BRAHMINS IN SANGAM LITERATUE-13. PURANANOORU

LITERATURE-LIGHT AND DELIGHT

BRAHMINS IN SANGAM LITERATURE-13

                Purananooru

Brahmins of the Sangam age had to lead their lives subject to strict discipline.'Aanra kaelvi,adangiya kolgai', 'Arampuri kolgai naalmarai mudalvar', 'Thugalaru kaelvi vuyarndhor', 'Kaelvimutriya velvi andanar', 'onru purindu adangiya irupirappaalar' etc are the epithets we come across in Purananooru. They were chiefly known for the six duties enjoined upon them: learning and teaching Veda, performing and officiating at yajna, and accepting and giving gifts- daanam. But we do come across some other duties and jobs entrusted to them in Purananooru.

BRAHMINS AS MESSENGERS (305)

Poet: Madurai Vaelaasaan.

This does not seem to be his real name, but seems to indicate his community (Vaelir) and his profession (teaching).

Vayalaik kodiyin vaadiya marungin

Vuyaval voordhip payalaip paarppaan

Elli vandu nillaadhu pukkuch

Cholliya sollo silavey; adharkay

Yaeniyum seeppum maatri

Maan vinai yaanaiyum mani kalaindanavay!

This young Brahmin, slim like a creeper, seized with some sorrow and with faltering steps- he just entered the palace of the king straight, without waiting even a little, even though it was night. He uttered just a few words. But the consequence was that the ladder and protective arms were removed. The bells were removed from the famed elephants which stood bare!

(The idea is that was was avoided!)

This is a remarkable poem, sung by a non-Brahmin poet about a Brahmin who came as a messenger, said a few words and averted a war! That he could enter the palace without let or hindrance even at night shows the freedom and privilege enjoyed by the Brahmins. He must of course have been skilled in talking so that with a few words, he could convince the king and make him give up war. This was not a regular duty of the Brahmins, but shows that they could be pressed into service for such extraordinary jobs.

Incidentally, this poem belongs to a specific category in the classification of Tamil grammar.It is called "paarppana vaagai" or victory of  Brahmins.It records instances where Brahmins win over other Brahmins in debates or scriptural disputes. Likewise, there is another division called "Arasa vaagai" which records the victory of kings. It shows how integral were the Brahmins in the society. And it shows the practice of such debates prevailing then.

93. AVVAIYAAR ON ADHIYAMAAN

............

Senru amar kadatthal yaavadhu? vandhor

Thaaar thaangudhalum aatraar; vedipattu

Odal mareeyiya peedu il mannar

Noyppaal vilindha yaakkai thazheeik

Kaadhal marandhu avar theethu marungu arumaar

Aram puri kolgai naanmarai mudhalvar

Thirampuri pasumpul parappinar kidappi...

How can you enter the battlefield again? (There is no one to fight with you). Your opponents  could not even bear the weight of the garlands on their neck, and started running away showing their backs to you. They thus lost their glory, but to protect their body which is subject to disease, they just saved their lives! They took shelter in places occupied by the Brahmins, who are engaged in the performance of their dharmic rites with dharba grass, after mastering the four Vedas to ward off all evils.

This again is a remarkable poem. The kings engaged in war were supposed to fight, without retreating. They had either to win or embrace death on the battlefield. Running away or escaping without a wound was considered disgraceful (We have another poem on that, 65) Here, Adhiyamaan's opponents ran away from the battlefield and reached the place of the Brahmins, who were never involved in any conflict and were never disturbed by any king.

But there is something more here. The specific reference is to the rites of the Brahmins, spreading the dharba grass! (pasumpul parappinar). Dharba is spread like this only when Sraddha, tarpanam, etc-connected with rites for Pitrus- are performed. Since the victorious kings would not pursue those who ran away, the opponents reaching the place of the Brahmins and reference to dharba grass indicates that some specific rite was performed by these Brahmins to save them the ignominy of having run away from the battlefield!

(Unfortunately, no commentator, old or new, explains this clearly. If the poem is tough, the commentaries are even more confusing, both in style and substance. Several interpretations have been made). The reference to the Brahmins with dharba grass is intriguing, in the context of the battlefield! In any case, it shows an unusual job for the Brahmins.)

In poem 65, poet Kazhaatthalaiyaar sings about Chera king Cheramaan Peruncheralaadhan. He fought with the famous Chola king Karikaalvalavan. He lost

and got external wounds. But he was ashamed of that and decided to give up his life, by fasting, facing North.

Giving up life, fasting and facing North was an ancient practice all over the country. This was resorted to by people desiring to reach higher worlds, by going to the North , undertaking appropriate austerities, without returning. This was called  'Uttara gamanam' or 'Mahaprasthanam'. It may be recalled that Pandavas had undertaken this. This is mentioned in poems 214,216,218. We have one more instance we will see below.

KAPILAR

He is perhaps the most celebrated poet of the Sangam age along with Bharanar and Avvaiyaar. His friendship with the great chieftain Paari is a glorious chapter, but full of heart-wrenching tragedy. 

The three chief Tamil kings became jealous of Paari on account of his fame due to his fabulous charity and joined hands and killed him treacherously.Kapilar became totally dis-heartened. He took charge of the two unmarried daughters of Paari, tried to get them married, entrusted them to the care of Brahmins and gave up his life, fasting, facing North!

200. KAPILAR TO VICHCHIKKON.

                                                                              Yaaney parisilan mannum andhanan......

Ninakku yaan koduppak konmathi.

I am the one (usually) seeking gifts from you. Besides I am a Brahmin. But I give you (these daughters of the famed Paari.) Please accept.

These words were addressed by Kapilar to a  Vaelir chieftain,Vichchikkon. But he declined.

201.KAPILAR TO IRUNGKOVAEL

Neeye vadapaal munivan thadavinul thonrich

Chembu punaindhu iyatriya saen nedum purisai

Vuvaraa eegaith thuvarai aandu (See note)

Naarpaththu vonbadhu vazhimurai vandha

Vaelirul vaeley!

Thandhai thozhan, ivar yen magalir

Andhanan pulavan, kondu vandhananey...

Yaan thara ivarik konmathi!

You come in the line of the great Vaelirs, extending back to 49 generations, who had gone to the Himalayas and obtaining the blessings of a Muni there, ruled over the Thuvaraapathy country, displaying great charity.

 I am a friend of their father; therefore they are my daughters.I am a Brahmin, also poet. I have brought them here. I offer them to you. Please accept.

Kapilar describes the great qualities and fame of Paari, while introducing the girls. His revealing that the was a Brahmin and a poet was perhaps in the expectation that his words would be honoured. But this chieftain too declined to accept them. The connections that existed between Tamil kings and the North are revealed here.

Kapilar became broken hearted. He decided to hand over Paari's daughters to Brahmins for safekeeping. He undertook a fast unto death facing North, declaring to the deceased Paari that it was unfair of him to have broken their friendship and left for the higher worlds without him, his dear friend, but that he intended to keep him company in the other world too, as in this world. (Poem 236) 

Kapilar's poems are most moving, but with great difficulty I refrain from dealing with them in full, as it detracts from our main theme.

Here we see the intensity of the bond between a Brahmin poet and the king, his declaration that the late king's daughters were his own because the king was his friend, his efforts to get them married, failing that entrusting them to Brahmins and giving up his life. It is interesting to note that there seems to have been the practice of entrusting the king's daughters to the care of Brahmins. 

In this instance, the great Avvaiyaar finally got the girls married to the king of Thirukkoyilur.

 Note:
Poem 201.
What is stated as Thuvaraapathy , and mentioned as 'thuvarai' in the poem is reckoned as Dwaraka, as there are accounts that after this city got submerged in the sea, Agasthya brought some people with him to the South and they were the Vaelirs who mainly took to agriculture. This probably accounts for how Balarama became the Deity for the marudham lands, instead of the original Indra, whose worship had been abandoned by Krishna in Brindavan!

The connection that existed between the ancient Tamil land and the kings of the Northern parts is also revealed in poem 175. This is sung by Aatthiraiyanar in praise of a local chieftain who ruled a small area near Tiruvenkatam.. He says he will not forget the king as long as life lasts in his body. He makes a mention of the Mauryas.

Vinnporu nedungkudai kodiththaer moriyar
Thinn kadhirth thikiri thiritharak kuraiththa
Vulaga idaikazhi yaraivaai nilaiyia

The Mauriyas, with their mighty umbrella reaching up to the sky and chariot bearing their flag,  rule over the whole world and maintain the order .

We notice how the might of the Mauryas is recognised and their rule praised.