத்து எண்ணங்களும், உலகத்தைப் பற்றிய புரிதல்களும் மொழியின் மூலமாகவே கட்டமைக்கப்படுகின்றன என்பதை இந்நூல் ஆழமாக விளக்குகிறது.
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வலன் (वल).—(பலன் ) அசுரர்.
ரிக்வேதத்தில் இந்திரனால் கொல்லப்பட்ட அசுரர்களில் ஒருவன் . தேவர்களின் பசுக்களைத் திருடி குகைகளில் அடைத்துவைத்த இவனை இந்திரன் வஜ்ராயுதத்தால் கொன்றான் . இதற்கு தத்துவ விளக்கமும் உண்டு. உஷஸ் என்னும் ஒளி தேவதையை அசுரர் வலன் ஒளித்து வைக்கவே இந்திரன் அதை நீக்கினான்; வலன் பற்றி அரவிந்தர் கூறியதாவது- இறைவனை அடைய முடியாது மனிதர்களை தடுக்கும் இருள் என்னும் அறியாமைதான் வலன்.
வேதங்களை மொழி பெயர்த்த வெளிநாட்டினர் இதை இயற்கை நிகழ்ச்சி என்றே கருதுகின்றனர் ; பசுக்களை குகையில் ஒளித்துவைத்தான் வலன், என்று எண்ணற்ற இடங்களில் ரிக் வேதம் சொல்கிறது ; இதை பசுக்கள் என்று எடுத்துக்கொள்ளாமல், திருமூலர் பசுக்களை எப்படிக் கையாள்கிறாரோ அப்படி எடுத்துக்கொள்ள வேண்டும் என்பது அறிஞர்களின் கருத்து; பார்ப்பான் அகத்திலே பாற் பசு ஐந்துண்டு என்பது ஐந்து புலன்கள் என்று திரு மூலர் உவமிக்கிறார் . பத்ம புராண பூமி காண்டத்தில் இவனைப்பற்றிய கதை வருகிறது – வலன் , ஒரு நாள் கடற்கரையில் விளையாடிக்கொண்டிருந்ததைக் கண்ட இந்திரன் அவன் மீது வஜ்ராயுதம் என்னும் இடி மின்னலைப் பாய்ச்சி அவனை வீழ்த்தினான் .
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வால்மீகி கதை राम से बड़ा राम का नाम .
ராம் சே படா ராம் கா நாம்
“ராம் சே படா ராம் கா நாம்” (राम से बड़ा राम का नाम) என்பது புகழ்பெற்ற ஒரு இந்திப் பழமொழி ;. இதற்கு “ராமனை விட ராமனின் நாமமே (பெயரே) பெரியது” என்று பொருள்.இந்து மதக் கதைகளின்படி, இந்த வரிகளுக்குப் பின்னால் ஒரு சுவாரஸ்யமான பின்னணி உள்ளது:கடலைக் கடந்த அனுமன்: ராமபிரான் சீதையை மீட்பதற்காக இலங்கைக்குச் செல்ல கடலில் பாலம் கட்ட வேண்டியிருந்தது. அப்போது வானரங்கள் ‘ராம்’ என்ற திருநாமத்தை கல்லில் எழுதி தண்ணீரில் போட்டபோது, அந்தப் பாறைகள் நீரில் மிதந்தன. ஆனால், ராமரே ஒரு கல்லை எடுத்துப் போட்டபோது அது நீரில் மூழ்கியது. இதன் மூலம் ராமரின் சக்தியை விட அவரது பெயருக்கு அதிக சக்தி இருப்பது உலகிற்கு உணர்த்தப்பட்டது. ராமபிரானால் நேரடியாக சிலருக்கு மட்டுமே உதவ முடிந்தது. ஆனால், அவரது மறைவுக்குப் பிறகும் இன்று வரை கோடிக்கணக்கான பக்தர்கள் “ராம” நாமத்தை உச்சரிப்பதன் மூலம் தங்களின் இன்னல்களிலிருந்து விடுபட்டு அமைதி பெறுகிறார்கள்.
மிக முக்கியமான ஒரு விஷயம் ராமாயணத்திலேயே வருகிறது ;அதாவது வேடனாக வாழ்க்கை நடத்திய வால்மீகிக்கு ராம என்ற நாமத்தைச் சொல்ல தெரியவில்லை. மரா, மரா என்று நாரதர் உபதேசிக்கிறார் . அவன் முனிவர் ஆகி நமக்கு உலகப் புகழ்பெற்ற , காலத்தால் அழிக்க முடியாத ராமாயணத்தைக் கொடுத்தார் ; இதிலுள்ள மிகப்பெரிய உண்மை, ராமன் பிறப்பதற்கு முன்னரே ராம நாமம் துவங்கிவிட்டது பின்னர்தான் நமக்கு ராமாயணம் என்னும் நூல் கிடைத்தது ; இந்த சொல்லுக்கு உள்ள மந்திர சக்தியை வைத்தே வசிஷ்ட முனிவர் கெளசல்யா தேவியின் குழந்தைக்கு ராம என்ற நாமத்தைச் சூட்டினார்.
வால்மீகி மர்மம்
சங்க இலக்கியத்தில் மிகவும் பழைய பகுதி புறநானூறு. இதில் 358–ஆவது பாடலை இயற்றியவர் வால்மீகி (வன்மீகனார், வான்மீகனார் என்று எழுதப்பட்டுள்ளது). யார் இந்த வால்மீகி என்று தெரியாமலேயே இருந்தது. இவரும் உலகப் புகழ்பெற்ற ராமாயணப் புகழ் வால்மீகி போலவே தவத்தின் பெருமையைப் பாடி இருக்கிறார். துறவறமே பெரிது, இல்லறம் அதற்குப் பக்கத்தில் கூட வரமுடியாது. யார் வேண்டாம் என்று சொல்லி ஒதுங்குவார்களோ அவளிடம் தான் லெட்சுமி தேவி ஒட்டிக்கொள்வாள். யார் பற்று வைத்திருக்கிறார்களோ அவர்கள் மீது லெட்சுமி தேவிக்குப் பற்று இராது. உலகம் நிலயற்றது. ஒரே நாளில் ஏழு மன்னர்களைக் கண்டது இந்த உலகம் என்று தத்துவ விஷயங்களைக் கூறியுள்ளார். இவர் ராமாயண வால்மீகியாக இருக்கலாம் என்று கூட சில அறிஞர்கள் கருதினர். அனால் உண்மையில் வால்மீகி என்பது ஒரு கோத்திரப் பெயர்.
வால்மீகி கோத்திரத்தில் பிறந்த எல்லோரும் அப்பெயரைவைத்துக் கொள்ளமுடியும். இது போதாயன ஸ்ரௌத சூத்திரத்தில் உள்ளதை பி.எல்.பார்கவா எழுதிய ‘’புராணத்தில் வரலாற்றுச் செய்திகள்’’ என்ற நூலில் எழுதியிருக்கிறார். கீழே ஆங்கிலப் பகுதியில் இருப்பது அவருடைய வாசகம்:
The following note was copied by me on 5th May 2002 from the book ‘’Retrieval of History from Puranic Myths’’ by P.L.Bhargava (available at SOAS LiBrary, University of London):
Pravaradhyaya of the ancient Baudhayana Srauta Sutra (800 to 400 BC) mentions Valmiki as a Gotra in the Vatsa Paksha of the family of Bhrgu. This name thus could be borne by other persons of this gotra and this is proved by tha fact that we learn from the Taitriya Pratisakhya of a Phoenician Valmiki who was different from the famous poet Valmiki.’’
ராமாயணம் எழுதிய வால்மீகி கொள்ளைக்காரனாக இருந்து—முனிவராகவும், உலக மஹா கவிஞராகவும் மாறினார். அவர் ராம ராம என்று செபித்து தவம் செய்த காலத்தில் அவர் மீது புற்று வளர்ந்தது. கறையான் புற்றுக்கு வன்மீகம் என்று சம்ஸ்கிருதத்தில் பெயர். அதன் காரணமாக அவர் வால்மீகி என்று பெயர் பெற்றார். ஆனால் புறநானூற்று வால்மீகி அவர் பிறந்த குலம், கோத்திரம் காரணமாகப் பெயர் பெற்றார்.
பிற்காலத்தில் பல முனிவர்களும் சித்தர்களும் இதே பெயரில் இருந்து சித்தி அடைந்திருக்கிறார்கள். எட்டுகுடியில் ஒரு வால்மீகியின் சமாதி இருக்கிறது. அவர்கள் எழுதிய பாடல்களே அவர்களைப் பிற்காலத்தியவர் என்று காட்டிக் கொடுத்துவிடுகிறது. திருவாரூர், சங்கரன்கோவில், குடவாசல், திருவெற்றியூர், காஞ்சீபுரம் இப்படிப் பல கோவில்களில் வன்மீகநாதர் சந்நிதியும், திரு உருவங்களும் உண்டு. இவை எல்லாம் வன்மீகர் என்பது எவ்வளவு பொதுவாகப் புழங்கப்பட்ட பெயர்கள் என்பதற்குச் சான்று பகரும். ஒருவேளை ராமாயண வால்மீகியின் மீது அன்பு கொண்டு அவர் பெயரையே பலரும் சூட்டிக் கொண்டிருந்தாலும் ஆச்சரியப்படுவதற்கில்லை.
சோகம் மாறி ஸ்லோகம் பிறந்தது
வால்மீகி தன் இளமைப் பருவத்தில் ரத்னாகரர் என்ற பெயருடன் காடுகளில் வழிப்பறிக் கொள்ளை அடிக்கும் வாழ்க்கை வாழ்ந்தார்.
நாரதரின் கேள்வி: ஒருமுறை நாரத முனிவர் அங்கு வந்தார். அவரிடம் ரத்னாகரர் சிக்கினார். நாரதர் அவரிடம், “நீ செய்யும் பாவங்களுக்காக உன்னுடைய குடும்பத்தினர் உன்னுடன் பங்கு பெற்றுக்கொள்வார்களா?” என்று கேட்டார்.ரத்னாகரர் தன் மனைவியையும் குடும்பத்தினரையும் கேட்டபோது, “உன் பாவத்திற்கு நாங்க பொறுப்பல்ல” என்று அவர்கள் கூறினர். இதனால் மனம் மாறிய ரத்னாகரர் நாரதரின் காலில் விழுந்து மன்னிப்பு கேட்டார். நாரதர் அவருக்கு ‘ராம’ நாமத்தை உச்சரிக்க உபதேசித்தார். ரத்னாகரர் முழுமையான தியானத்தில் ஆழ்ந்து பல ஆண்டுகள் ராம நாமத்தை জபித்தார். அவரைச் சுற்றிலும் கறையான்கள் புற்று மூடிக்கொண்டன.மறுபிறப்பு: புற்றிலிருந்து (வால்மீகம் என்றால் புற்று) வெளிப்பட்டதால் அவர் ‘வால்மீகி’ என்று அழைக்கப்பட்டார்.
ஒருநாள் தமஸா நதிக்கரையில் குளிக்கச் சென்றபோது, வேடன் ஒருவன் அம்பால் வீழ்த்திய இணைப் பறவைகளில் ஒன்று வீழ்ந்து இறக்க, மற்றொரு பறவை துயரத்தால் அலறியதைக் கண்டார்.அந்தத் துயரம் வால்மீகியின் நாவில் ஒரு சாபக் கவிதையாக இசை வடிவில் வெளிப்பட்டது. அங்கு தோன்றிய பிரம்ம தேவன், ஸ்ரீராமரின் வரலாற்றை இராமாயணம் என்ற காவியமாக எழுதும்படியும் வால்மீகியை ஆசீர்வதித்தார்.உலகில் மலைகளும் நதிகளும் எதுவரைக்கும் இருக்குமோ அது வரைக்கும் ராமாயணக் கதை உலகங்களில் விளங்கப் போகிறது என்று ஆசீர்வதித்தார் பிரம்மா.
யாவத் ஸ்தாஸ்வந்தி கிரய: சரிதஸ்ச மஹீதலே I
தாவத் ராமாயணகதா லோகேஷு ப்ரசரிஷ்யதி II
– பால காண்டம் இரண்டாம் ஸர்க்கம், முப்பத்தியேழாம் ஸ்லோகம்
பூமி உள்ளவரை ராமாயணம் ஒலிக்கும்!!!
ராமாயணம் தோன்றக் காரணமாக அமைந்ததே ஒரு சிலேடை ஸ்லோகத்தால் தான்!
இனிமையான குரலுடைய இரண்டு க்ரௌஞ்ச பக்ஷிகளுடைய ஆண்,பெண் ஜோடியை குரூரங்களுக்கு இருப்பிடமான ஒரு வேடன் பார்த்தான்.அதில் ஆண் பறவையைக் கொன்றான்.பெண் பறவை கீழே தள்ளப்பட்டு பூமியில் புரளுகிற ரத்தத்தினால் பூசப்பட்ட சரீரமுடைய தன் ஜோடிப் பறவையைப் பார்த்து பரிதபிக்கத்தக்க புலம்பலைப் புலம்பிற்று. அந்தப் பறவையைப் பார்த்த தர்மாத்மாவான வால்மீகி முனிவருக்குக் கருணை உண்டாயிற்று. அவர் ‘இது அதர்மம்’ என்று ஒரு வசனத்தைக் கூறினார்:
மா நிஷாத ப்ரதிஷ்டாம் த்வமகம: ஷாஸ்வதீ: சமா:I
யத்க்ரௌஞ்சமிதுனாதேகமவதீ: காமமோஹிதம் II
– பால காண்டம் இரண்டாம் ஸர்க்கம், பதினான்காம் ஸ்லோகம்
நிஷாத – வேடா! க்ரௌஞ்சமிதுனா – க்ரௌஞ்ச மிதுனத்தில் காம மோஹிதம் – காமத்தால் மயங்கி இருந்த ஏகம் – ஒன்றை அவதீ: – கொன்றாய் தத் ஸ்வே – அதனால் நீ ஷாஸ்வதீ: – நீடித்த சமா -ஆண்டுகளில் ப்ரதிஷ்டாம் – இருப்பை மா அகம::-அடைய மாட்டாய்
இதைச் சற்று சிந்தித்த அவருக்கு இதே வசனத்திற்கு வேறு ஒரு பொருள் தோன்றியது!
மா நிஷாத ப்ரதிஷ்டாம் த்வமகம: ஷாஸ்வதீ: சமா:I
யத்க்ரௌஞ்சமிதுனாதேகமவதீ: காமமோஹிதம் II
– பால காண்டம் இரண்டாம் ஸர்க்கம், பதினான்காம் ஸ்லோகம்
ஆக இந்த ஸ்லோகமே இரு அர்த்தம் கொண்ட ச்லேடை ஸ்லோகமாக ஆனது!
சற்று சிந்தித்த அவருக்கு ஒரு அதிசயம் விளங்கியது!
பாதபத்தோக்ஷரசமஸ்தந்த்ரிலயசமன்வித: I
ஷோகார்தஸ்ய ப்ரவ்ருத்தோ மே ஸ்லோகோ பவது நான்யதா II
– பால காண்டம் இரண்டாம் ஸர்க்கம், பதினேழாம் ஸ்லோகம்
சோகார்தஸ்ய – சோகத்தால் பீடிக்கப்பட்ட மே – என்னிடமிருந்து ப்ரவ்ருத்த – உண்டானதும் பாதபத்த: – பாதங்களோடமைந்த அக்ஷரசம: – எழுத்தொத்த தந்த்ரிலயசமன்வித: – வீணைத் தந்தியில் தாள லயத்தோடு கூடினது ஸ்லோக: – ஸ்லோகம் என்ற பெயர் உடையதாகவே பவது – இருக்கட்டும் அன்யதா ந – வேறு விதமாக இல்லை.
தானே தாள லயத்துடனும் அற்புதமான அர்த்தத்துடனும், பொருத்தமான சந்தத்துடனும் அமைந்த அந்தச் செய்யுளுக்கு ஸ்லோகம் என்று அவர் பெயர் தந்தார். இப்படியாகத் தான் சங்கீத லயமும் அர்த்தமும் சந்தமும் உள்ள ராமாயணம் உதயமாயிற்று!
Tags- வாசஸ்பதி மிஸ்ரா, பாமதி, .HINDU DICTIONARY IN ENGLISH AND TAMIL , இந்து மத கலைச்சொல் அகராதி-114,வால்மீகி கதை
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Purananuru wonders-64; Tamil Encyclopaedia 104, One Thousand Interesting Facts -Part 104
CAMEL FAIR IN PUSHKAR, RAJASTHAN.
Item 892
Next let us look at the wonders in SIRU PANATRUPPADAI (siru paan aatruppadai); it is one of the ten idylls (Paththup Paattu), part of Tamil Sangam Literature that is 2000 years old.
Poem was written by Nallur Naththathanaar; Lines 269.
Subject – a bard is guided by another bard to the town of Nalliakodan for getting gifts.
Here are the wonders or unique things from this book:
Mahabharata’s Bhima is mentioned because of his skill in cooking;
Ramayana’s Lanka is mentioned along with Mavilanka, a small town;
For the first time all the Last Seven Philanthropists listed together;
For the first time camel is mentioned;
New dream miracle reported-Nalliayakkodan’s dream of Lord Muruga led to his victory;
Doors of kings always open to Brahmins, Poets and Bards
Monkeys are kept by salt vendors, as their own children;
New type of Anthathi is used; word- word Anthathi;
Naga mystery continues with Puram verse of Perun Chitran;
Madurai city’s link with Tamil language reconfirmed;
Tamil’s belief in Moon devoured by Snake during eclipse is repeated;
Boy soldiers, Laughing Ghouls, usual description of Body Parts of Woman from Head to Foot is also found;
Great three Cities of Chera, Pandya and Choza kings are portrayed.
***
Item 893- Atharvana Veda Echo-Tamil Line one
Foreigners called earth as Fatherland where male dominance and male chauvinism is seen.
Hindus are the one who called the earth MOTHER EARTH. We see it in the most famous Ode to Earth in the Atharvana Veda. The hymn is called Bhumi Sukta or Prithvi Sukta.
Here the poet in the very first line said Mother Earth. Hindus named all the rivers after women; Hindus named all the good virtues after women.
***
Item 894- Word Anthathi – lines 21, 22
Anthathi is a Sanskrit word that means End- Beginning.
The last word of the previous line or previous stanza will be the beginning of the next line.
Elsewhere in Sangam poems we see Anthaathi just in few lines.
In the devotional poems of middle Ages of Tamil literature we see 100 stanzas anthathi hymns.
Here in lines 21, 22 we see words used twice consequently.
***
Item 895-MullaiFlower linked to Chastity
Strange custom of Tamils is linking MULLAI flowers with chastity; Mullai is a kind of Jasmine.
Here poet links Mullai flowers with virtuous woman. We see it in other Sangam Poems as well;
Narrinai- 142;Akananuru – 274;
***
Item 896- monkeys as pets- lines 56-61
Poet Naththathhanar depicts an interesting scene of a female monkey playing with the rattle. Salt vendors keep monkeys as pets. They are treated like their own sons or daughters, says the poet. The rattle that is used by the monkey, we can guess,it is from one of the babies of the salt vendor.
***
Item 897- Madurai -seat of Tamil Sangam- lines 66-67
We know that at least forty poets are from Madurai city in Tamil Sangam poetry, much higher than other towns. That is a proof for Third Tamil Academy located in Madurai. Here poet confirms Tamil Link with Madurai.
Poet described the lotus as DIVINE LOTUS. Hindus only knew the reason.
All the Hindu goddesses, especially Lakshmi and Sarasvati, Gods Brahma and Vishnu, are associated with lotus flower. India also declared it as the National Flower of India.
திருமுகம் அவிழ்ந்த தெய்வத் தாமரை,
***
Item 899-Strange link between Lord Shiva and Choza Kings! Lines 81-82
Throughout Tamil devotional poems Lord Shiva is praised for destroying three hanging fortresses of Demons/Asuras by laughing; I always described it as the destruction of Three space stations in the sky by laser rays from Shiva’s third eye. But why the poet linked it with a Choza king is not explained properly. We know that Chozas migrated from North West India where Sibi race ruled once upon a time; Here also poet called the Choza as SEMBIAN which is derived from Sanskrit SIBI=SAIBHYA=SEMBIYA.
The connection between Lod Shiva and Choza needs more explanation, which is lacking in the commentaries. Both are depicted as destroying Three Hanging Castles!
Here we get details of seven great chieftains who were famous for their munificence, generosity, compassion and love towards animals.
Bekan gave his clothes to a peacock (thinking that it is shivering in cold);
Pari (paari) gave his chariot to a Mullai (jasminium) creeper for support (thinking that it is struggling without a post to climb)
Kari (kaari) gifted horses (to bards);
Ay Andiran gave a rare cloth given by snake Neela Naagam to Lord Siva under Banyan Tree;
(I have some comments ;see below)
Athikan (Athiyamaan Anji) gave a rare black gooseberry (which lengthens life) to poetess Avvai;
Nalli donated lot of wealth (as charity);
Ori gave lands to dancers and singers;
This is the first reference to Seven generous men together grouped as the Great Seven
From this we know this poet lived later than many Sangam poets who praised the seven people separately.
Probably a gap of 200 years.
My comments :
Neela naakam is not a snake; it may be the name of a Naga leader who weaves very fine cloths.
***
Item 901- Ramayana Lanka and New Maavilanka- lines 110-120
Capital of chieftain Nalliyakkodan was Maavilanka
Poet says his town is Maavi Lanka which is similar to the old and famous Lanka (of Ravana).
Hindus of Tamil Nadu were well versed in Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata (we are going to see Bhima soon)
***
Item 902-OVIYAR clan is Mysterious Naga Clan
Oviyar in today’s Tamil is a painter; but in the poem he is a man from Naga clan; we have about 20 Naga poets in Sangam corpus; they may be from North India or Sri Lanka; Ceylon/Sri Lanka was a Naga Island. We have Naga names in Mahavamsa and Gupta inscriptions. So their origin is still an unsolved mystery. OVIYAR hear meant who has Snake tattoos on their bodies. Puram 176 where this chieftain is praised is also a Naga poet. We have another poet named Perun Chitran in Purananuru. He used same words in his poem; Perum Chitran is Maha Chitran meaning Great Painter; it means he is also a poet with big snake tattoo on his body or a great Naga clan leader. In short Oviyar is misunderstood and misinterpreted. Neela Naakam is also a Naga Chief (see seven Generous Men above)
Last but not the least , Nalliya KODAN is similar to great snake KAARKODAN in Sanskrit books. Karkodan is also depicted as man and snake.
***
Item 903- CAMEL! in Tamil literature! Line 154
For the first time Sangam Age, Tamils hear about camel in this poem; Tamils must have already seen it, because the poet used it as a simile. It is compared to the woods washed by the waves; the logs lying on the sea shore looked like the back of a sleeping camel.
Sanskrit word Ushta for camel is changed to Ottakam in Tamil. It is a desert animal found in Rajasthan deserts. So, Tamils must have imported them from Rajasthan.
to be continued………….
Tags. Purananuru wonders-64; Tamil Encyclopaedia 104, One Thousand Interesting Facts -Part 104 , item 903, camel, Ramayana Lanka, Naga Mystery
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Mlechas=Barbarians
Purananuru wonders-63; Tamil Encyclopaedia 103, One Thousand Interesting Facts -Part 103
Mullaippattu (mullaippaattu) is one of the Ten Idylls called Paththuppaattu; these ten books are part of 2000 year old Sangam Tamil literature. It has 103 lines and the author is Napputhan.
Mullaipattu means jungle idyll; Mullai means the landscape of forest area. Mullai is also the kind of jasmine flower found there. According to Tamil convention, separation (temporary) of husband and wife is discussed. This element is contained in lines 1-28 and 104-127. Some scholars think it is about Pandya king Neduncheziyan and others think it is about one of the Chief commanders who went out to take part in a battle.
First let me list the wonders in the book.
***
Item 882- List of Wonders
Milechca and Yavana are mentioned. Sanskrit word Milechcha is used for the first time. Yavana is found in other books as well.
Asareeri , word from sky or voice from some unknown source is in the book.
Use of Hour Glass by ancient Tamils found in the book.
Seven storey mansion shows ancient aechitecture.
Lakshmi, Vishnu and his Vamana/Trivikrama Avatar is in the very beginning of the work.
Elephant training and Sanskrit instructions to it are mentioned.
Tri Dhandi saint is also mentioned , which is in Kalittokai as well.
Other similes and matters referred to are in other Sangam books as well. Nothing special
***
Item 883 -Lakshmi and Vishnu
Tolkappiam (kaappiyam) mentioned Vishnu (maayon) as the god of Mullai area. So the poet begins the poem mentioning Vishnu with wheel and disc in his hands along with Lakshmi. He is in the form of one who measured the expanse of earth. This is about Vamana cum Tri Vikrama Avatar of Vishnu. Among the ten Avatars (incarnations of Vishnu) this is the one mentioned by all the Vaishnavite poets. Even Tiru Valluvar (Kural 610) could not miss it. It is mentioned from Rig Veda to Alvar hymns.
***
Item 884- Strong belief in Omens- Lines 12-23
When the woman who was temporarily separated from her husband was distressed; old women who are soothsayers go out with rice and flowers for praying. At the time a cowherd woman was telling the distressed calves that your mother (cows) will return soon. Having heard this the old women report it to separated woman her husband would return soon. The worry of any woman whose husband is a soldier, or a commander or king is the safe return from the battlefield. So the cowherd’s words to the calves are taken as good omen. This type of good or bad words coming from unknown or unexpected source is called Asareeri- without body/human being)- voice. Hindu scriptures down to Tamil Periya Puranam and Tiru Vilayadam Puranam have anecdotes saying “a voice from the heaven said X Y Z”. we have no such report from other cultures. This is typically Hindu.
Tamil word used by the poet is Vaay Pul= Mouth Bird/Sakunam; sakunam is omen coming from Sanskrit word for bird.
Flight of birds is used as good or bad omen by the Hindus until this day. Though Romans used it 2000 years ago they don’t use it anymore. Tamil Panchangams (almanacs) have it in the first few pages.
***
Item 885- Sanskrit language to train Elephants- lines 29-36
We have Asva Shastra (Horse Manuals) and Gaja Shastra (Elephant Manuals) only in Sanskrit. Ancient Tamils mastered it or Sanskrit knowing people are invited from North India to train the elephants. Here the poet mentioned it and added what was given to elephants. We know it is usually fed with sugarcane, certain types of grass, rice, ghee etc. but here the poet added liquorice with it. Regarding elephants trained by Aryans (Sanskrit knowing people from North India) is mentioned in Akam. Verse 276 and Malaipadukadam poem.
In the other parts of the world, we get a stronger proof. Kikkuli’s horse manual dated 1350 BCE in the cuneiform clay tablets from Turkey has Sanskrit instructions in the horse training. Moreover the very name of Turkey is derived from Sanskrit word Turaga for horse.
***
Item 886 -Tri Dhandi- Brahmins/sages
Vaishnavite sages or saints carry triple staff unlike other Saivite Sankaracharyas. Here the poet, while describing the army camp, compared it to the Triple Staff covered with saffron coloured cloth.
Triple staff= Tri Dhanda= Muk Kol in Tamil= three wooden sticks are tied together and carried by the Vaishnavite ascetics. They are supposed to have purity in Thought, Word and Deed; in Sanskrit it is called Mano, Vak, Kaya purity. That is repeated 1000 times in Hindu scriptures. Kalittokai also has two mentions of Tri Dhandi.
***
Mlechas= barbarians.
Item 887- lines – girls in Army Camps- lines 45-49
Ancient heroines are introduced here by the poet. They protected the army camps with swords in their hands. They filled oil in oil lamps which converted the night to daytime. Their belts, their hair style etc are also described. We get more details of the Yavana Lamps, that is statues of women holding lamps in their hands, from another idyll called Nedu Nal Vaadai (lines 101-103). They are called Yavana lamps. The girls doing army camp duty were Hindu girls, because their bangles are also mentioned. Girls accompanying kings to the battlefield are mentioned in Kalidasa’s Sakuntalam play as well.
***
Item 888-use of Water clock- lines 55-58
Water clock is coined as Kuru Neerk Kannal in Tamil. Unlike other parts of the world where sand was used, ancient Hindus used water in a bowl. They announced time for the public by ringing the bell; they also wished kings great victory ; we see all positive messages. Water clock is portrayed in Akam verse 43.
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Item 889- Yavana constructions in the Army Camps- lines 59-63
While describing the Yavanas who set up camps and decorate them with tiger pendants poet portrayed their appearance:
These men are armed with whips and there were harsh, they wore bulging dress, their limbs were strong and they had fierce appearance.
Tamils did not have contacts with Greeks, but Roman contacts are confirmed by enormous coin hoards found throughout India and cross references by Roman writers. Yavanas are referred to in Ramayana and Mahabharata too. It is a confusing term because the term was used for Greeks, Romans and Arabs in course of time. Probably people coming via North West India or by sea were referred to. Elsewhere their gold, their wine and special type of lamps are praised, but their disgusting habits are criticised. Pathiruppathu says how Chera king treated them as criminals and punished.
***
Item 890 -Mlechas-line 66
We have only one reference in the whole Tamil literature for Milechchar.
Poet says they were working as guards. They could not speak and they used only gestures.
The same description is in Sanskrit books as well.
Very important point is no community of India is dubbed as Mlechas. It is about foreign barbarians. Bharatiyar made it very clear in his poems
Mleccha (म्लेच्छ) refers to “persons whose language is not intelligible”. The word is used throughout Dharmaśāstra literature such as the Manusmṛti. ( see the Manubhāṣya verse 7.149)
It makes it clear they spoke a foreign language. All other books show him as barbarians who did not follow Hindu customs.
Mleccha (म्लेच्छ).—A tribe of people of ancient India. This tribe was born from the tail of the celestial cow Nandinī, kept by Vasiṣṭha for sacrificial purposes when there was a fight between Viśvāmitra and Vasiṣṭha. Mahābhārata gives the following information regarding them.
The mlecchas who sprang up from the tail of the celestial cow Nandinī sent the army of Viśvāmitra flying in terror. (Śloka 38, Chapter 174, Ādi Parva). (See full article at Story of Mleccha from the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani)
Mleccha is used for one who is impure, dirty or uncultured. It is derived from the root mlich~mlech, meaning to speak indistinctly .
Mleccha (म्लेच्छ) were wild ferocious tribes whose acts of violence caused vast devastations and destructions, struck terror in the social life of the country. They are said to have been repulsed and destroyed by lord Śiva.
Mleccha.—(EI 22), name applied to the Muhammadans and other foreigners; cf. Mleccheśvara (EI 32). Note: mleccha is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions
Mleccha (म्लेच्छ).—m.
(-cchaḥ) 1. The generic term for a barbarian or foreigner; that is, for one speaking any language but Sanskrit, and not subject to the usual Hindu institutions. 2. A sinner, a criminal. 3. Indistinct or barbarous speech. E. mlecch to speak inarticulately, aff. ghañ .
In later Tamil poems Muslims were called Mlechas.
Greatest of the modern age Tamil poets, Subramanya Bharatiyar use it for Anti Hindu Muslims.
மகாகவி சுப்பிரமணிய பாரதியார் தனது பாடல்களில் “மிலேச்சர்” என்ற சொல்லைப் பயன்படுத்தியுள்ளார். பண்டைய தமிழ் மற்றும் சமஸ்கிருத இலக்கியங்களில், வேற்று நாட்டவர்கள் அல்லது அந்நியர்களைக் குறிக்க ‘மிலேச்சர்’ என்ற சொல் பயன்படுத்தப்பட்டது.
பாரதியின் பாடல்களில் இச்சொல் இடம்பெறும் முக்கிய இடங்கள்:
பாரத மாதா நவரத்தின மாலை: பாரதியார் தனது “பாரத மாதா நவரத்தின மாலை” என்ற பாடலில், பாரத தேவியின் பெருமைகளைப் பாடும்போது பின்வருமாறு குறிப்பிடுகிறார்:
“வேத நூல் பழிக்கும் வெளித்திசை மிலேச்சர் பாதமும் பொறுப்பளோ பாரத தேவி?” (இதன் பொருள்: நமது நாட்டின் வேதங்களையும் பண்பாட்டையும் பழிக்கும் அந்நியர்களின் ஆதிக்கத்தை அல்லது அவர்களின் பாதங்களை பாரத மாதா பொறுத்துக் கொள்ள மாட்டாள் என்பதாகும்).
***
சத்ரபதி சிவாஜி தனது சைனியத்திற்கு உரைத்தது: சிவாஜியின் வீர வரலாற்றைப் பாடும் “சத்ரபதி சிவாஜி” என்ற பாடலில், மிலேச்சர்களின் (அந்நிய ஆட்சியாளர்களின்) கொடுங்கோன்மையை வீழ்த்தியதை பாரதி விவரிக்கிறார்:
“வீரர் வாழ்த்த மிலேச்சர் தம் தீயகோல் வீழ்த்தி வென்ற சிவாஜியின் வெற்றியும்…”
***
Item 891- Very Tall Buildings- line 86- Copied Kalidasa?
Here the woman or the queen is shown as living in a seven storied mansion.
Though the poem is about forest landscape we have to Imagin a town with tall buildings .
In Tamil the word seven and eight can be interpreted differently.
Eight is EN in Tamil which means number as well; in the same way EZU means constructed, erected as well.
But it means a tall building in this poem.
When we look at other descriptions such as windows, gates that allow free flow of wind etc we can conclude tall buildings existed in ancient Tamil Nadu.
Copied from Kalidasa?
In the Meghaduta, Kalidasa beautifully compares passing monsoon clouds to the magnificent seven-storied palaces (Saptabhumi) of the ancient, wealthy city of Ujjain (his presumed home). According to traditional Indian architectural treaties like the Manasara, a saptabhumi is a majestic seven-tiered structure featuring elaborate pavilions, balconies, and intricate pillars.
Naulakha Palace (Bihar): A historic seven-storeyed old palace structure located in Rajnagar, Madhubani. It holds significant local history linked to a shrine where the goddess Durga is traditionally said to have blessed Kalidasa with his legendary poetic genius.
To be continued……………………………..
Tags- Mlechcha and Yavana, Purananuru wonders-63, Tamil Encyclopaedia 103, One Thousand Interesting Facts -Part 103 , Elephant language, Seven Storied building, Asareeri, voice from sky, barbarian, Tridhandi, Three staff, Mukkol
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
PART 106
T words continued……………..
Turvasu
Younger son of Yayati and Devayani. Like his elder brother Yadu, he too declined to exchange his youth for his father’s pre mature old age caused by the curse of Shukracharya. For not obeying him, Yayati cursed that his descendants would rule over sinful population and would be annihilated completely.
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Twashta
A virtuous Brahmana who created a three headed son called Vishwaroopa who was killed by Indra out of envy. Twashta then created another son Vritrasura to take revenge against Indra. That Brahmin was also killed by Indra; because he killed a Brahmin, Indra went to many shrines for purification which is in Sanskrit Puranas and Tamil Temple Puranas called Sthala Puranas (sthala= holy spot). Vritrasura has another interpretation; it is the drought which Indra/rain killed.
This episode exposes foreign “scholars” who hide that Vritra was a Brahmin or completely ignore this incident as it had not happened. The same “scholars” create mountain out of a mole in the episode of Krishna denying food meant for Indra in the Govardhana Hill Lifting Episode.
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Tyagaraja (1767-1847)
Great musician and composer who was born in Tiruvarur in Tamil Nadu. His Kritis/compositions in Telugu and Sanskrit are sung in all Carnatic Music Concerts until this day. His compositions are mostly on Lord Rama. He is regarded as one of the “trinities” of Carnatic music composers, along with Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri. He was a devotee of Rama. Tyagaraja started his musical training under Sri Sonti Venkataramanayya at an early age. He started his musical career at the age of 13. His Samadhi is in Thiruvaiyaru in Tamil Nadu. To this day, a commemorative music festival called the Tyagaraja Aaradhana is held at Thiruvaiyaru in the months of January to February every year. Scholars and musicians generally agree that roughly 700 to 730 songs have survived and are sung or documented today. Legend suggests Tyagaraja composed 24,000 songs (matching the number of verses in the Valmiki Ramayana). He is believed to have recited the Rama Nama 96 crore (960 million) times. Saint Tyagaraja experienced visions of Lord Rama through his intense devotion, spiritual penance, and musical compositions.
Gems from Tyagaraja:
Pancharatna Kritis: The “Five Gems” set in master Ghana ragas (Nata, Arabhi, Varali, Sri, and Gowla) stand as monumental pillars of Carnatic composition. Musical Operas: He wrote groundbreaking narrative works like [Prahlada Bhakti Vijayam and Nauka Charitram] using a rich sequence of ragas. He composed accessible, choral, and devotional pieces meant for group singing and daily temple rituals. He pioneered anagata eduppu, writing songs where the lyrics start dynamically after the primary beat (sama) rather than directly on it. The Jagadanandakaraka kriti by Saint Tyagaraja contains 108 names of Lord Rama. Historical accounts and traditions state that Tyagaraja and Syama Sastri met. Syama Sastri was the oldest of the Trinity of Carnatic music. He often travelled to Thiruvaiyaru to visit Tyagaraja at his home, and the two masters discussed music and sang together. Syama Sastri also sent his son, Subbaraya Sastri, to study music under Tyagaraja. He explicitly signed his name—usually as “Tyagaraja” or variants like “Tyagarajuni”—typically in the final charanam (stanza) of his compositions
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Tulsi
Most scared plant for Vaishnavites like Bilva (vilvam in Tamil) for Saivites.
Tulsi [तुलसी] in the Hindi language is the name of a plant identified with Ocimum tenuiflorum from the Lamiaceae (Mint) family. It is kept in a raised place called Mandap at the back of the house in open space. Hindus, particularly women worship it every day. The plant has good medicinal properties. Krishna is said to have great respect for this plant. There are many stories to show how Krishna valued it. Tulasi is also referred to as Vrinda, Brinda. The forested area of Tulasi plants where Krishna grew up has for this reason been called V/Brindavan. Tulsi refers to the plant basil.
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Tulsi Vivah
Tulasi Vivah festival is usually observed on the 11th Day after the Full Moon of the bright fortnight of the month of Karthika. Vivah means wedding, marriage.
Women clean the area around the Tulasi plant or place the pot on a decorated rangoli base. They construct a small wedding canopy (mandap) using sugarcane stalks, banana leaves, and marigold flowers. Tulasi plant is the Bride; women bathe the Tulasi plant and drape a red or yellow sari or red cloth around it. Adorn the plant with vermilion (kumkum), turmeric (haldi), bangles, and ornaments. Bridegroom is Vishnu and he is represented by a Shaligram (fossil with marks like Vishnu Chakra/wheel). So, a shaligram stone (representing Lord Vishnu) or an idol of Lord Krishna/Vishnu is placed next to the plant, dressing the idol in traditional yellow garments and a crown. After lighting oil lamps and incense sticks, Lord Ganesha is invoked to remove obstacles before starting the main worship. The Union: Tie a sacred cotton thread (mauli) or garland between the Tulasi plant and the Shaligram/Vishnu idol to symbolize the marital knot. Family members act as parents to perform the symbolic Kanyadaan (giving away the bride) while priests or participants chant Vedic mantras and wedding hymns. Shower flowers and vermilion-mixed rice over the divine couple, perform the Mangal Aarti, and offer seasonal fruits, sweets, and jaggery as bhog before distributing prasad to family and friends. They celebrate it to quicken the marriages in the family. It signals the official opening of the auspicious Hindu wedding season.
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Tulsidhas
Goswami Tulsidas composed the epic poem Ramcharitmanas in the 16th century to retell the sacred story of Lord Rama in the vernacular Awadhi dialect of Hindi language. Goswami Tulsidas (1543?–1623), was a poet-saint and devoted follower of Rama. He spread bhakti movement across northern India by bringing the ancient story into the hearts and daily lives of ordinary households. Ramcharitmanas (Devanagari: रामचरितमानस rāmacaritamānasa), is an epic poem in seven cantos.The word Ramcharitmanas literally means “Lake of the deeds of Rama”. It is considered one of the greatest works of Hindu literature. Most scholars identify his birthplace as Rajapur, a village on the banks of the Yamuna River in the Chitrakoot district of Uttar Pradesh . He died in Varanasi (specifically near Assi Ghat), Uttar Pradesh, India
The ‘Hanuman Chalisa was composed by the saint; the hymn is a timeless ode recited by millions of Hindus every day. It is believed that an ailing Tulsidas composed it and helped Tulsidas regain his health. It has 40 verses.
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Tolkappiar and Tolkappiam (kaappiyam)
Tolkappiyam (or Tolkaappiam) is the most ancient extant Tamil grammar text and the oldest surviving Tamil book. Authored by the sage Tolkaappiyar, it serves not only as a comprehensive manual on linguistics but also as a unique guide to the social, cultural life of ancient Tamil Nadu. The text is composed of approximately 1,612 condensed aphoristic verses called Sutras. It is systematically divided into three major sections (adhikarams), each containing exactly nine chapters: Ezhuthadhikaram (Phonology and Orthography). Solladhikaram (Morphology and Syntax), Poruladhikaram splits literature and life into two distinct categories:Akam (Interior): Deals with the subjective emotions of love, courtship, and marital life. Puram (Exterior): Focuses on objective public virtues, heroism, governance, social conduct, and warfare.
Controversies
The exact age remains a subject of heavy debate among scholars. Traditional views tie it to the mythical Second Sangam period (ranging from 1st millennium BCE or earlier), while modern consensus places its earliest layers between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century BCE, with updates settling around the 5th century CE. But the last section called Porul Adhikaram is a alter addition.
The Author: Tradition identifies Tolkappiyar as one of the twelve core disciples of the legendary Sage Agastya.. Only two things are known about the book and the author. The Paayiram (Intro) says it was approved by a Brahmin teacher of Athankodu who was well versed in Four Vedas. Paayiram was composed by his classmate Panamparanaar. Next information comes from most famous Tamil commentator Nacchinarkiniyar of Madurai, a Brahmin of Bharadvaja Gotra. He says Tolkappiar’s name was Trunadumagni Rishi and he clashed with his Guru Agastya and was cursed by him. In turn Tolkappiar also cursed him and his grammar Agastyam disappeared because of this. The clash was on a stupid matter. Agastya asked his disciple Tolkappiar to bring his wife Lopamudra (both names are in the last section of Rig Veda) from Vidharba in modern Madhya Pradesh. When they approached Madurai, river Vaigai was in floods. Just to cross the river safely Tolkappiar took a pole and asked Lopamudra to hold one end of the pole. Tolkappiar brought her safely across the river by holding the other end. When Agastya came to know about it he was angry and cursed him.
If one believes in this story ,it is a proof that Tamil existed at the time of Rig Veda.
Controversy about the book
Tolkappiar and modern version of Tolkappaim (his book) existed in different times. The modern version is from Fifth Century CE which is proved by the word Adhikaaram; this word is used throughout Tirukkural and Tamil epic SilappaDIKAARAM. So, we can conclude all these books were reacted at the same time by Tamil Academy (Sanagam or by a team of Tamil Scholars.
The book is not the original version is known by his expressions, ‘They say’, ‘It is said’ by at least 300 times. This journalistic cliché shows it is a compilation and not his original.
Strangely, Tolkappiam mentioned Vedic Gods Indra and Varuna as Tamil Gods. Thouh, he mentioned Vishnu, Skanda/Muruga, Kali/Kotravai, Balarama etc. he never mentioned Lord Siva!
Other facts like Tolkappiar using Manu Smriti’s Eight Types of Marriages and Bharata Muni’s Eight Types of Sentiments or moods, reference to Vedic pronunciation etc show the book was compiled later. No reference to book or the author is in 2000 year old Sangam Literature. Some contents of Tolkappiam may be older than Sangam literature. Even the word KAAPPIYA in the name of the book and the name of the author is still debated without an agreeable solution. Kaappiya is the name of the most famous Gotra in the Rig Veda. Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita also praised the Usanas Rishi of Kappiya Gotra. Words like Kavi, Kavithai, Kaavya (poet, poem) are derived from the mysterious poet of Rig Veda Ucanas Kavi.
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Tiruvasagam
Saivite hymn authored by mysterious saint Manikavasagar (maanikka vaasagar); his date is still debated; why he was not included in the great list of 63 Saivite Saints, absence of his reference to other three Tevara Moovar, vice versa the absence of their reference to Manikavasagar etc remain unsolved mysteries in Tamil Devotional literature. But his superb hymns, 658 verses under 51 chapters (3295 lines), will move anyone. Even Reverend Dr G U Pope who came to spread Christianity in Tamil Nadu was so moved that he spent his life in Translating this hymn, and Tirukkural and other ancient Tamil poem. Author Manikavasagar’s life was full of clashes with the Pandya king and the Buddhist scholars from Sri Lanka. My long research placed him before the time of Tevara Moovar. He must have lived around fifth century CE.
His hymns, full of compassion, on Lord Shiva are sung in Mohana Raga. It is said that even stones will melt when one sings his hymns.
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Tirumurai – Please see Tevaram
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Tiru mular and Tiru Manthiram
Great Saivite saint. He is one of the 63 Nayanamars (naayanmaaras) sung in Periya Puranam and one of the 18 Siddhas (Tamil Mystics). His work TIRUMANTHIRAM in Tamil consists of 3000 poems dealing with Saiva Siddhanta, Sakta and Vedanta- a rare combination. The contents of the book dealing with Devi, Tantras, Mantras and Yantras, reference to Siva Linga (which is absent in Tevaram & Tiruvasagam etc), and his Non-Tamil expressions, his style, use of Sanskrit words – all place him in 8th or ninth century CE. He travelled from Kashmir and saw a dead body of a cow herd and the cows longing for him. Immediately he used one of the Eight Mystic Powers called Ashta Maa Siddhi, and entered the body of the cowherd to the delight of the cows. This happened in Aaduthurai in Tamil Nadu. The samadhi of the saint is located within the ancient temple in Thiruvavaduthurai, Tamil Nadu
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Tiru Valluvar and Tirukkural
london swaminathan with Valluvar statue in London University.
The most famous poet of Tamil Nadu who authored TIRUKKURAL which consists of 1330 couplets dealing with Dharma Artha Kama (Virtue, Wealth and Sex). In the contents he also deals with asceticism and Moksha (liberation of soul). He was a staunch Hindu and summarised all the Hindu thoughts in the briefest poems called Kural. His reference to Hindu Gods Indra, Yama, Vamana Avatar, Krishna Avatar, Lakshmi, her elder siter, Brahma, Siva (indirectly) show him as a master of Hindu scriptures. His knowledge in Sanskrit is also evident in his indirect references to BhagavadGita, Manu smriti, Artha Shastra and Pancha Tantra. In addition to reference to Hindu Gods, he ued Sanskrit words in about 600 couplets out of 1330. Tiru Valluvar was a staunch supporter Vegetarianism
Tamils placed his book in the post Sangam group of 18 Minor poems. He belonged to Fifth Century CE, but Tamil fanatics gave him a new date 31 BCE to shut the mouth of Christians who started comparing his couplets with Bible. Hundred year old Tirukkural books show him as a man born to high and low class woman and man with six siblings. Modern books wiped out those facts and portrayed him differently. Political Tamils are doing it to every ancient Tamil author including Tolkappiar..
Tirukkural is one of the greatest contributions of India to the world. Though he begins with ten couplets on God with Feet and Head (God with a form). Most of what he said is applicable to honest human beings in any part of the world. Still it is not out of controversy. He refers to slavish wife and attributes supernatural powers to such women. Like Kalidasa he also portrayed Kings as Gods and attributed supernatural harvest happening in his kingdom. English people who saw the third part of his book on Love and Sex were appaleed in the beginning and hid it from the light of the world. They did not realise that sex was not a taboo to Hindus.
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Trayambhaka (Three Eyed)
God with Three Eyes is Lord Siva. This Vedic reference to Lord Siva is in the earliest part of Sangam tamil Literature. But oldest book Tolkaappiam completely ignored him. Traymabaka is the name of one of the 12 Jyotir Linga shrines in India, located from Rameswaram to Himalayas. Lord Siva used his Laser Eye to burn Manmatha (God of Love) and three hanging Space Stations of three demons. Siva’s attributes are put in Tamil by Appar and Sambndar around 600 CE
Tamils proved Siva and Rudra are one and the same, countering foreign mischiefs.
Trayambakeswar /Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple (श्री त्र्यंबकेश्वर ज्योतिर्लिंग मंदिर) in Nashik district of Maharashtra. It is 28 kilometres from Nashik city.
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Tri siras- see Twasta.
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Turaga /Turkey
Turaga means horse. Turkey was the land of horses in Vedic days. All the best kind of horses were brought to Turkey by Vedic Hindus and trained by them. This is proved by the Kikkuli manual with Sanskrit instructions found in Turkey. The manual is dated around 1400 BCE.
A Brief Introduction to the Kikkuli Text
The Kikkuli Text is a Late Bronze Age (ca. 1350 B.C.) set of instructions for training and conditioning horses. It is connected to Kikkuli, who identifies himself as a Mitannian “master horse trainer.” The text survives on clay tablets written in Hittite cuneiform and found at the Hittite capital of Ḫattuša (modern Boğazköy, Turkey). While the main language of the tablets is Hittite, the text also preserves specialized technical terms, including numbers and training vocabulary, that reflect knowledge transferred from the Mitanni and Hurrian world into the Hittite court.
Mitannian was a Hindu Kingdom ruling areas in Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran . All the names of the kings were in pure Sanskrit. There we have Dasaratha, Pratardhana etc. found Iin Ramayana and Vishnu Sahasra namam.
Horse manual with Sanskrit words in cuneiform clay tablets in Turkey.
To be continued………………………
Tags – Kikkuli, , Turvasu, Twashta, HINDU DICTIONARY IN ENGLISH AND TAMIL, part 106; இந்து மத கலைச்சொல் அகராதி-106
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
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part 61
Item 854
The next book we are going to see is Nedu Nal Vaadai, one of the Ten Idylls ( Paththup Paattu) in Sangam Tamil Literature.
First let me list the wonders in it:
Vaastu shaastra in Sangam literature;
Zodiac in poem;
Reference to stars Rohini, Uttara;
Gajalakshmi figure ;
Thaali = Mangala Sutra;
Full description of Queen’s Bed with elephant tusks;
Mattress with feathers of Swan that were shed during mating;
Yavana lamp;
Women won’t put on ornaments when husband is away;
White umbrella and Valampuri Chank (conch) as in Kalidasa books;
Description of Army Camp as in Mahabharata.
Women using their swelling breasts to warm Veena Strings!
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Item 855
Name of the book: Nedu= long; Nal=good; Vaadai= Northerly, cold wind.
(Vadai is fried spicy doughnut; vAAdai is hated cold northerly wind in India).
Author : Brahmin poet Nakkirar who is the author of Tiru Murugu Aatruppadai as well.
Subject: how queen suffered because of Pandya King Neduncheziyan’s absence/separation; he was in battle field.
Length of the poem- 188 lines.
Strange thing: no mention of the name of the king; only from famous commentator Nachchinarrkiniyar, we know it was Nedunchezian; and Tamils know that there were two Nedunchezians. So, a bit of little confusion.
Lines 29, 30 – Streets were as broad as rivers and with tall buildings.
It is guessed the poet is talking about the great Madurai city, capital of Pandya Kingdom.
Madurai is the only planned city in the whole of India 2000 years ago which we knew from another Sangam book called Paripaatal.
Whenever the poets describe tall buildings they say Seven Storied Buildings; but here poet said only mansion.
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Item 856
Gods in the houses!
Lines 36 to 44 show what Hindu women did in the evenings in ancient Madurai.
We know from these lines and from line 578 in Maduraik Kaanchi, another Sangam book, every house has a prayer room or prayer place. There was a god before which Hindu women lighted lamps and offered paddy and flowers around sunset. Even today Tamil Hindu women do it. This gives a severe blow to anti Hindu political Dravidians!
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Item 857 two linguistic points:
In Sanskrit literature, poets say Aho Raatri= Day (and) Night; in Tamil, poets say Iravum Pahalum= Night(and) Day (line 47).
Both Iravu and Pahal are Sanskrit words but in Tamiized form.
I am writing this because South Indians and North Indians changed direction of writing at one time. In the Indus Valley, scholars believe that they wrote from Right to left. But now in India, we write from left to right.
This is seen in many other places as well
Tamils say Lava Kusa (sons of Rama); north Indians say Kusa Lava.
This is a subject for research. Hindus always give respect for Right hand; they are still Rightists! If anyone use left hand to receive anything, it is disrespect; in temples, it is blasphemy.
Mothers force their children to use right hand from the birth.
Another linguistic point here is the poet used PITHI (line 40) for a kind of jasmine flower. But in modern Tamil it is called PICHCHI.
This shows T=S. I have been showing it in all my linguistic articles.
English pronounce TION as SION (E.g. Condition, education and hundreds of such words)
Again, I use this to say all ancient languages can be traced back to Tamil and Sanskrit.
Again, I emphasize there is no Dravidian or Aryan language in India. One language split it into two, and thousands of years gap in time and location,changed them
Example : French spoken in Indian ocean island countries.
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Item 858– round stone from Himalayas
வடவர்தந்தவான்கேழ்வட்டம் -51
Very interesting line is 51 where we come across north Indian, round, grinding stone for south Indian sandal!
Poet deliberately used it to emphasize the unity of India.
In Purananuru book, we saw southern pothiyam compared to north Indian Himalayas.
Here also poet refers to Himalayas which is confirmed by Tamil epic Silappadikaram 4-37-8
Commentators showed it. What a wonderful unity 2000 years ago!
Just to grind south Indian sandal and other spices, they imported Himalayan stones, round in shape.
This also shows the pilgrimage. Tamils bring Ganges water even today from North Indian holy spots.( I also did bring Ganga Jal from Haridwar).
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Item 859 Breast for warming Veena
Verey interesting and strange habit of lute players.
When the cold windblows in winter, women warmed the strings of the lute by rubbing them against their breasts! Strange indeed! Poet was a keen observer!
He says,
Fair dancing girls to keep their songs in tune
With small and dark stemmed Ayaz on which they play
Warm the sweet toned strings made useless by the cold
By rubbing them upon their swelling breasts….
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Item 860 -VAASTU SHASSTRA-
Lines 76-80
The broad sun travelling in its western course
Its widespread rays diffuse everywhere
And shadows cast by two poles planted straight
Do not incline at noon tide either way.
Then architects with care compute tapes
And note the quarters where the gods reside
They mansions build befitting noted kings…..
Because all the ancient Tamil kings were Hindus, they followed Shilpa Shastra and Vastu Shastra to build temples and palaces. They were very different from other parts of the world.
In Vastu, they have different Gods managing or controlling different directions. If the builders want to set up Treasury then they do it in Kubera Direction (North).
Ancient Hindu Palaces like Mysore Palace, Tirumalai Nayak Mahal in Madurai were all constructed following Vastu rules.
For the measurements, they plant two sticks straight and see that no shadows cast at noon. That means 100 % straight. Then they use threads or strings as tapes for the measurement. In Sanskrit, Sutra. Egyptian Pyramid Builders also used Sutra (String or rope).
நூலறி புலவர் நுண்ணிதின் கயிறிட்டு
தே எம் கொண்டு தெய்வம் நோக்கி 76/77
Play on words : Nuul = Suutra; both in Tamil and Sanskrit it has two meanings =thread and book.
If you say one who knows Nuul= Suutra, it means one who knows to handle plumbing line and one who knows scriptures (Vaaastu Shasstra books etc). Once again, it shows that both languages have the same source.
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Item 861 -Zodiac and Stars
Though we have indirect reference to Zodiac in Purananuru, here we see poet himself refers to Aries (goat sign). He refers also to Rohini star and Uttara star. This shows the knowledge of astronomy in ancient Tamil Nadu.
Line 82 – Uttara nakshatra
Uttaram is beam in Tamil; poet plays on words following Kalidasa.
Rohini – line 163;
Mesha rasi – goat sign- line 160;
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Item 862- Gaja Lakshmi Lines 81-83
Gaja Lakshmi is also in another Sangam book Kalittokai 44.
When I went to palatial houses in Chettinadu, Karaikkudi areas in Tamil Nau and Mysore Palace in Karnataka I noticed Gaja Lakshmi sculpted on doors. It is a symbol of wealth. Goddess Lakshmi is in the centre and two elephants on either side pour water on her.
This shows flow of water; even in British library in London, they have set up big fountain of flowing water.
You can notice that wherever there are big fountains at the entrance, those places doing roaring business.
Gaja Lakshmi was found from Denmark to Sri Lanka . Gaja Lakshmi is in Sri Suktam, part of Vedas.
Following three Sangam books referred to Gajalakshmi also found in Gundestrup Cauldron in Denmark)
குறிஞ்சிக் கலி- Kurichik Kali in Kalittokai.
வரிநுதல் எழில் வேழம் பூநீர் மேல் சொரிதரப்,
புரிநெகிழ் தாமரை மலரங்கண் வீறு எய்தித்,
திரு நயந்து இருந்தன்ன தேங்கமழ் விறல் வெற்ப! (கலி.44-8-5/7)
மதுரைக் காஞ்சி Maduraik Kaanchi
விண் உற ஓங்கிய பல் படைப் புரிசை
தொல் வலி நிலை இய அணங்குடை நெடி நிலை(352-353)
நெடுநல்வாடை Nedun al Vaadai
ஐயவி அப்பிய நெய் அணி நெடு நிலை
வென்று எழு கொடியொடு வேழம் சென்று புக
குன்று குயின்றன்ன ஓங்கு நிலை வாயில்
திருநிலை பெற்ற தீது தீர் சிறப்பின் (86-89)
Gajalakshmi’s figures have travelled from the Himalayas to the southern most part of Sri Lanka. It is in the form of old coins, lamps, wooden figures, idols and stone sculptures. It has travelled fromIndia to Denmark !! We have Gajalakshmi figure carved in to Gundestrup silver Cauldron. Now it is in Copenhagen. When they dug up a marshy area in Jutland , Denmark in 1891 they recovered a big silver vessel which is dated to second century BC. A very interesting fact about this vessel is that there is a god surrounded by animals like we see in the Indus valley seal (For more details please read my article Vishnu in Indus Valley Seal) The earliest reference to Gajalakshmi is in Sri Suktam of the Vedas:
“Laksmir –divyair-gajendrair-manigana-kasithai: snabitha hemakumbhair nithyam sa pathma hastha”
(Holding a lotus in hand she is bathed by water from the gem studded golden pot by the celestial elephants)
The above is from my article posted here in 2012.
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Item 863- sanctum sanctorum
Now we have Garbha Grihas (Karu Arai) in temples ;Temple is compared to human body and the sanctum sanctorum is called Garbha Griha (womb) This has been there from Sangam days.
Here the queen’s private inner chamber is called Karu Arai
English word core = Tamil Karu.
Garbhagriha – line 114;
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Item 864 Dasa Naanku 10 X 4=40 in Sanskrit
In Line 115 we find a strange Sanskrit word Dasa=10; naanku=4;
When the poet wanted to tell us that the queen’s bed had tusk decoration and those ivory objects came from 40 year old elephant, he used it. It is interesting to note the age of the elephant.
There is a linguistic point as well: D becomes R in the lines.
It is shown as an example for distorting or corrupting Sanskrit words by poets.
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Item 865 Yavana Lamps
Yavana- we have at least five refences in Sangam literature including Purananuru in addition to intro in Pathitruppaththu.
Yavana made lamps – lines 101-102.
Yavana is a confusing word; in Sangam literature it meant Romans from Italy. But later it is used for Greeks.
But I have a big question. Did Yavana mean carpenters from North west India?
The reason is I could not find Yavana lamps in Greek and Roman sculptures.
Yavana is found in Mahabharat and Valmiki Ramyana too.
By the middle of 15th century, it meant Arab merchants( also called Sonakar).
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Item 866 Mating Swans shed Feathers!
Swan feathers – 131-133
Poet Nakkirar has described Queen’s bed, her mattress and pillows in minute details.
Someone must draw a picture of it.
Nakkirar added one more interesting detail. Quen’s mattress and pillows had swan feathers which shed them during sexual intercourse/mating because of body heat.
Use of swan feather in bedding is already in Kalidasa who lived before Sangam age.
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Item 867- Mangala Sutra of Hindu Women!
Thaali = mangala sutra = 136/37
Very often bad women who want to be in magazines write that Tamil women did not wear Thaali or Mangala Suutra during Sangam Age. They were proved wrong by commentators who lived 700 years ago. They have clearly mentioned Thaali worn by Tamil Hindu women. I wrote on these many years ago quoting famous writers.
Puram 177, Nedu Nal Vaadai 136/7 and Tamil epic Silappadikaram, their commentators said it.
பெண்கள் தாலி :–புறம்127, சிலப்பதிகாரம் 1-47, 4-50 தமிழர்களுக்கு தாலி உண்டு:–ம.பொ.சி
தமிழர்கள் திருமணத்தில் தாலி கட்டும் வழக்கத்தைக் கடைப்பிடித்தனரா என்று அவ்வப்போது விவாதங்கள் எழுகின்றன.
தமிழர்கள் திருமணத்தில் தாலி கட்டும் வழக்கத்தைக் கடைப்பிடித்தனர் என்று பல தமிழ் அறிஞர்கள் கூறுகின்றனர். இதற்கு முடமோசியாரின் புறநானூற்றுப் பாடலையும் சிலப்பதிகார வரிகளுக்கு அடியார்க்கு நல்லார் எழுதிய உரையையும் அவர்கள் எடுத்துக் காட் டுகின்றனர்.
இந்தியப் பண்பாடும் தமிழரும் பக்கம் 297/298 ஆசிரியர் எஸ்.ராமகிருஷ்ணன் (மதுரை எஸ். ஆர்.கே). தமிழர் நாகரீகமும் பண்பாடும் பக்கம் 51, ஆசிரியர் ஆ.தட்சிணாமூர்த்தி, பூண்டி, தஞ்சாவூர்.
“ஈகை அரிய இழை அணி மகளிர்” —
(ஆய் அண்டிரனின் மனைவியர் அணிந்திருந்த மங்கல சூத்திரம் பற்றி முடமோசியார் புறம் 127ல் பாடிய வரிகள்)
(கண்ணகி பற்றி இளங்கோ அடிகள் (இதுவும் தாலி என்பது எஸ். ஆர். கே.யின் வாதம்.
. நல்லாவுர் கிழார் குறிப்பிடும் ” வால் இழை மகளிர்” என்பதும் தாலியே என்று அவர் வாதாடுகிறார்.
கி.பி. 10ஆம் நூற்றாண்டில்தான் தாலி இடம்பெற்றது என்று மா. இராச மாணிக்கனார் கூறுவார்.
ம.பொ.சிவஞான கிராமணியார், பேராசிரியர் வீரபத்திரன் ஆகியோர் சங்க காலத்திலேயே தாலி இருந்ததாக வாதிடுகின்றனர்.
***
Item 868
Applying starch to clothes is mentioned here.
134/35- starch to clothes.
***
Item 868 Gold Rings
143/44- finger ring in fish mouth shape.
Queen wore a finger ring shaped like a fish mouth.
Interesting thing is we have found such rings in Tamil Nadu and other places.
They are also known as Makara Mothiram.
***
Item 869
White umbrella is mentioned throughout Kalidasa works and Tamil literature
184- white umbrella
***
Item 869 – Queen without decoration
Hindu women dress their hai , body etc only when their husbands are around. If they hang their hair without plaits or hair bun something went wrong is the meaning. Here we have a full description of the queen in desperation because her husband was in the battle field.
Her friends even prayed to Goddess Durga for her husband’s safe and quick return.
Tamil lines-136-147
***
Item 870 King in the Army tents
In Mahabharata also we see that after the battle finished , during sun set each leader went to the battle ground or tents of soldiers and treated the wounded soldiers. They consoled some and they boosted confidence in others.
Here also poet Nakkirar described it. Lines 168-177
***
Item 871 Sanskrit words
Saalekam for window is from Jhaalakam in Sanskrit.
Deivam, Dasam,Rohini, Uttaram, Mesham, Gaja Lakshmi, Yavana are also mentioned in Sanskrit or its Tamil translation.
Saalekam – 125 Jalakam in Sanskrit
***
At the end of commentary, we find the following:
Brahmin of Bharadwaja gotra Naccinarkiniyar, teacher in Madurai, finishing the commentary on Nedunal vaadai written by Nakkiranar, son of Maduraik kanakkaayanaar on Pandyan Neduncheziyan .
But Purapporul Veba Malai says it is about Talai aalankaanaththu seru vendra Nedun chezian
–subham—
Tags- Thali, Mangala Sutra, Vastu Shastra, Thali, Zodiac! Purananuru wonders-61; Tamil Encyclopaedia 101, Item 871
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-60;Tamil Encyclopaedia 100, One Thousand Interesting Facts -Part 100
***
Item 841
Let me give you wonders from one more book. The name of the book is Porunar Atruppadai (aatruppadai).
Author- Mr or Miss Mudaththama Kanniyar (mudaththaama kanniyaar); some people think she is a oman because of the spelling Kanni; but it may mean garland as well; so maybe a man!
Lines-248; Hero of the poem- Karikal Choza (we have already seen him in Paaatinappaalai)
This book Porunaratruppadai is one of the Ten Idylls known as Paththuppaattu, which is part of 2000 year old Sangam Tamil Literature. Porunan = a bard; aatruppadai = giving guidance.
The poet imagined himself/herself as a bard receiving a bounty from the famous king.
Summary of Wonders:
Robbers stopped robbery after listening to music;
Judgement with White Wig; British judges follow Karikal Choza!
Chariot with Four White Horses like Chariot of Krishna in Bhagavad Gita;
Karikal Choza walked Seven Steps following Rig Veda;
Bali offering to Crow; (also seen in Kuruntokai);
Seven stringed Yaaz (lyre or lute);
Description of a woman from Foot to Head;
Cloth looking as thin and as transparent as snakeskin;
Karma Theory; Rebirth; effect of fate;
9 flowers, 12 trees, 5 animals.
***
item 842
in the first 22 lines poet compared the lute to a pregnant woman. He also described how the lute was played. Robbers dropped their weapons as soon as they listened to it. Earlier we saw how even wild elephants stopped damaging d crops after listening to songs.
Nationalist poet Subramaniya Bhratiyar described Kannamma in the lines “Veenaiyadi Nee Enakku, Mevum Viral Naan Unakku”; Oh Kannamma, You are the Veena/ I am the fingers that play on you. Probably he got it after reading these 20 ++ lines!
***
item 843
Kesaati paata Description (Head to Foot Description)
Hindus start describing a Goddess from Foot to Head and the reverse is followed for humans.
Because Goddess Eyes are powerful a devote can’t look at her radiance; so, they always pray for her side glance (Kadaik Kan in Tamil) only!
Here the description shows as if the poet saw a naked woman!
Here is what he/she described:
The singer woman had
Her tresses= as black as sand (if you go to a river you may see the black, smooth sediment)
Her eye brows= killing bows of warriors (beauties ‘Killing’ men is a phrase in Tamil);
Forehead= crescent moon;
Lips = utter sweet words; red in colour like Bombax malabarica flowers; silk cotton tree in Tamil is Ilavam maram.
Her teeth= shiny pearls;
Ears with pendants = looked like scissors that trim hair;
Her shoulders= like bamboo;
Fingers= kanthal flowers;
Finger nails= parrot beaks;
Voluptuous Breasts = so tight that you can’t insert even a thin rib or nib;
Navel= water ripple or whirlpool;
Waist = scarcely visible;
Her belt with beads= like beehive with bees;
Thighs = trunks of huge female elephants;
Small feet= tongues of panting dogs;
Look= pea hen look.
We may wonder whether the poet saw a naked beauty or she was wearing a nylon transparent sari!
***
Item 844
Most of the above comparison is a cliché in Tamil and Sanskrit literature. You can read almost the same in Kalidasa.
But here is a word the poet coined for SCISSORS!
He says MAYIR KURAI KARUVI= Instrument that trims hair!
No shoes! She walked without shoes, so poor!
Poet says she developed red blisters in her feet when she walked on stones.
***
Item 845
Offers prayers to Forest God, says the poet (line 52).
Poet probably meant Goddess Durga, who is called Kaadukizaal (goddees of forest in other poems)
This shows Hindus worship Gods and Goddesses all along their way. We saw it in Paatinappalai and Perumpanatruppadai.
***
Item 846 Karma Theory
Sangam Tamils were Puka Hindus who saw god everywhere and belived in Karma Theory ; if you do something good that will have its effect in the following seven births . if you have already done good things in your previous birth something good will happen unexpectedly.
Here the poet adds,
O chief of bards whose songs have value great!
It is the fruit of good deeds done by thee
In a former birth that made thee meet me here
Nor miss the proper way in ignorance (line 59)
(J V Chelliah, year 1946, followed Nachinarkkiniyrar commentary).
***
Item 847 Master of Seven Stringed Yaz! (line 63)
ஏழிசை (Ēḻicai) translates to “The Seven Musical Notes” or “The Seven Swaras” in English.
In Tamil music tradition, it refers to the seven basic notes of a musical scale, which correspond directly to the Carnatic and Hindustani classical music notes (Swaras), as well as the Western musical notes.
Kural (குரல்) – Sa (Shadjama) – Do / C
Thuttham (துத்தம்) – Ri (Rishabha) – Re / D
Kaikkilai (கைக்கிளை) – Ga (Gandhara) – Mi / E
Uzhai (உழை) – Ma (Madhyama) – Fa / F
Ili (இளி) – Pa (Panchama) – Sol / G
Vilari (விளரி) – Dha (Dhaivata) – La / A
Tharam (தாரம்) – Ni (Nishadha) – Ti / B
Seven strings for playing Seven Notes
***
Item 848 n Nice clothes like Snakeskin
The singing bard wore rags teemed with nits and lice and wet with sweat.lines 79-81
When he met the great king he treated the bard like a friend and gave
Clothes whose texture was so fine
Its threads could not be easily traced, and worked
With floral forms resembling skins of snakes.
In the halls bejwelled, smiling, comely maids
Pored out from spotless golden vessels full
Like cheering rain much stupefying drink
Repeatedly…………………………… lines 82-88
***
Item 849 Reference to great rishis/ ascetics
Lines 91-93
I drank that I might sooth my weariness
And rested in the wealthy palace here and
With joy at eve. Like rishis that enjoy
Devotion’s fruits by taking proper care
Of their own body’s health. I took good care
To rid me of journey’s weariness
Sangam poets were great Hindus! They tried their best o teach the tenets of Hindu religion at every available opportunity.
Even when the poet wanted to show the anger of Karikal Choza the poet compared him to Lord Muruga/Skanda/Kartikeya.line 131
***
Item 850 reference Good bye by walking Seven Steps
Line 166
After spending many days when the bard expressed his desire to return home, Karikalan showed his disapproval but at the end he gave the bard many gifts and walked seven steps with the leaving guest.
We see this Seven Step Walk before saying good bye even in Paranjothi Munivar’s Tiruvilaiyadal Puranam, just a 300 year old book.
This custom originated in the Rig Veda, oldest book in the world. Brahmins and other communities do this in Weddings. Rig Veda’s last book, tenth mandala. has a beautiful Wedding Song. A Hindu marriage is solemnised only when the bride and bridegroom walk around fire doing Seven Steps called Saptapadi. At each step they take a vow. This type of wedding was done by Vaisya community according to Silappadikaram.
First Step (Nourishment): A promise to provide food, share household responsibilities, and nurture one another.
Second Step (Strength): A vow to grow together in physical, mental, and emotional strength.
Third Step (Prosperity): A commitment to share wealth, work for financial stability, and prosper together.
Fourth Step (Family): A pledge to build a joyful home, raise children with love, and respect each other’s families.
Fifth Step (Health): A promise to care for each other’s health, well-being, and happiness.
Sixth Step (Companionship): A vow to remain lifelong best friends and walk as equals through all seasons of life.
Seventh Step (Loyalty and Friendship): A final pledge of eternal love, loyalty, trust, and spiritual union through every lifetime.
No Hindi or Tamil Feature Film Song can beat the loving words in the Rig Veda Wedding Mantra.
***
Item 851 Bhagavad Gita Chariot line 165
I have a book of Tamil Bhagavad Gita in Tamil published by Ramakrishna Mutt where only for white horses pulling the Chariot of Arjuna with Krishna as the driver. Many pictures show only Four White Horses. Only with four horses one can have a smooth ride. Karikalan also gave the bard a chariot pulled by Four White Horses in addition to silk clothes, gold jewels, gold lotus hair pins for women.
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Item 852 Balis to Crows
The non vegetarian food items and Karikalan’s early life and how he got the crown etc are already explained in Pattinappalai.
Here the poet making a passing remark about the food given to crows by Hindus. But we get more details about religiously or ritually feeding crows by Hindus in Kuruntokai poem 210.
***
Item 853 Origin of Wigs of Judges (lines 187, 188)
ஆதாரம் , page 122
பத்துப்பாட்டு மூலமும்
நச்சினார்க்கினியருரையும்
டாக்டர் உ வே சாமிநாதையர் , 1950
Why Do British Judges Follow a Tamil King?
By S Swaminathan November 13, 2011
Strange as it may look, British judges, magistrates and barristers follow a custom that was started by a Tamil king two thousand years ago. British judges and several others who preside over the courts of justice wear a white wig.
If we go to encyclopaedias, they don’t explain why they wear it or when it was exactly started. Ancient Egyptians wore wigs for protecting their heads from the scorching sun. Then Romans and others wore different types of wigs as symbols of aristocracy.
The British judiciary started wearing wigs from 17th century. Many of the commonwealth countries also followed it. Whenever the reason for the custom is asked many people say that it is the tradition or uniform for professional discipline or it shows experience. Actually it was started by the most famous Tamil king, Karikal Chola two thousand years ago. Crystal clear proof comes from the ancient Tamil Cankam (Sangam) literature.
Karikalan was the greatest of the Tamil kings for three reasons. He ruled vast areas of Tamil-speaking land, subjugating other Tamil kingdoms. He was the first Tamil king who went up to the Himalayas and carved his dynastic emblem there. Till today, there remains a Chola pass in the Himalayas. The second reason was he was a just king and his court of justice in Uraiyur became very famous. Tamil literature praises his justice and gives the story of wigs. And the third reason is the Grand Anaicut he built across the river Cauvery is one of the oldest dam s in the world.
Though we did not have any historical records scholars have dated him around 1st century BC. He was a boy king – like the Egyptian Tutankhamen. He came to power while he was a teenager.
The Story of Wigs:
One day two elderly people came to his court seeking justice. They had a dispute among themselves. They decided that whatever the Uraiyur court says must be the final settlement. When they came in to royal court they were shocked to see a boy sitting as the judge. They were greatly disappointed – which Karikalan felt immediately by looking at their faces. Indeed the face is the index of the mind.
Karikalan politely asked the elders to take seats and told them to wait for the ‘judge’ and he went in. The entire assembly was puzzled. Then came an elderly person and sat on the chair. After carefully listening to the arguments of both the sides he gave his judgement. Both of them were immensely happy to hear a fair settlement. Now the assembly wanted to know who the elderly judge was. King Karikalan removed his white hair wig (Narai Mudi in Tamil) and revealed himself. All applauded the Wisdom of the ‘Solomon of India’.
The proof for the anecdote is in three Tamil books:
1. Porunar Atruppadai –lines 187-188. Porunar Atruppadai is one of the ten long poems of Tamil Cankam literature dated between 1st to 3rd century AD
2. Manimekalai- This is one of the five Tamil epics dated 3rd century AD
3. Pazamozi – poem 25 translation:
ஆதாரம் , page 122
பத்துப்பாட்டு மூலமும் நச்சினார்க்கினியருரையும்
டாக்டர் உ வே சாமிநாதையர் , 1950
“The grey haired old men said the young man could not come to a decision about their case. They were delighted to find the Choza wore a grey wig and understood the case from listening to their statements”.
This proves that even before they learn the arts suited to their caste, men are “ripe for their duties” This book is dated around 5th century AD.
Nobody can deny the fact that Karikalan was the first one to use white wig in judiciary matters.
There are lot of interesting stories about Karikalan in Tamil literature. He had to fight his own relatives to get the throne after the death of his father Ilam Chet Senni. He escaped an arson attack, and his feet were charred and thus he got the name “Kari Kalan” (man with charred legs). The ancient custom in India is to select a king by the Royal elephant if nobody knew who the real heir apparent was. Karikalan was garlanded by the royal elephant when he was standing in the crowd. The episodes about his daughter Adi Mandi also formed the basis of several interesting stories.
–subham—
Tags–Purananuru wonders-60; Tamil Encyclopaedia 100, One Thousand Interesting Facts -Part 100, Wigs of Judges, Item 853, seven steps, Karikal Choza
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