. BRAHMINS IN SANGAM LITERATURE-8

LITERATURE-LIGHT AND DELIGHT

BRAHMINS IN SANGAM LITERATURE-8

            Purananooru

Everest North Face.
Luca Galuzzi(Lucag) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl/html) CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons via Wikimedia commons.

The ancient Tamils did not feel that they were a separate category from the rest of India. Their kings fought among themselves, though speaking the same language, and they fought with kings from other parts of the country. Language was therefore not an issue. Tamilians were aware that the Himalayas were the northern limit of the country, with Kanyakumari as the southern. They were Tamilians, but also Indians.

Poet Kurum Kozhiyoor Kizhaar குறுங்கோழியூர் கிழார் sings about the Chera king 'Yaanaikkatsei Maandaranj Cheral Irumporai'. யானைகட்சேய் மாந்தரஞ் சேரல் இரும்பொறை(17)

Then Kumari, vada perung kal

Guna kuda kadala yellai

Kunru, malai, kaadu, naadu

Onru pattu vazhi mozhiyak

Koditu kadindu, kol tirutti

Paduvadu vundu, pagal aatri

Iniduvurunda sudar naemi

Muzhudu aandon vazhi kaavala

தென் குமரி வட பெருங்கல்
குண குட கடலா எல்லை
குன்று மலை காடு நாடு
ஒன்று பட்டு வழி மொழியக்
கொடிது கடிந்து கோல் திருத்தி
படுவது உண்டு பகல் ஆற்றி
இனிது உருண்ட சுடர் நேமி
முழுது ஆண்டோர் வழி காவல

With (Kanya) Kumari in the south, the great Himalaya mountains in the north, with the seas on east and west as the boundaries; unifying the hills, mountains, forests into a single kindom under the same or single umbrella, reigning in a righteous way removing all bad features, taking one sixth as their share, and not swerving from justice- this is how your ancestors ruled this land; you have come in their line.

Though it is common to speak of Venkatam and Kumari as the northern  and southern boundaries of the Tamil speaking land, some Tamil kings extended their reign  over other parts of the country too, up to the Himalayas, with a single command. The poet says this was the tradition (marabu) of this dynasty! So it is clear that there were extensive contacts and interface between the North and South, and some Tamil kings had ruled over the whole of the Bharata land. Or, we can also take it that the Chera kings come in the line of those who ruled over the whole country!

Kanchenjunga- amazing!
www.indiamike.com

A very significant fact is revealed here. In the Indian tradition, the king can take only one sixth of the people's income as tax! This was because, householders had a prior charge by way of five debts to be discharged! (Panchamaha yajna- aimpulattaaru ombal!ஐம்புலத்தார் ஓம்பல்). This was followed by the Tamil kings too.

The Himalayas were just not regarded as the Northern boder, but were considered as our defence. This is stated by another poet, Uraiyoor Yenichcher i Mudamosiyaar, உறையூர் ஏணிச்சேரி முடமோசியார் in singing about  another king, Aai Andiran. ஆய் அண்டிரன் (132)

Vadadisai adhuvey vaanthoi Imayam

Then disai aaykudi inraayin

Pirazhvadu manno im malar talai vulagey!

வட திசை அதுவே வான் தோய் இமயம்
தென் திசை ஆய்குடி இன்றாயின்
பிறழ்வது மன்னோ இம் மலர் தலை வுலகே

If there were no Himalayas in the North, and the Podigai mountain in the South, which is the seat of the king Aai, this whole earth will be without defence! 

The Tamil kings were not narrow minded or short-sighted. They too took the Himalayas as offering protection, like the rest of the country! They were very much Indians; just that they spoke Tamil, as others spoke other languages! 

Rangtang Range in Nepal. By Sudan Shreshtha (Own work) CC BY-SA 3.0 creative commons via Wikimedia commons.

There are also instances where it  is recorded that at times, kings of the North were afraid of the Tamil kings.See poems:31,52

There was deep-rooted kinship among the kings of India. They were all Kshatriyas, and Raja dharma was uniform throughout the land. We saw that Pandyas were considered as belonging to the Moon dynasty- Chandra Vamsa. The poem above revealed the Chera king as coming in an ancient line which ruled the whole country. Likewise, the Cholas are considered as descendants of Sibi, an illustrious ancestor of Rama in the Surya Vamsa. This is stated in several poems.

37. Poet Maarokkattu Nappasalaiyaar மாறோக்கத்து நப்பசலையார் on king Killivalavan கிள்ளி வளவன்:

This poetess is comparing the king's valour with that of Sibi and states:

Pulluru punkann teertha vellvel

Sinam kezhu taanaich chembian maruga!

புள்ளுறு புன் கண் தீர்த்த வெள்வேல்
சினம் கெழு தானைச் செம்பியன் மருக!

Sibi had with him warriors capable of great anger (bravery). He was the one who removed the suffering of the pigeon. (Remember that ) you have come in his line.

39.Same poet on the same king.

Puravin allal solliya karaiyadi

Yaanai venmaruppu yerinda vennkadai

Konirai tulaam pukkon maruga!

புறவின் அல்லல் சொல்லிய கறையடி
யானை வெண் மருப்பு  எறிந்த வெண்கடை
கோல் நிறை துலாம் புக்கோன் மருக

Unable to bear its suffering, the pigeon came and took refuge  with the king; not falling from justice, the king himself climbed into the weighing scale made of the elephant's tusks. Thus the king Sibi extended justice and compassion. You have come in his line.

 Bas relief depicting Sibi weighing the flesh from his thigh- Borobudur.https://ramani50.wordpress.com

43.Poet Taamappal Kannanaar தாமப்பல் கண்ணனார் on Maavalaththan, மாவளத்தான் younger sibling of Nalangkilli.நலங்கிள்ளி

...................kodum siraik

Koor ugirp parundin yeru kurittu oreeit

Thannagam pukka kurunadaip puravin

Thaputi anjich cheerai pukka

Varaiya eegai uravon  maruga!

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

Aarpunai theriyal nin munnor ellam

Paarppaar novana seyyalar; matru idhu

Neerththo ninakku?

.....................கொடும் சிறைக்

கூர் உகிர்ப் பருந்தின் ஏறு குறித்து ஒரீஇத்
தன்னகம் புக்க குறுனடைப் புறவின்
தபுதி அஞ்சிச் சீரை புக்க
வரையா ஈகை உரவோன் மருக!
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

ஆர்புனை தெரியல் நின் முன்னோர் எல்லாம்
பார்ப்பார் நோவன செய்யலர்; மற்று இது
நீர்த்தோ நினக்கு?

It seems this poet had some altercation with this member of royalty, when he aimed some missile at the poet. The poet expressed his doubt whether he was really the scion of the Sibi dynasty! These words did not make the king's brother angry; he was overcome with a feeling of shame. The poet appreciated this great quality of the member of royalty and said he himself was the one who had erred. This poem was composed on that occasion.

Chased by the stong eagle with powerful wings, the pigeon took shelter under the king Sibi. In order to save it, the king himself climbed up and sat on the weighing scale. You have come in that brave dynasty. But I doubt it.

Your ancestors wearing the royal garland had never done anything to offend Brahmins.Is it proper for you to have done this to me?

 The poet goes on to say that inspite of his saying so, the king's brother did not get angry, but only felt ashamed. The poet expresses appreciation for such noble quality, and says the fault was all his!

Besides the story of the pigeon and Sibi, we get here one more information: that kings would not do things to offend Brahmins!

It appears from the context that the poet must have been a Brahmin. Kannanaar is actually the Tamilised form of the word Krishnan! (We have the recent example of Mugavai 'Kanna' Muruganar,முகவை கண்ண முருகனார் a great poet-devotee of Ramana Maharshi, whose original name was Subramanya Iyer, and whose father was Krishna Iyer!)

The information that  offences against Brahmins (as against cows) would be viewed as sins is stated in another poem-34 in the line: 'paarppaar tappiya kodumai yorkkum'. பார்ப்பார் தப்பிய கொடுமையோர்க்கும்.But this line is missing from modern editions! The idea can be found in Kanchi Puranam and Kamba Ramayanam.

46.Kovoor Kizhaar கோவூர் கிழார் on Killivalavan கிள்ளி வளவன்

Neeye puravin allal anriyum, piravum
Idukkann palavum viduthon maruganai!

நீயே புறவின் அல்லல் அன்றியும், பிறவும்
இடுக்கண் பலவும் விடுத்தோன் மருகனை

You come in the dynasty of one who removed the suffering of not only the pigeon, but many others.

This poem was sung when the Chola king was about to cause the death of the young children of a rival chieftain. The poet's interference saved them. But it reveals a cruel streak in the king. There must be some reason why this king is reminded of Sibi often!

We thus see that Sibi is held in high esteem. The Cholas trace their ancestry to Sibi,and are therefore called Sembians, who belonged to Raghuvamsa which became even more famous after Rama! Yet Dravidians say Rama is Aryan and Ramayana is the story of Aryan expansion in Tamil Nad! If Sibi's story is remembered, were not the Cholas, one of the avowed Tamil kings, Aryan too? 

By Sheema Mookherjee. Nanda Devi
One is really struck by the total lack of regard for historical truths recorded in their own ancient works, displayed by the modern day self-styled  Dravidians! They seem to have imbibed the lessons of Dr.Goebbels particularly well.Tiruvalluvar said of such people that those who deny the truths held by the great (the learned or elite- உலகம் என்பது உயர்ந்தோர் மாட்டே) are to be considered as ghosts!

உலகத்தார் உண்டென்பது இல்லென்பான் வையத்து
அலகையாய் வைக்கப் படும்.

Note:

It is not easy for anyone to read and understand Purananooru, or any other Sangam literature today. Most of the old editions like those of Dr.Iyer are meant for scholars. Other editions too assume a high level of Tamil knowledge on the part of the reader. They are all written in a deliberately tough linguistic style, cultivated to cater to the needs of the professional students. The modern editions leave out many important matters which may not please the political dispensation.  ( For eg in one edition, the word 'Paarppaar' in the line 'Paarppaar novana seyyalar' in the poem of  Thamappal Kannanar is rendered  as 'pirar'  ie 'others'! That is, they want to avoid the direct reference to Brahmins, especially when it shows them in a reverential light!) In many cases they don't explain many important words or concepts. In the name of giving the meaning, they just rearrange the original words (anvayam). Naturally not many readers can get to know the meaning of these poems. It is so easy to read Milton and Shakespeare, Coleridge and Wordsworth but not our old literature. Plato once remarked that while children are afraid of the dark, grown-ups are afraid of light- ie enlightenment!

We are extremely lucky with Tirumurugatruppadai because we have two commentaries by Ki.Va.Ja!

kanya kumari. By Bhavani Gautam (Own Work) CCBY-SA 3.0 creativecommons via Wikimedia commons.