Post No. 15,018
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Ancient Tamil Encyclopaedia Part 11 One Thousand Interesting Facts! -Part 11
76.
தொல்காப்பிய கந்தழி மர்மம்
Khandali Kodinilai Valli is in a Sutra of Tolkappiam, which Tamils consider as the oldest book in Tamil. This grammatical wok used three words in the Invocation to God (Kadavul Vaazththu in Tamil) rule. The meaning is debated until this day. Two commentators Nachinarkiniyar and Ilampuranar gave us two different interpretations. Similar sounded words exist in Sanskrit, but their meaning has nothing to do with God.
I wrote two articles in 2014 and 2020 giving the gist of ancient interpretations. Lord Krshina’s destruction of CHO of demon Banan is sung under this title according to later works.
But interestingly this word is found in an inscription of business community. The meaning given there deepens its mystery.
500 Merchants Group ஐந்நூற்றுவர்
Businessmen in ancient India formed guilds (cartels) and monopolised business in particular products , for example Spices, Grains, Cloths or monopolised trade in a particular area or region.
Inscriptions of Ainnurruvar / group of 500 are found in different parts of South India. They are available from ninth century CE. One of the inscriptions at Kamudi in Tamil Nadu records the following eulogy:
Svasti sri samasta- bhuvanaasrya – pancasata (500)- viirasaasana – lakshana- Lakshita Lakshmi
Vaksasthala – Alankrita Sri Vaasudeva- Khandlali- Mulabhadra– Udhbhava- Sri Viiraparameswarikku
Makkal- aagiya pathinettu (18) -pattinamum muppaththirendu(32) velaappuramum- aruvaththu naangu(64) kadikaitaavalamum chettiyum chettiputtirarum kavaraiyum gaamunda – svaamiyum siriya tolil vaariyamum
Ariyam payinra aavanakkaararum vendanum veerarum kottaiyum ullitta viirar ……………………….
Another inscription with slight variation is seen in
Samudrapatti .
This can be interpreted as the above guild possess 500 charters called viirasaasanas as their chest being adorned by goddess Lakshmi as having descended from gods vaasudeva, khandali , and muulabhadra as the sons of Parameswari, these merchants used to transact in 18 pattinas, thirty two coastal towns/velaapurams and sixty four places where goods were loaded and unloaded or stored/ kadigai taavalam.
(This inscription and its English translation is taken from an article written by N. Geetha in Ancient Sciences and Archaology, Volume Two, Bharatiya Kalaprakashan , Delhi 2007).
As soon as I saw the word KHANDALI in the inscription I copied it from the book. For the first time I came across a God called KHANDALI and Muulabhadra.
Mūlabhadra (मूलभद्र):—[mūla-bhadra] (draḥ) 1. m. Kaṃsa. Is the uncle of Lord Krishna according to Wisdomlib.org
I doubt the inscription meant Kamsa here. So both Khandali and Muulabhadra, Gods of business community add more puzzles. The community worshipped both Lakshmi and Parameswari according to the above inscription. That means they respected both Shiva and Vishnu sects.
If we go through more inscriptions and books of business communities we may solve the puzzle of KHANDALI.
***
Kodinilai, Kanthazhi, and Valli are terms mentioned in the Tolkappiyam, an ancient Tamil grammatical work, specifically in Sutra 88 of the Porul section. While the exact meaning is debated, some scholars interpret these as names for the Sun, Fire, and Moon, respectively, suggesting the prevalence of fire and sun worship in ancient Tamil Nadu.
Purath thinai Iyal, Sutra 88.
“கொடிநிலை, கந்தழி, வள்ளி என்ற
வடுநீங்கு சிறப்பின் மன்னிய மூன்றும்
கடவுள் வாழ்த்தொடு கண்ணிய வருமே”
(தொல். பொருளதிகார புறத் திணை இயல் சூத்திரம்)
:கதிர், தீ, மதி இம்மூன்றை வாழ்த்துவதும் கடவுள் வாழ்த்துப் போலவே எண்ணப்பட்டு வரும் என்பது இதன் பொருள்.
கொடிநிலை = சூரியன்
கந்தழி = நெருப்பு (அக்னி பகவான்)
வள்ளி = சந்திரன்
Interpretation:
According to the oldest commentator, Ilampuranar, Kodinilai refers to the Sun, Kanthazhi to Fire (Agni), and Valli to the Moon.
Kanthu is in the Vedas associated with God. Even today we have Kodi Kambam / Dwaja Shambam in South Indian Temples. They hoist God’s flag on it during festivals.
Commentator Ilampuranar, suggests these terms indicate ancient worship of the Sun, Fire, and Moon.
However, the words Kodinilai and Kanthazhi are noted to be absent from other Sangam Tamil literature, adding to the mystery surrounding their usage.
In essence, these terms provide insights into ancient Tamil religious practices, potentially linking them to celestial bodies and elemental worship, even though their specific meanings are subject to scholarly interpretation
***
திசையாயிரத்து ஐஞ்நூற்றுவர் வணிகக்குழுவின் (Thisaiyaarathu Ainootruvar Merchant’s Guild) கல்வெட்டு.
These people had their head quarters in Aihole in Chalukya territory. Several inscriptios are available from South India and South East Asia in Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada.
***
கந்தழி in Sanskrit Dictionary
खण्डाली – khaNDAlI – f. – pond
–subham—
Tags- Khandali, Mystery, Tolkappiam, Merchant guilds, Kamudi Inscrition, 500 merchants Ancient Tamil Encyclopaedia Part 11 One Thousand Interesting Facts! -Part 11
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