A brief
Introduction to Puranaanuuru
Dr. R. Prabhakaran
Bel Air, Maryland
Preface
Preface
Puranaanuuru is considered to be
one of the outstanding literatures of the world. It reflects the life style and
the values of the Tamil society that existed 2000 years ago. I have attempted
to capture the essence of Puranaanuuru in this essay. It is impossible to
express the original ideas of Puranaanuuru in English the way they are felt and
realized in Tamil rendering, and that too in a few pages. So, I would like state
at the outset that this is only a very modest attempt on my part to highlight
some of the salient aspects of Puranaanuuru.
Tamil words and names are
difficult to write in English. I did not have access to the software that might
help to Romanize the Tamil words the way they should be rendered phonetically
with suitable diacritics. I have adopted a simple and intuitive approach to
write the Tamil words in English.
If the reader feels that this
essay has provided a basic overview and an appreciation for the depth and
breadth of Puranaanuuru, I would consider that my objective in writing this
essay has been achieved.
Dr. R. Prabhakaran
Bel Air, Maryland
A brief
Introduction to Puranaanuuru
Dr. R. Prabhakaran
Tamil Civilization
There is a general consensus
among the historians that the Tamil Civilization is one of the oldest
civilizations of the world. Although the archeological excavations, epigraphs
and numismatic evidences found inside and outside of Tamil Nadu point to the
antiquity of Tamil Civilization, historians find it difficult to reconstruct
the early history of Tamil people with any degree of certainty. However, In the
case of Tamil people, in addition to the artifacts, the Tamil literature provides
valuable information to partially reconstruct their history of the past two
millennia, if not earlier. Therefore, in
addition to its elegance and beauty, the ancient Tamil literature is also an important
source of information for Tamil history.
Antiquity of Tamil
language
Like the Tamil civilization, the Tamil
language is also considered as one of the oldest languages of the world. It is comparable in its antiquity to
languages such as Chinese, Arabic, Hebrew, Greek, Latin and Sanskrit. It has an
independent literary tradition. It has a vast collection of rich and robust
literature. In view of its antiquity, independent tradition and the vastness of
its rich and robust literature, Tamil has been considered as one of the
classical languages of the world. For example, Dr. George L. Hart, former Tamil
Chair at the University of California, Berkeley, makes the following statement
regarding the classical nature of Tamil:
“The quality of classical Tamil
literature is such that it is fit to stand beside the great literatures of
Sanskrit, Greek, Latin, Chinese, Persian and Arabic. The subtlety and
profundity of its works, their varied scope, and their universality qualify
Tamil to stand as one of the great classical traditions and literatures of the
world.”
In spite of the fact that
scholars like Dr. George L. Hart had long ago realized the classical nature of
Tamil, for political reasons, the government of India did not recognize Tamil
as a classical language until October 2004.
Antiquity of Tamil literature
The oldest literary work in
Tamil is known as Tholkaappiyam (தொல்காப்பியம்) written by Tholkaappiyar. Most literary historians consider that at
least parts of Tholkaappiyam were written in 3rd century BCE. Tholkaapiyam
is the earliest, most authoritative and comprehensive work on Tamil grammar.
The fact that an elaborate grammar like Tholkaappiyam was written 2300 years
ago, implies that Tamil must have been a well developed language long before
that period. In addition to Tholkaappiyam,
a large number of poems were composed before the dawn of the Christian era by
hundreds of poets dealing with a wide variety of subjects as love, war,
governance, goals of life and various other aspects of life. Of that extensive set of poems only a
fraction of them is now available. Those poems that are available are
collectively known as Sangam literature. The exact time period in which Sangam
literature came into existence is difficult to pinpoint. According to Dr. M. Varadharajan, a well known
Tamil scholar and a historian of Tamil literature, the Sangam period is from 500
BCE to 200 AD. The late Prof. A. K. Rramanujam, formerly professor at the University
of Chicago, considered that the Sangam period was from 100 BCE to 250 AD.
However, most scholars agree that the Sangam period is probably from 300 BCE to
300 AD. Puranaanuuru is part of Sangam literature. The ensuing paragraphs will
provide a general overview of Tholkaappiyam and Sangam literature and an
in-depth review of Puranaanuuru.
Tholkaappiyam: Tholkaappiyam contains three sections. The
first section, known as ezhuthathikaaram (எழுத்ததிகாரம்) deals with orthography and phonology of Tamil
language. The second section, titled sollathikaaram (சொல்லதிகாரம்) deals with morphology and syntax of Tamil
words. The third section called poruLathikaaram (பொருளதிகாரம்) is about the subject matter or substance
of poetry. It should be noted that in
the early stages of the development of Tamil language, there was no prose and
people wrote only poetry. Tholkaappiyam
provides grammar in great detail for the composition of poetry. The subject
matter of poetry is divided into two parts, akam
and puram. Akam
deals with the affairs of the heart or the love between the sexes and their
behavior towards each other. These
include the following scenarios: 1) meeting between a man and his beloved and
the development of their love, 2) the man leaving his beloved for education,
employment, or participation in a war, 3) the beloved waiting for her lover’s
return, 4) longing and suffering of the beloved because of the separation from
her lover, and 5) minor quarrels between the lover and his beloved where she
feigns anger against him upon his return.
The various events and memories of those events during the five stages
in the love affair between a man and his beloved are private in nature and they
are not discussed in public. The word ‘akam’ means ‘inside’ or in this context things
that pertain only to the lovers.
The other subject matter that is suitable for poetry is known as puram. The word ‘puram’ means outside. It deals with such things as war, fame, goals
of life, expression of grief over the death of warriors by his friends and
family, charity, seeking gifts from kings and chieftains, poets providing
advice to kings, and other similar subject matters which are suitable candidates
for public discussion.
Sangam Literature: The
term Sangam literature refers to ten long poems varying in length from 183 to
850 lines and eight anthologies of poems varying in length from three to forty
lines. The ten long poems are known as paththuppaattu (பத்துப்பாட்டு) and the
eight anthologies of short poems are called ettuththokai (எட்டுத் தொகை). The
poetry contained in the Sangam literature is the collective work of
approximately 475 poets of whom approximately 30 of them were women.
The ten long poems are as
follows:
1) thirumurukaarruppadai
(திருமுருகாற்றுப்படை)
2)
porunaraarruppadai (பொருநராற்றுப்படை)
3) sirupaaNaarruppadai
(சிறுபாணாற்றுப்படை)
4) perumpaaNaarruppadai
(பெரும்பாணாற்றுப்படை)
5) mullaippaattu(முல்லைப்பாட்டு)
6) madhuraikkaanji(மதுரைக்
காஞ்சி)
7) nedunalvaadai (நெடுநல்வாடை)
8) kurunjippaattu
(குறிஞ்சிப்பாட்டு)
9) pattinappaalai(பட்டினப்பாலை)
10) malaipadukadaam (மலைபடுகடாம்)
There is a four line poem which
lists the ten poems of paththuppaattu. The poem is as follows:
முருகு
பொருநாறு பாணிரண்டு முல்லை
பெருகு வள மதுரைக் காஞ்சி - மருவினிய
கோல நெடுநல் வாடை கோல்குறிஞ்சிப்பட்டினப்
பாலை கடாத்தொடும் பத்து.
Of these ten poems, six of them
belong to the category of puram. They
are:
thirumurukaarruppadai
(திருமுருகாற்றுப்படை)
porunaraarruppadai
(பொருநராற்றுப்படை)
sirupaaNaarruppadai
(சிறுபாணாற்றுப்படை)
perumpaaNaarruppadai
(பெரும்பாணாற்றுப்படை)
malaipadukadaam (மலைபடுகடாம்)
maduraikkaanji(மதுரைக் காஞ்சி)
The following four of the ten poems belong to the akam category. They are:
mullaippaattu(முல்லைப்பாட்டு)
kurunjippaattu (குறிஞ்சிப்பாட்டு)
pattinappaalai(பட்டினப்பாலை)
nedunalvaadai (நெடுநல்வாடை)
However there is a difference of opinion among scholars
regarding nedunalvaadai as to which category it belongs to. Some of them are of
the opinion that it belongs to akam whereas
others argue that it belongs to puram.
The eight anthologies are as follows:
narriNai (நற்றிணை)
kurunthokai (குறுந்தொகை)
aingkurunuuru (ஐங்குறுனூறு)
pathitruppaththu (பதிற்றுப்பத்து)
paripaadal (பரிபாடல்)
kalithokai (கலித்தொகை)
akanaanuuru (அகநானூறு)
puranaanuuru (புறநானூறு)
Like in the case of pathuppaattu, there is a poem which
documents the eight anthologies. It is as follows:
நற்றிணை நல்ல
குறுந்தொகை ஐங்குறுநூறு
ஒத்த பதிற்றுப்பத்து ஓங்கு பரிபாடல்
கற்றறிந்தார் ஏத்தும் கலியோடு அகம்புறம் என்று
இத்திறத்த எட்டுத் தொகை.
ஒத்த பதிற்றுப்பத்து ஓங்கு பரிபாடல்
கற்றறிந்தார் ஏத்தும் கலியோடு அகம்புறம் என்று
இத்திறத்த எட்டுத் தொகை.
Of these eight anthologies, narrinai,
kurunthokai, aingkurunuuru, kalithokai and akanaanuuru belong to the category
of akam; in other words their subject
matter is love. pathirruppaththu and puranaanuuru are of the puram variety; that is, they deal with
matters other than love. paripaatal is a combination akam and puram.
The above information is
provided to impress upon the reader that the Tamil language is ancient and has
an extraordinary collection of elegant literature dealing with various aspects
of life. Regarding the excellence of the Sangam literature, Dr. A. K. Ramanujam
states: "In their antiquity and
in their contemporaneity, there is not much else in any Indian literature equal
to these quiet and dramatic Tamil poems. In their values and stances, they
represent a mature classical poetry: passion is balanced by courtesy,
transparency by ironies and nuances of design, impersonality by vivid detail, and
austerity of lines by richness of implication.”
For more detailed information
regarding these poems, the reader is referred to “The Golden Anthology of
Ancient Tamil Literature” by Balakrishna Mudaliar.
Purananuuru
General characteristics of Puranaanuuru: The themes of the poems of
Puranaanuuru include kingship, war, words of wisdom, elegy (poems written
expressing sorrow or lamentations for one who is dead) for the valiant
warriors, poets seeking gifts from the kings and chieftains, generosity of the
kings and chieftains, goals of human life, celebration of the ferocity and
glory of the kings, poverty of the poets, and other subjects suitable for
public discussion. The poems of Puranaanuuru provide detailed insight into the
social, political and economic conditions of Tamil Nadu during the Sangam
period along with valuable historic information. In the words of Dr. George L. Hart,
“Puranaanuuru is extremely important to the study and understanding of the
development of much of South Asia’s history, culture, religion, and linguistics.
But, beyond this, the Puranaanuuru is a great work of literature, accurately
and profoundly reflecting the life of Tamil Nadu 2,000 years ago. Its appeal is
universal: it has much to say about
living and dying, despair, poverty, love and the changing nature of existence.”
This important piece of Tamil literature was first published in the form of a
book in 1894 by Dr. U.V. Swaminatha Iyer, who is affectionately known as the Tamil
Thaathaa (தமிழ்த் தாத்தா), meaning the grandfather of Tamil.
Puranaanuuru is a collection of
400 poems belonging to the puram
category. Out of the 400 poems only 398 are now available. The identity of the
person who compiled this anthology as well as the identity of the king under
whose patronage it was compiled continues to be a mystery. Out of the 398 poems, 384 were composed by approximately
157 poets; the authors of the remaining 14 poems are unknown. Out of the 157 poets 14 were women.
The kings and the poets play the
major roles in most of the poems of Puranaanuuru. In the following sections,
the role of kings and the poets will be discussed first. Subsequent to that, general information that
one can glean from Puranaanuuru about the Tamil society will be discussed. Finally,
the concept of life and the goals of life as described in Puranaanuuru will be
reviewed.
Kings
The political system during the Puranaanuuru
period was absolute monarchy. Ancient Tamil Nadu consisted of three major
kingdoms, known as the Chera, Chola and Pandya kingdoms. Each kingdom contained
within it several small kingdoms ruled by chieftains. The chieftains paid taxes
and royalties to the kings in whose kingdoms their countries were situated. The
kings also collected revenue from the landowners and merchants. The king was
the person responsible for the protection of his country from enemies from
within or outside the country. Wars among the Kings and wars among the
chieftains were not uncommon. Puranaanuuru mentions the glory of kings who
fought major wars and achieved victories in the battlefields. The goal of a
king was to rule their countries in a just manner and protect their citizens as
a mother would protect her children. Although they were interested in
protecting their citizens like a mother, they did not hesitate to inflict
hardship on the citizens of other countries and make them suffer like orphans.
The kings had absolute power
over their country. It is interesting to note that the Tamil word “iraivan” (இறைவன்)
means a king as well as God. Also, the word “kOyil’ means the temple as well as
the king’s residence. In spite of this power, the kings wanted to be just in
their actions, easily accessible to their citizens, poets, musicians and other
artists. They were very generous in giving gifts to the poets and musicians and
others who came to them asking for help.
The king played a central and
vital role in the country. To emphasize this point, the poet Mosi Keeranaar
says that the life of a country depends not on food and water but on the king
and it is important that he realizes his vital role.
நெல்லும் உயிர்அன்றே; நீரும் உயிர்அன்றே;
மன்னன் உயிர்த்தே மலர்தலை உலகம்;
அதனால், யான்உயிர் என்ப தறிகை
வேன்மிகு தானை வேந்தற்குக் கடனே. (Puranaanuuru - 186)
மன்னன் உயிர்த்தே மலர்தலை உலகம்;
அதனால், யான்உயிர் என்ப தறிகை
வேன்மிகு தானை வேந்தற்குக் கடனே. (Puranaanuuru - 186)
Rice is not the life of the
world nor is the water! The king is the life of this world with its wide
expanses! And so it is incumbent upon a king who maintains an army wielding
many spears to know of himself” “I am this world’s life!”
The kings realized that the welfare of the country depended on their ability to be skillful and talented in the art of ruling the country. There is a poem in Puranaanuuru written by a king by the name Thondaimaan Ilanthiraiyan (தொண்டைமான் இளந்திரையன்) emphasizing the importance of skillful governance by the king. The poem is as follows:
கால்பார்
கோத்து ஞாலத்து இயக்கும்
காவற் சாகாடு உகைப்போன் மாணின்
ஊறுஇன்றாகி ஆறுஇனிது படுமே;
உய்த்தல் தேற்றான் ஆயின் வைகலும்
பகைக்கூழ் அள்ளற் பட்டு
மிகப்பல் தீநோய் தலைத்தலைத் தருமே. (Puranaanuuru – 185)
காவற் சாகாடு உகைப்போன் மாணின்
ஊறுஇன்றாகி ஆறுஇனிது படுமே;
உய்த்தல் தேற்றான் ஆயின் வைகலும்
பகைக்கூழ் அள்ளற் பட்டு
மிகப்பல் தீநோய் தலைத்தலைத் தருமே. (Puranaanuuru – 185)
When a cart that is well guarded
has a driver who is skilled, it will move through the world, with wheels and
shaft joined, and it will roll on smoothly without meeting any obstacles! But
if the driver does not know how to handle it, then every single day, he will
sink the cart into dense and hostile mud and it will create nothing but
immense, fierce suffering over and over! (G. L. Hart)
The kings felt that it was
important to be loved by their citizens and being praised by poets. In turn, as
long as the king was just in his actions and ruled the country with grace and
magnanimity, he was guaranteed of the loyalty of his citizens. In fact, during
the Sangam period, the concept of patriotism for ones country was considered synonymous
with loyalty towards the kings. The concept of a unified Tamil country united
by Tamil language and culture was absent.
Instead, a country meant Chera, Chola, Pandya kingdom or a region ruled
by a chieftain within the three kingdoms. When citizens fought valiantly and
died in the battlefields, it was out of loyalty towards their kings and not out
of patriotic spirit towards their country. This lack of unity among the kings who
ruled Tamil Nadu led to the invasion of Tamil Nadu by KaLappirars during the
third century AD.
Poets
During the Sangam age, the poets
played a critical role in the society. Obviously they were respected for their
knowledge. Some were very poor and wrote poetry praising the kings and patrons
for the sake of receiving valuable gifts. Although they praised the kings and
patrons for gifts, they maintained their self respect. For example, the poet
Perunthalai Saathanaar (பெருந்தலைச் சாத்தனார்) goes to a patron seeking gifts.
But, the patron delays seeing him and giving him gifts. In poem 205, the poet
says, “Even from the three kings (Chera, Chola and Pandya) with all their
wealth, we want nothing unless it is given with love!” The poets expected the
kings and patrons to receive them with due respect, listen to their poetry and
give them appropriate gifts with love and affection. The gifts were supposed to
be given in appreciation of their knowledge and not as mere charity to one who
comes begging.
Another example to illustrate
the respect and reverence enjoyed by the poets can be seen from the story of
Mosi Keeranaar (மோசி கேரனார்) described in poem 50 of Puranaanuuru. The poet
Mosi Keeranaar went to see a Chera king. When he reached the king’s palace, he
was very tired and he slept in a bed that was empty. Little did he know that it
was not a bed, but it was the sacred place to keep the kingdom’s royal drum.
That day, the palace servants had taken the royal drum from its place for the
sake of cleaning it to get rid of the stain from the blood that fell on it from
the recent war. So, the seat of the drum was empty. During the Sangam period,
the seat of the royal drum was considered sacred and was not supposed to be
used as a bed or a place to sit. Anyone who violated the sacrosanct nature of
the seat of the drum was subject to capital punishment. When the king saw the poet
Mosi keeranaar sleeping on the seat of the drum, he immediately understood that
it was the poet’s honest mistake. The
king picked up a hand-held fan and waved it on the body of the poet to give him
fresh air and comfort, just as the palace servants would do for the king. When
the poet woke up, he realized his mistake and the magnanimous gesture of the
king. This shows that the poets were highly respected by the kings for their
knowledge and wisdom.
The poets have also served as wise
and trusted advisors to the kings. The poets did not hesitate to criticize the
kings when the kings were wrong or cruel in their actions. Once the king NedungkiLLi
(நெடுங்கிள்ளி) was hiding in his palace when his city was besieged by his
cousin NalangkiLLli (நலங்கிள்ளி). This caused immense suffering for the people
of the city, because they could not get supplies past the army waiting outside
the city walls. The poet KOvuur kizhaar (கோவூர் கிழார்) goes to NedugkiLLi and
admonishes him for his lack of bravery. The poet says the following:
“O lord of powerful horse whose
strength can hardly be equaled! If you live by righteousness, open your gates
and say, “The city is yours!” If you live by martial courage, open them and
fight! But if you are without righteousness, without martial courage and all you
do is to hide on your own grounds within your high walls while your massive
gates stay closed and never open, do you realize how much cause for shame is in
this!”
In another instance, the Chola
king NedungkKiLLi mistakes the innocent poet ILanthathan for a spy and was
going to kill him. Poet KOvur Kizhaar goes to NedungkKiLLi and convinces him and
successfully spares the poet’s life.
When the chieftain Pekan was
separated from his wife Kannaki and lived with another woman, the famous poets
Paranar, Kapilar, Arisil kizhaar and Perungkunruur Kizhaar condemned Pekan for
his conduct and refused to accept gifts from him. They insisted that the only
thing they wanted from him was that he should be reunited with his wife and
make her happy.
The episode of the poet Perunjcithiranaar
(பெருஞ்சித்திரனார்) is very interesting and clearly illustrates the poet’s
pride and self-respect. The poet was in dire poverty. His elderly mother, his
wife and child were without food and were suffering from pangs of hunger. The
poet went to the king VeLimaan seeking gifts. When the poet arrived,
unfortunately the king was about to die. The king told his younger brother ILaveLimaan
(இளவெளிமான்) to take care of the poet. But, the younger brother was not capable
of appreciating the poet’s knowledge and insulted the poet by giving him a trivial
gift. The poet refused to accept that, left the palace and went to king Kumanan
who was known for his philanthropy. King Kumanan gave elephants, chariots and
other valuable items as gifts to poet Perunjcithiranaar. The poet, instead of
going home to his wife, went to ILaveLimaan and embarrassed him by gifting him
an elephant. He then went home to his
wife and told her to be very generous in giving away his new found wealth to
all their relatives, friends and creditors without even consulting him.
Information about
the Tamil society during the Puranaanuuru period
Aryan Influence: Most historians consider that the Aryans migrated
from Central Asia to the Indian subcontinent during the period 2000BCE –
500BCE. According to K. A. Nilakanta Sasthri, a noted historian of South India,
although the initial migration was to the northern part of India, starting
somewhere about 1000 BCE the movement of the Aryans into the south India and in
particular to Tamil Nadu has was complete. Therefore, the Aryan migration into
Tamil Nadu took place before the Sangam period. In Puranaanuuru, there are
several references to Brahmins (Aryans), the Vedas, Vedic culture, the epic
Ramayana, the Vedic gods such as Shiva (மணிமிடற்றோன்), Vishnu (மாயோன்),
Balaraman (பலராமன்). In addition to the Vedic gods, the Tamil god Murugan (முருகன்)
is also mentioned. Whenever these gods are referenced, their attributes are
mentioned. Although there are a few poems in Puranaanuuru where it is mentioned
that the kings had followed the Vedic tradition and participated in special
prayers known as வேள்வி, there is no mention of people praying to gods for any
anticipated benefits. No religion is
advocated in any of the poems of Puranaanuuru. On the contrary there are
several references to the worship of tombstones (நடுகல்) of dead war heroes in
order to pay homage to them. So, in spite of the knowledge of the mythology of
the Vedic gods, the tradition of praying to them has not been the common
practice as it is in the modern day Tamil Nadu. So, Puranaanuuru is totally
secular in nature.
The caste system: One of the key components of the Vedic religion
is the “varunasirama dharma” which stipulates that people can be classified
into four categories; the Brahmins, the Kshthriyas, the Vysias and the Sudhras.
The Brahmins are the priestly class, the Kshthrias are the ruling class, the Vysias
are the business class and lastly the Sudhras belong to the working class who
serve the other three classes of people. The Vedic system of classification is
based on birth. One belongs to the class of one’s birth and it cannot be
changed. The Vedic classification also included a fifth category of people who
were considered to be outcastes and untouchables. This class system later gave
rise to hundreds of castes in the Tamil society and thus created a graded
inequality based upon people’s birth. Puranaanuuru also makes references to the
four classes of people. But, there is no mention of other castes in Puranaanuuru.
However, the people who worked in the graveyards and involved in cremation of
dead bodies were considered to be of lower in status and even referred to as “இழிபிறப்பினோன்”
(363). Based on this and other references to terms like “புலையன்”, “இழிசினன்”
and so on, Dr. George Hart and Prof. A. K. Ramanujam conclude that there were
some people who were considered as low castes. In actuality, the lower status of
some people was based on the type of work they performed and not by their birth
as in the case of the class system practiced by the Brahmins. For example,
there is no evidence to indicate that the children of pulaians were considered
as pulaians. Therefore, it appears that
the caste system as we now know was not prevalent in the Tamil society during
the Sangam period. Hence, it is reasonable to believe that the four classes
described in the Vedas evolved into a more elaborate caste system as the
influence of the Brahmins and their culture began to take deep roots in the
Tamil society after the Sangam period.
Dr. S. Palaniappan, a Tamil scholar has done extensive research on the
subject of caste in the ancient Tamil society. Based on his extensive research
of Sangam literature and the epigraphs associated with that period, he has come
to the conclusion that the caste system was not in existence during Sangam
period.
The concept of universal brotherhood: ThiruvaLLuvar, a well known
ethicist of later period than the Sangam period states that “All people are
equal at birth; they do become different by their accomplishments during the
course of their life.” Similar concept
of equality at birth and a universal outlook which emphasized that all people
are really related to each other is espoused by the poet KaNiayan Puungunranaar
in his famous poem in Puranaanuuru. The Tamil version of the poem and the
English translation are given below:
யாதும் ஊரே;
யாவரும் கேளிர்;
தீதும் நன்றும் பிறர்தர வாரா;
நோதலும் தணிதலும் அவற்றோ ரன்ன;
சாதலும் புதுவது அன்றே; வாழ்தல்
இனிதுஎன மகிழ்ந்தன்றும் இலமே; முனிவின், 5
இன்னா தென்றலும் இலமே மின்னொடு
வானம் தண்துளி தலைஇ, ஆனாது
கல்பொருது இரங்கும் மல்லற் பேர்யாற்று
நீர்வழிப் படூஉம் புணைபோல், ஆருயிர்
முறைவழிப் படூஉம் என்பது திறவோர் 10
காட்சியின் தெளிந்தனம் ஆகலின் மாட்சியின்
பெரியோரை வியத்தலும் இலமே;
சிறியோரை இகழ்தல் அதனினும் இலமே. (Purananuru 192)
தீதும் நன்றும் பிறர்தர வாரா;
நோதலும் தணிதலும் அவற்றோ ரன்ன;
சாதலும் புதுவது அன்றே; வாழ்தல்
இனிதுஎன மகிழ்ந்தன்றும் இலமே; முனிவின், 5
இன்னா தென்றலும் இலமே மின்னொடு
வானம் தண்துளி தலைஇ, ஆனாது
கல்பொருது இரங்கும் மல்லற் பேர்யாற்று
நீர்வழிப் படூஉம் புணைபோல், ஆருயிர்
முறைவழிப் படூஉம் என்பது திறவோர் 10
காட்சியின் தெளிந்தனம் ஆகலின் மாட்சியின்
பெரியோரை வியத்தலும் இலமே;
சிறியோரை இகழ்தல் அதனினும் இலமே. (Purananuru 192)
All towns are ours. Everyone is our kin. Evil and goodness do not come to
us
because they are given by others. Nor do suffering and the ending of suffering.
Death is nothing new. We do not rejoice when living is sweet. When we suffer, we do not say that living is miserable. Through the vision of those who have understood, we know that precious life makes its way like a raft riding a powerful huge river that roars endlessly, fed by cold rains with bolts of lightning as it crashes against rocks. So, we are not awed by those who are great; much less we do not despise those who are weak. (Translation by Mrs. Vaidehi Herbert)
because they are given by others. Nor do suffering and the ending of suffering.
Death is nothing new. We do not rejoice when living is sweet. When we suffer, we do not say that living is miserable. Through the vision of those who have understood, we know that precious life makes its way like a raft riding a powerful huge river that roars endlessly, fed by cold rains with bolts of lightning as it crashes against rocks. So, we are not awed by those who are great; much less we do not despise those who are weak. (Translation by Mrs. Vaidehi Herbert)
It is remarkable that it was
even possible for KaNiyan Puungkunranaar to come up with this type of universal
outlook some two thousand years ago. It is interesting to note that the elitist
document, the Declaration of Independence adopted by the Continental Congress
of USA in 1776 only stated that “All men are equal”. It took a civil war to emancipate the blacks
from slavery and give them partial rights and pseudo equality. The acceptance
that women were equal to men came only in 1920 after considerable struggle, and
protest by women. So, in this context,
KaNiyan Puungkunranaar’s declaration that “All towns are ours. Everyone is our kin.” is truly amazing.
Literacy: As stated above, although the majority of the poets of Puranaanuuru
were men, there was also significant number of female poets. The poets came
from various walks of life. For example, the poets included kings, Brahmins,
business people, dealers in gold coins, hunters, medical practitioners,
landlords, teachers, housewives and so on. They constructed the poems of Puranaanuuru
according to strict grammatical rules enunciated in Tholkaappiyam. Therefore,
those who wrote these poems must have had reasonably high level of education
and proficiency in Tamil language and grammar. Since they were from different
walks of life and from different social status, it is clear that the educational
opportunities were generally available to men and women of all strata of the
society. Also, people have understood the value and importance of education.
This is evident from the following poem by Ariyappadai Kadantha Nedunjsezhian (ஆரியப்படை
கடந்த நெடுஞ்செழியன்), a Pandya king.
உற்றுழி உதவியும் உறுபொருள் கொடுத்தும்
பிற்றைநிலை முனியாது கற்றல் நன்றே;
பிறப்போ ரன்ன உடன்வயிற்று உள்ளும்
சிறப்பின் பாலான் தாயும்மனம் திரியும்;
ஒருகுடிப் பிறந்த பல்லோ ருள்ளும் 5
மூத்தோன் வருக என்னாது அவருள்
அறிவுடை யோன்ஆறு அரசும் செல்லும்;
வேற்றுமை தெரிந்த நாற்பால் உள்ளும்
கீழ்ப்பால் ஒருவன் கற்பின்
மேற்பால் ஒருவனும் அவன்கண் படுமே. 10 (Puranaanuuru – 183)
பிற்றைநிலை முனியாது கற்றல் நன்றே;
பிறப்போ ரன்ன உடன்வயிற்று உள்ளும்
சிறப்பின் பாலான் தாயும்மனம் திரியும்;
ஒருகுடிப் பிறந்த பல்லோ ருள்ளும் 5
மூத்தோன் வருக என்னாது அவருள்
அறிவுடை யோன்ஆறு அரசும் செல்லும்;
வேற்றுமை தெரிந்த நாற்பால் உள்ளும்
கீழ்ப்பால் ஒருவன் கற்பின்
மேற்பால் ஒருவனும் அவன்கண் படுமே. 10 (Puranaanuuru – 183)
Learning is a fine thing to have
even if a student helps a teacher in his troubles, gives him a mass of wealth
and honors him without ever showing disdain! Among those born from the same
belly, who share the same nature, a mother’s heart will be most tender toward
the most learned! Of all who are born
into a joint family, a king will not summon the eldest to his side but instead
he will show favor to the man among them who has the greatest knowledge! And
with the four classes of society distinguished as different, should anyone from
the lowest become a learned man, someone of the highest class, reverently, will
come to him to study! (G. L. Hart)
Music & dance: Poems of Puranaanuuru mention several musical
instruments. Some of them are: yaazh(யாழ்), muzhavu (முழவு), AhuLi(ஆகுளி),
pathalai(பதலை), parai(பறை), kinai (கிணை), thuti (துடி), thadaari (தடாரி). Puranaanuuru also mentions about PaaNar (பாணர்)
who were male singers, Patini (பாடினி) who were female singers. It also
mentions virali (விறலி) the dancing woman and porunar (பொருநர்) the people who
wore make-up and acted out the meaning of poems. Puranaanuuru also mentions PaNs
(பண்) which are the same as the ragas of the modern day Carnatic muisic. So, it
is evident that the Tamils of the Sangam age had a well developed system of music
which over the period of time has been influenced by other cultures and has
evolved into the modern day Carnatic music. The same is the case with dances
too. The very fact that the viralis are mentioned in many poems, shows that a
well developed art of dancing was being practiced during the Sangam age. In the
Tamil epic cilappathikaaram (சிலப்பதிகாரம்) which was written after the Sangam
period, the poet ILango adikaL (இளங்கோ அடிகள்) makes extensive references to a
variety of dances performed by individual dancers as well as group of dancers.
Like in the case of music, the Tamil style of dances has been influenced by
other cultures and has evolved into Bharathanatyam.
Economic condition: Agriculture
was the occupation of the majority of people. There were also other tradesmen
like, blacksmiths, goldsmiths, carpenters, hunters and others who earned their
livelihood by providing goods and services to the society. The national economy
depended upon the taxes from landowners and other taxes like the excise taxes.
The kings also amassed wealth from their enemies whom they defeated. The king controlled the wealth of the nation.
He was responsible for the production and distribution of wealth. He provided
financial support to poets and artists. It looks like those who owned land and
those who had skills were financially well off whereas the poets and the
artists were totally dependent on the kings and chieftains and other wealthy
men for their livelihood.
Marriages: Although the akam
literature glorifies love and portrays marriage after courtship, in reality,
the arranged marriages were not uncommon. In fact, there are 22 poems in
Puranaanuuru dealing with the altercations and even wars between the suitors
and the families of the prospective brides. In all cases the suitors are
willing to pay huge amounts of dowry in order to marry the girl of their
choice. But, the parents refuse to give their daughters in marriage to the
suitors unless they are known for their bravery and martial skills. So, it
appears that both “love marriages” as well as “arranged marriages” were in
vogue during the Sangam period.
Roles of men and women: The female poet Ponmudiyaar describes the
role of a mother, father, young man and the king in her well known poem (312).
ஈன்று புறந்தருதல் என்தலைக் கடனே;
சான்றோன் ஆக்குதல் தந்தைக்குக் கடனே;
வேல்வடித்துக் கொடுத்தல் கொல்லற்குக் கடனே;
நன்னடை நல்கல் வேந்தற்குக் கடனே;
ஒளிறுவாள் அருஞ்சமம் முருக்கிக் 5
சான்றோன் ஆக்குதல் தந்தைக்குக் கடனே;
வேல்வடித்துக் கொடுத்தல் கொல்லற்குக் கடனே;
நன்னடை நல்கல் வேந்தற்குக் கடனே;
ஒளிறுவாள் அருஞ்சமம் முருக்கிக் 5
களிறுஎறிந்து பெயர்தல் காளைக்குக்
கடனே.
It is my earnest duty to bear him and raise him. It is
his father’s duty to make him into a noble man. It is the duty of the
blacksmith to forge him a spear. It is the duty of the king to show him how to
behave rightly and the duty of a young man is to fight indomitably with his
shining sword, kill elephants, and come back home. (G.L. Hart)
Men during Sangam period: The kings had a regular army consisting
of cavalry, fleet of elephants, fleet of chariots and infantry soldiers. Some
of the kings also had a naval force. During times of war, all eligible men were
conscripted to participate in the war. The men considered it as an honor to
fight in a war on behalf of their kings. It was believed that a man should
never turn his back on his enemies. The right thing to do was to encounter the
enemies bravely and even be prepared to sustain fatal injuries. Being injured
on the chest and dying because of such injuries was considered as the most
honorable thing for a man. In fact, if a man died without war injuries, his
chest was cut open by a sword and then buried or cremated. In one of the poems
(74), the king KaNaikkaal Irumporai mentions that even if a child is stillborn,
inflicting a wound on the chest before the burial or cremation was the
practice. This might appear rather cruel and even barbaric. But, the emphasis
is on bravery and courage to sustain injuries and encounter death in war.
Women during Sangam period: As
mentioned previously, Puranaanuuru includes poems written by 14 poets who were
women. Among the female poets, Avvaiyaar
seems to have been very popular. She enjoyed the patronage of the chieftain Adhiyamaan
Nedumaan Anji (அதியமான் நெடுமான் அஞ்சி). She had a very close relationship with
Adhiyamaan who seemed to have been very fond of her. In addition to being a
poet, she was also his confidante and emissary. On one occasion, a king by the
name Thondaiman Ilandhiraiyan (தொண்டைமான் இளந்திரையன்) was planning to wage a
war against Adhiyamaan. Adhiyamaan sent Avvaiyaar as his emissary to
Thondaimaan for the purpose of persuading him not to start a war. Avvaiyaar
went to Thondaimaan’s court. He showed his arsenal of swords, spears and
shields to her. He was very proud of his armory. Avvaiyaar said that his
weapons looked new and they were shining. She also said that Adhiyamaan’s
weapons were broken because they pierced the enemies and are always in
blacksmith’s shed. Thondaimaan understood that Adhiyamaan has used his weapons
often in wars and therefore they are damaged and also Adhiyamaan and his army
were well trained and experienced with their weaponry. They might use the same
weapons against his army very effectively. So, he dropped the idea of waging a
war against Adhiyamaan. This incidence shows the diplomatic, clever and subtle
way in which Avvaiyaar praised Adhiyamaan indirectly and averted the war
between Adhiyamaan and Thondaimaan.
Although we encounter a few female
poets in Puranaanuuru, the majority of the women were housewives. They were
highly respected in the society as long as they were married. Once a woman
became a widow, her life became miserable. This was partly due to tradition and
partly due to self imposed misery to lament the death of their husbands. It was
not uncommon for widowed women to immolate themselves by entering the funeral
pyre of her husband (246). Widow re-marriage was unheard of in Tamil Nadu
during Sangam period and even now it is not common. Generally, widows shaved
their heads, slept on uncomfortable bed of stones and ate nothing but unsalted
dishes made out of leaves and coarse grains.
The most essential quality of
women was considered to be chastity (கற்பு). In the case of unmarried girls and
women, chastity meant total abstinence from
sex (or not falling in love with more than one man) and in the case of a
married woman, it meant complete fidelity to her husband and not entertaining
the idea of an adulterous relationship even in her mind.
Courage of men and women: It is clear from Puranaanuuru that there
were incessant wars among the Tamil kings. Taking part in a war and getting
killed was considered to be a courageous act for men. Courage and valor were
the hallmarks of men. When a soldier was hurt on his back it was considered as
a mark of cowardice and discredit to his valiant nature and to his entire family,
because it indicated that he had turned his back to the enemy to run away. Suffering injuries on the chest and dying was
considered to be an act of bravery for a soldier.
Even women had shown abundant
courage and were happy to see their sons and husbands take part in wars. There
are a few poems in Puranaanuuru which shows the extraordinary bravery of women
and their sacrifice for the sake of war in support of their country and king.
The following poem depicts the
courageous nature of a soldier’s mother. When she learnt that her son died with
wounds on his chest and encountered a valiant death she felt happier than when
she gave birth to him.
மீன்உண் கொக்கின்
தூவி அன்ன
வால்நரைக் கூந்தல்
முதியோள் சிறுவன்
களிறுஎறிந்து பட்டனன் என்னும் உவகை
ஈன்ற ஞான்றினும் பெரிதே; கண்ணீர்,
நோன்கழை துயல்வரும் வெதிரத்து 5
களிறுஎறிந்து பட்டனன் என்னும் உவகை
ஈன்ற ஞான்றினும் பெரிதே; கண்ணீர்,
நோன்கழை துயல்வரும் வெதிரத்து 5
வான்பெயத் தூங்கிய
சிதரினும் பலவே.
When she learned that her son
had fallen slaying an elephant, the old woman whose hair was as white as the
feathers of a fish-eating heron felt even more joy than the time she gave birth
to him. And the tears that she shed then were more than the drops that hang from
sturdy bamboo trees after they had collected water from the rain. (G. L. Hart)
.
There is a poem by the female
poet Okkuur Maasaaththiyaar (ஒக்கூர் மாசாத்தியார்) who portrays a woman who had
lost her father and husband in a war, summons her young son and gets him ready
to go to the war.
கெடுக
சிந்தை; கடிதுஇவள் துணிவே;
மூதின் மகளிர் ஆதல் தகுமே;
மேல்நாள் உற்ற செருவிற்கு இவள்தன்னை,
யானை எறிந்து களத்துஒழிந் தனனே;
நெருநல் உற்ற செருவிற்கு இவள்கொழுநன், 5
பெருநிரை விலங்கி ஆண்டுப்பட் டனனே;
இன்றும், செருப்பறை கேட்டு விருப்புற்று மயங்கி
வேல்கைக் கொடுத்து வெளிதுவிரித்து உடீஇப்
பாறுமயிர்க் குடுமி எண்ணெய் நீவி
ஒருமகன் அல்லது இல்லோள் 10
செருமுக நோக்கிச் செல்கஎன விடுமே. (Puranaanuuru – 279)
மூதின் மகளிர் ஆதல் தகுமே;
மேல்நாள் உற்ற செருவிற்கு இவள்தன்னை,
யானை எறிந்து களத்துஒழிந் தனனே;
நெருநல் உற்ற செருவிற்கு இவள்கொழுநன், 5
பெருநிரை விலங்கி ஆண்டுப்பட் டனனே;
இன்றும், செருப்பறை கேட்டு விருப்புற்று மயங்கி
வேல்கைக் கொடுத்து வெளிதுவிரித்து உடீஇப்
பாறுமயிர்க் குடுமி எண்ணெய் நீவி
ஒருமகன் அல்லது இல்லோள் 10
செருமுக நோக்கிச் செல்கஎன விடுமே. (Puranaanuuru – 279)
May her will be broken! What she has decided on is so cruel but yet it is fitting for a woman descended from an ancient line! Her father, the day before yesterday in battle, brought down an elephant and then fell dead on the field! Yesterday her husband drove back a long rank of warriors and then was cut down in the fight! And today she heard the sound of the war drum and she was overwhelmed with desire! Her mind whirling, she put a spear into the hand of her only son and she wound a white garment around his body and smeared oil upon the dry topknot of his hair and having nothing but him said “Go now”! and sent him off into the battle! (G. L. Hart)
This poem may sound like an
exaggeration by the poet to illustrate the woman’s family tradition of
involvement in battles, her exemplary courage, her sacrifice and her desire to
secure victory for her king. One may even
be tempted to dismiss this poem as a mere imagination of the poet and the
scenario described in the poem as totally unbelievable. To convince ourselves that the content of the
above poem might not be pure imagination of the poet, all we have to do is to
remind ourselves of the sacrifices made by thousands of Tamil women in Sri Lanka
in the recent years to secure Tamil Ezham. Tens of thousands of Tamil women of
Sri Lanka sacrificed the lives of their fathers, husbands, sons and daughters
and they too were directly engaged in the war against the Sri Lankan government
to secure Tamil Ezham. Hopefully their sacrifices will not go in vain and Tamil
Ezham will become a reality in the not too distant future.
Omens: Throughout the ages, the people in every society have had
inexplicable fears about certain events and thought that somehow those events
would cause misfortunes and tragedies in their personal life or might result in
adverse conditions for their country. The Tamil society of the Sangam period
was no exception. They had their own share of superstitious beliefs. The Tamils of the Sangam period
considered that when certain birds crossed their path it would bring them bad
luck. When a comet appeared in the sky it was believed that it would bring bad
luck to the king and may even cause the death of the king. When the planet
Venus moves in the southern direction, seasonal rains would fail, agriculture
might not be possible and the net result would be severe drought and famine. Certain
dreams were believed to be harbingers of tragedy.
Food: It is evident that from Puranaanuuru poems that almost
everyone ate meat and the concept of vegetarianism seems to have been totally
absent. They ate mutton, birds, fish, pork, venison, rabbits etc. In poem 14, the
Brahmin poet Kabilar mentions that his hands were so soft because he never had
to do any hard work with his hands except eating meat mixed with rice. So, it
appears that the practice of vegetarianism was introduced later than Sangam
period by the influence of Jains whose religion strongly insists upon total
non-violence towards all living beings. At first, the Brahmins began to follow the
vegetarian diet and some others emulated them because the Brahmins were
considered as the superior class. In addition to having non-vegetarian diet,
drinking liquor was also very popular. It appears that both men and women drank
toddy, a popular form of liquor brewed locally. There is also a mention of
imported wine from Rome and Greece.
Concept of life
and its goals
Filmily life versus Ascetic Life: Tamil literature makes references
to two distinct life styles: the family life and the ascetic way of life. In
the family life, a man and a woman get married and have children. They take
care of their children, their parents and lead their life as useful members of
the society by being hospitable and generous to those who are in need. In this
way of life, the focus was on living life fully and contributing to the
society. Life was considered to be something positive and to be experienced in
its full measure. In the ascetic way of life one tries to control his five
senses and focuses his attention on what will benefit him in his next birth and
in eventually seeking liberation from the seemingly unending cycle of birth and
death. In Puranaanuuru poems, the poets advocate the family life. Except in one
poem (358) where the poet makes confusing statements about the virtue of
ascetic way of life, in all other poems of Puranaanuuru, the emphasis is on
leading a family life and enjoying the pleasures of life and being generous and
helpful to others.
Death and after life: The Tamil people of the Sangam period were
well aware that life is transient, and that all living beings would sooner or
later die. There is no escaping death. They believed that at the time of death,
yama the demigod takes the life away from the dying person. It was customary to
bury or cremate the dead body. It was believed that after death, the soul
(life) of the individual goes to the “next world”. After spending sometime in
the next world the soul is being born again in this world. The quality of life
in the next world as well as in the next birth depended upon the good deeds
done while living in this world. Those who do good deeds and live a righteous
life will enjoy bliss and happiness in the next world and next life. In fact,
the good deeds done in this life are like a boat that takes one from one shore
to the other (357).
Goals of Life: The question regarding the goals of life was
addressed by the Tamil people of the Sangam period in a manner consistent with
the beliefs of the three religions that were prevalent during that period with
some exceptions. Although the three religions, the Vedic religion (forerunner
of the later day Hinduism), Buddhism and Jainism were prevalent in the Indian
subcontinent during the Sangam period, they did not have a strong foothold in
the Tamil society. According to those three religions, the basic goals of life
are four fold: in Sanskrit they are called dharma,
artha, kaama and moksha. In Tamil
they are called aram, poruL, inpam and
veedu. Moksha or veedu means the salvation of the soul or
the soul reaching a state of perfection and not being born again. The idea of moksha or veedu has not been emphasized in Puranaanuuru. There is a casual
reference to veedu in only one poem
(214). The other three goals are emphasized in many poems.
The term “aram” cannot be accurately translated in English. It denotes
righteous conduct and ethical way of life. Among other things, it includes the
following: love, hospitality, fame, munificence, patience, lack of jealousy,
speaking kind words, non-violence, achieving fame etc. Of these qualities,
hospitality, generosity and achieving fame are emphasized over and over again
in Puranaanuuru.
Tamil society has always placed
great emphasis on hospitality. In poem 333, where the poet describes the
hospitality of a housewife, he says that although she has no food grains left
in the house, she would not hesitate to serve food cooked with the seeds she
has saved in storage for sowing in the next season. This shows that people
would go to any extent of personal sacrifice to make sure that their guests are
well fed and taken care of in the proper manner. Puranaanuuru poems 380 through
400 describe how the kings welcomed the Porunans, gave them abundant food,
toddy, new clothes and other valuable gifts to eliminate their poverty. The poems
dealing with hospitality are too many and it is difficult to discuss all of
them in this short essay.
Like hospitality, generosity,
philanthropy and sharing one’s wealth with others are themes that one finds
repeatedly mentioned in Puranaanuuru. In
this connection, it is worth mentioning a remarkable poem by the king kadaluL
maayntha iLam peruvazuthi (கடலுள் மாய்ந்த இளம் பெருவழுதி). In this poem he
wonders how this world continues to exist and concludes that this world exists
because of good natured men who work hard for the welfare of others. The poem
and its translation are given below:
உண்டால் அம்ம இவ்வுலகம்! இந்திரர்
அமிழ்தம் இயைவ தாயினும், இனிதுஎனத்
தமியர் உண்டலும் இலரே; முனிவிலர்;
துஞ்சலும் இலர்; பிறர் அஞ்சுவது அஞ்சிப்
புகழ்எனின் உயிருங் கொடுக்குவர்; பழியெனின்
உலகுடன் பெறினும் கொள்ளலர்; அயர்விலர்; 5
அன்ன மாட்சி அனைய ராகித்
தமக்கென முயலா நோன்தாள்
பிறர்க்கென முயலுநர் உண்மை யானே. ( Puranaanuuru 182)
அமிழ்தம் இயைவ தாயினும், இனிதுஎனத்
தமியர் உண்டலும் இலரே; முனிவிலர்;
துஞ்சலும் இலர்; பிறர் அஞ்சுவது அஞ்சிப்
புகழ்எனின் உயிருங் கொடுக்குவர்; பழியெனின்
உலகுடன் பெறினும் கொள்ளலர்; அயர்விலர்; 5
அன்ன மாட்சி அனைய ராகித்
தமக்கென முயலா நோன்தாள்
பிறர்க்கென முயலுநர் உண்மை யானே. ( Puranaanuuru 182)
This world exists because men
exist who even if they were to win the divine drink of the gods would not drink
it by themselves only thinking of its sweetness, men without hate, without slackness in their action though they may
have fears like the fears of other men, who would even give their lives for
fame but would not accept fame with dishonor were it to gain them all the
world, men who have no regrets, and with virtues so exalted, never exert their
powerful energies for themselves but only for others. It is because they exist
that we do (the world does)! (G. L. Hart)
It was also considered that a
generous gesture by a philanthropist should be without expecting anything in
return. Helping others and giving generous gifts were done because they were
the right things to do and not for any anticipated gain either in this life or
the next life. In a poem where ParaNaar describes the philanthropic nature of
Ay Andiran, he makes the following remark:
மறுமை நோக்கின்றோ
அன்றே
பிறர் வறுமை
நோக்கின்றவன் கைவண்மையே. (Puranaanuuru
141, 14-15)
Because he (Ay Andiran) feels
the poverty of others and because it is a virtue to be practiced, he is
generous. His generosity is not at all for the sake of a better birth in the
next life.
The poems of Puranaanuuru
contain many examples of generosity and philanthropy by the kings and
chieftains. There are several poems about the seven famous chieftains who were
known for their generosity. They were: Adhiyamaan (அதியமான்), Paari (பாரி),
Kaari (காரி), Ori (ஓரி), NaLLi (நள்ளி), Pekan (பேகன்) and Ay Andiran (ஆய் அண்டிரன்).
These seven were known as kadaiezhu vallalkaL (கடையெழு வள்ளல்கள்). One day,
Paari saw a flowering jasmine creeper lying on the ground without proper support
to grow upwards. Immediately he left his chariot as a support for the creeper
and went back to his palace on his horse. Once the chieftain Pekan saw a
peacock shivering in cold weather. He immediately covered the peacock with his
upper garment. These acts by Paari and Pecan are examples of their tender heart
and kindness extended even to plants and animals. It would not be an
exaggeration to say that generosity and philanthropy of kings and chieftains
are the most repeated and popular themes of the poems of Puranaanuuru.
Another virtue that was
considered important was acquiring fame by doing good deeds. One’s fame or dishonor
(the opposites of fame) is what remains after one’s death. Therefore, those who
wanted to be remembered by others after their death, acquired fame before their
death. In Poem 165 of Puranaanuuru, the poet Perunthalai Saaththanaar (பெருந்தலைச்
சாத்தனார்) says the following:
மன்னா உலகத்து
மன்னுதல் குறித்தோர்
தம்புகழ்
நிறீஇத் தாமாய்ந் தனரே! (Puranaanuuru
165, 1-2)
In this world in which nothing
is permanent, men who sought to endure, first established their fame and then
died.
In summary, the virtues that are
prominently mentioned in Puranaanuuru are hospitality, generosity, philanthropy
without expecting anything in return and acquiring fame by doing good deeds.
As stated before, “poruL” was considered as another
important goal of life. Just like the term aram,
“poruL” cannot be translated exactly
in English. It is often translated in
English as wealth. Although this translation is by no means comprehensive to
convey the meaning of the word “poruL”,
it is sufficient for our purpose. Since family life was recommended as the normal
way of life, gathering wealth was definitely considered important. But, the
question of what to do with one’s wealth is remarkably handled by the famous
poet Nakkeeranaar. He says that since
both a mighty emperor as well as a hunter can only eat a limited amount of food
and can wear only two pieces of clothing, it is better to share one’s wealth
with others.
தெண்கடல் வளாகம் பொதுமை இன்றி
வெண்குடை நிழற்றிய ஒருமை யோர்க்கும்,
நடுநாள் யாமத்தும் பகலும் துஞ்சான்
கடுமாப் பார்க்கும் கல்லா ஒருவற்கும்,
உண்பது நாழி; உடுப்பவை இரண்டே; 5
பிறவும் எல்லாம் ஓரொக் கும்மே;
செல்வத்துப் பயனே ஈதல்,
துய்ப்பேம் எனினே, தப்புந பலவே. (Puranaanuuru 189)
Between that lord of tenacious purpose, who with his white umbrella of royalty shades the earth that is encircled by the cool ocean, sharing it with no one, and the lowly man without learning who goes sleepless in the middle of the night or in the day hunting the swift animals, there is everything in common: the possession of measure of food and two sets of clothes and all the flow of the life! The worth of wealth is that it can be given away! If you think of nothing else but enjoying it many things fail! (G. L. Hart )
வெண்குடை நிழற்றிய ஒருமை யோர்க்கும்,
நடுநாள் யாமத்தும் பகலும் துஞ்சான்
கடுமாப் பார்க்கும் கல்லா ஒருவற்கும்,
உண்பது நாழி; உடுப்பவை இரண்டே; 5
பிறவும் எல்லாம் ஓரொக் கும்மே;
செல்வத்துப் பயனே ஈதல்,
துய்ப்பேம் எனினே, தப்புந பலவே. (Puranaanuuru 189)
Between that lord of tenacious purpose, who with his white umbrella of royalty shades the earth that is encircled by the cool ocean, sharing it with no one, and the lowly man without learning who goes sleepless in the middle of the night or in the day hunting the swift animals, there is everything in common: the possession of measure of food and two sets of clothes and all the flow of the life! The worth of wealth is that it can be given away! If you think of nothing else but enjoying it many things fail! (G. L. Hart )
So, the goal of poruL or the goal of gathering wealth has
no significant purpose other than to share it with others who may be in need of
it. As seen earlier, this selfless act of sharing is the underlying force that
makes it possible for all people to live in this world.
The third goal of life was “kaamam” which means conjugal love.
Since the subject matter of puram is
everything other than love, it is not elaborated in detail in Puranaanuuru. However,
it was considered as important for one’s happiness. This can be inferred from
the poems where poets wish happiness for a king. The wish is always for long
life, marital bliss and enjoyment of worldly pleasures. Two such examples are
provided below:
யவனர், நன்கலம்
தந்த தண்கமழ் தேறல்
பொன்செய் புனை கலத்து ஏந்தி நாளும்
ஒண்தொடி மகளிர் மடுப்ப மகிழ்சிறந்து
ஆங்கினிது ஒழுகுமதி, ஓங்குவாள் மாற! (Puranaanuuru – 56)
பொன்செய் புனை கலத்து ஏந்தி நாளும்
ஒண்தொடி மகளிர் மடுப்ப மகிழ்சிறந்து
ஆங்கினிது ஒழுகுமதி, ஓங்குவாள் மாற! (Puranaanuuru – 56)
Every day you take your pleasure
as women wearing their shining bangles bring you the cool and fragrant wine carried here in their excellent
ships by the Greek and the women pour it for you out of pitchers made of gold
that have been fashioned with high artistry.
சாந்தருந்திப்
பல்பொறிக் கொண்ட ஏந்துஎழில் அகலம்
மாண்இழை மகளிர் புல்லுதொறும் புகல (Puranaanuuru – 161)
பல்பொறிக் கொண்ட ஏந்துஎழில் அகலம்
மாண்இழை மகளிர் புல்லுதொறும் புகல (Puranaanuuru – 161)
Your
women with their fine ornaments may feel delight each time they embrace your
broad massive chest smeared with sandal paste and marked with the numerous signs
of good fortune.
In
both instances the poets go on to wish their patrons long life as well. These
are indicative of the importance that was placed on the conjugal love for
happiness in life. So, kaamam was
also another goal of life for the Tamils of the Sangam period. The fact that
almost 70% of the Sangam poetry deals with matters pertaining to love
reiterates that kaamam was certainly one
of the goals of life.
Conclusion
From the above discussions, it
is clear that the poems of Puranaanuuru cover many different aspects of the life
of Tamil people as it prevailed during the Sangam period. Each poem in Puranaanuuru may be considered as
a short video presentation about some aspect of the Tamil society of the Sangam
period. It is important to read Puranaanuuru for its poetic excellence and also
for the historical anecdotes it provides. In addition to reading for the poetic
excellence and historical anecdotes, we should also read Puranaanuuru to learn
the lessons it offers. After all, the purpose of reading history is to correct
the mistakes of the past and continue to improve upon the best practices and
traditions.
The kings we encounter in Puranaanuuru
were courageous and excelled in the art of war. But, unfortunately, they fought
amongst themselves for various reasons. That is, the three major kings of Tamil
nadu and the chieftains under them were incessantly at war among themselves.
The concept of a united Tamil land was totally absent during that time. Neither
the citizens nor the kings had the concept of uniting themselves under one
banner and establishing a strong Tamil empire. This lack of unity resulted in
the successful invasion by Kalapirars who ruled Tamil Nadu from 300 AD to 600
AD and subsequently by Pallavas, Nayakkars, Maharashtras, Muslims and the
British. Even today, we do not find unity among the Tamil people. We divide
ourselves by political affiliations and castes. The majority of Tamil people do
not seem to have concern and care for their fellow Tamil people. This has been
evident during the recent struggle for Tamil Ezham. No matter where we are, in
India, North America or in any corner of the world, first and foremost we
should consider ourselves as Tamilians and develop a strong sense of unity and
true love for the fellow Tamilians. When someone inflicts harm on a member of the Tamil
society we should join together and raise our voices and fight for our fellow
Tamilians. It is because of this lack of unity and lack of self-respect as Tamilians,
the Tamil people are at the mercy of others in this world. If we do not learn
these valuable lessons, then reading Puranaanuuru and singing the glorious poem
of Kaniyan Puungunranaar is nothing but an exercise in futility.
Bibliography
The Golden Anthology of Tamil Literaure: R. Balakrishna
Mudaliar, The south India
Saiva Siddhantha Works
Publishing Society, Tinnelvely Ltd., 2004
Social And Cultural History of Tamilnad (to A. D. 1630):
N. Subramaniyan, Ennes
Publications, 1998
A History of South India (From Prehistoric Times to the
fall of Vijayanagar): K. A.
Nilakanta Sasthri, Oxford
University Press 2002
The four hundred songs of war and wisdom; an anthology of
poems from classical
Tamil; the purananuru/
translated by George L. Hart and Hank Heifetz, Columbia University Press, 1999.
Poems of Love and war: A. K. Ramanujan, Columbia
University Press, 1985
On the Unintended Influence of Jainism on the Development
of Caste in Post - Classical
Tamil Society: Dr. S.
Palaniappan, International of Journal of Jaina Studies, Vol.4, No. 2 (2008),
1-65
http://puram1to69.blogspot.com
(Blog by Dr. R. Prabhakaran)
http://puram400.blogspot.com
(Blog by Dr. R. Prabhakaran)
